Michigan Football: Keeping coach Chris Partridge is huge for recruiting

A few days ago, Michigan football announced it had re-signed assistant coach Chris Partridge. Here’s why that move could have a big impact on recruiting.

If there is one thing the Michigan football coaching staff knows how to do, it’s recruit. The highly-ranked classes the Wolverines have turned in under Jim Harbaugh are proof of that.

But the truth is recruiting is very nuanced and a lot of times, it comes down to the relationship between whatever assistant coach is doing the recruiting and the player they are trying to get. Obviously, Harbaugh makes a difference, but he’s more of a closer. Most of the work is put in by assistants like Chris Partridge, who are vital to the process.

If you don’t know the name Chris Partridge, you should. He has been essential to many of the Michigan’s recruiting wins over the years, including the landing of top defensive tackle Aubrey Solomon in 2017.

In fact, Partridge is so good at recruiting, he was named National Recruiter of the Year in both 2016 and 2017 by Rivals and 247Sports respectively. However, his contract expired last week and it didn’t take long for other teams to pounce.

Among others, Alabama offered Partridge a job in the hopes of stealing him away from Michigan. Yet, over the weekend, the Wolverines and Partridge came to terms on a new two-year deal.

Partridge will continue to coach linebackers and special teams. However, his biggest role will be on the recruiting trail. And on that front, he and Michigan football have plenty of work to do. Otis Reese is one guy Partridge is working to land. Another is defensive tackle Tyler Friday.

You may be familiar with Reese, a four-star linebacker that verbally committed to Michigan, but has since wavered. Reese is from Georgia and in recent months, the Bulldogs have been putting on the full-court press.

Partridge has been a key part of Reese’s recruitment and now that’s he guaranteed to be on the staff the next two seasons, Kevin Goheen of Land of 10 says Reese is much more likely to join the Maize and Blue.

Getting Reese to  keep his commitment would be huge, but there is another big fish Partridge is working to land and that’s Friday. While Partridge has had success with defensive lineman in the past, the fact that Friday is from New Jersey, gives Partridge, a New Jersey native, more of an edge.

Friday, a four-star defensive tackle visited Ohio State last week, but still hasn’t made a decision. He has narrowed his choices to the Buckeyes, Alabama and of course, the Wolverines.

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Sometimes in recruiting, it’s the little things that matter and that’s why keeping Partridge was so important. He’s not Harbaugh, but on the recruiting trail, he is easily among the most important coaches on the staff.