Kyle Whittingham is bringing one of his top assistant coaches from Utah to Ann Arbor, as Jim Harding is being hired to coach Michigan’s offensive line.
Harding has been the offensive line coach at Utah
the last 12 years. He was also the co-offensive coordinator from 2015-16 before being promoted to assistant head coach in 2017.
During his time in Salt Lake City, Harding has make a huge impact for Utah’s offensive line. He has coached nine first-team All-Pac-12 or All-Big-12 selections in that timeframe, and has also had six offensive linemen taken in the NFL Draft. Two other offensive linemen — Caleb Lomu and Spencer Fano — are projected to be first-round picks in this spring’s NFL Draft.
Before his time at Utah, Harding coached the offensive linemen at Wyoming from 2009-13, while also serving as the run game coordinator in 2012 and co-offensive coordinator in 2013. He was also was the defensive coordinator at Troy High School (Troy, Mich.) for three years prior to being named the head coach in 2008. He began his coaching career as a grad assistant at Missouri from 2002-04.
A native of Maumee, Ohio, Harding is an alumnus of Toledo. He was also a four-year starting offensive tackle from 1997-2000 and set the program record with 46 straight starts.
Harding is the sixth reported hire of the day, as he joins offensive coordinator Jason Beck, defensive coordinator Jay Hill, quarterbacks coach Koy Detmer Jr., wide receivers coach Micah Simon and tight ends coach Freddie Whittingham in Ann Arbor.
