Harbaugh says "Michigan Method" will determine starters
Last season, Jim Harbaugh surprised many when he announced that the quarterback battle would continue into the season, with Cade McNamara starting game 1 and JJ McCarthy starting game 2. Harbaugh says you can learn a lot in fall camp, but the goal is simply to find the player who is playing the best, and sometimes you have to see what happens in real games.
"I read that another team was doing that for the quarterbacks," said Harbaugh. "Michigan method, I liked it. I liked the way that sounds. Who plays? Who gets to start? The best players. How do you know who the best player is? They play the best."
While there is no battle at QB this season, Michigan has a few position battles happening during fall camp. With the talent and depth on this roster, no one will start by default, in fact coaches often say they have "multiple starters" at spots where only one can truly start.
"At 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, that practice may define it over 29 days, but it may not and have to go to find the separation in the game to find out who the best player is. Because they would play the best."
On the offensive line, Michigan has 9 players on roster with starting experience. Zak Zinter and Trevor Keegan return to start at guard. Stanford transfer Drake Nugent is battling Greg Crippen for the starting center spot. The real battle is taking place at the tackle spots where Karsen Barnhart and Trente Jones who started at right tackle for Michigan last season are battling transfers Ladarius Henderson and Myles Hinton.
"I definitely think you’re going to see the Michigan method in play at offensive tackle. There’s four: there’s two starters on the left, there’s two starters on the right. There’s four starting tackles that we have and it’ll go through camp. I envision starting two tackles one game, the first game, and two tackles the second game."
So according to Harbaugh Henderson and Barnhart will each start one game at left tackle, and Jones and Hinton will each start one game at right tackle.
Harbaugh also mentioned the EDGE position, which unlike the offensive line will see heavy rotation. The top 4 guys are all going to play, but who the "starter" is, who gets the majority of snaps, that will be decided by who is the best during the games. Braiden McGregor and Derrick Moore will play the RUSH or strong side end, while Jaylen Harrell and Josaiah Stewart will play the SAM or weak side end.
"And then we’re super strong at the edge position. Jaylen Harrell has been as good as — call him the best. But Braiden McGregor, Derrick Moore, and Josaiah Stewart, as well."
Who starts at the other cornerback spot continues to be a hot topic of the offseason. Michigan knows what it has in Will Johnson and Mike Sainristil, but there is a big question mark at the other corner spot. While Sainrstil can play outside, Harbaugh said Michigan is at its best when he is at nickel. There are a lot of names in play, and not a lot of answers currently.
"Mike Sainristil, Will Johnson, Josh Wallace, Keshaun Harris — those have been the top guys, and Ja’Den McBurrows, Myles Pollard playing well. Three really good freshmen in that group, another position group that have three that are ascending. DJ Waller, Jyaire Hill, and Cam Calhoun are coming on fast."
A popular name this offseason since Harbaugh called him a starter back in the spring has been Amorion Walker. Unfortunately, the freak athlete has missed some time early in camp.
"He’s working through something right now. But I expect to have him back in four to five days."
Michigan once again has what should be a less than difficult non-conference schedule to start the season. If the team can prepare and execute at a high level, they should have the opportunity to allow these position battles to work themselves out on the field. Harbaugh hopes the Michigan Method can find the same success in 2023 that it found in 2022 with JJ McCarthy.
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