Michigan Hires Kirk Campbell, QB Coach
Matt Weiss's computer crimes opened an interesting spot on Michigan's coaching staff. That created an OC opening for what should be the most loaded offense in college football: Hey, wanna coach JJ McCarthy and Blake Corum and Roman Wilson and the best OL in the country for a few years? Harbaugh's coaching tree is also extensive enough now that several very interesting names, including Ravens OC Greg Roman and former assistant/recruiting ace Chris Partridge, recently became available.
All of that now can be interpreted as a stunning endorsement of the internal candidate they elevated instead.
A strong addition to our QB room! We’re proud to announce @CoachKCampbell as our new quarterbacks coach!#GoBlue | https://t.co/Nw36OBaTuT pic.twitter.com/N4M6zd16CE
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) January 27, 2023
It's expected that co-OC/OL Sherrone Moore will assume the coordinator title outright, though that's quite a lot to have on one guy's plate.
Via Sam Webb on our WTKA show, Biff Poggi had interest in taking Kirk Campbell with him to Charlotte this offseason. It's at least plausible that Harbaugh promised an on-field coaching position if Campbell stuck around, or it may just be that Campbell sensed the opportunity. Insiders also report that JJ McCarthy in particular was 100% on board with elevating Coach Campbell. Analysts aren't involved in recruiting, but presumably Michigan's top QB target Jadyn Davis was sold as well.
[After THE JUMP: A little analysis]
Campbell arrived at Michigan last season after serving for two years as the OC and quarterbacks coach at Old Dominion and quickly became one of the program's favorite analysts. Ironically, that was on recommendation of recent Michigan OC Josh Gattis, who was just fired from Miami (YTM) today after just one season in the same capacity. Campbell was a Penn State analyst under Rickey Rahne, another longtime Franklin associate, when Gattis was WRs coach in Happy Valley. When Rahne took the head coaching job at ODU, Campbell actually spent a game as interim QB coach for Penn State before joining Rahne as OC/QBs coach.
ODU's 2020 season was canceled by the pandemic, but they managed to outperform (very low) expectations in 2021, producing a 1,000-yard receiver in Ali Jennings III and leaning heavily on PSU transfer TE Zack Kuntz. ODU finished 2021 ranked 11th/14 in Conf USA in pass efficiency and 9th in the conference in overall offense. They were 35th nationally in sack rate, and 57th in rush efficiency, however, and Hayden Wolff grew last year into one of the conference (USA!!!)'s better QBs. Not sure if this is relevant, but Wolff also accounted for 20% of team rushes despite not being much of a run threat.
What is relevant is ODU started recruiting very well by its standards under Rahne and Campbell.
Prior to Penn State Campbell was OC and assistant HC at Div-II Alderson Broaddus for five years, and helped that GMAC startup program win the conference's first title.
Partridge was such a successful Harbaugh hire the NCAA made a rule against hiring any more guys like him, though he didn't work out at DC at Ole Miss. [Eric Upchurch]
Still, the most impressive part of Kirk Campbell's resume has to be that Michigan chose to elevate him over some of the other options on the table (or rumored to be). As we said last Thursday on the radio, it was probably very tempting to Harbaugh to use the open spot to bring back Chris Partridge, while shifting Jay Harbaugh to quarterbacks. That Partridge might have assured their chances with Old Miss transfer CB Davison Igbinosun also must have added to the temptation. Hopefully they're still able to get Partridge back in some capacity.
It was also tempting to shop around when circumstances meant they would probably have some interesting takers. While big names like Ravens assistant Tee Martin and 49ers QB coach Brian Griese were thrown out there, Sam Webb used a precious phone-a-Jim to confirm Harbaugh hadn't spoken to either of them($). Via just about everybody, Gattis was never remotely an option given the nature of his departure last year.
January 27th, 2023 at 4:35 PM ^
Alleged crimes, Seth. Alleged.
January 27th, 2023 at 7:57 PM ^
CJK5H! Allegedly!
January 28th, 2023 at 2:42 AM ^
That the University police are investigating whatever it was Weiss supposedly did doesn’t necessarily mean a crime occurred and he obviously hasn’t been charged with any. His “offense” may have only been a violation of University policy.
January 28th, 2023 at 8:58 AM ^
Whatever he did it was bad enough that he got fired after helping lead Michigan’s offense to a Big Ten Championship season with most of the key players returning.
I don’t think he has been charged which makes you think he won’t be.
He will be in the NFL next fall.
January 27th, 2023 at 4:35 PM ^
Div-II Alderson Broaddus
Pretty sure that's Snoop Dogg's nephew's real name and not the name of a school.
January 27th, 2023 at 5:45 PM ^
Actually was Bodie Broaddus’ cousin.
January 27th, 2023 at 8:21 PM ^
He been dead.
January 27th, 2023 at 10:13 PM ^
It's all in the game.
January 28th, 2023 at 2:24 PM ^
Name checks out.
January 27th, 2023 at 4:36 PM ^
A question for the MGoCommentariat:
To what degree does the picture of JJ that leads this article qualify as "OMG Shirtless"?
January 27th, 2023 at 4:41 PM ^
OMG ab flash?
January 27th, 2023 at 4:58 PM ^
OMG midriff
January 27th, 2023 at 5:10 PM ^
My personal vote was going to be for OMG Crop Top.
January 27th, 2023 at 4:37 PM ^
Seth, Seth, Seth:
"Matt Weiss's computer crimes."
Innocent until proven guilty.
Maybe just stick the word "alleged" in there.
:)
January 27th, 2023 at 6:20 PM ^
Or maybe wait for some charges to be filed to even put "alleged."
January 27th, 2023 at 6:50 PM ^
Computer "controversy."
January 27th, 2023 at 4:39 PM ^
He can't be a worse recruiter than Weiss, right?
The nice thing about going outside the program is injecting new ideas.
The nice thing about hiring internally is consistency, and the last couple years have been pretty good.
January 27th, 2023 at 4:43 PM ^
Loved Coach Partridge and would be a huge and much need recruiting bump to get him back. I'd consider putting him in charge of recruiting and giving him an analysts role. Met him at Orange Bowl. Can see why players would want to play for him or at his school.
January 27th, 2023 at 4:48 PM ^
C'mon, @umichfootball. It's "conqu'ring" heroes.
January 27th, 2023 at 4:50 PM ^
Is it just me or does Kirk Campbell look suspiciously a lot like Matt Weiss?
January 27th, 2023 at 4:54 PM ^
Shhh.
January 27th, 2023 at 4:58 PM ^
Has anyone ever seen them in the same room at the same time? Maybe this is all part of Weiss’ computer hack!
January 27th, 2023 at 7:48 PM ^
He was putting the finishing touches on his Facetoon avatar, and using the university server to download the massive file to the Atlas Department at Boston Dynamics.
January 27th, 2023 at 8:30 PM ^
Funny because I immediately thought Jedd Fisch 😅
January 27th, 2023 at 4:51 PM ^
No way someone from outside the program was considered an option at OC. I heard you mention this on the radio and it was insane. You don’t bring in an outsider to run a new offense with a bunch of guys that are likely in their last year. That would be a disaster.
January 27th, 2023 at 4:52 PM ^
In the end, the only real, viable option. Congrats to Kirk, the bridge is yours, Captain!
January 27th, 2023 at 4:53 PM ^
Prodigy.
January 27th, 2023 at 4:56 PM ^
Seems like a good hire. Was hoping they could get the QB coach from Stanford, Pritchard, as he has a great track record with QBs.
I love Moore, but my only concern with being the lone OC, is does that leave him enough time to continue doing the great work with the O-line?
January 27th, 2023 at 5:11 PM ^
How much will Moore's workload change? He was already calling most of the plays. Calling a few more during a game doesn't seem like it would make much difference. He's still going to have a lot of help in designing the offense.
January 28th, 2023 at 2:44 AM ^
I don’t think any of us know much about who’s calling the plays.
January 27th, 2023 at 7:50 PM ^
I recall that some people's sense was that Moore was calling running plays and Weiss passes, which I struggled to conceptualize. But does anyone think this means that Moore was pretty much in charge? It always seemed more likely that one of them was calling plays and the other saying, "Hey, what if we did this here?" Because how much time is there really for a lot of palaver?
January 27th, 2023 at 9:27 PM ^
I read somewhere today (don’t remember the source, so grain of salt) that Moore was the main playcaller and called standard downs. Weiss was in charge of third and long and redzone plays.
January 27th, 2023 at 10:22 PM ^
That explains alot. Our redzone playcalling was definitely a crime.
January 27th, 2023 at 10:34 PM ^
That was on the WTKA Roundtable on Tuesday
January 28th, 2023 at 2:44 PM ^
But they just asserted it like everyone knew that, when it was the first time I remember hearing it?
January 28th, 2023 at 4:13 PM ^
Sam said the same earlier in the week. Seems plausible that thats what was going on due to the shift in playcalling when they got in to the RZ. Too many cooks. Lookin at you “Philly Special”
January 28th, 2023 at 6:27 PM ^
Thanks. I did a lot of UM related reading the last few days and couldn’t remember where I saw it.
January 27th, 2023 at 4:59 PM ^
As much as I love the retuning on-field talent, the coaching staff feels every bit as good. Guess I’ll be renewing those season tickets after all.
/s
January 27th, 2023 at 5:06 PM ^
"...another longtime Franklin associate," Seth says. Kirk Franklin on the brain, maybe?
One of the guys on The Wolverine Podcast made that slip today, too. Can I get a Halleluiah?!!
EDIT: or maybe he meant Frames. Derp, it's been a long week...
January 27th, 2023 at 5:17 PM ^
I nominate you to start the Friday evening drinking thread
January 27th, 2023 at 5:46 PM ^
One might say that you're preaching to the choir on that one, my friend
January 27th, 2023 at 5:11 PM ^
Seems like the story is JJ likes him so that's that
Maybe with a side of JD approval
January 27th, 2023 at 5:25 PM ^
Side note, I wonder when JD Johnson graduates if he will be a GA and or analyst? Kid has overcome a lot, been apart of some championship level teams, helps the QB prep for games, and so on. Kid has a bright future in coaching if he wants it, but more importantly bright look and future in life. https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/college/2022/12/30/quarterback-jd-johnson-inspires-michigan-in-fiesta-bowl/69765147007/
January 27th, 2023 at 8:45 PM ^
Didn’t JD announce a while back that he was cleared to play and would be transferring? What ever happened to that?
January 27th, 2023 at 9:04 PM ^
Didn't get cleared, stayed on with the team.
January 27th, 2023 at 9:12 PM ^
In the link above.
On Dec. 10, 2021, Johnson put out on social media, in all caps, "ALL GLORY TO GOD," with a statement that he was coming out of medical retirement and "searching for opportunities to continue my college football career." He had said that summer he was evaluated by a world-renowned cardiologist at the Cleveland Clinic, who concluded he should be permitted to play college football.
"Coach Harbaugh was supportive through this whole thing," Johnson said. "I ended up entering the transfer portal. I got some interest from a couple of schools. But it ended up their doctors found some concerns. I was totally OK with that. I was in a good spot."
Johnson has turned his focus to coaching. He's become like a player assistant this year. He's been an inspiration, according to offensive coordinator Matt Weiss, who works with the quarterbacks.
January 27th, 2023 at 5:52 PM ^
If there’s one thing the Harbaugh tenure has been lacking it’s a true QB guru. It’s no secret the QB development has left something to be desired. It would’ve been nice to see more of a proven QB coach get hired. I don’t know if we’ve seen enough from JJ to know if Johnson is the guy. Hopefully we see a big jump from JJ this year.
January 27th, 2023 at 9:29 PM ^
Now our WR need a coach. Sometimes it looks like routes are not run correctly and there is lack of timing between JJ and his WR. I hope this improves next season.
January 28th, 2023 at 12:06 AM ^
When in doubt, JayBaugh it out!
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