Michigan has now lost its third coach of the offseason to the Los Angeles Chargers with strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert departing for the NFL.

This one hurts just as much, if not more, as Jim Harbaugh and Jesse Minter. Herbert was one of the best recruiting tools on staff and was able to simply work magic on his players. Herbert saw at least one Wolverine selected in the first round of the draft every year he was at Michigan, coached a total of 37 selections (not counting a large 2024 class), and was key in Michigan’s ability to turn three-star talent (Paye, Moore, Bell, etc) into strong college and pro players.

Sunday, there was optimism around the program that many of the players who played key roles in the national title run would stick around. On Monday, that narrative has flipped. Michigan has a shot to keep most people in-house, but Herbert was one of the biggest culture builders in the building and certainly was the favorite staffer of many players.

Of course, time will tell exactly what happens here. The early outlook is less than ideal, but Michigan will be promoting assistant Justin Tress to the role previously held by Herbert. Exactly how close he was to the players remains to be seen, but keeping someone from the Herbert tree definitely seems like the right move.

This is another blow to recruiting that Michigan simply cannot keep taking. The lack of significant NIL makes it an uphill battle from the start, and uncertainty with head coaches, coordinators, and strength coaches only makes it harder to sell continuity to recruits. The quick promotions from within are good. They show trust and keep some aspects of the culture intact. That being said, it’s impossible to replicate what people like Harbaugh, Minter, or Herbert really meant to this team.

Story originally appeared on Wolverines Wire