While Jim Harbaugh reportedly awaits the end of the Baltimore Ravens playoff in the NFL, he is making moves to help support his new defensive coordinator.
Michigan plans to hire Florida linebackers coach Christian Robinson, according to reports Friday afternoon in Gainesville.
Robinson, 30, has spent the last three seasons training linebackers for Dan Mullen. He helped develop the NFL picks draft Vosean Joseph (fifth round, Buffalo Bills) and Jonathan Greenard (third round, Houston Texas), while the Gators produced a top-ten defense in 2019.
It is not yet clear where Robinson fits into the team. Harbaugh fired defensive coordinator Don Brown on December 22 and allowed the contracts for defensive line coach Shaun Nua and cornerback coach Mike Zordich to expire, opening the door for the team to stir.
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According to 247Sports, Michigan will be responsible for paying an acquisition equal to 25 percent ($ 75,000) of Robinson’s $ 300,000 salary if he takes on a non-coordinating role outside the SEC. If he takes on the role of coordinator, the acquisition increases to 50 percent ($ 150,000).
Florida has already separated from cornerback coach Torian Gray and safeguard coach Ron English.
Prior to his time in Florida, Robinson served as a graduate assistant in Mullen, Mississippi in 2017, a graduate assistant at Ole Miss in 2015 and 2016 and, perhaps most notably, a graduate assistant in Georgia in 2013 and 2014.
Why is this last part noticeable? Because Robinson’s time in Georgia coincided with that of Mike Macdonald, the coach of the Ravens’ linebackers, who is allegedly being chosen to be Michigan’s new defensive coordinator. Both were graduate defense assistants in 2013, before Macdonald did an NFL internship and left for Baltimore.
Speaking early Friday morning at the Michigan High School Football Coaches Association’s annual clinic, Harbaugh confirmed hiring running back coach Mike Hart and said a defensive training team would be taking over “soon”.
“I can’t make any announcements yet, until things are signed,” said Harbaugh. “But I am very close to making all these moves.”
A native of Norcross, Georgia, Robinson played a linebacker for four seasons in Georgia from 2009 to 2012 under current Florida defensive coordinator Todd Grantham, totaling 159 tackles (22 1/2) for a loss and 4 1/2 sacks. He briefly pursued a career in the NFL, without being drafted, before joining as a coach.
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