When Jim Harbaugh made his decision to return to the NFL, many thought Grant Newsome would be a sure-fire candidate to join his staff in Los Angeles. That was until Sherrone Moore made the decision to promote him from tight ends coach to offensive line coach.
Newsome, now entering his fourth year on staff, spent two seasons as a graduate assistant before coaching the Wolverines’ tight ends from 2022-23. The former Michigan offensive lineman has already progressed rapidly through the coaching ranks after his playing career’s premature end.
“It was an unexpected journey — you go from playing and having a pretty bad injury and not knowing what you’re going to do with your life,” Newsome told Jon Jansen on the In The Trenches podcast. “I started coaching thinking I would do it while getting my master’s degree and then go off and do something else in the world, and then next thing you know, seven years later, I’d be the offensive line coach here.”
Having both coached and played for Michigan rather recently gives Newsome a unique perspective. The position group is not only one he was part of as a player, but one Moore has overseen for the past few years.
“It’s a tremendous honor, and one I don’t take lightly,” Newsome said. “I fully understand the responsibility to uphold the standard that’s been in that room since when you (Jansen) played, and even well before that and when I played, and then now with what coach Moore has done the last three years.”
It’s clear Newsome holds his relationship with Moore in high regard. He discussed their journey together, while also crediting him as one of his primary mentors.
“We’ve worked side by side for six years now,” Newsome said. “I think he’s got a pretty good sense of who I am as a coach and as a person and all that. When the move happened and he became the head coach, he said, ‘Hey, I want you to coach the offensive line,’ and I said, ‘perfect.’ I don’t know if it was a traditional interview, but you’d like to think that I kinda had that six-year interview. It’s been an honor to work for him, and so excited to be able to continue that.”
With a master’s degree in public policy, Newsome has also been a hot candidate for non-football related opportunities as well. He has reported to have received strong interest from Wall Street, and was even offered an internship with United States representative Debbie Dingell at one point. When asked about his desire to continue furthering his path as a coach at Michigan, he couldn’t help but gush about his alma mater.
“It’s Michigan.” Newsome said. “It’s easy to say that, but I think until you’ve been a fan of Michigan, or especially for the guys like myself who have been fortunate enough to wear the winged helmet, it means something. And it means something more than just a job, just a pay check. This is home.
“There’s a responsibility that comes with that — to try to continue that tradition and uphold that standard that all the previous players and previous coaches that have ever been in this building. Once I started coaching and I really felt that, I just couldn’t walk away from it. Just a tremendous opportunity to be able to still be here and now take over the offensive line.”
