Orion Sang

Special to the Free Press

Under Jim Harbaugh, the Michigan football team has one of the largest support staffs in the nation — and it appears that the Wolverines have made a significant addition.

According to The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami, former San Francisco 49ers executive Tom Gamble will join Michigan’s staff after previously working with Harbaugh during his stint in San Francisco.

With all ten on-the-field coaching positions filled, it is assumed that Gamble will take an off-the-field role in the player personnel department.

Gamble has ample experience in the field of talent evaluation. He previously served as the assistant general manager and senior personnel executive for the 49ers before leaving this past off-season after two years. Before that, he was the vice president of player personnel with the Philadelphia Eagles.

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Between 2005-12, Gamble led both college and pro personnel efforts for the 49ers before being named director of player personnel in 2012, coinciding with Harbaugh’s second year in San Francisco. In the two years the pair worked together, the 49ers went a combined 26-9-1, appearing in the NFC Championship in 2011 and the Super Bowl in 2012.

According to his bio, Gamble was also a college scout for the Indianapolis Colts for seven years and held similar responsibilities with the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles earlier in his career.

Harbaugh has made it an emphasis to beef up his non-coaching staff since arriving at Michigan.

The player personnel support staff, which works mostly within recruiting, currently consists of Tony Binker, Gwen Bush, Albert Karschnia, Elijah Sandweiss and Aaron Bills.

The athletic department has yet to officially confirm the hire.