Al Borges will not return at Michigan... and be replaced by Doug Nussmeier
PM Update: Sources tell us Alabama's Doug Nussmeier will be Michigan's new offensive coordinator. Absolutely huge hire for Michigan. Nussmeier set numerous records at Alabama, so the appeal for Michigan is obvious. But why would Nussmeier leave Tuscaloosa for another coordinator job? Bruce Feldman reports Nussmeier will now be one of the five highest-paid coordinators in college football. So, that's one reason. For what it's worth, the current top five coordinator salaries: Chad Morris (Clemson) at $1.3 million, Kirby Smart (Alabama) at $1.15 million, John Chavis (LSU) at $1.11 million, his new colleague Greg Mattison at $851,000 and Todd Grantham (Georgia) at $850,000. Nussmeier made $681,500 at Alabama according to USA Today.
Al Borges will not return to Ann Arbor as Michigan's offensive coordinator, Brady Hoke announced Wednesday afternoon.
"Decisions like these are never easy," said Hoke. "I have a great amount of respect for Al as a football coach and, more importantly, as a person. I appreciate everything he has done for Michigan Football for the past three seasons."
Borges has been Hoke's offensive coordinator for all three of his seasons in Michigan, and has been with Hoke for the last five years overall dating back to San Diego State.
After a successful debut campaign in 2011 in which the Denard Robinson-led Wolverines went 11-2, beat Ohio State and won the Sugar Bowl, the Michigan offense regressed significantly over the past two seasons. The Wolverines dropped from 42nd to 79th to 82nd in total offense, from 23rd to 34th to 76th in yards per play and from 26th to 57th and moved back up to 46th in scoring offense from 2011 to 2013. Michigan's record dropped from 11-2 to 8-5 to 7-6 over the past three years as well.
What turned out to be Borges' penultimate game as offensive coordinator was perhaps his best at Michigan, as the Wolverines hit Ohio State with 451 passing yards, 152 rushing yards, 41 points and looked good doing it. But, Michigan's two-point conversion to effectively end the game fell incomplete, and Michigan lost, 42-41.
The Wolverines' next outing, against Kansas State in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, was as lackluster as the Ohio State game was impressive. With true freshman Shane Morris in for an injured Devin Gardner, Michigan rushed 15 times for just 65 yards, converted 4-of-11 third downs and compiled only 15 first downs in a 31-14 loss.
And now, 12 days later, Borges is out.
In one of the most rare career arcs in football, Borges has been a college offensive coordinator every year since 1986 - save for a year spent out of the game in 2008. His 26 years of play calling have been spent at Portland State, Boise State, Oregon, UCLA, California, Indiana, Auburn, San Diego State and Michigan.
