Why Mike Elston’s hire is significant for Michigan football
In a sign that Jim Harbaugh could be sticking with Michigan football, the Wolverines added Notre Dame defensive line coach Mike Elston to the staff to replace Shaun Nua.
Thursday afternoon Tom Loy of Irish Illustrated announced that Notre Dame defensive line coach, Mike Elston, would be leaving the program to coach the defensive line at his alma mater, the University of Michigan.
Earlier in the week, Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh extended the offer following former D-line coach Shaun Nua’s departure to USC. Thursday morning, Elston accepted the offer and will be headed to Ann Arbor.
Why Elston is a solid hire for Michigan football
The hire of Elston as the D-line coach is great news for the Wolverines in more ways than one as things seem to be heading in the right direction in retaining Jim Harbaugh.
At Notre Dame, Elston made himself a precious asset to Brian Kelly’s coaching staff for the past 12 seasons. With the Fighting Irish, Elston was a brilliant recruiter and an excellent coach, leading many to believe the veteran defensive line coach will one day become a defensive coordinator and even a head coach.
Since 2010 Elston has managed and coached Notre Dame’s defensive line, linebackers, and special teams units.
While Nua overcame some criticism early in his tenure with Michigan football, a number of defensive linemen had excellent seasons in 2021, including Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo, and Chris Hinton all of whom are headed to the NFL draft.
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This hire will be a huge pick-up for the Wolverines, with an extremely young defensive line heading into the 2022 season. Michigan football fans should also rest easier after this hire because it seems like another sign that Harbaugh will be with the Wolverines for the long haul.