Michigan never got the chance it was looking for to pitch Jeremy Pruitt.

Initially, it was reported that the Georgia defensive coordinator and the Wolverines had mutual interest. With D.J. Durkin off to Maryland, Jim Harbaugh and his staff were planning on meeting with Pruitt.

But according to 247sports.com’s Josh Newberg, the meeting never happened after Pruitt withdrew because of his family ties to the South.

He also had something else in the works.

On Friday, Pruitt officially accepted the defensive coordinator position at Alabama. An Alabama native, Pruitt will fill the vacancy left by Kirby Smart’s departure to Georgia.

Michigan had its sights on locking down one of the top defensive minds at the college ranks. Pruitt helped Florida State to a national title in 2013 and engineered a Georgia defense that finished eighth in the country in yards allowed in 2015.

The Wolverines will continue their search for their third defensive coordinator in as many years.

Whoever takes over is not believed to be coaching Michigan when it takes on Florida in the Citrus Bowl. Those duties will go to Greg Mattison, who was the defensive coordinator before Durkin arrived at Michigan in 2014.