Michigan Football: Mike Hart coaching at Notre Dame would be weird

Former Michigan football legend Mike Hart interviewed for a job coaching Notre Dame running backs and he may deserve it, but it would still be strange to see.

When it comes to running backs, there may be none better in the history of Michigan football than Mike Hart. But now, the former Wolverine, who has been rising through the coaching ranks, might be coaching at Notre Dame.

Currently, Hart is the running backs coach for Indiana and that comes after making previous coaching stops at Syracuse and Western Michigan. The news of the interview, which supposedly took place Thursday, was reported by Irish Illustrated.

Of course, there would be no hard feelings against Hart if he were to take the job assisting Brian Kelly. After all, Hart has his own career aspirations. However, at the same time, it would be a little weird to see him coaching Notre Dame’s running backs, donning Notre Dame colors.

Certainly, it’d be much different if Hart was interviewing for a job at Ohio State or Michigan State. That would be a problem. Although, it’s unlikely Michigan State would want Hart, especially after he called them some mean names back in 2007. He was the one who originally came up with the term “Little Brother.”

If you don’t quite remember Hart’s career at Michigan football, then you missed out on one of the greatest running backs the Wolverines have ever seen. He burst onto the scene as a freshman back in 2004 when he rushed for 1,482 yards and nine touchdowns as Michigan advanced to the Rose Bowl and won the Big Ten championship.

In 2005, Hart was limited to eight games but still rushed for 662 yards and four scores. He then followed it up with 1,562 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2006, another season that ended with a Rose Bowl appearance.

Hart also put together a very good season as a senior, despite playing only 10 games. He still racked up 1,361 yards and 14 touchdowns. Michigan football finished 9-4 that season and in Hart’s final game, the Wolverines knocked off Tim Tebow‘s Florida Gators.

Guys like Hart, Chad Henne, Jake Long and others from that era are remembered in some ways for not beating Ohio State, however, people do forget that Hart did play on a Big Ten title team and played in two Rose Bowl games.

Certainly, a win against Ohio State in 2006, the No.1 vs No. 2 game could have changed all of their careers but it didn’t happen. Yet, Hart is still one of the greats in Michigan football history and while it would be great to see him coaching Wolverine running backs instead, I hope Hart gets the job at Notre Dame

After a short NFL career, Hart seems like he has a bright future in coaching and as long as he doesn’t pursue that with the Buckeyes or Spartans, Michigan fans should cheer him on as he keeps climbing the coaching ranks.