Alabama is claimed to be hiring former Michigan assistant ahead of their College Football Playoff clash

admin | December 15, 2023 | Other Clubs | No Comments

With a Rose Bowl clash against Michigan on the horizon, Alabama football is reportedly recruiting players who are familiar with their opponent.

According to Bruce Feldman of The Athletic, the Crimson Tide has hired former Michigan coach George Helow to join Nick Saban’s staff.

Helow is expected to start working immediately. He was Michigan’s linebackers coach beginning in 2021 and ending after the 2022 season, when UM coach Jim Harbaugh hired Chris Partridge.

“These past two seasons have been an honor and an amazing experience,” Helow stated on social media after leaving Michigan in February. “But it is time to explore new opportunities in my career.”

Helow spent one season as the special teams coordinator and inside linebackers coach at Maryland before joining the Wolverines. He was the safeties coach at Colorado State from 2016 to 2019, after beginning as a defensive quality control coach and graduate assistant.

Helow’s new position will be his second in Tuscaloosa. He began his coaching career as an intern, first in the weight room and subsequently under former defensive coordinator Kirby Smart.

After that, he served as a graduate assistant at Florida State, then at Georgia. Helow attended Ole Miss for his college football career.

Alabama will have at least one defensive staff vacancy following the season, as Coleman Huzler will transfer to Mississippi State to take over as defensive coordinator under incoming head coach Jeff Lebby.

On January 1, the Crimson Tide will meet Helow’s former team in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal. The Wolverines are undefeated and won the Big Ten championship, but they have been dogged by a sign-stealing incident involving a former UM employee all season.

Helow did not work for current defensive coordinator Jesse Minter for the 2022 season, but he did work for him during the 2023 season.