Since taking the job earlier this week, new Michigan head coach Brady Hoke has had a few main priorities: meet with his new team, make sure everybody is returning next season (i.e. Denard Robinson), contact current commits and make sure they are still part of the recruiting class, call other recruits and set up visits/try to get them to commit to Michigan and, finally, establish a new coaching staff. The last priority is one of the most important, as recruiting can't really get off the ground too much without a coaching staff in place. The right hires need to be made, but time is of the essence.
The expectation is that Hoke will have his full staff in place in the next couple days. In the meantime, he has made a couple of hires, one of which includes bringing back running backs coach Fred Jackson. Jackson has been with Michigan since Gary Moeller hired him in 1992. He stayed on the staff when Lloyd Carr became the head coach, and he was retained when Rich Rodriguez came to town a few years ago. Now he has once again been retained by a new head coach. Considering he and Hoke were on the staff together from 1995-2002, this isn't surprising at all.
Jackson has helped Michigan produce consistently great running backs during his time in Ann Arbor. He is also a great recruiter, which is part of why he has survived three coaching changes changing at Michigan since he was hired. Jackson has drawn interest from other colleges and the NFL as well, but he has stayed at Michigan and is now set to begin his 20th season at the school. He especially drew interest in recent weeks after Rodriguez was fired, but with Jeremy Jackson, Fred's son, on the team, it was an easy decision to stay at Michigan.
So far two assistants, offensive coordinator Al Borges and Jackson, have said they are going to be part of the new coaching staff. San Diego State running backs coach/recruiting coordinator Jeff Hecklinski has also confirmed he is headed to Michigan, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune. Offensive line coach Darrell Funk and linebackers coach Mark Smith, according to the report, are also expected to join Hoke in Ann Arbor.