Report: Boston College to Hire Former Michigan Running Backs Coach Mike Hart

Savon Huggins, the Eagles' former running backs coach, was hired away to Penn State this offseason.

Michigan running backs coach Mike Hart watches a play against Ohio State during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Boston College Eagles football program is expected to hire Mike Hart as its running backs coach, according to Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports.

Boston College is expected to hire Mike Hart as running backs coach, sources tell @CBSSports.

The former Michigan and NFL running back had been working at Eastern Michigan. Was Michigan’s running backs coach from 2021-23. pic.twitter.com/f1XbDQBByg

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 15, 2026

The news comes just a week after former BC running backs coach Savon Huggins left for Penn State to serve the same role.

This offseason, the Eagles have hired a total of four new coaches to its staff — Ted Roof as defensive coordinator, Joe Dailey as wide receivers coach, Kurt Anderson as offensive line coach, and now Hart.

On Jan. 5, Hart was promoted to the role of assistant head coach and wide receivers coach at Eastern Michigan from his role as an offensive analyst for the Eagles in 2025. Prior to his stint with EMU, the former Indianapolis Colts running back (2008-10) served as a running backs coach, run-game coordinator, and interim head coach for the Michigan Wolverines from 2021-23.

Before he worked on Jim Harbaugh’s staff in Ann Arbor, Mich., Hart coached Syracuse’s running backs in 2016, Indiana’s running backs from 2017-19, and was promoted to the Hoosiers’ assistant head coach in 2020.

Born in Syracuse, N.Y., Hart played running back for the Wolverines from 2004-07 and holds the program’s record for career rushing yards with 5,040.

Hart was named the 2004 Big Ten Freshman of the Year, a three-time First-Team All-Big Ten running back (2004, 2006, 2007), and a two-time Second-Team All-American (2006, 2007) in his collegiate career. 

Hart was selected by the Colts in the sixth round of the 2008 National Football League (NFL) Draft with pick No. 202, but he only managed to play for two seasons and picked up coaching the year after he retired as an offensive quality control assistant for Eastern Michigan.

As a coach at his alma mater, where he won a National Championship in 2023, Hart developed former Wolverines running back Blake Corum (Los Angeles Rams) into the school’s all-time leader in rushing touchdowns (58). Corum also picked up accolades such as a 2023 First-Team All-American, the 2024 CFP National Championship Game Offensive MVP, the 2023 NCAA scoring leader, and the 2022 Big Ten Most Valuable Player.

Last season, the Eagles ranked No. 15 in the Atlantic Coast Conference in rushing offense, averaging 103.9 yards per game with 16 touchdowns.

Former BC running back Turbo Richard — who transferred to Indiana after the portal opened on Jan. 2 — was the Eagles’ leading rusher and ranked No. 10 in the conference with 749 yards and nine touchdowns. Richard averaged 68.1 yards per game and 5.2 yards per carry.

BC head coach Bill O’Brien picked up two major transfer additions for the unit this offseason in former Liberty running back Evan Dickens and former Maryland running back Nolan Ray, who are both poised to spearhead the run game in 2026.

Dickens ranked third in rushing yards per game (121.7) in the nation last season and finished the year with 1,339 yards and 16 scores, good for fourth and fifth in FBS as well.