Looking At The Michigan Panthers 2025 Coaching Staff | Mike Nolan
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Looking At The Michigan Panthers 2025 Coaching Staff

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The Michigan Panthers are loading up for another UFL season, and have finalized their coaching staff – bringing back the same folks at each position. Given Michigan’s success in 2024 both offensively and defensively, it isn’t surprising that Head Coach Mike Nolan is keeping things the same.

In 2024, Michigan went 7-3 – which included a five game winning streak in the middle of the season. There were plenty of highs for this organization; but it did include some lows: such as losing to the Birmingham Stallions three times. As they prepare for this upcoming season, let’s take a look at the coaches on board in Michigan.

Head Coach | Mike Nolan

Mike Nolan is back in action, for a third year with the Michigan Panthers. After winning UFL Coach of the Year honors in 2024, Nolan now sets his sights on reaching a UFL Championship – after back to back playoff appearances that resulted in losses.

Nolan has the most NFL experience of practically anyone on the staff, having served as the San Francisco 49ers HC from 2005-2008, with a record of 18-37. Mike has been a defensive coordinator as well with a few NFL teams, including the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and Miami Dolphins.

Mike has quietly been one of spring football’s top coaches, especially with the way he’s operated things in Michigan. This past year, he handed off DC duties to Collin Bauer, which allowed him to take a step back during games and manage both the offense and defense. This resulted in more success, and is the model we can expect for this upcoming season.

Offensive Coordinator | Marcel Bellefeuille

Marcel Bellefeuille was a new addition to Nolan’s staff this past UFL season, and was exceptional. Marcel spent a couple of years in the USFL with the Philadelphia Stars, on Bart Andrus’ staff. He was picked up by Nolan during the merger, as Mike let former OC Eric Marty go.

Bellefeuille has a ton of alt-football experience. He’s been in the Canadian scene for decades, and served as the Hamilton Tiger-Cats head coach for three years (2009-2011), with a 26-28 record during that span. The team made the playoffs all three seasons, with an East Finals appearance in 2011.

Since then, he’s had a few different CFL opportunities, and also accepted the Head Coaching position at the University of Ottawa.

In the UFL, Marcel’s offensive schemes alongside the new talent resulted in Michigan seeing tremendous growth. The ground game was fantastic all year long with Wes Hills, Nate McCrary, and Matt Colburn all producing. Additionally, Michigan won seven games despite having to deal with four different quarterbacks on the season.

Collin Bauer | Defensive Coordinator/D-Line

Collin Bauer was promoted from Defensive Line coach to Defensive Coordinator in 2024, and that move paid off big-time. Bauer was fantastic in his first season as a DC, as Michigan boasted one of the top defenses in the UFL.

Prior to the USFL, Bauer had stints with Towson, Rutgers, and Maryland serving in various defensive roles. He joined Nolan’s staff in 2023, and now returns for another stint with the Panthers.

Michigan allowed 263 yards per game (4th), and 19 points per game (3rd) under Bauer’s leadership. His defensive unit was vital in giving Michigan some life as they went on their winning streak – and we saw multiple players receive NFL opportunities following the season.

Jordan Pavlisin | Running Backs

Working with a brand new room, in any position group, is not easy. That’s exactly what Jordan Pavlisin did this past season, though, as Michigan gutted their RB unit and replaced it with entirely new faces.

This didn’t faze Jordan at all, as the Panthers ended up averaging 125 rushing yards per game – second best in the UFL behind Birmingham. Wes Hills, Matt Colburn, and Nate McCrary all performed at a high level; especially as Marcel called more running plays as they went on a winning streak. Jordan’s one of those guys that doesn’t really get talked about much – but his impact in Michigan cannot go unnoticed.

Tim Holt | Offensive Line

Another face that’s back in the mix is Tim Holt, returning to coach the Offensive Line for a third season. Holt has been on Nolan’s staff throughout his time as Head Coach, and comes back after Michigan saw a lot of growth in 2024 with their O-Line.

It was a rough start to this past season, with players such as Jarrett Horst and Ryan Pope really struggling to protect well for Michigan. However, Holt made some adjustments, and also got the most out of guys like Jacob Burton, Noah Johnson, Chim Okorafor, and Cohl Cabral to name a few. Burton, Okorafor, and Cabral all received NFL opportunities following the UFL season.

Holt has NFL experience with the Oakland Raiders, as an assistant offensive line coach. He was the Chicago Bears offensive line coach in 2012, and also had a stint with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

See also

Gary Watkins | Tight Ends

Gary Watkins is back to coach Michigan’s tight ends for a third year. Watkins has been responsible for some elite play from the likes of Cole Hikutini and Marcus Baugh over the past seasons. He’ll have a bit of new talent to coach this year, with a couple of the new additions to the TE room. Watkins is also a Head Coach at San Diego Mesa College.

Jaron Fairman | Special Teams/WR’s

Once again, we’re not seeing any shakeups on special teams or WR, as Jaron Fairman returns for a third season. Jaron is another underrated piece on Nolan’s staff, having coached the likes of Marcus Simms, Siaosi Mariner, Devin Ross – and of course, worked with Jake Bates – the special teams star of the UFL a season ago.

Fairman played as a WR at Fresno State from 2003-2006, and has since spent time with a few colleges in various roles. Prior to joining Michigan’s staff, he was an Analyst at Ole Miss.

Christian Runza | Linebackers

You won’t find many coaches in the UFL with slicker hair than Christian Runza. And, you won’t find many linebacker rooms that produce at a higher level than his, either.

Runza is entering his third season in pro football with the Panthers, once again retaining his position as linebackers coach. Christian was a big part of Michigan’s defensive success, and saw three of his linebackers make the jump to the NFL: Frank Ginda, Javin White, and DaShaun White. So far, both Javin and Frank have returned to Michigan, while White remains a free agent.

Prior to the USFL/UFL, Christian spent a few years at Towson University in defensive roles. He also returned to Monmouth University the past two offseasons, serving as a defensive assistant.

Brock Marion | Defensive Backs

Brock Marion, the former Pro-Bowl safety with the Miami Dolphins, is back on Mike Nolan’s staff for the 2025 UFL season.

Marion has no shortage of pro experience. He was a seventh round draft pick by the Dallas Cowboys, playing with the team for a few years. Brock then moved to Miami, where he was a three-time Pro Bowler. He is a two time Super Bowl Champion, bringing that NFL pedigree to the Panthers defensively.

Marion was with the Memphis Showboats in 2023, serving as a defensive backs coach under Todd Haley. He moved to Michigan this past year under Nolan, and helped the Panthers’ secondary play some excellent football. One of his DB’s in Nate Brooks was named to the All-UFL Team this year, and was then signed by the Bengals.

Steve Kazor | General Manager

Not surprisingly, Steve Kazor is back as General Manager for the Michigan Panthers. He’s been largely responsible for turning this franchise around, going from a 2-8 record in 2022, to a 7-3 record in 2024.

Kazor has a plethora of coaching and scouting experience at the collegiate and NFL level, most notably with the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears (Super Bowl XX Champion). Kazor has plenty of NFL connections, and utilizes those to attract top tier talent to this Michigan roster. He is entering his fourth season as GM for the Panthers.

With a tweaked roster, the Michigan Panthers look primed to make a legitimate run at the postseason yet again in the UFL. They were so close to making the Championship a season ago, blowing a double digit lead to the eventual Champions, in the Stallions. With another year under the leadership of the same coaching staff, that camaraderie should prove to be beneficial to the Panthers this season.

What are your thoughts on the Michigan Panthers Coaching staff for 2025? Let us know down in the comments below, or join the conversation on Discord!

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