Report: Michigan 'expected to hire' Vanderbilt DL coach Larry Black

Michigan is making a coaching move that’s going to have some major ramifications on Vanderbilt. According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Wolverines are expected to hire Commodores defensive line coach Larry Black.

“Sources: Michigan is expected to hire Vanderbilt defensive line coach Larry Black as the school’s new defensive tackles coach,” Thamel posted on X. “Black just completed his third year at Vanderbilt and had been elevated to co-defensive coordinator.

“Black brings experience in the footprint from two stints at Toledo and his time as a graduate assistant at Notre Dame. He played at Indiana and his brother, Jibreel Black, played at Michigan.”

As Thamel mentioned, Black has become a pivotal part of Clark Lea’s staff in Nashville. It’s a major blow for Vanderbilt, but an awesome get for Kyle Whittingham’s team.

Michigan will be hoping Black can help shore up their defense, and elevate the Wolverines after a tumultuous couple of months. They’re obviously confident in their decision, and the longtime defensive assistant will be looking to prove them right.

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Moreover, Black will play a nice role in reshaping a Michigan staff undergoing a ton of change. Earlier this offseason, the Wolverines lost defensive line coach Lou Esposito to the NFL, as he decided to take a gig with new Ravens coach Jesse Minter.

Esposito arrived at Michigan in 2024 after serving as defensive coordinator and defensive line coach at Western Michigan from 2017-23. Prior to that, he was the head coach at NAIA Davenport from 2014-16, where he helped the program launch. In their debut season, the Panthers went 6-5 as an independent, and Esposito then left for Western Michigan.

Esposito worked closely with former Michigan star Mason Graham on the Wolverines’ defensive line in 2024 before he became a first-round draft pick by the Cleveland Browns. Now, he’s in position for his first NFL opportunity under Minter, who’s preparing for his first season as Ravens head coach.

Minter previously worked on the Baltimore coaching staff from 2017-20, working his way up from a defensive assistant to defensive backs coach during that time. He spent time as Michigan’s defensive coordinator from 2022-23, but did not overlap with Lou Esposito during that time.

Minter followed Jim Harbaugh to the Los Angeles Chargers in 2024 as defensive coordinator. The Chargers’ defense ranked ninth in the NFL in points allowed this past season, and their 4,849 yards allowed ranked fifth in the league.

— On3’s Nick Schultz contributed to this article.