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FOX’s Joel Klatt on Michigan’s staff changes: ‘I don’t know if this is gonna work’

Rolando Rosa

By Rolando Rosa

Published:

Michigan will have some staff changes when they kick off the 2021 season at home vs. Western Michigan on Sept. 4. FOX’s Joel Klatt is on the fence about the impact of those changes and whether Michigan can emerge as a contender in the B1G.

Klatt believes Michigan is the greatest X-factor in the conference.

“I don’t know if this is gonna work. …I think it’s a 50/50 proposition right now at Michigan,” Klatt said. “I think Michigan could have a very average .500-type year and I think they could go back to being a 10-3 team. I think they’re the biggest unknown in the Big Ten Conference right now.”

Only two assistant coaches are back from last season’s staff: defensive line coach Shaun Nua and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis.

The biggest addition to Jim Harbaugh’s staff is associate head coach Biff Poggi. Poggi returns to Michigan after his previous stint as a special advisor and associate head coach in 2016.

Michigan is coming off a 2-4 record in the shortened 2020 season. Michigan has yet to win the conference since Harbaugh’s arrival in 2015.

ESPN’s FPI is predicting Michigan has an 85.1 percent chance of defeating Western Michigan.

Rolando Rosa

Rolando Rosa brings his experience covering college football to Saturday Tradition. Follow him on Twitter @RolandoRosa3.