When Michigan football players’ playing careers end, it’s become quite commonplace to see them enter into the coaching ranks.
In recent years, we’ve seen former players such as Khalid Hill, Mike McCray, Joe Bolden, and Desmond Morgan get college opportunities, and that’s not even mentioning Grant Newsome, who is Michigan’s offensive line coach. Even former safety Brad Hawkins is coming aboard as a grad assistant this year in Ann Arbor. But college isn’t the only level where former Wolverines can coach.
Take former safety Tyree Kinnel, an Ohio native who came north to play college ball. According to his X account (formerly Twitter), Kinnel is returning home to the Buckeye State to become the defensive coordinator of the Middletown Middies, a high school program between Dayton — Kinnel is from Huber Heights, a suburb of Dayton — and Cincinnati.
Excited to announce that I will be joining the @midtownmiddies football program as their Defensive Coordinator! @CoachKRJones #MAGIC
— Tyree Kinnel (@Tkinnel_2) March 4, 2024
It’s a great opportunity for a still young man to prove his coaching bona fides and potentially move up the ranks. And, if it goes well, he certainly could find himself with bigger opportunities down the line.