Mark Snyder

Detroit Free Press

Apparently, Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh's facts were accurate.

According to Sam Webb of WTKA-AM (1050) and themichiganinsider.com, Michael Johnson is heading to Oregon, not Michigan, as was announced by his former school a few days ago.

Oregon has an open position at wide receivers coach. U-M does not have an open coaching position.

The NCAA was expected to pass a proposal in April to immediately allow programs a 10th assistant coach, but there now is an amendment to the proposal, stipulating that the 10th assistant won't be implemented until January.

Jimmie Dougherty (a former U-M analyst) left Oregon for UCLA nearly two weeks ago, after less then two months in Eugene, opening the Ducks' vacancy. Johnson has extensive experience coaching offense, specifically wide receivers and quarterbacks, including a decade in the NFL. He most recently was the coach at the King's Academy in California.

This move would take the air out of ESPN commentator Paul Finebaum's criticism of Harbaugh on ESPN's "Outside the Lines" on Wednesday. Finebaum -- whom Harbaugh bashed in a tweet for using "alternative facts" late Thursday night -- railed against Johnson's hiring because he claimed it was "cheating" to hire the father of talented 2019 quarterback prospect Michael Johnson Jr.

Oregon coach Willie Taggart is a Harbaugh disciple. Being a full-time assistant would seem like a better opportunity for Johnson than being an analyst at Michigan.

Contact Mark Snyder: msnyder@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @mark__snyder. Download our Wolverines Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!