Everything Jim Harbaugh said to media pre-Indiana
Michigan football is one of three undefeated teams left in the Big Ten after Minnesota lost at home to Purdue in Week 5.
In Week 6, hot off their first road win of the season at Iowa, the Wolverines travel to Bloomington for a date with 3-2 Indiana.
As he does every Monday afternoon, U-M head coach Jim Harbaugh spoke to the media about his program's upcoming matchup with the Hoosiers.
Here's the full transcript from Harbaugh's press conference:
On the challenge Indiana presents:
“Throwing the ball really well, throwing it a lot. 250 some, 240-to-250 pass attempts, 8 touchdowns. Trusting him to throw the ball to really good receivers. The running back, I mean, they’re throwing it more than they’re running it, so I don’t know exactly what his average is. But travels from the passing game and running game. He’s a tall guy who can make all the throws to all parts of the field. Not afraid to let it rip. Touchdown passes. He’s had a good start to the season.”
On Roman Wilson’s injury
Did you see the play?
“Yeah, I saw it.”
What happened on that play?
“Same thing you saw.”
He’s OK?
“Think so. Once again, talked about everybody’s health status. It’s not my job to do.”
On 5 Power Five coaches being fired during the season, most recently Paul Chryst:
“I think he’s done a tremendous job there. That was really shocking. I don’t have any comment on it. Yeah, I coach this team here, which I’m really pleased with. I’m really pleased with the way the guys are playing. I mean, you really see them — be interested to see if you see the same thing or if it comes through on the TV from being around these guys on the field and in the locker room. And the way they play. They really play for each other. They care about each other. They play to win for each other. It’s really becoming evident with this Team 143. Just get back to work and preparing like we do and get ready for Indiana.”
On if Blake Corum answered questions of people who doubted him as a short-yardage back:
“I think he’s checking every box he can check as an every-down back, as a short-yardage back, as a very versatile back. He can run all the assortments of the runs. He can run the inside runs. He can run the outside runs. He can protect. He can block. He can catch it out of the backfield. He’s a 5-tool running back—does it all.”
On Mike Hart:
“He’s just a real good coach. Really good football coach. He works extremely hard at the game. Contributes in so many ways—game day, day-to-day coaching guys in the run game, and in the passing game. Always has really good, sound ideas. Really good teacher. Communicator. Expert at protections and blitz pickups. Coaching the guys how to play the running back position, but it’s a lot more than that. It’s a lot more than just coaching a position. Go-to-guy for me and the rest of the staff. He’s really good at what he does.”
On Luke Schoonmaker:
“Just does everything really well. I thought Luke, we talked about it at the beginning of the summer, I think he’s one of the best tight ends in the country. I thought he was in competition to beat Erick All. But he’s even better than I thought. He’s fast, he’s physical. Dedicated blocker. But also really good hands and ability to get separation and get open, increase separation, make tough catches, and a team player all the way. He’s an outstanding player. He’ll be playing on Sundays. All really good stuff. Maybe before it’s said and done, one of the best tight ends to ever play here. That’s what I’m seeing right now.”
On if he recognizes the phrase “trap game” and if Indiana presents that with Penn State a week away:
“Just attacking the day, I mean, really. It’ll be a big challenge. Always play this tough and good, similar to Iowa, ton of respect for how they play. Consider them a blue-collar team. Always has a lot of talented guys, and they’re really well-coached. We’re gonna have to play good. It’ll always come down to that. No matter tag you put on a game, it comes down to if you play good, coach good, and if we make sure we’re prepared good for all the teams we play — this week, next week, and every week after. If we play good, we got a really good chance of winning. If we don’t play good, we have a really good chance of being beat."
On if he likes to come out of games throwing punches early like Michigan did against Iowa with an 11-play, 75-yard drive after the opening kickoff:
“I don’t know about that. Just coming out of the gate, starting fast—that’s something you really want to be about. And I thought we were in this game. For the coaches to put together that opening drive, just one play after another, a positive play. All the offensive coaches: Sherrone, Matt, Mike, Ron, just a really tremendous job. Grant Newsome, analyst Kirk Campbell, Brett Ingalls, all the guys, John Morookian. Take a deep, long bow for them because that was really good. First starting out, that plan was well-prepared, well thought out, and well practiced. That’s how we want to start a football game. Offensive line coming off the ball. I thought they did a good job, too, making adjustments. Yes, definitely want to be about being fast.”
On Trevor Keegan’s impact on the game:
“He did. He really did. That No. 77 out there was real good. As well as Gio El-Hadi’s been playing, it was noticeably really good with Trevor back in there. The whole line, it’s a group that I feel like the chemistry is really coming together with that group. Selfless group—they bring a lot of juice and a lot of energy to the team, and they do it in a really good, cohesive matter. Trente Jones, I think this is the third week I’ve stepped up here and said that was the best game he’s played. Ryan Hayes as well. Both tackles looked really good to me. Olu and Zinter also played really well. As a group, they’re continuing to gain a lot of momentum.”
On how the new defensive scheme has helped the offense prepare with different looks:
“More zone coverage, more quarters, more cover 3, there’s also the man principles; two-high principles. Definitely more looks there. Not to compare. I think that’s a valuable and credible statement.”
On his assessment of Mike Sainristil through five weeks:
“Mikey really good. Mikey Sainristil has been playing really good. There’s a ton of growth starting, and then there are some learning experiences too. It’s been very arrow up. Acquitted himself really good, better than anticipated and even better than we hoped for, and—continue to learn. He gave up one in the game where he had outside leverage, got to keep his outside leverage. Got beat on a little stick move at the top of the route, and he had outside leverage. Those are good, valuable learning experiences. The thing about Mike is he will learn from it. That will definitely be a part of his game going forward. He’s never, ever been an error-repeater, which is so valuable. Make a mistake once, shame on you; make a mistake twice, shame on me. Make a mistake once, shame on me; make a mistake twice, shame on you. I know it’s the other way around. In football, I think it’s that way. In life, I think it’s the other way. In football, I think it’s shame on me the first time and shame on me the second time. First time, shame on me, I didn’t coach well enough. Second time, no sense to be an error-repeater, and that’s one thing I can say about Mike Sainristil is he learns from everything, and he is not an error-repeater.”
On if he saw Tua Tagovailoa’s injury:
“Like everybody, you're not there, you don’t know. I’m sure there will be investigations. Not what anybody wants to have happen. I'm sure some heads will roll. Deservedly so. That’s just looking in from the keyhole like we all are — and not knowing everything about it, but it should've never happened.”
On balancing adding a transfer’s talent and keeping a cultural fit:
“Yeah, we bring both those things.”
With Eyabi, how would you assess that?
“Same way. Talent, intangibles. Those two things.”
On Eyabi Okie’s increased snaps and where he’s at now:
“More and more each week. Him and Mike Morris on that critical drive in the end. I think all four plays were made by those two guys, whether it was a sack or a pressure that led to a sack or making the ball coming out quick. Just really good. Mike Mo, halftime, he was really getting everybody fired up. It’s one thing to talk the talk but then go out there and, as they say, walk the walk. It’s way better. It’s awesome. I’m really happy for Mike. I’m really happy for Eyabi—I know we had a stretch in there where the pressure kind of went away for a quarter or so, but it came back right when we needed it. But he’s growing, he’s growing. Probably anyone can tell that definitely arrow up on Eyabi.”
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