As expected, Jim Harbaugh has recruited his Michigan defensive coordinator to Los Angeles. The Chargers have finalized a deal with Jesse Minter that will make him the team’s new defensive coordinator, per Albert Breer of TheMMQB. Minter has acknowledged the move, posting a farewell message to Michigan players and fans.
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Throughout Harbaugh’s interview process, it was hinted that Minter could follow his boss to the NFL. Minter spent the past two seasons as Michigan’s defensive coordinator, and he also had a four-year stint on John Harbaugh‘s staff in Baltimore. Jim Harbaugh has targeted familiarity as he’s filled out his new Chargers staff, so it’s not a huge surprise that Minter will be joining the ranks.
The 40-year-old coach helped guide a stout defense to a national championship, and the school had CFP appearances in each of Minter’s two years at the helm. Michigan allowed the fewest points in the nation (13.1 ppg) over the past two seasons, and Minter was a 2022 finalist for the Broyles Award, given to college football’s top assistant coach.
In between his stint in Baltimore and his time at Michigan, Minter had a one-year stop as Vanderbilt’s defensive coordinator. He held that same role with Georgia State and Indiana State. He earned a DC interview with the Eagles last offseason.
Harbaugh is continuing to add to his defensive staff, as NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero passes along that the Chargers have hired Michigan defensive line coach Mike Elston for the same position. Prior to his two years in Michigan, the veteran coach spent more than a decade on Notre Dame’s staff. The Chargers have also hired Ravens player evaluation and analytics manager Corey Krawiec for an unknown role, per The Athletic’s Daniel Popper.
Not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but there’s not a lot of NFL experience with Harbaugh’s staff
The staff is accustomed to playing cupcake opponents (East Carolina) and perennial pushovers like Indiana so this could get ugly very quickly.
Huh? What does that have to do with the NFL? You do realize they beat all the BEST teams in college too?
The best team in College would lose 70-0 cs the worst team in the NFL.
But Jim Harbaugh isn’t using college players anymore. Seems pretty obvious. I don’t know if you or the crosseyedlemon guy knows this but Harbaugh gets to coach professional players now. He’s been successful at some point in college and the pros and I’d expect that to continue because the Chargers have good talent
Every coach coaches professional players. Whether that does so better than others is the question.
Is this college hire going to be able to adapt to NFL well enough to salvage the talent on the Chargers’ defense? After Brandon Staley, the bar is pretty low.
Harbaugh is a winning coach
Harbaugh is also not coaching the defense, which is the question here. I’m not taking a side, but it is a valid question.
Not really. Not any more valid than any coach getting a promotion. I’d rather have a guy who was the DC for the best college team than I would for a professional coach that got the DC position after just coaching LB’s. Same way that a lot of good coordinators don’t make good head coaches.
Is it safe to surmise that JJ McCarthy will be the Bolts backup QB next year?
Possibly, but I wouldn’t rule out another exciting round of Kaepernick “comeback” rumors to enter the mix as well.
You gotta get over the fact that Michigan won the Natty
The Chargers aren’t using a 1st or 2nd round pick on a quarterback