The Michigan Insider's Josh Henschke has confirmed a possibility that The Athletic's Brendan Quinn suggested earlier this week: Michigan is double-dipping on Illinois State assistant coaches, hiring Luke Yaklich to join DeAndre Haynes and complete the staff.
The Michigan Insider can confirm that #Michigan will hire Illinois State's Luke Yaklich as an assistant coach https://t.co/VUg5C1noqo
— Josh Henschke (@JoshHenschke) July 29, 2017
Unlike Haynes, who joined ISU this offseason after coaching at Toledo last season, Yaklich was on staff for last year's team that went 28-7, finished 49th on KenPom, and narrowly (unjustly?) missed an NCAA bid. The Redbirds boasted the 19th-ranked adjusted defensive efficiency in the country and the fifth-ranked eFG% defense; despite being an average-sized team with no major contributor taller than 6'9", their defense dominated the paint. This sounds like your Billy Donlon replacement.
Yaklich, an Illinois State alum, joined the ISU staff before the 2013-14 season after spending 14 years as a teacher and coach. He should have strong Illinois recruiting ties; he coached Joliet Academy (a Chicago-area school that produced M running back Ty Isaac) for six years and also served as the coach of two Illinois AAU squads. He also taught U.S. History, which has to earn him some Beilein points.
With Yaklich on board, Michigan now has a full staff at their disposal. He'll join Haynes and Saddi Washington on the recruiting trail soon, presumably.