2024 was a disappointing season for Michigan football, but the Wolverines should be optimistic with the way it finished. Michigan pulled off a pair of upsets over Ohio State and Alabama to close the year, giving it tons of momentum heading into the spring.

On Wednesday, Sherrone Moore and the Wolverines made a key move on their coaching staff. Michigan is promoting longtime NFL edge rusher Pernell McPhee as its new outside linebackers coach, according to Matt Zenitz of 247 Sports.

McPhee was also on staff with the Wolverines last season as a graduate assistant. His role in helping Moore and company boast one of the best defenses in college football was critical in moving up to a full-time position next season.

Michigan will have to replace a lot of talent on its defensive line next season, including cornerback Will Johnson and the star defensive tackle duo of Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham. Giving McPhee a bigger role on the coaching staff should help the Wolverines achieve that.

McPhee has plenty of experience to bring to this new role. He played on the edge for the Baltimore Ravens to start and finish his career with stints in Chicago and Washington in between. During his career, McPhee recorded 58 tackles for loss and 38 sacks.

Michigan-Ravens coaching pipeline continues

Michigan coach Sherrone Moore walks off the field after his team's 31-12 loss to Texas at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024.
© Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Related Michigan Football NewsArticle continues below
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart shown during the Georgia Spring game at Sanford Stadium.
Georgia football, Kirby Smart now pursuing NFL legend’s son with new offer
Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian walks the field during the College Football Playoff semifinal game against Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.
Steve Sarkisian, Texas beat out Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss for 2026 DB recruit
Kevin Kelly, Director of Player Evaluation & Acquisition laughs with Head Coach Dabo Swinney during Spring Practice in Clemson, S.C.
4-star DB chooses Clemson football over Florida, South Carolina

Unsurprisingly, there has been a lot of overlap between the coaching staffs of Michigan football and the Baltimore Ravens in recent years. This is to be expected after Jim Harbaugh's long tenure in Ann Arbor and John Harbaugh running the show with the Ravens.

Current Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald was an assistant on the Ravens' staff for a long time before becoming the defensive coordinator at Michigan in 2021. He then returned to Baltimore to take the same position before accepting the Seattle job before the 2024 season.

Michigan replaced Macdonald after that excellent 2021 campaign with Jesse Minter, a longtime defensive assistant in Baltimore. Minter dominated during two seasons at Michigan and was a big part of the 2023 team that won a national championship.

When Jim Harbaugh left Michigan to be the head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers, Minter followed and pioneered one of the most impressive turnarounds in the NFL, turning the Chargers' defense into one of the best in the league.

Now, McPhee is becoming a big part of this Michigan coaching staff under Sherrone Moore. McPhee spent seven of his 11 NFL seasons playing for John Harbaugh with the Ravens, so it comes as no surprise that his coaching career would start in the college ranks at Michigan.

If the longtime standout pass rusher can rise through the ranks like Minter and Macdonald did, Michigan could have a diamond in the rough on staff for the next few years.