Everything Jim Harbaugh said during his fall camp press conference
On anyone who has made a jump in camp
I brought the whole roster with me to really refer back to that. Quite a few. Top of the list, tough to make that call because there's been a lot. I could really start in the lines, describing what the progress has been and where we are in fall camp right now. Offensive line, probably familiar, we had four starter-type guys return in Karsen Barnhart, Trente, Trevor Keegan, Zak Zinter and three great transfers in Hinton, Nugent and LD. Also, guys have risen like Jeff Persi, I would consider him starter status. Gio and Greg Crippen as well. We're really 10 deep right now. Reece Atteberry, Andrew Gentry, how does he not get into the two-deep? It's been that kind of good for us. They're playing good, playing healthy, everybody in there is doing a heckuva job. We had a goal-line scrimmage yesterday, a short-yardage scrimmage Saturday. I would even say as good as the offensive line has been, the defensive line probably got the better of them. 51% I would send that way. That's Mason Graha,, Kenneth Grant, Kris Jenkins, Cam Goode has really asserted himself. We're shooting strong at the EDGE position. Jaylen Harrell has been good. Braiden McGregor, Derrick Moore and Josaiah Stewart as well. TJ Guy is a guy who has asserted himself at that position. Been really good at the linebacker position, want to talk about the front seven. Junior Colson has been outstanding, Mike Barrett has been outstanding, Ernest Hausmann has been really good. The guy who I'd say who has asserted himself the most is Jaydon Hood as far as where he was last year to where he is now. He's right there in the mix in special teams and defensively. That really covers the offensive front and defensive front. Happy to talk about the other positions as well.
On Jaylen Harrell
Just really becoming a complete player in terms of EDGE players, he plays our SAM EDGE which is more the athletic pass rusher, expect him to be really proficient in coverage but he's going to get to the quarterback and set the edge. Braiden, Derrick Moore, that bigger edge that can rush. I think both of them fit the bill in that regard. Josaiah Stewart, like Jaylen, he's that SAM-type of player. Real athletic. Bend around the corner to get to the quarterback.
On punt return and kick returner
Right now, that's good competition. Mike Sainrsitil, Kal'el Mullings, Donovan Edwards has been really good at punt returns. Jake Thaw, right there at the top. Keshaun Harris, Karmello English, Tyler Morris. Kick returner, Kal'el, Roman Wilson, Eamonn Dennis could be extremely, extremely good. Also, a secret plan for Alex Orji, he's got a chance to be one of the greatest kick returners of all time. A big 230-235 pound guy. He just started doing it, we'll see how it goes. He's also excelling at quarterback so there will be some decisions that will have to be made. We have to improve in our kickoff return blocking before we agree to have Alex Orji return kicks. There's a bit of a challenge there going on, it's made for quite a bit of excitement and enthusiasm that our kickoff return blockers have seen what Alex can do as a kick returner. The challenge is on them to get better with their fundamentals and their techniques and give him a chance. If we can make it happen, it would be really special. Kal'el Mullings is very similar in that role. There's some excitement.
On Oregon and Washington joining the conference
I really don't have any thoughts to share. Very much been just focused on one thing and that's getting our team ready for its first game.
On whether he can speak on the NCAA investigation now they've commented
No.
On whether he's seen two guys emerge at offensive tackle
I definitely think you're going to see the Michigan method in play at offensive tackle. There's two starters on the left, two starters on the right. Four starting tackles that we have. It'll go through camp, I envision starting two tackles the first game, two tackles the second game. I see that happening at EDGE. Could be the case at center. Probably will be the case at corner. Those will be the main ones. It's just that close, it's just that good, really. Four starting tackles. Kills me not to put Andrew Gentry in that category because he's so good to where we're going to have to play him at guard or tackle, find ways to get him on the field. I'd say, if I had to pick the best one right now so far through 12-13 days of camp, Karsen Barnhart, is having the best camp so far halfway through.
On who he likes on the left and right as starters on the offensive line
Everybody is going to be—the way it started, the first half of camp, Karsen and LaDarius have been at the left tackle and Myles Hinton and Trente (on the right). We've given them the same amount of starter reps as back up reps and we interchange the guys. Karsen's ability, his versatilty, he could play any position. He could play left, he could play right, he could play guard. Developing that same versatility with the other guys as well is a priority. We'll flip it again. Day off today, come back tomorrow and those tackles, Trente and Karsen, will go back to starting tackles as they did the first week. In the second segment, we'll get the back ups in LD and Myles. It's becoming—they're all right there playing at a super-high starter level. Predict it will go into the first and second game to find out exactly who the starter is going to be.
On what he sees from this team and their demeanor
We've had a lot of people through. A lot of football people, we've had general managers, we've had scouts come through. One, in particular, who was in our meetings and practices said, this is vibrant. I can't get that word out of my head. That best describes the vibe, the mentality. It's infectious. Can't help not picking up on that. That was well-defined. It's vibrant. They take that from the meeting rooms to the weight rooms to the practice field, to the stadiums. Super pleased, also, a first to have the first scrimmage in the stadium be as good as it was. Every season I've coached, every season I've been part of as a player, doing that first scrimmage in the stadium and guys forget. I forgot coaching. As a player, there's something about going to the Big House. Coaches yelling at everybody. That was my experience as a player and even as a coach. Freshmen forget everything they've been taught. It wasn't like that at all. It was the same vibrant energy, execution and I even commented to the team that I've never seen anything quite like that. It's good. They're further ahead. Further ahead and it's a credit to the coaches and the players themselves and their focus.
On the 'Michigan Method'
I read that another team was doing that for their quarterbacks. Michigan Method, I like the way that sounds. It's the Michigan Method. Who plays? Who gets to start? The best players. How do you know who the best player is? They play the best. If I could define what the Michigan Method is, that would define it well. Those certain positions, quarterback last year, not this year. Tackle this year, center, corner, EDGE, it's so close and there's multiple guys that are starters where practice may define it over 29 days but it may not and it would have to go to find separation within the game to find out who the best player is.
On whether the focus of the team has been emphasized or has it been taken on
It's gotta come from them, right? For many individuals, I've tried. I've tried to make guys love football, have enthusiasm, attack each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind. Make them love football. Everything in my power. I've come to the realization that it's got to come from the individual no matter how hard you try. There's not a guy right now—the junior, senior, fifth-year class that I could point to that isn't doing anything they shouldn't be. They're taking any and every opportunity to try and maximize it and being trusted, a trusted agent and known friends. It's to the point where, and I had to make a poster person who really defined enthusiasm unknown to mankind, I looked at every player, every coach, even considered myself and by the power vested in me, as the head coach, the poster person for enthusiasm unknown to mankind for the 2023 year is Kris Jenkins. Nice little sticker, EUTM is now on the helmet. He's not the only one who has it, we've given some others out. Blake Corum, J.J. McCarthy, Zack Marshall, we even gave one to a freshman. A few others. The poster person is Kris Jenkins. There's a lot, a lot of them. Captains, that's coming. We'll see what that vote yields. There's just so many to choose from that lead and attack. A lot of football. Good problems to have.
On its AP Rankings adding fuel to the fire
It's probably falls into the same category, I think you asked me something about Oregon and Washington coming into the Big Ten or other matters, my wife asked me to do things during these days, these weeks. Really trying my best. I've just been really locked in on this football team and trying to make the day the absolute best day, even if it's an off day. We're out there grinding as coaches and going over film from yesterday and tomorrow getting the scripts ready and making that the best day of camp. That's where my head is at.
On why his players haven't been distracted by the outside noise
I would say that it's a mission, right? Some people go to their job and it's a job. For us, it's a mission. Coined it last year, it's a happy mission. That's the vibrant way it hit my brain. I think there's where we're at.
On whether he sees this year being pivotal to his future at Michigan
It's the beauty of my dad's mantra. Attack each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind. It just frames it right there. Attack each day, attack this day, with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind. Living by it daily. Been good. It's worked.
On the 'Beat Georgia' period
It would be a small piece, certainly wouldn't be one—probably a thousand other little things we're trying to do right but it's one of the things we're trying to do right. It's just how they play. We respect it, I respect it. Want to have our players prepared at that level. We're chasing perfection and that's part of it. They're the team to beat.
On the guys behind Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson
Really good. That's a whole group there of really good players. I'll start with three of the freshmen. Karmello English, Fredrick Moore, and Semaj Morgan, those three, have really come in and asserted themselves right off the bat. They've taken reps with the ones, they've taken reps with the twos. They're not playing like freshmen. Karmello and Fredrick and Semaj, their ability to get out of the break, we haven't seen that from any freshmen, let alone too many receivers that have come through here. Their ability to track the ball, Fredrick Moore's ability to track the ball is as good as I've seen. Semaj Morgan, quick, fast and shorter stature but a very big catch radius. He can catch the balls away from his body, he can high-point, he's been really good. Other guys, Cristian Dixon, also in my mind who is asserting himself right now. It's his availability. He is there every day. He has taken a couple of big hits. Held onto the ball but it's that talent to be there every single day. The best ability is availability. He's rising. Darrius Clemons, he's had a few nagging things but looking forward to—he was back at practice yesterday, working through something but hopefully this next two weeks leading up to game one and game two, he can get back in there and be really effective. A lot of guys. Roman and Cornelius Johnson have been really outstanding, we know what they can do but there have been other guys. Dale Chesson, Joe Taylor, Eamonn Dennis, quite a good group there. Tyler Morris. Came into the camp with Roman, Cornelius Johnson and Tyler Morris being the top three.
On other freshmen working into the two-deep
There's a great group of freshmen in Cameron Brandt, Enow Etta, Trey Pierce, those three have been outstanding and came in right on time. Just feel like that interior defensive line group has really been bolstered. We'll see who the fifth and sixth defensive linemen is who is going to be in that rotation. Definitely, those three will most likely be in that. That's how good they're playing.
On Roman Wilson balancing practice and the events happening in Hawaii
It's been good from what I've been able to see. His ties are deep there but in Honolulu and in Maui. Been good.
Also want to leave you with the corners, it's another position, Mike Sainristil, Will Johnson, Josh Wallace, Keshaun Harris, have been the top guys. Ja'Den McBurrows, Myles Pollard are playing well. Three really good freshmen in that group. Another position group that have three that are ascending. DJ Waller, Jyair Hill and Cam Calhoun are coming on fast. (Amorion Walker) is working through something right now. Expect to have him back in four to five guys. Mikey at corner. He can play both. We're at our best if he's at nickel.
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