Wolverine Digest

Michigan Football Adds a Former Defensive Coordinator to Coaching Staff

This coach is expected to assist with Michigan's special teams
Seth Berry|
Nov 2, 2019; Colorado Springs, CO, USA; Air Force Falcons outside linebackers coach Brian Knorr reacts in the fourth quarter against the Army Black Knights at Falcon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
Nov 2, 2019; Colorado Springs, CO, USA; Air Force Falcons outside linebackers coach Brian Knorr reacts in the fourth quarter against the Army Black Knights at Falcon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

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Michigan Wolverines

Michigan football is adding a coach with over 30 years of experience under his belt to the 2026 staff.

According to a report from CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz, Kyle Whittingham is set to hire Brian Knorr, who has been the defensive coordinator at Air Force for the past four seasons.

Knorr, according to Zenitz' report, is expected to assist Kerry Coombs with Michigan's special teams.

Knorr's coacing history

Along with being Air Force's defensive coordinator from 2022-25, Knorr also spent time coaching the linebackers and "Spurs" (hybrid linebacker/safety position) during his third stint with the program, which began in 2018.

In 2022, in Knorr's first season as Air Force's defensive coordinator, the Falcons finished the season first in total defense, second in passing defense and third in the nation in scoring defense.

Knorr's experience as a coach includes a stint at Ohio University in the MAC, along with six seasons of defensive coordinator responsibilities with the Bobcats, Wake Forest and Indiana.

Prior to his third stint at Air Force, Knorr spent one season at Arizona working as the special teams and tight ends coach. A year before that, Knorr was at Ohio State as a quality control assistant.

Brian Knorr
Nov 2, 2019; Colorado Springs, CO, USA; Air Force Falcons outside linebackers coach Brian Knorr reacts in the fourth quarter against the Army Black Knights at Falcon Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

From 2014-15, Knorr was the defensive coordinator at Indiana while also tutoring the defensive ends and outside linebackers.

Before his stint at Indiana, Knorr served in various coaching roles at Wake Forest, coming to the Demon Deacons after his second stint at Air Force. Knorr was the head coach at Ohio from 2001-04 and before that, was with the program as an assistant coach starting in 1995.

Knorr got got his start in coaching at Air Force in 1992 as an assistant coach.

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Seth Berry
SETH BERRY

Seth began writing on Michigan athletics in 2015 and has remained in the U-M media space ever since, which includes stops at Maize N Brew and Rivals before coming onto Michigan On SI in June of 2025. Seth has covered various angles of Michigan football and basketball, including recruiting, overall team coverage and feature/analysis stories relating to the Wolverines. His passion for Michigan sports and desire to tell stories led him to the sports journalism world. He is a 2020 graduate of Western Michigan University and is the former sports editor of the Western Herald, WMU's student newspaper.

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