Reports: Alabama OC Doug Nussmeier to Michigan

According to the venerable Scott Roussel of FootballScoop.com, Michigan's next offensive coordinator will be coming from a somewhat surprising place.

Just under 5 hours after Wolverines head coach Brady Hoke announced the dismissal of OC Al Borges, Alabama's Doug Nussmeier is expected to fill the opening. Travis Haney of ESPN first (educatedly, one would assume) speculated on the possibility of Nussmeier leaving the Crimson Tide for the Wolverines and former USC head coach Lane Kiffin possibly replacing him in Tuscaloosa. In Haney's scenario, Nussmeier was being encouraged to look elsewhere, which was also the case when former Bama OC Major Applewhite left for a bit of a step down with his alma matter Texas as their then running back's coach and non-play calling co-OC (and later quarterbacks coach and ultimately full onoffensive coordinator).

In Nussmeier, Michigan gets someone who runs a pro style offense (which apparently was a staunch prerequisite for Brady Hoke, who is not looking to whole sale change philosophies), a guy who preaches offensive balance, a stout QB coach, and someone who's widely heralded for his recruiting acumen. For the class of 2014, Nussmeier is presently rated as the 14th best recruiter in the country, per 247Sports's Composite Coach Rankings.

Nussmeier made a reported $680,000 a year at Alabama, and should be in for a raise with the Wolverines. CBS Sports' Bruce Feldman reports Nussmeier will become a Top 5 paid offensive coordinator in the sport. Nussmeier's offenses at Washington were particularly effective, and his Alabama offense in the Tide's 2012 national title season was quite good. Bama's 2013 offense finished the season as F/+'s 10th best offense. Under Borges, the Wolverines had finished 40th.