Michigan football loses offensive line assistant to ACC school
The Michigan Wolverines are set to lose offensive line assistant Juan Castillo to Syracuse, according to multiple media outlets. Castillo spent one season in Ann Arbor as a support staffer and assistant to offensive line coach Grant Newsome.
Castillo, who was described as the team’s pass protection specialist, helped guide a unit that Pro Football Focus ranked as the 47th-best in pass protection nationwide. Michigan allowed 18 sacks, tying for 37th in the country, while the passing offense averaged 185.8 yards per game, placing 105th among 134 FBS teams.
“We’ve got a very enthusiastic guy,” Newsome said this season. “He’s energetic and has been a fantastic addition. It’s also great to have Coach Marookian back from Charlotte, where he worked with Coach Biff [Poggi] for the last couple of years, as well as Coach Gilbert, who’s been with the staff.”
Newsome added that the offensive line group benefits from having multiple coaches with high-level experience, noting that with several players on the field at once, the staff can address issues from different angles. “Five guys in our room, or in our building, who’ve coached Division I offensive lines, is a huge asset,” he said.
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Castillo joined Michigan last December as an analyst and helped during ReliaQuest Bowl prep, contributing to the 19-13 victory over Alabama. His coaching résumé spans decades, including stints leading offensive lines for the Philadelphia Eagles (1998-2010), Baltimore Ravens (2014-16), Buffalo Bills (2017-18), Chicago Bears (2020-21), and UCLA Bruins (2024). He previously served as an offensive analyst at Michigan under former head coach Jim Harbaugh, working with a staff that included Moore, who was the tight ends coach in 2019.
Michigan’s current offensive line support staff under Newsome includes Nick Gilbert and John Morookian. This marks the second notable offseason move to the program’s staff, following the dismissal of special teams coordinator J.B. Brown earlier this week. Michigan stated that Moore intends to hire a new special teams coordinator to fill the vacancy.
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