Former Wisconsin Badgers Coach Wins Championship at Michigan

A former Wisconsin Badgers assistant played a critical role in the turnaround of the Michigan football program, which cultivated a 34-13 victory in the National Championship over Washington. 

It takes a village to build a championship contender. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has done an impressive job turning things around after a tough season in 2020, when some were ready to move on, and defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is quickly becoming one of the brightest defensive minds in the game. Talk about a 1,2 punch. 

The team navigated the polarizing Connor Stalions saga and showed their physical, hard-nosed style of play could be successful in an era where spread offenses are becoming more and more common. 

One of the assistants garnering praise for the Wolverine’s transformation is former Wisconsin Badgers defensive lineman and, later, strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert. 

Ton of credit should go to Michigan S&C coach Ben Herbert. Wolverines dominated in the trenches and the former #Badgers DL & S&C coach obviously played a huge role in that. It didn’t happen right away but you could see the gradual progression in recent years that led to tonight.

— Zach Heilprin (@ZachHeilprin) January 9, 2024

Former Wisconsin Badgers S&C Coach Ben Herbert Wins Championship at Michigan 

Ben Herbert played for the Wisconsin Badgers on the defensive line on Barry Alvarez-led teams that appeared in back-to-back Rose Bowls. 

He would later serve as Wisconsin’s strength and conditioning coach for a decade under Alvarez and Bret Bielema before leaving to take the same position when Burt departed for the Arkansas Razorbacks gig.   

Herbert eventually wound up at Michigan in 2018 and played a massive role in developing Michigan players and making them bigger, faster, and stronger. Because of the work he accomplished in the weight room, Michigan pushed teams around in the trenches and won by playing in an “outdated” mauling offense. If executed properly, the Wisconsin Badger’s former playing style can work; case and point.

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