Report: Tyrone Wheatley returns to Michigan as RB coach

Former Michigan star running back Tyrone Wheatley signed a contract to become the Wolverines' new running backs coach, according to a report.

Sam Webb, managing editor of GoBlueWolverine.com and a Detroit News contributor, wrote on Twitter on Friday that Wheatley's first day on Jim Harbaugh's staff would be Monday.

Wheatley, 42, who was in Ann Arbor this week to interview for the position, has been the Buffalo Bills' running backs coach the past two seasons.

Prior to that he coached running backs at Syracuse, Eastern Michigan and Ohio Northern.

Wheatley was a football and track star at Dearborn Heights Robichaud. At Michigan he was Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year in 1992 as a sophomore when he rushed for 1,357 yards and 13 TD.

His four-year totals with the Wolverines from 1991-94 were 4,187 yards and 51 TD.

He played in the NFL for 10 seasons from 1995-2004 with the Giants and Raiders.

Wheatley's son, Tyrone Wheatley Jr., is a high-level tight end / defensive end 2015 recruit from Canisius High in Buffalo, N.Y.

Though Michigan is not among Wheatley Jr.'s four finalists, his father's acceptance of the Michigan job could change his opinion.

Wheatley Jr.'s finalists are USC, UCLA, Alabama and Oregon, and he recently told Syracuse.com what he likes best about each school:

USC: "I like their offense, their coaching staff. Coach (Marques Tuiasosopo) has been recruiting me for a while now, plus he played with my dad back when I was a little kid, so I've known him my whole life. USC was my favorite school growing up as a kid. My dad would drive me up there all the time to watch games."

UCLA: "I love their defense. Coach (Jim) Mora is a great coach. They've had a lot of success thus far and also their academics. I think I want to major in business administration. Anderson is one of the top business schools in the country."

Oregon: "Oregon's defense is just so explosive, and they just use these big, long, explosive guys in their defense and their D-line and their outside linebackers. You can't ignore the jerseys and the facilities, the players, the talent up there."

Alabama: "Alabama is Alabama. The name itself, everyone knows Alabama."