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Hiring Mike Hart Needed To Happen

Former Michigan running back Mike Hart is going to be back in Ann Arbor helping to lead the position group he was once a part of.

In what has seemed like a bit of a no brainer for a while, Mike Hart is finally coming home to be Michigan's running backs coach. The former Wolverine standout seemed like a perfect fit for the post and now we'll all get to see if it actually is. There are several reasons why hiring Hart works and all of them should be noticeable right out of the gate.

1. Rotation

Michigan does have several talented and different running backs, but that doesn't mean that they should each get somewhere between five and nine carries per game. Jay Harbaugh did seem to settle in on Hassan Haskins a bit more as the season progressed last year, but we still saw some head scratching decisions when it came to who was on the field. 

I think you should identify a lead back — someone who does the most, the best — and ride that guy, and Hart apparently does too. Over the past three seasons at Indiana, running back Stevie Scott had 562 carries, while the "No. 2" back(s) had just 145. That means Hart finds his guy and lets him get it going. That being said, Hart has some interesting guys to choose from in Haskins, Zach Charbonnet, Blake Corum and incoming freshman Donovan Edwards. It's a good problem to have, but based on his track record, I think Hart will figure it out.

2. Blocking

Being good at something doesn't always mean you can show someone else how to be good at it, but I'm hoping Hart will be able to do just that. Despite being just 5-9, 202 pounds as a senior, Hart was always billed as a great blocker. He wasn't afraid to put his face in the fan and always used good leverage, information and technique to be an effective blocker. If he can identify some of those qualities in one or several of his backs, and then impart his knowledge and experience into the group, he should be able to find one or two guys who can keep a quarterback clean. 

3. Recruiting

Recruiting at Indiana is much different than recruiting at Michigan, which is why I'm excited about what Hart can do while sporting the Block M. During his time with the Hoosiers, he was able to land three running backs who could all play at Michigan.

In 2017 he landed Morgan Ellison. The big back suffered back-to-back horrible broken leg injuries as a junior and senior in high school, which obviously affected his recruitment in a major way. Indiana ended up being his biggest offer, but Hart was able to identify his abilities, despite the injuries, and go into Ohio to sign him. I like everything about how that played out.

In 2018, Hart went back to his own neck of the woods in upstate New York to sign Stevie Scott. At 240 pounds coming out of high school, Scott was dubbed "too big" to be a true running back position by some staffs. Hart didn't let that bother him and now Scott is one of the more productive backs in the Big Ten. He didn't have a massive offer list, but programs like Boston College, Minnesota, Pittsburgh and Purdue were in pursuit. Hart won out and Scott has been making plays for the Hoosiers since he stepped foot on campus.

Finally, there's Sampson James from the 2019 class. He's easily Hart's biggest coup, at least in terms of who reportedly offered him. The one-time Ohio State commit also had tenders from Florida State, Georgia, Notre Dame, Penn State, Tennessee and Michigan. He's already shown flashes of being pretty good and should be the lead back in Bloomington next year should Scott move on.

That's enough evidence for me to say that Hart will be a dynamic recruiter with Michigan.

4. Culture

I think Hart is going to be great for Michigan's culture, which is need of a major facelift. As a former Wolverine who wasn't a big time recruit, Hart understands what it takes to come to U-M, work hard and make an impact out of the gate. He understands what it takes to be a leader and a captain. He understands what it feels like to beat Michigan State — four times. Shoot, he even understands what it feels like to beat Michigan, which is something no Indiana coach has been able to say in more than 30 years. 

He just gets what it takes to be really good at his job. You could make an argument that most of the people in maize and blue didn't understand that last year. He's got the kind of personality and background to ooze that confidence and he definitely walks the walk, which could spill over onto other coaches and almost certainly will with his backs.

5. Rivalries

Finally, Hart gets Michigan's rivals. He went 4-0 against Michigan State and, even though he was winless against Ohio State, he was in a couple close games against the Buckeyes and certainly knows how to hate the scarlet and grey. I don't know if a running backs coach can affect the mentality of an entire team, but I'm sure Hart's running backs will understand the importance of the rivalry games and will be as fired up as they've ever been as they prepare to play against the Spartans and Buckeyes. That alone seemed to be an issue in 2020 and in the past.


I absolutely love the hire on all levels and from all angles, but I do think fans should remain realistic and look at the big picture objectively. Even though I think Hart is an upgrade over Jay Harbaugh in just about every way, I don't know if that will equate to more wins on the field. I just can't imagine a running backs coach impacting a team enough to get a win that would've otherwise been a loss. Hart might end up being the best RB coach in the conference, but can he do enough to take Michigan from say, 7 wins to 9? I just don't think it happens that way, nor do I think the running back position is impactful enough to do that these days unless you're talking about a generational talent playing on the field.

Still, this is an A+ move. I'm not hung up on the "Michigan Man" approach, but this one just makes too much sense and has been a long time coming.

Welcome home, Mike.