Michigan’s coaching staff is nearly complete as Sherrone Moore hires another NFL star.
Sherrone Moore gained one of his top assistant coaching goals on Wednesday when 247Sports’ Matt Zenitz reported that the Wolverines hired Houston Texans assistant Stephen Adegoke as defensive backs coach.
The signing provides Michigan an outstanding candidate with pro experience and 2021 season analysis experience. He became a defensive quality control coach for the 49ers before coaching Houston’s safeties in 2023.
TMI consistently highlighted Adegoke as a potential, and the Wolverines believe the Snellville, GA native is a home hit hire. A rise from college to pro position coach provides Moore a rising star and a young coach who may become Michigan’s defensive coordinator.
HoustonTexans.com offered Adegoke’s bio after his hire last season:
Stephen Adegoke, pronounced add-uh-go-KAY, becomes the Houston Texans’ safeties coach in 2023. His last season as a defensive quality control coach was in 2022 with former 49ers defensive coordinator and current Houston Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans.
The 49ers defense had the fewest yards per game (300.6) and the most interceptions (20) in 2022 under Adegoke, his first NFL coaching job. Only 17.1 first downs and 77.7 running yards per game were allowed, ranking second in the league. San Francisco’s defense saw second-year standout S Talanoa Hufanga make his first Pro Bowl and be awarded AP First-Team All-Pro, PFWA All-NFL, and All-NFC. Hufanga concluded 2022 with 95 tackles (65 solo), 2.0 sacks, four interceptions, nine passes defensed, and two forced fumbles.
Adegoke was a Jim Harbaugh graduate assistant at Michigan (2021) before joining the 49ers coaching staff. The Michigan defense was spearheaded by consensus All-American DL Aidan Hutchinson under Adegoke. Hutchinson established a school record with 14.0 sacks and 62 tackles (36 solo) as a senior. The Wolverines’ defense allowed 17 points per game and won the Big Ten Conference and a College Football Playoff quarterfinal.
Two seasons as a graduate assistant at UF launched Adegoke’s coaching career. He led the Gators to 35.0 sacks in 2020, tied for sixth in the nation and first in the SEC. That season, Florida’s defense had the second-most tackles for loss in the league (73) and limited opponents to 257.5 passing yards. After four seasons at Louisville (2015-19), DL Jonathan Greenard attended Florida in 2019. Adegoke overlapped with him.
After transferring from San Diego Mesa College (2014-15), Adegoke attended Mississippi State University (2016-18). He played 16 games as a safety for Mississippi State (2017-18) and recorded 14 tackles, three passes defensed, one interception, and one forced fumble. He received his bachelor’s in business administration from Mississippi State and his master’s in sport management from Florida in 2020.
247Sports will report on Adegoke’s hiring and Michigan’s other hires in the coming days and weeks.
