mike elston
jim harbaugh
sherrone moore
[Patrick Barron]

Exit: Mike Elston Comment Count

Alex.Drain February 6th, 2024 at 5:29 PM

According to reports, Michigan DL coach Mike Elston is headed to the L.A. Chargers to join Jim Harbaugh's staff: 

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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Comments

ERdocLSA2004

February 6th, 2024 at 7:30 PM ^

I don’t think people really understand.  This is unprecedented.  Tell me the last time a college coach went out on time for the NFL and took most of that staff with him?  Perhaps worse, Harbaugh has slow rolled us for the last month doing this.  We promoted “his guy” for what?  Moore doesn’t have contacts, there are coordinators out there more qualified than him for the job.  Who is he gonna get?  The way in which Harbaugh made us think Moore was the guy to take the torch, then completely undermine the program over the last month is shocking.  

Joined: 01/08/2011

MGoPoints: 16155

rice4114

February 6th, 2024 at 8:13 PM ^

Moore was the man with all the staff (minus Minter and Jaybaugh) left behind. 

Now a first time HC has to find an entire defensive staff while leading recruiting. Jim /Warde what did you two fucks do to this guy?

Jim couldve planned all this out 3 weeks ago and helped Moore get replacements in line. Moore doesnt know how to find a defensive staff while still holding recruiting and all the potential transfers together. 

What a mess. 

Joined: 08/26/2010

MGoPoints: 47697

mi93

February 6th, 2024 at 5:57 PM ^

Fuuuuuuuuk.

Can we please just rip off the fucking bandage?  While I was previously willing to be grateful to Jim and cautious about giving Warde some benefit of the doubt, this is now beyond irritating and my displeasure is growing significantly with both of them -- Jim for "creating a culture" only to dismantle it, Warde for (waving my hand at vast wasteland).

I'm thrilled with Moore being promoted -- he's earned it, even if another year or 2 as OC would season him a little Moore -- but the pending risk of strategic shift now on D is worrisome given expectations.

Venting session over.

Joined: 11/15/2008

MGoPoints: 30489

dcmaizeandblue

February 6th, 2024 at 5:59 PM ^

I don’t want to hear another word about the “culture” Harbaugh created and left behind. Dude is absolutely torching it and leaving the program in a crater. For the fucking LA Chargers. 

Joined: 04/01/2010

MGoPoints: 6894

stephenrjking

February 6th, 2024 at 9:32 PM ^

You tried this in another thread and it was absurd then and it's absurd now. Assistants leave all the time. Georgia literally just lost Todd Monken to the same role at the Ravens last year. LSU lost Joe Brady to the same role in the NFL. Oklahoma lost its HC to the same role at USC. Ohio State lost Kerry Coombs to coach the same DB position at the Titans and co-DC Alex Grinch to DC at Oklahoma. Michigan has hired two of their OCs.

You're literally just saying stuff with no facts behind it at all. 

And you're trying to make moving to the NFL like it's a bad thing, rather than what it really is: Michigan had an exceptional coaching staff that is in high demand, and the results spoke for themselves last year. There's a bit of a cost to having coaches that good; be glad that we had them. 

 

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20144031

True Blue Grit

February 7th, 2024 at 7:25 AM ^

Meanwhile, despite all the coaches beating the doors down to leave here, how many coaches have we hired to to replace them?  Effectively zero. The Moore, Newsome, and Campbell promotions are basically musical chairs.  Open positions are LB, DL, DC, QB, TE, and Special Teams.  The clock is ticking, and Manuel seems to be just sitting on his big butt while Rome burns.  This is getting more frustrating and maddening with each passing day.  

Joined: 01/21/2011

MGoPoints: 32484

njvictor

February 6th, 2024 at 7:15 PM ^

I don’t blame Harbaugh for wanting his guys. That’s his prerogative. We had the ability to pay these guys enough money to stay and Warde decided to do nothing like he always does. There were certain coaches on this staff that we should’ve given anything to stay, mainly Herbert and Elston, and Warde decided “nah”. 

Joined: 07/20/2017

MGoPoints: 65619

rice4114

February 6th, 2024 at 8:19 PM ^

I blame Warde for his inaction and Jim for his action. Fuck them both for setting Moore up for failure. Jim probably smiles at the chaos he left Warde. Im just not a fan anymore with what they have done to Moore. He is handling 5 duties right now and in this position for the first time. Hire and old x head coach for $3mil right now to help him. Damn it.

Joined: 08/26/2010

MGoPoints: 47697

HateSparty

February 6th, 2024 at 8:40 PM ^

Are you all ignorant? Warde hired Moore. It was easy to plug it in. Juwan was the easy path. Everything Warde does is minimalist. This has been his MO for fifteen years. 
 

Warde had no clean transition plan. If he did, it was secured with dried out gum and tissue paper. He sucks. Santa should also be in this discussion. He is failing as well. 

Joined: 12/17/2014

MGoPoints: 27208

swalburn

February 6th, 2024 at 6:13 PM ^

This sucks but if we don't want these guys to leave, give them what it takes to stay.  There was a lot of time to retain him.  We are headed for a rough patch if we don't solve this.  Disclaimer:  I don't blame Harbaugh at all.  He is doing what he should be doing developing the best staff he can build.  I'm rooting for Coach Moore and I hope he gets some good news at some point because this has been rough.

Joined: 11/24/2011

MGoPoints: 8047

bronxblue

February 6th, 2024 at 6:41 PM ^

Yeah, Harbaugh taking the freaking college strength coach with him sure feels weird.  At some point it feels personal that he's just taking coaches for the hell of it.

I do get a sense that UM is fighting for these guys but Harbaugh and the Chargers can pay them a ton and even if they don't work in the pros they can always just come back to college.  

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 172050

bronxblue

February 6th, 2024 at 6:51 PM ^

I get Harbaugh wanting his guys and the more I think about it none of these coaches stand to lose anything by going to the NFL - even if they all flame out they can just go back to college in a year or two and probably be more desirable because they were "NFL guys".  

UM is clearly trying to retain whomever they can while also filling holes, and until Harbaugh stops taking guys with him it's a battle on two fronts that is hard to win.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 172050

swalburn

February 6th, 2024 at 6:23 PM ^

This is more Harbaugh's staff than it is Michigan's staff.  I think it is pretty clear that he put together what was one of the best coaching groups in the country and he knows it.  The guys seem to be more loyal to him than the university.  If we want to keep these guys, then do what it takes to keep them.   It seems like we are asleep at the wheel and paying for it.

Joined: 11/24/2011

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