According to reports, Michigan DL coach Mike Elston is headed to the L.A. Chargers to join Jim Harbaugh's staff:
Michigan DL coach Mike Elston is expected to take the same job with the #Chargers, per source.
Elston, who previously coached at Notre Dame from 2010-2021, played an integral role in the Wolverines’ success the last two seasons. Now he follows Jim Harbaugh to L.A. pic.twitter.com/MQaUcoFS86
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) February 6, 2024
A player at Michigan from 1993-96, Elston had a long coaching career before joining the Wolverines in 2022. He coached most famously at Notre Dame, where he spent 2010-2021, first on special teams duties before moving to the defensive line. His work with ND drew wide acclaim and it was perceived as a major win when Harbaugh added Elston to the staff before the '22 season, after DL coach Shaun Nua Joined Lincoln Riley's new USC staff. Over the past two seasons, Elston has helped coach and develop one of the most dominant defensive lines in Michigan history, one that ran roughshod over the Washington offensive line in the National Championship Game.
The past week or two was a seeming battle between Michigan and the LA Chargers for Elston's services, but just like Ben Herbert, Harbaugh won out. Elston's vacancy means that's another coach that Sherrone Moore will have to hire, as the staff looks more and more like a nearly brand new one, rather than continuity from the previous regime. Moreover, Moore will have to work quickly to ensure that Michigan's defensive line is not raided by other schools in the portal, now that Elston has moved on.
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MeanJoe07
February 6th, 2024 at 5:44 PM ^
Obligatory Fire Warde.
Joined: 09/15/2013
MGoPoints: 72286
schreibee
February 6th, 2024 at 6:25 PM ^
Obligatory upvote!
Joined: 11/02/2009
MGoPoints: 20591
crg
February 6th, 2024 at 7:07 PM ^
Jim,
Thank you for all the hard work you put into this program we all love - meticulously and painstakingly building it back up... and even through the hardship of the covid year. Finally getting it back to the level it should be - winning conference and national championships - is truly a great contribution to the program's legacy.
Thank you for also weakening the program our your way out so much for your own designated successor such that he will need to *also* endure the hardships and toils of rebuilding the program from (what may very well be) another low period.
Enjoy that new work commute!
Joined: 04/30/2015
MGoPoints: 72041
StateStreetApostle
February 6th, 2024 at 7:31 PM ^
*Thank you for *also* recruiting such good people to come here because if you hadn't we wouldn't have anything to be upset about when you and they left.
Joined: 01/18/2012
MGoPoints: 35061
reshp1
February 6th, 2024 at 8:50 PM ^
It's his perogative to build the best staff he can, I don't blame him. Michigan should be able to counteroffer and retain coaches. Something stinks when they can't even retain Ben Herbert from bolting to a position that doesn't even exist. And I doubt the problem is all these guys secretly hated Sherrone all along.
Fire warde into the sun.
Joined: 10/31/2011
MGoPoints: 34086
Decatur Jack
February 7th, 2024 at 12:24 AM ^
It's not a Sherrone problem. It's a "We were at Michigan because of Jim" problem. Hard to retain guys whose main reason for being at a place was their friendship with Harbaugh.
Joined: 09/20/2011
MGoPoints: 9371
BlowGoo
February 6th, 2024 at 10:34 PM ^
Worth it.
Joined: 10/16/2011
MGoPoints: 7080
Decatur Jack
February 7th, 2024 at 12:22 AM ^
All this has proven is that the coaches were here because of Harbaugh, not Michigan.
Joined: 09/20/2011
MGoPoints: 9371
michengin87
February 7th, 2024 at 3:40 AM ^
Clearly, they were here because of Harbaugh and rightfully so, he is a great leader, and we were fortunate to have him.
To quote Sherrone Moore's first public words as the UM coach, "I want to thank Coach Harbaugh for the faith that he has displayed in me over the past six years and for supporting my growth as a football coach during that time."
Hopefully, he has left a lasting legacy that Sherrone and the remaining staff can now replicate.
Joined: 07/14/2009
MGoPoints: 3808
Blucifer
February 7th, 2024 at 5:21 PM ^
Coaches go places because it’s good for themselves. If it happens to also benefit an institution they care about, terrific. Otherwise, it’s all self interest.
Joined: 11/08/2018
MGoPoints: 377
Shorty the Bea…
February 7th, 2024 at 1:30 AM ^
Not Jim's fault. All Warde's fault for not understanding that coaches likewise MUST ascend with additional responsibilities and job titles to cash in post-championship when an underling already took the head job. If a coach doesn't likewise get a promotion of some kind he loses out on a golden ticket and people ask why he was the one who didn't get a promotion and why would they offer him down the road.
This is all Warde's fault for not supporting Moore and developing a contingency plan and assessing probable coaching transfers before we even got to this point. The situation was far worse at Washington after the title game - but they had a competent AD with a strategy and their Athletic Department has worked it and they are not stressed over there now. Only M is - because Warde didn't do shit except hire Moore and say his job is done.
Joined: 02/14/2013
MGoPoints: 2583
Pai Mei
February 7th, 2024 at 8:05 AM ^
I keep seeing "contingency plan" or "continuity plan". Is this from Balas and On3?
Specifically, how did Warde not support Moore?
Joined: 08/14/2009
MGoPoints: 1106
Bigtentoot3073
February 7th, 2024 at 10:38 AM ^
Jesse James Harbaugh and the Great Michigan Football Train Robbery!
" I love Michigan so much I want to take it all with me"
Joined: 11/17/2023
MGoPoints: 2
stephenrjking
February 6th, 2024 at 5:44 PM ^
I don’t know if blame is worthwhile, and if so, not sure who that should be assigned to. It is what it is. I’ve obviously been in the “don’t panic” camp.
Am I worried about the defense being raided? Yes I am.
Joined: 03/15/2012
MGoPoints: 20140569
Toby Flenderson
February 6th, 2024 at 5:55 PM ^
You can blame Michigan’s inept athletic department.
Joined: 01/16/2012
MGoPoints: 21226
Wendyk5
February 6th, 2024 at 6:22 PM ^
I blame Harbaugh. Is he entitled to have the staff that he wants at his new job? Yes. I still blame him.
Joined: 11/20/2008
MGoPoints: 64603
Synful
February 6th, 2024 at 6:51 PM ^
Ditto. This is borderline sadistic of him, savaging the staff.
Joined: 09/05/2010
MGoPoints: 858
bsand2053
February 6th, 2024 at 9:04 PM ^
He's doing his job. What's sadistic about that?
Joined: 04/14/2010
MGoPoints: 19091
SeaWolv
February 7th, 2024 at 9:23 AM ^
It's his right to assemble the best staff he can for his new employer. But you have to admit this puts his alma mater in a difficult position this late in the cycle when they're trying to hire replacements and recruit.
It almost feels like this could be a big FU to Warde.
Joined: 12/16/2011
MGoPoints: 4537