The Michigan football team recently parted ways with special teams coordinator JB Brown, replacing him with ex-Ohio State assistant coach Kerry Coombs.
Michigan’s special teams struggled mightily in 2025, particularly the return squad. Of the 134 teams at the FBS level, the Wolverines ranked 124th in punt return yards and 123rd on kickoff returns.
Both kicker Dominic Zvada and punter Hudson Hollenbeck had volatile seasons as well. Just one year after winning Big Ten Kicker of the Year and knocking through 21 of his 22 field goal attempts, Zvada took an unexpected step back, making 15-of-22 in 2025. Hollenbeck also struggled with consistency, ranking 69th in the country in average yards per punt with 43.
“After thoroughly evaluating our special teams’ performance throughout the season, I made the decision to make a change that was in the best interest of the program,” Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore said in a statement. “I want to thank JB Brown for his unwavering dedication and the positive impact he’s had on our players and program. We are grateful for his commitment, and I wish him nothing but success as he continues his coaching career.”
Just three days after parting ways with Brown, Moore snagged Coombs from Cincinnati. Coombs served as the special teams coordinator and cornerbacks coach for the Bearcats from 2022-24.
Prior to his time at Cincinnati, however, Coombs spent significant time in Columbus with Ohio State. He began as a cornerbacks coach in 2012, and became the special teams coordinator as well for the next five years. In his 2012 to 2017 stint with the program, the Buckeyes went 73-8 overall and won the first ever College Football Playoff in 2014.
During his time as a cornerbacks coach, the Buckeyes became known for producing top-tier NFL talent in the secondary with players such as Eli Apple and Marshon Lattimore coming up under his tutelage.
“Coach Kerry Coombs is a proven, exceptional football coach, and we’re thrilled to welcome him to our program,” Moore said in a press release. “Kerry’s leadership of our special teams will be invaluable. His expertise in teaching and mentoring has consistently shaped both outstanding athletes and remarkable young men — including some of the nation's top special teams players and cornerbacks. We’re proud to have Kerry, Holly, and their family join the Michigan Football family.”
Coombs also spent time at the NFL level, serving as a defensive backs coach with the Tennessee Titans. He spent only the 2018 and 2019 seasons with the squad, but he was quite successful, as the Titans finished both years as a top-10 team in both passing yards allowed and interceptions.
Following the 2019 season, however, Coombs returned to Ohio State to serve as the defensive coordinator, a position he held for two years before taking a position at Cincinnati and then ultimately landing in Ann Arbor.
Coombs has found success at almost every stop on his journey, and Moore and the rest of his staff are hopeful that the trend will continue with the Wolverines.
