Mike Hart joins staff as running backs coach
The man who made “Little Brother” famous in Michigan football sports lore is returning home to where it all started.
Mike Hart, the all-time leading rusher at the University of Michigan, is returning to be a part of Head Coach Jim Harbaugh’s staff.
Hart, who ignited the flames of the MichiganMichigan State rivalry back in his playing days by referring to the Spartans as “little brother” after a comefrom-behind Michigan win in 2007, has been working for the past few years at Indiana. He was elevated to associate head coach in 2020 after serving as the Hoosiers’ assistant coach during the 2018 and 2019 seasons.
The University of Michigan issued a press release to announce Hart’s hiring late Wednesday afternoon.
“I am excited about the addition of Mike Hart to our offensive coaching staff,” said Harbaugh. “Mike is a great coach and Michigan Man who has shown the ability to develop and elevate the performance of the running backs that he has mentored. We look forward to welcoming Mike, Monique and their children to the Michigan Football family.”
“Michigan has always held a special place in my heart,” said Hart. “It is a place that always believed in me and a place that I have always have believed in. I am excited to join Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan staff, and can’t wait to get to work with a talented running back group.”
In his 10 seasons as a coach, Hart has tutored four 1,000-yard rushers, two MidAmerican Conference Freshman of the Year recipients and the 2014 MAC Offensive Player of the Year, Jarvion
Franklin.
As a member of the Indiana coaching staff, Hart was a 2018 Broyles Award nominee and received recognition as a Top 25 recruiter by Rivals.com for his work on the 2019 signing class.
Hart has been instrumental in the development of Indiana’s running game, with the program gaining 1,888 yards and 17 rushing touchdowns in 2018. IU followed up by producing 1,695 yards and 24 TDs in 2019. The Hoosiers gained 869 yards and scored 12 TDs during the shortened 2020 campaign.
Hart returned to his home state as the running backs coach at Syracuse University for the 2016 season before accepting the running backs post at Indiana.
Before that, he spent two seasons in Kalamazoo (201415), helping Western Michigan earn consecutive bowl bids for the first time in school history in the 2015 Bahamas Bowl and 2014 Famous
Idaho Potato Bowl.
Hart began his coaching career at Eastern Michigan, serving as an offensive quality control coach during the 2011 season before being elevated to running backs coach for the 2012 and 2013 seasons.
At Michigan, Hart was a four-year starter at running back for (2004-07), and set the school record with 5,040 yards on 1,015 carries and 41 rushing touchdowns. He holds the Michigan record with 28 career 100-yard rushing games and his 117.2 rushing yards per contest is tops in school history. As a receiver, Hart added 67 receptions for 566 yards and scored two TDs.
A two-time Doak Walker Award finalist, Hart finished fifth in the 2006 Heisman Trophy balloting. He was a three-time All-Big Ten first team selection and was named the 2004 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Hart shared the Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player Award in 2006 and received the honor again in 2007.
After graduating from Michigan in 2009, Hart was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played three seasons for the Colts, primarily in a backup role, carrying the ball 71 times for 264 yards and two TDs in 21 games. He was a member of the Colts’ Super Bowl XLIV winning team and had two carries in the victory against the Chicago Bears.
A native of Syracuse, New York, Hart attended Onondaga Central High School. He set the national high school career record with 204 rushing touchdowns and finished second with 11,045 rushing yards. Onondaga Central compiled a 46-1 record and won three state championships during Hart’s career.