ANN ARBOR, Mich. — With the 24-hour rule past, the Michigan football program has quickly shifted its focus from the victory over Ohio State to compete in the Big Ten Championship game against Iowa on Saturday.

U-M head coach Jim Harbaugh met with the media on Monday to discuss the win over the Buckeyes, his program, Iowa and much more.

For everything Harbaugh had to say, check out the full transcript below.

On the connection between Aidan Hutchinson, his father and the Michigan program

Soldered together. It is strong. It’s strongly soldered together. Can you imagine, can you just imagine, what it would be like to be a great Michigan football player, a captain on the Michigan football team, and then 20-odd years later, see your son, your offspring, also be a captain of the Michigan football team? Pretty sure, as great as Chris was as a player, to see his offspring be even better. Can you just imagine that?

On the team focusing on Iowa after beating Ohio State

For many of us, that was a tremendous, tremendous weekend and game. Many of the players texted me this was the best ever and I’m right there with them. Now, the focus has shifted to the task at hand.

On Iowa's run defense

I would say Iowa in all regards. Run defense, pass defense, the way they tackle. Offensively, their execution, the way they block, the way they run. The tremendous attention to detail on special teams and as hard as they play. Across the board, it’s all really, really good. This is a sound, tough, fundamentally good football team in every single regard. And that definitely is daunting in itself. And also you add in that you’re watching 12 weeks of this consistency. And understanding that, now you go back to previous seasons, and there’s a lot of creativity in there and all things at their disposal. That’s a daunting task in itself, to understand you’re going up against a team that knows what they’re doing, how they’re doing it, the execution is tremendous down after down. You’re so focused on stopping (them) that everything else is still a possibility. I’d say it’s a daunting challenge.

On how the program prepared against Ohio State can prepare the roster for other games

It’s a great question. The way I would answer that is just in this next challenge, this next task, the one we just prepared for. We knew that was coming. We knew that that team was scheduled, was going to be played on November 27, and we had to prepare for it. Iowa, we didn’t know that one was coming. So, I guess I’ll say that the way it does help us, we’ve gotta understand, that’s the way we’ve gotta prepare for this one. The same way we prepared for Ohio State mentally, physically, spiritually. In every way, we’re gonna have to do that this week in order to be successful because we plan for Ohio State and understood and thought they would be the best opponent on our schedule, and now it’s Iowa. Iowa’s been ranked No. 2, they’ve had a tremendous season. Now you’re watching what they do week-in and week-out, and have a clear understanding of what they are, who they are. It’s going to take the same kind of preparation. So how does that help us moving forward? Just understanding that’s the level—mentally, physically, spiritually. Have to prepare for a great team.

On whether this was the vision he had for this team

The way I envisioned it is we were gonna have to play really good in all phases. We were gonna have to protect the passer, the quarterback, receivers making plays in the pass game. We’re gonna have to block up front, we’re gonna have to sustain blocks, we’re gonna have to get off blocks, tackle, block and tackle is gonna be huge. Defending the throws downfield, defending the crossing routes, the verticals, the seams, the screens. You have to do it all. You’ve gotta play really good.

On whether he sees similarities to his team in Iowa

Everything I see in Iowa is the level of consistency, the level of consistently good they are in all phases is tremendous and that’s a huge task.

On the message to Heisman voters about Aidan Hutchinson

The records he’s set, there have been some awfully good players here at Michigan that haven’t done what Aidan Hutchinson has done. Just read one where he had 15 pressures on the quarterback. Never been done since they’ve been keeping track of that statistic. He is, and I’ve said it about Hassan Haskins, those two players, Hassan Haskins, Aidan Hutchinson, I think very much should be in consideration for the Heisman Trophy. I think you’ll see it. I’d also have the same message for NFL scouts and teams that—if there’s a better player out there that’s draft-eligible than Aidan Hutchinson, I have not seen that player. I can tell you what I have seen is every single down he plays, he doesn’t take a play off. Quite the opposite. And he’s the same way in practice. Athletically, strength, speed, he’s gonna check every single box on and off the field. I don’t know who has the first pick in the draft, but they should be studying very thoroughly Aidan Hutchinson and they should take him.

On whether his defensive coordinator search included a philosophy to slow down an offense like Ohio State's

Yeah, the teams we had to play to win the championship and hire in the best possible defensive coordinator that we could, those were the things I was looking for. That’s pretty much exactly what I said to my brother and he said, ‘I’ve got the guy for you.’ As I’ve also said at the time, I talked to a lot of people, listened to a lot of people that I trust in the game of football, across the game of football, but none I value more than my brother’s opinion. And he was right.

On preparing focus for this game with higher aspirations

Playoff. Playoff game. That mindset of we play, we win this game, then we’ll advance to the semi-finals.

On the mood of the team after the Ohio State win

Seen several of the guys. Been talking to the guys either over the phone or through text. Donovan Edwards this morning, we usually have a fistbump every morning. Said, ‘Hey, today I need I hug!’ He said, ‘Onward! Onward to Iowa!’ ‘Likewise, I’m with you 100%. Let’s go!'

On trusting Sherrone Moore with the offensive line

Sherrone Moore is a shining star, that’s always been easy to see. Tremendous coach and teacher. Has a tremendous connection to the players. He’s one of those on our team that’s been committed. I figured that one would work out really well. I could say this about a lot of the coaching hires that we’ve had: worked out even better than expected. And I have really high expectations for the kind of job that Sherrone Moore would do and he’s produced even better than expected. And those expectations were really high.

On Shaun Nua and the work he's done with the defensive line

We looked at it, I think we all looked at that at the beginning of the season and said, ‘We’re a little thin there on the interior line.’ But we’re good, we’re good enough. And that position has exceeded expectations. Mazi Smith, Chris Hinton have been tremendous. And Jess Speight has been really good. Donovan Jeter’s had his best year. He’s really come into realizing most all of his potential. I think there’s still more. But what he’s done on and off the field has been a huge leap and huge growth. That’s another group where they’ve got a great connection with Shaun Nua. He’s as passionate as any coach. Also, one of the committed that stayed and did a tremendous job.

On the secondary limiting the big plays against Ohio State

The intensity that they played with down after down, to get to the intensity and then to get that, repeat that down after down, after down. Also, knowing what might have taken place good or bad the previous play, to get back to that level of focus and intensity. I thought that was a tremendous job done by DJ Turner, Vince Gray, the entire secondary, Brad Hawkins, Dax, and the young guys. Rod Moore played really, really well. Went back and flicked on the tape. The true freshman Rod Moore had a heckuva game, and also RJ Moten played extremely well. Yeah, that level of consistency, focus, down after down, finishing the play, staying in the on top position and making plays and battling.

On the memories he'll have about the Ohio State victory

Yeah, a lot of them! A lot of things, a lot of moments. Starting with just the feeling after the game. And the pictures of the field covered and the stands still full. How does that happen where you’ve got completely full stands and the field completely covered? They were packing them in pretty good. There might have been a few thousand more than the 111,000 that were listed. The interaction with Juwan on the field was tremendous. Especially the interaction with the players in the locker room after the game and Warde and Doug. Just every single person, tried to get around every guy, every might man and mighty woman of Michigan football. Those interactions were the most special. And also with my kids and wife after the game. With my parents — their 60th anniversary was on Nov. 25. Yeah, it was glorious. Glorious, glorious weekend. Also, watching the tape, another thing that really stood out, you’re talking about a lot of play of the offensive line and how critical that was and how well they played and what a great job Sherrone Moore has done, it’s been fabulous. Somebody to add, two guys, really, Erick All and Mike Sainristil. Again, when you put on the tape, I think a lot of us that know football and watch can point out when there’s a good block on the perimeter. That was as fine of perimeter blocking by two guys. Erick All, above and beyond saying good perimeter blocking would be the understatement of the year. Mike Sainristil was right in there with some of the same blocks. You just don’t run the ball that well without that kind of perimeter blocking. But the effort that Erick All made on two of those touchdowns, the skill and effort required to do what he did. Then Mikey, Mikey’s not a huge-statured guy, but he is really strong and determined. Three or four of the perimeter blocks that he made in the game were just tremendous.

On how David Ojabo has grown as a player

David Ojabo, in every way, when you talk about growing physically, mentally, spiritually, strong, fast. The intensity with which he plays on a down-to-down basis can only be matched by Aidan Hutchinson, Hassan Haskins and a guy like Andrew Vastardis and Andrew Stueber. Those guys are at that level of intensity down after down. Tremendous to watch his development and he’s—I don’t know close he is to reaching his full potential, but he’s still got some man-years coming in terms of growing, age, and the mindset is just getting so good, so honed. Just A-plus-plus.

On the one trait that stands out about Aidan Hutchinson

Freaky athletic in terms of strength and speed and flexibility. Just that athletic gene that he has. Blessed from mom, dad, and God. But his work ethic takes all those gifts and accentuates them 1,000-fold. The intensity which he, you see it in the games, you see it down after down. And people who applaud that and they should, because you see guys that take plays off, but Aidan never takes a play off. But what you don’t see is what he does in practice. And it’s the same exact thing you see in games, that kind of intensity, trying to win the down every single rep in practice, like it was third-and-6 during the game. Also in the weight room, every single running workout that we do, he’s an animal. It’s completely contagious. David Ojabo is fully caught that as well. But yeah, where do you start, where do you go? There’s just so many superlatives. He’s a football player, he’s a stalwart. Those would be the two words that pop into my mind, phrases.

On the importance of Cade McNamara

I don’t know the they that you’re talking about but we do focus on what they do do well. And he checks all the boxes that you want in a quarterback to do well. He makes great decisions when he throws, he’s got the arm strength to make every throw, he throws accurately, he throws with great timing. His knowledge and study of the game, his intelligence is also football intelligence. His ability to get the ball to the playmakers, that’s a quarterback’s most important job and you could say that’s a quarterback’s best attribute. He’s tremendous at doing that. He’s really grown in terms of how to play the game and situational, from a situational standpoint. When he works out, when he trains, he’s one of the hardest workers on the team. Ben Herbert refers to him as the tip of the spear. In many ways, you could say we’re not at where we’re at without Cade McNamara. Hard-pressed to not find something he doesn’t do well. And the things he does well are the most important things.