Everything Jim Harbaugh said in his pre-Maryland press conference

Jim Harbaugh met with the media on Monday and had glowing reviews both for some of his players and for the back-and-forth, gritty nature of Saturday's game. Read on for everything he had to say:

On what Rod Moore has done to earn more playing time

He's a really good player. He's developed well. Student of the game. On-field, I think his best attribute is he's in the right places. He's got a talent in space to get people on the ground. Really good tackler. You can just tell how much he was studying from the beginning of training camp, the hours he was putting in on his iPa--yeah, I guess iPad--watching tape was the most of anybody on the team.

How do you think he did in the game?

Good. Yeah, he was in the right spots and you saw him make some open-field tackles, getting guys on the ground.

On the team's level of confidence heading into this week

Yeah, it was just overall, it was a great football experience had by all last Saturday. The game being in an iconic venue, two tremendous academic institutions competing against each other, knocking each other down, each was getting back up, making plays. For three-and-a-half hours that went on, and at the end of the contest there was a winner and a non-winner, but the biggest winner was the game of football.

On the timeline for Blake Corum's return

Um...

Is there a timeline for a possible return this year?

I mean, it's when he returns. Timeline? I don't have a timeline for you if that's what you're asking. No, there's not a timeline.

On Hassan Haskins' pass protection skills

I think you can talk about every part of Hassan Haskins' game and refer to it as excellent, outstanding, every single phase.

They talk about records; I haven't done this but how many time he's picked up a first down, and how many times he picked up a first down in that game, how many times he's picked up a first down all season, I don't know if they keep that stat. Yards after contact, I know they keep that one: he's really good. Pass protection: outstanding. Catching the ball out of the backfield, that's a real strength of his. And running with the ball after catch, one that we're going to keep using more and more because it's really effective. Just getting the ball in his hands or, to your point, when the ball isn't in his hands he's a blocker and he's extremely good at that.

My feeling after the game was Hassan is the type of player that wants to and has the will and ability to put a team on his back and after watching the tape of the game that was just as conclusive, just as evident.

On what in DJ Turner's mental makeup makes him a good fit for being a cornerback

DJ's having an outstanding season. His coverage has been very good. He's made physical plays. He's an ascending player all the way. Ball skills have been outstanding. He's had a great interception on the year, he's had PBUs, he's returned punts, that checks that. He's a fiery competitor, so he's just really, really all good things for DJ Turner.

On Cade McNamara being a long-term starter for Michigan in future years

He's done nothing but be outstanding as the starting quarterback. This past game I think was also just another step, another in his evolution, his growth as a football player. Fourth-quarter comeback, those are special. They physical play; talk about being knocked down, us knocking them down, them knocking us down, that was our quarterback, and getting right back up.

And also Sean Clifford, I gotta say Sean Clifford really was impressive in the football game. The amount of times we knocked him down, it was multiple, and some really tough, aggressive hits. For him to bounce back the way he did, for him to come back and make some of the throws that he made, that was really impressive.

We have really talented pass-rushers, well-documented in David Ojabo and Aidan Hutchinson, and they had tremendous games. And also Penn State's outside backers and defensive ends--#40, #17--they were really good, too. It was a real battle out there. Both sides really battled in this game, both teams. I thought it was a credit to football.

On what the championship traits he mentioned post-game are and whether that's something a team has or doesn't have or can be developed

Yeah, I do believe they have those traits. I think they're developing them. I know when I'm there on the sidelines just the togetherness that our football team has. They're for each other. And I'm sure it probably comes through on the TV, at least (for) people that watch the game, so that they saw the same thing coming through the TV, the excitement that our team has and the togetherness.

On his assessment of Aidan Hutchinson's game Saturday

Really a great performance. Aidan Hutchinson just continues to be relentless tackling, pass-rushing, and when you go back and look at the tape he's also getting held a lot. He's powering through those like Hassan goes through tackles. It's really impressive. He's a great player. And you'd be happy to know he practices the exact same way every single day.

On what makes Maryland's passing offense formidable

They got a great scheme. Taulia (Tagovailoa) is a dynamic thrower. I mean, he is--it's fun to watch. We've been watching it on crossover games. We watch it in the quarterback room a lot, we watch the opponent we're about to play and he just deals it. It has been fun to watch up to this point. Now we gotta defend it. He's got really talented receivers. A couple of them got hurt but others are stepping in and it's a really good passing game.

On what some of the calls Mike Mcdonald made say about his coaching philosophy

Yeah, he's just down-to-down trying to put our team in the best position to defend the down. I think he's really well-prepared. I think he's really grown in knowing our team and our personnel. He's got it down now, and he's just very dialed in. Everybody around, everybody's confident. When he says "let's roll," let's roll. That mentality.

On why JJ McCarthy didn't play Saturday for the first time this season

That's just the way the game went. I know, like (media memeber) wants a story here of some definitive thing. Cade had a great game. Cade was playing well and we rolled with Cade. As far as long-term who's going to be, that prediction...everybody rents that position. Nobody owns a position, from any position on the field to the head coach. You lease at best.

On what he or the team's leaders say to make sure everyone focuses on Maryland and not Ohio State the next week

Yeah, it's just what we've been doing. It's the next game up. You're in a playoff mindset, mentality, that you have to win. If you don't win you're going to be out of the championship race.

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