coaching changes

Hello. EA has detected a shift in the tides:

EA Sports is coming back to college football.

After last making a college football video game in 2013, the possibility of the game returning had been in limbo. Now, it isn't. EA Sports vice president and general manager, Daryl Holt, told ESPN the game maker will be returning to the space with "EA Sports College Football."

"As we look for the momentum that we're building on in sports, it all starts with the passion of our fans and the opportunities of what they are interested in," Holt said. "I don't think a visit where I go outside wearing a piece of EA Sports branded apparel, that someone doesn't go, 'Hey, when is college football coming back?'"

It will -- at some point. Holt said there is not a date on when the game will return or even a date where the return will be announced other than it won't be coming back for this year.

Announcing a return without a solid date looks like EA saying that they'll have a college football game as soon as they can get a license in a Name and Image era. This is now inevitable enough for EA to start sinking resources into a new version of NCAA Football, except they're going to call it "EA Sports College Football," following along in college football's rich tradition of naming things in the most store-brand fashion possible. (The previous notable entry: The College Football Playoff.)

[After THE JUMP: terrifying dad energies]

Ah, so that explains why Michigan officially announced only the defensive half of the coaching staff last week:

Ron Bellamy, a former Michigan WR who coached West Bloomfield High School to the state Division I title Saturday, is joining UM’s staff in place of departing OL coach Ed Warinner, sources told @Stadium

— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) January 24, 2021

The 2021 coaching staff is evidently complete, and it's expected to shake out something like this, as Sam Webb reports that Sherrone Moore will take over the offensive line and add a co-offensive coordinator title:

Head Coach/QBs: Jim Harbaugh

Offensive Coordinator: Josh Gattis
Co-OC/Offensive Line: Sherrone Moore
Running Backs: Mike Hart
Wide Receivers: Ron Bellamy
Tight Ends/Special Teams: Jay Harbaugh

Defensive Coordinator: Mike Macdonald
Co-DC/Cornerbacks: Maurice Linguist
Defensive Line: Shaun Nua
Linebackers: Brian Jean-Mary
Safeties: George Helow

I'm not sure this was the initial plan; there'd been rumors of a coach leaving to make room for Bellamy but until Urban Meyer was hired by Jacksonville that coach wasn't supposed to be Ed Warinner. Webb reports there's a chance Warinner sticks around in an analyst role but he'd be coveted as an offensive line coach if he still wants that job somewhere; he's one of the best in the country.

While Moore has overseen tight ends since breaking into coaching, he played offensive guard for Oklahoma. He's a little smaller than he was in his playing days.

From Moore's official bio:

Moore played two seasons along the offensive line for the University of Oklahoma (2006-07). He played in 14 games at offensive guard and helped the Sooners win two Big 12 Championships and played in two BCS bowl games. Before joining the Sooners, Moore was a two-year starter at Butler County (Kansas) Community College. He was a member of two conference championship teams the posted a 20-3 record. Moore earned second-team all-conference accolades.

Meanwhile, Bellamy is fresh off coaching West Bloomfield and Michigan-bound running back Donovan Edwards to the first state championship in program history. He played receiver for M from 1999-2002, starting 25 games, so he has no shortage of familiarity with the school, and he should be an immediate asset as a recruiter, particularly in-state.

This is a very young and recruiting-focused staff. We'll have more on it when the news isn't freshly breaking on a Saturday night.

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January 20th was far less than ideal for a date to have your staff settled, but with yesterday’s announcements, the football assistant team for 2021 is locked in.

IN: Cowboys DBs coach Mo Linguist and Ravens LBs coach Mike Macdonald as co-DCs, Maryland LBs coach George Helow as safeties coach, Indiana RBs coach Mike Hart as RBs coach.

OUT: Don Brown (DC), Mike Zordich (cornerbacks), Bob Shoop (safeties), Ben McDaniels (QBs)

STILL HERE: Josh Gattis (OC/receivers), Ed Warinner (OL), Jay Harbaugh (special teams, loses RBs), Sherrone Moore (TEs), Shawn Nua (DL), Brian Jean-Mary (LBs)

MO LINGUIST, CO-DC/CORNERBACKS

Who? Michigan has named Dallas Cowboys DBs coach Mo Linguist as co-DC with Ravens LB coach Mike Macdonald, who was announced last week.

While both are young and first-time coordinators, unlike Macdonald, Linguist does have an extensive collegiate resume. He has also moved around a lot. Until joining the Cowboys last season (2020) Linguist was the cornerbacks coach at Texas A&M for two years (2018-‘19), spent a year coaching the secondary on PJ Fleck’s staff at Minnesota (2017, when Warinner was there) before that, a year as Mississippi State’s safeties coach (2016) before that, the defensive passing game coordinator at Iowa State (2014-‘15) for two years before that, and the same for Buffalo (2012-‘13) for two years before that. He also coached at James Madison, Valdosta State, and Baylor, where he played then became a graduate assistant in 2007. If you’re a little lost, here’s a map:

[After THE JUMP: see-ah what I mean-ah?]