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Now we’re getting more of an idea of who will be joining Michigan football’s staff, and it’s having something of an SEC flair to it.
According to FootballScoop.com, Jim Harbaugh is targeting Christian Robinson, another former Georgia alum — like incoming defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald — who most recently coached linebackers at Florida under Dan Mullen.
Sources tell FootballScoop that Christian Robinson is planning to leave Dan Mullen’s University of Florida staff, where Robinson’s spent the past three seasons as the Gators’ linebackers coach, and is expected to join the defensive staff for Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan program.
A former Georgia player who’s worked in the Southeastern Conference at his alma mater, as well as Ole Miss and Mississippi State in addition to his trio of seasons in Gainesville, Florida, Robinson is viewed as an energetic young coach who is strong in fundamental teachings of the linebacker position and also an asset on the recruiting trail.
As both player and coach, Robinson has experience in three New Year’s Six bowls and also has helped coach multiple future NFL Draft picks in his previous stops, most notably working with Robert Nkemdiche at Ole Miss in addition to several Gators stars.
Robinson is yet another quite young, voracious recruiter. He joins Macdonald and former Michigan RB Mike Hart on a staff that’s getting younger by the day.
From the Florida Gators official website:
Robinson’s position at Florida marks his first full-time coaching job, following graduate assistant stops at his alma mater, University of Georgia (2013-14), Ole Miss (2015-16) and Mississippi State (2017).
The Norcross, Ga. native, played for UF Defensive Coordinator Todd Grantham at Georgia and was with him in 2017 at MSU. With that said, Robinson has been able to cultivate excellent relationships with Florida’s student-athletes due to his relative closeness in age and his understanding of Grantham’s defensive scheme.
With Robinson’s guide, Florida’s defense during the 2019 season was one of the best in the nation.
The Gators finished seventh nationally in scoring defense with an average of 15.5 points. They allowed just 23 offensive touchdowns over the course of the season, tying for the fourth-fewest in the FBS.
Additionally, Florida was one of just two FBS teams to hold five opponents without an offensive touchdown in 2019 — the second time in program history that a UF squad has accomplished such a feat (2009). Florida’s defense also shutout three opponents this season, marking the first time since 1988 that Florida has done so.
Unsurprisingly, Florida finished third nationally in red zone defense, allowing just 23 scores in 35 trips (65.7 percent). It also ranked third in the FBS in opponent red zone touchdown percentage at 40 percent.
Florida was also one of the best when it came to rushing the passer, as it ranked fifth nationally with 49 sacks. The Gators’ 49 sacks also led all SEC teams by a whopping 12 sacks.
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