Michigan's head coach John Beilein, right, and assistant coach Mike Jackson devise their strategy in a game against Wisconsin on Jan. 2, 2008.

Ann Arbor News file photo

Mike Jackson will be coaching in the Big Ten next year. It'll just be at a different school.

The fifth-year Michigan assistant basketball coach left today to become an assistant at Purdue.

"I'm really excited for a new opportunity and a new challenge," Jackson said in a statement released by Purdue. "I've known coach (Matt) Painter for a number of years and I think he's one of the best young coaches in the game. The chance to learn from him and help Purdue work toward a national championship is very exciting."

The Boilermakers are expected to be one of the top teams in the country next year with seniors Robbie Hummel, E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Jackson returning from a team that shared the Big Ten title last season.

Jackson was Michigan's main in-state recruiter.

"He'll bring energy and enthusiasm to the team on a daily basis," Painter said in a statement. "His Midwest ties are consistent with the values of our program and we're excited for him to get started at Purdue."

Michigan, meanwhile, lost its two top scorers, Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims, and now the entirety of the coaching staff it started with a season ago. Jerry Dunn and John Mahoney left after the season, and graduate manager Patrick Beilein left for a full-time assistant coaching gig at Dartmouth.

Beilein promoted Jeff Meyer and hired Bacari Alexander to replace Dunn and Mahoney. In hiring Alexander, Beilein placed him in charge of recruiting the state of Michigan, Jackson's usual territory.

"We appreciate the positive contributions that coach Mike Jackson has made to Michigan basketball," Beilein said in a statement. "We wish Mike nothing but the best in his future professional endeavors. My intention is to move quickly and efficiently to fill this coaching staff opening.

"Currently, we have an energized and proven staff in place. My focus is to add another experienced and knowledgeable teacher of the game, who has college recruiting experience both here in Michigan and throughout the Big Ten footprint."

Jackson's departure also means all three on-the-road assistants from the start of last year will be in different places next season. Thus far, it appears neither Dunn nor Mahoney have landed jobs elsewhere.

Messages left for Jackson seeking further comment were not immediately returned Sunday night and Monday afternoon.

Michael Rothstein covers University of Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2558, by e-mail at michaelrothstein@annarbor.com or follow on Twitter @mikerothstein or on Facebook