ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan Athletic Department announced Tuesday (Oct. 18) that Michigan alumnus and donor Robert McCollum has committed a $2 million gift to endow the football quarterbacks coaching position currently held by Matt Weiss. In recognition of the gift, the quarterbacks coaching position will now be formally known as the Robert McCollum Family Quarterbacks Coach.
“We appreciate the generous gestures that Robert McCollum and his family continue to make to express their commitment to our football program and athletic department,” said Jim Harbaugh, U-M’s J. Ira and Nicki Harris Family Head Football Coach. “Robert’s multiple gifts to our program over the last few years have helped provide better resources for our student-athletes and staff.”
“I am honored to have my position associated with the McCollum family,” said Weiss. “It was great to speak with Robert, to get to know him and to have the opportunity to thank him for this commitment and generous support of our program. I hope they feel great pride for Michigan whenever they see their name associated with this position.”
Originally from Struthers, Ohio, McCollum was part of the Michigan football program during the 1956 and 1957 seasons. He was a quarterback on the freshman team in 1956 and was a member of the varsity squad in 1957. McCollum graduated from the University of Michigan in 1961 with a degree in speech and business.
McCollum is the chairman of R.S. Hughes, a manufacturing company in Sunnyvale, California, that specializes in industrial supplies that offers such items as tapes and bonding, printers, shipping supplies and adhesives. He raised his family in Palo Alto, Calif., with both of his sons attending Palo Alto High School while Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh attended the school.
McCollum created the Robert McCollum Endowed Football Scholarship in 2016. The past two seasons his scholarship matches have been the Wolverines’ starting tailbacks: Hassan Haskins (2021) and Blake Corum (2022).
