Everything Jim Harbaugh said during his pre-MSU press conference
On how he prepares his players to avoid the extracurriculars during a rivalry week
Every week is a new week. Some have the perception that you did something last week or the week before or a game went a certain way it's going to go exactly that way. This is definitely—football is a puzzle each week. New fronts, new coverages. New plays, new schemes offensively, defensively, special teams. You put that puzzle together. That's what we're doing now in preparation in terms of our plan. We're going to practice it and look to execute it on Saturday.
On J.J. McCarthy running the ball
What plays are being called, those come from the sideline. There are QB-driven plays that we run where the quarterback has the option to hand the ball off or he can pull the ball. Am I alright with J.J.? Yeah. I feel like I stand corrected from what I've been saying the last several months that I think J.J. is a once-in-a-generation quarterback. J.J. has shown to be on the path to be the best quarterback in Michigan history. The statistics I'm sure speak to that. The statistic that speaks to it the most is the amount of drives—he's had 213 drives. We've scored on 130 of those drives. 96 have been touchdowns, 34 have been field goals. 61%. It's really remarkable. There's no statistic that demonstrates the quality of quarterback play more than that statistic in my mind. Just to follow up, too, I think going forward, J.J. will be the quarterback all future quarterbacks will be compared to.
On MSU
Super tough. Evidence this past week. I think it's a tough team. I think Coach Barnett has got them playing really well. I think they've got them on the move. It's the state championship game. We expect one heckuva football game we need to get prepared for.
On Chris Partridge and Mike Barrett
One thing I can tell you about Mike Barrett, it's outstanding. His level of play is lights out. He was the guardian of victory this past game, game ball. The overall play has just been outstanding. Junior Colson as well. Junior, 6 tackles in this game. His level is consistently good, it's been tremendous. Chris has had a huge impact on the linebacker group. And he's a great coach. Had a huge impact on special teams as well. Great coach, great guy.
On Jimmy Rolder
He did not redshirt last year, so we have a year to where we're attempting to play Jimmy in the four games and get that year back for Jimmy. A redshirt doesn't have to be used as a freshman.
On Ben Hall
It's been good. Go back to as a midyear enrollee, spring game, he's tremendous. He's been tremendous. He got slowed up a little bit, was working through something. Now he's back. You just have to look at him from behind. The legs, the posterior chain. The quads, the calves, to understand how he can have a 280-90 pound guy jumping on his back to make a tackle, he continues on for another three or four yards. That's how he's been able to do it. Tremendous leg strength and drive. He's got the vision, the balance and the speed and the running instincts to be a great running back.
On the tunnel incident last year
That seems like a long time ago. I like what J.J. said maybe last week, it's a goldfish mentality. It's onward.
On the success of the rivalry with in-state recruiting
I don't know the exact amount. It helps recruiting, I've noticed.
On whether he gives advice to his players about pressure in a rivalry game
These are huge games. Every single week. There's definitely a November mentality. That's when you're in a chase for the championship, in a run for the championship. They're decided in November if you've put yourself in position to be in position. When all the leaves are brown and the skies are grey, that's when the championships get decided. November is here for us. It's here for us now. Playing in this big game, this big rivalry game, this in-state game, this Big Ten game. Then we'll have a bye and the rest of our games will be in November. The time is now.
On what makes Blake Corum so good at the goal line
Just look at him from behind as well. That leg drive, that low center of gravity, that balance. That initial burst, too. The great ones, I've noticed, can get up to full speed quicker, just real fast. I'd say with Blake, it's either three or four steps to where he's up to full speed. You cant get to full speed much faster, I've noticed. He's able to do it.
On whether this program is as good as it has been since he's been in Ann Arbor
Yeah, I don't think you'd be going out on a limb.
On Katin Houser
He does some really good things. I was impressed. A young guy making his first start, the most impressive performance.
On Kalel Mullings status
Soon.
On the understanding of the defensive system contributing to the increase in turnovers
I agree, I don't argue with that at all. I actually agree that the defensive system has stayed intact. It started with Mike Macdonald and now with Jesse, worked with the Ravens together. Jesse came and was very similar, very similar. Not exact, each put their own twist on it. Jesse more from a secondary perspective. I think our secondary is playing as well as it ever has been. On the path to be the best we've had. The structure, many of the calls are the same. There's a simplicity to it that makes it very complicated for the offense that allows players to really be put in there in a position to be successful. There's a lot of answers. I think that's definitely a contributing factor.
On the stability on offense allowing the players to add more to the offense
I would agree. As pointed out after Saturday's ballgame, the coaching, the collaboration, the camaraderie, the leadership by Sherrone Moore has been consistent, been outstanding in doing that and calling the plays, coaching the offensive line and coordinating the offense. I know the players appreciate it, I appreciate it and I'm sure the Michigan faithful appreciate it. We're lucky. He's done a tremendous job.
On going into a game on grass
We're going to practice on grass this week. We've had success on grass. I think the last game we lost was on grass. The only thing different to do is to prepare to practice on the grass like we've done in the past. I think it's the best we can do.
On the three-year stretch of success
It's been a happy mission. The thing I've noticed the most, guys are playing for each other. So do the coaches. Any sports team, any sports organization, any business, would probably kill for the kind of culture and vibe that we enjoy on a daily basis.
On the 2024 schedule
I glanced at it, I couldn't repeat it to you right now. Seems exciting.
On whether hitting 1000 wins is a motivator for the team
Yeah, we keep track of that. When we do our postgame chat, we'll show you. We do keep track of that. We have a big scoreboard on the amount of wins. Would be happy to show that to you all. Things to do, that's a culmination of 144 years of Michigan football. No team has won more. We'll be the first to get to 1000, God willing and the creek don't rise. What ways to honor that, what ways to honor that, to come up with a lot of ideas that we want to do. One of them is I want to get an M ring to every coach that's coached here a certain amount of years. 5 years, 7 maybe. Staff, same thing. Maybe a criteria number where they've been here so long. Just so much has been contributed. From Yost, to where we are now, and all in between, there's so many things that make the hair on my arms stand up that we want to do. I got some ideas from different people I've talked to. Can't take credit for the ideas. In the endzone, Michigan is spelled with a 1G instead of an IG. The M, that's a roman numeral for 1000. There will definitely be a sticker on the helmet. I thought Deion Sanders had a great idea where he gave suits to all the players. I would love to have a suit with a Michigan 1000 on there. I'm sure there will be lots of T-shirts and memorabilia. Cool stuff. Celebration. Hopefully it comes this season, working really hard to make that happen. That is definitely one thing that is causing some nostalgia. That's huge, that's really big.
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