Michigan hires Kerry Coombs as Special Teams Coordinator

The University of Michigan football program announced Saturday that veteran coach Kerry Coombs has been hired as the Wolverines’ new special teams coordinator, replacing JB Brown, who was let go earlier this week. The appointment was confirmed in a statement shared by head coach Sherrone Moore and the Michigan Athletics communications staff.

Moore called Coombs “a proven, exceptional football coach” and praised his track record of mentoring both athletes and young men through more than four decades on the sidelines.

“Kerry’s leadership of our special teams will be invaluable,” Moore said in the statement, adding that the staff is “thrilled to welcome Kerry, Holly, and their family to the Michigan Football family.”

A Proven Veteran Across All Levels

Coombs arrives in Ann Arbor with 42 years of coaching experience, spanning high school, college, and the NFL. Most recently, he served as the special teams coordinator and cornerbacks coach at Cincinnati from 2022 to 2024, where his units produced multiple All-Big 12 honorees. During the 2023 season, despite injuries across the secondary, the Bearcats finished fourth in the conference in pass defense, and Coombs’ special teams group saw punter Mason Fletcher and kicker Carter Brown recognized for their performances.

But the surprising part for Michigan fans is his ties to Columbus. Before his second stint at Cincinnati, Coombs served as the defensive coordinator at Ohio State (2020–21), helping lead the Buckeyes to a Big Ten Championship and a berth in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

Coombs was on staff at Ohio State with current running backs coach Tony Alford.

From 2018 to 2019, Coombs coached the Tennessee Titans’ secondary, producing one of the league’s top defensive units and contributing to a playoff run that culminated in the 2019 AFC Championship Game.

Record of Recruiting and Development

Coombs’ earlier tenure at Ohio State (2012–17) further established him as one of the nation’s most respected recruiters and defensive technicians. The Buckeyes’ secondary under his guidance consistently ranked among the best in college football, and every starting cornerback during that period went on to play in the NFL. Seven of those players — including Marshon Lattimore, Denzel Ward, and Jeff Okudah — became first-round NFL Draft picks.

He was recognized as Rivals.com’s National Recruiter of the Year (2017) and received the Big Ten Recruiter of the Year honor three times, underscoring his reputation as both a teacher and talent developer.

Deep Coaching Roots

A Cincinnati native and 1983 graduate of the University of Dayton, Coombs began his coaching career in Ohio high schools, most notably leading Colerain High School to a state championship in 2004. His 16-year tenure there produced a 161–34 record and 10 state playoff appearances.

Coombs and his wife, Holly, have three adult children — Cortney, Brayden, and Dylan — and strong ties to the Midwest football community.