The 5-0 Michigan Wolverines may have started the day focused on taking down the Indiana Hoosiers as they look to continue their undefeated season, but players and coaches now likely have a much more significant concern. Current running backs coach and former Michigan legend running back Mike Hart had to be stretchered off the sideline on Saturday after suffering what appeared to be a seizure.
Coach Jim Harbaugh’s crew was naturally impacted by the sudden turn of events and could be seen embracing each other on the sideline shortly after the incident. Both teams kneeled in a sign of respect as the medical team attended to coach Hart.
Hart was alert while being carted off, even being able to give the ‘thumbs up’ as sideline reporter Jenny Taft reported.
There have been no updates on Hart’s condition other than to note the 36-year-old has been taken to the hospital for further medical attention. We’ll be sure to stay tuned to the situation and will update this post once we know more.
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Mike Hart’s career after Michigan
During his playing days, Hart gained over 5,000 rushing yards and is still just one of four Big Ten running backs to do so. He won several awards and was a finalist for several others. Hart also finished fifth in Heisman voting in 2006.
Hart was able to capitalize on his college success by advancing to the NFL. In 2008, the Indianapolis Colts selected Hart in the sixth round, at pick 202. He would go on to finish with 71 attempts for 264 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns across three NFL seasons. He was released in 2011 and immediately joined the Eastern Michigan University coaching staff as an offensive quality control coach.
He would later become the program’s running back’s coach, where he worked for two more seasons. The next year, Hart joined P.J. Fleck’s staff at Western Michigan University in the same role. Hart would then spend a season at Syracuse and another in Indiana before rejoining Michigan last season as the team’s running backs coach, where he’s been ever since.
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