Michigan football has constantly had obstacles to overcome in 2023.
First, it was no Jim Harbaugh the first three games of the season. Then the last, with it being just an hour before Penn State that it was realized he wouldn’t be able to coach. Then, Chris Partridge was fired on the eve of the Maryland game. And then it was simply trying to beat Ohio State despite the team being banged up and without its head coach.
Now the Wolverines are set to face Alabama in the Rose Bowl in the College Football Playoff semifinal and will see a familiar face on the other sideline: former linebackers coach George Helow.
Helow was a casualty of Harbaugh deciding to bring the now-departed Partridge back to the program. But he’s been hired by Nick Saban to help the Crimson Tide prepare for the team Helow recently left.
Earlier this week, Saban discussed why he chose to hire Helow, noting that he cut his teeth in Tuscaloosa as a defensive intern in 2012.
“George has been here before. He was with us for a long time. Knows our system,” Saban said. “I think every year that we’ve been in the playoffs we’ve tried to bring somebody in, primarily because we spent two weeks really on the road recruiting. So somebody to do a little extra work that has good experience. And when we get off the road, being able to give us a good scouting report of what we need to know.
“So that’s the purpose, just to add sort of a special assistant to me, whatever you want to call it to when I come off the road be able to get me up to speed on what’s happening. So that’s the reason we’ve always done that.”
Helow’s former star player, Junior Colson, spoke about his joining the enemy ranks earlier this week, and sixth-year linebacker Mike Barrett shrugged it off on Thursday.
“It’s just another obstacle,” Barrett said. “I feel like all…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/why-nick-saban-hired-former-034700546.html
Author : Wolverines Wire
Publish date : 2023-12-23 03:47:00
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