Michigan football suffered another loss to Jim Harbaugh and the Los Angeles Chargers on Tuesday as defensive line coach Mike Elston will follow his former head coach to the NFL.

There have been plenty of rumors about the assistant coaches and as far as Elston, things haven’t been trending in the right direction. There was talk that he would have a decision last week and when it didn’t come, you knew it probably wasn’t going to be a good thing for the Wolverines.

Elston has worked for the organization for the previous two years. He has been a fantastic recruiter in addition to being an outstanding on-field coach. One of the main issues in the wake of Elston’s departure is player departures; he was instrumental in bringing in players such as Kenneth Grant and Mason Graham.

There isn’t a single verified coach returning to the defensive coaching staff at this time. Although Steve Clinkscale hasn’t declared his departure or return, the Wolverines will require a new defensive line coach, linebackers coach, and possibly a new secondary coach.

The defensive coordinator and head coach of the Michigan football team have now left, and most, if not all, of the players will have a new position coach. It’s a situation where players are eager to leave via the transfer portal. Although it hasn’t happened yet, this window and the spring window still have time left.

2024 would feel like a rebuilding year if Michigan football lost Grant, Graham, Will Johnson, or Colston Loveland—any of those guys—and it’s beginning to look like continuity isn’t going to happen, partly because the coaching staff is still being held back by the athletic department.