Deion Sanders is hiring former Michigan, Alabama and Georgia assistant George Helow as a senior defensive assistant at Colorado, The Athletic reported Thursday.
Helow is best known for his two seasons on Jim Harbaugh's Michigan staff. He came aboard as part of Harbaugh's 2021 staff makeover, coaching linebackers of Wolverines staffs that defeated Ohio State, won the Big Ten and reached the College Football Playoff in 2021 and '22. He and Michigan "mutually agreed to part ways" in February 2023.
The Michigan post was Helow's last full-time coaching role. He joined Alabama's staff to help the Crimson Tide prepare to face Michigan in January's Rose Bowl, which the Crimson Tide ultimately lost.
A former walk-on at Ole Miss, Helow began his career as a defensive intern for Alabama's 2012 national championship team, then won another title as a defensive GA at Florida State in 2013. He spent 2014-15 coaching safeties for Mark Richt at Georgia, and then coached at Colorado State and Maryland before his 2021 arrival in Ann Arbor.
The Helow hiring continues Coach Prime's bolstering of the Colorado defensive staff. Robert Livingston replaced Charles Kelly as coordinator, while Vincent Dancy (defensive ends) and Damione Lewis (defensive line) are new to the staff and/or their roles, and Warren Sapp has come aboard as a senior quality control analyst.
Colorado opens its season against FCS No. 2 North Dakota State on Thursday, Aug. 29 (8 p.m. ET, ESPN).
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