Biff Poggi leaving St. Frances Academy for spot on Michigan coaching staff
When Biff Poggi left Jim Harbaugh’s Michigan coaching staff after just one season to become the head coach at St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, he set out with one goal in mind — turn the program into a powerhouse.
The veteran coach accomplished just that, leading St. Frances to a prominent place in the national pecking order. Most importantly, he helped numerous student-athletes land college football scholarships at every level.
Now, he’s returning to a familiar place in the college ranks to put a bow on his coaching career.
Poggi is leaving St. Frances to reassume a spot on Harbaugh’s coaching staff in Ann Arbor. Like his first go-around with the Wolverines, Poggi will take on the title of assistant head coach with a focus on mentoring Michigan’s young assistant coaches and working with its offensive line.
“I’m going to Michigan with the idea that I’m going to be there until I finish coaching. I’ll be there, I hope, as long as Jim is there and wants me to stay there,” Poggi said in an interview with the Baltimore Sun. “If he goes someplace else or doesn’t want me to stay, then I’d look at other opportunities.”
Prior to his first go-around at Michigan, Poggi worked as the head coach at Gilman High School in Maryland, leading the program to a spot in the national rankings on a yearly basis. He also worked as an assistant at the college level with Brown, The Citadel and Temple.
St. Frances is left in good hands after Poggi’s departure, as Messay Hailemariam will take over as the program’s new head coach. Hailemariam worked in that role with the program from 2011-15 and has played a major role in its rise to national powerhouse status with Poggi at the helm.
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