Ravens' Matt Weiss to coach Michigan quarterbacks; Wolverines shuffle Bellamy, Helow

On the eve of Michigan kicking off spring practice, the coaching staff has made some significant changes.

Matt Weiss, 37, has been hired from the Baltimore Ravens to coach Michigan’s quarterbacks. The staff vacancy was created with the departure late last week of linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary, who was entering his second season with the Wolverines, to Tennessee.

Weiss’ hire has triggered other staff moves, though. First-year coach Ron Bellamy, hired last month from West Bloomfield to coach receivers at his alma mater, will move to the defensive side, sources told The Detroit News on Sunday. He will work with the defensive backs, along with co-defensive coordinator Maurice Linguist. Also, first-year Michigan coach George Helow, hired from Maryland to coach safeties at Michigan, will now coach linebackers. He was special teams coordinator/inside linebackers coach at Maryland.

Get full access to all of our content, including in-depth pieces on the sports, news and business you care about most. Click here to sign up today.

Harbaugh, as former Michigan and NFL quarterback, was expected to coach quarterbacks this season.  Weiss most recently coached the Ravens’ running backs, the No. 1 rushing team in the NFL, for John Harbaugh. In 12 seasons with the Ravens, Weiss had several roles. He has coached on the defensive side and was cornerbacks coach in 2015, but in 2016 he moved to offense and worked with the quarterbacks for two seasons assisting coach Marty Mornhinweg, the former Lions head coach.

As spring practice begins Monday, the quarterback room last week took a hit when Joe Milton, who started five games last season, entered his name in the NCAA transfer portal. Dylan McCaffrey, who opted out before last season and was expected to transfer, recently transferred to Northern Colorado where his father is head coach.

Michigan has three scholarship quarterbacks, including Cade McNamara, who started Michigan’s final game during last season’s abbreviated season, and five-start freshman J.J. McCarthy.

After playing football at Vanderbilt (2001-2004), Weiss worked with Jim Harbaugh, 2005-2008, when Harbaugh was head coach at Stanford. He was a graduate assistant and worked with the defense and special teams and also earned a master’s degree.

achengelis@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @chengelis