Tim Drevno to step down as Michigan offensive coordinator

Jim Harbaugh has added assistants to his staff at Michigan, but he’s set to lose one with offensive coordinator Tim Drevno stepping down.

In three years under Jim Harbaugh, the Michigan Wolverines offense has finished 50, 11 and tied for 91 in the country in scoring offense. Tim Drevno has been at the helm of that side of the ball in all three seasons. But according to The Wolverine Lounge, and backed up by Bruce Feldman of Sports Illustrated, Drevno will step down from his post as offensive coordinator.

Former Florida head coach Jim McElwain was officially hired to be Michigan’s new wide receivers coach earlier this week. Prior to head coaching jobs at Florida and Colorado State (2012-2014), McElwain was the offensive coordinator at Alabama from 2008-2011.

So Drevno, on the heels of the Wolverines’ dismal offensive showing last season, may have seen some writing on the wall with McElwain coming aboard Harbaugh’s staff. Drevno also served as Michigan’s offensive line coach, but there’s a replacement for that job also on staff: former Ohio State and Minnesota o-line coach Ed Warinner.

Ultimately, Michigan’s success offensively (or lack thereof) is a reflection on Harbaugh. A great loss of experience from 2016 and quarterback Wilton Speight’s injury last season helped things go downhill, but a significant one-year downturn can’t turn into a multi-year rebuild.

He’s not legitimately on the hot seat heading toward next season, but Harbaugh’s lip service has not been backed up thus far in his tenure at Michigan. A move toward contention for conference and perhaps national titles is in order, and fans would surely like to see a win over Ohio State one of these years.

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McElwain is the easy choice to take over as offensive coordinator in Ann Arbor. Something official announcing it could come quickly on the heels of Drevno stepping down, once that move is made official by the school.