Michigan Wolverines football kicks off the 2020 season in just 12 days, "but who's counting?" head coach Jim Harbaugh asked Monday night on the Inside Michigan Football radio show with host Jon Jansen.
Harbaugh joined the show to talk about emerging players on his team, what he's impressed with about the group and much more.
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On his impression of how the Wolverines are looking in practice
"It’s been good. There have been a lot of good practices, scrimmages. The energy’s been good. 12 days away. We’re excited to play, and the team is preparing well and is on track for the opener."
On the team's focus level with the opener just 12 days away
"It’s really good. Every day, the point of contact testing, you get all people testing negative, that speaks a lot to the focus, I would think, and their attention to detail and their desire to play."
On if COVID testing and protocols have been a distraction
"It’s part of the daily routine now. So I think it’s just something that we’ve become accustomed to and we appreciate a lot. We’ve made it part of the preparation."
On if Michigan is preparing the possibility of postponed games
"There’s definitely some unknowns, and if somebody tests positive between now and the game, they couldn’t play. Everybody’s aware of that and understands it ... Continue to stay positive, test negative and get ready to play ball."
On the strides the team has made lately
"As a coach, you feel like you can never get enough preparation with all the different situations, but we’ve done a lot of them. You never know for sure how the team’s going to play in an opener especially, because there’s no scrimmage against another team or a preseason game. But we’re excited. Guys are talented, very talented and are preparing well. I’m just ready to let ‘em have at it. That’s where the real excitement stems from."
On the leader of the wide receiver group
"It’s really been a group effort. I would say [senior] Ronnie Bell, for sure. He’s a great tone-setter. [Sophomore] Mike Sainristil has had a tremendous, tremendous offseason and early camp. He’s done really well. [Freshman] Roman Wilson is doing exceptionally well. [Sophomore] Giles Jackson is doing extremely well. [Redshirt junior] Jake McCurry is doing extremely well. [Sophomore] Cornelius Johnson is really coming on strong. I don’t know if it’s one guy, and I would even say [freshman] A.J. Henning did some really good things in our scrimmage on Saturday. [Fifth-year senior] Nate Schoenle, maybe he’s the tone-setter, the leader. He’s doing really good things at the wide receiver position and on special teams. Right now, I think that group of eight has really, really been good."
On other 'tone-setters' on Michigan's offense
"[Sophomore tight end] Erick All really sets the tone offensively, doing a tremendous job. And the quarterbacks have been very good.
"The offensive line is coming together very well.
"And then the other group that we’re really excited about is the running backs — [sophomore Zach] Charbonnet, [fifth-year senior] Chris Evans, [redshirt sophomore] Hassan Haskins, [freshman] Blake Corum. Really those four have been outstanding, outstanding, outstanding.
"We’re ready to let it rip on offense."
On the expectations for Ronnie Bell
"The expectations are high for Ronnie Bell. I’ve always been a huge fan of Ronnie. He’s a real gamer when it comes to football. Every day, he’s becoming a great practice player as well. So much is natural, but he’s really getting better at every fundamental and every technique. He’s always out there — every practice, every game — and he has a tremendous amount of ‘want to’ and the competitiveness that he has to be good. Just really getting all the finer points of the position and improving in that way technically.
"I think you’re really going to see a big jump in his game this year. He’s a terrific athlete, a great competitor and is really getting the finer points of receiving that [offensive coordinator] Josh [Gattis] is teaching him. That’s really going to benefit him this year. I can see it every day at practice."
On the sophomore wideouts
"The three sophomores — Mike Sainristil, Giles Jackson, Cornelius Johnson — are all really, really good and are playing. And the two freshmen, Roman Wilson and A.J. Henning; they’re also in the mix.
“Mike has really improved his blocking, might be the best blocker on the team. He’s also got the … you saw last year, Mike can really go, he’s fast, he’s fresh legs, separation. And Giles has that, you know, and then some, probably. They’re both making tough catches, contested catches, which has really been great to see. Yeah, all three of those guys will contribute. And then George Johnson is playing corner, another sophomore, and is doing a very good job there. All the sophomore receivers will be contributing.
"Getting open, blocking and catching the ball ... I’d say that with both Roman and A.J., they’ve shown the ability, and the quarterback trusts trust that they’re going to get separation and get open. And then when the quarterback is throwing the ball, they are really good, natural catchers; and contested catches, too. They’ve developed that trust with the quarterback. The quarterback knows that they’re going to compete for the contested balls and they’ve got the talent to catch the football."
On how Daxton Hill is looking heading into his sophomore season
"[He’s been playing] at a high level, really. [Sophomore safety] Dax [Hill] may be our most talented player on the team, arguably. And he’s very, very trusted, very good communicator on the back end. He really knows the safety position and also the nickel position. He’s really, really good. He’s playing both safety and covering the nickel slot. He’s been really good.
On the rest of the secondary
"[Senior safety] Brad Hawkins is playing his best football since he’s been around. He’s a returning starter, so that’s really saying something. He’s doing extremely well. [Freshman safety] Makari Paige, [redshirt junior safety] Hunter Reynolds — those two have been very good.
"I have to compliment both the Green brothers. [Redshirt sophomore] German [Green] is playing safety and special teams. [Redshirt sophomore] Gemon Green is fighting for the starting corner position alongside [redshirt sophomore] Vince Gray.
"I’ve been happy with those safeties. [Redshirt freshman] Caden Kolesar has been playing safety and special teams. Those are the ones that are right there in the mix at safety and are doing a really good job.
"Corners, there’s battles going on. Vince Gray is starting — who’s gonna start on the other side of Vince? Gemon Green, [redshirt sophomore] Sammy Faustin … we moved [Faustin] from safety to corner. He’s done a really nice job there the last week that he’s been there.
"Also, I’ll mention George Johnson and [redshirt freshman] DJ Turner, [freshman] Eamonn Dennis, [freshman] Andre Seldon — all guys that are looking very strong at the corner position."
On how versatile defensive backs can give Michigan a boost
"Versatility is always a good thing, no doubt. The players that are the most talented and give the most effort — the cream rises to the top. And I think we’re seeing that. That does allow Coach [Mike] Zordich and Don Brown, when a player has versatility, to be able to do have the best matchups for our team, and all of those things are a big bonus."
On what Michael Barrett brings to the Michigan defense
He’s a rock solid guy, a tough competitor and an experienced player. I’m feeling very good about the linebacker position, with [redshirt sophomore viper] Michael Barrett, [redshirt junior] Josh Ross, [redshirt sophomore] Cam McGrone. And some other players that are behind them — [redshirt sophomore] Ben VanSumeren is looking for a starting spot at the SAM ‘backer, along with [redshirt freshman] David Ojabo. [Redshirt junior] Adam Shibley has really surged here the last couple months and is doing a great job at the MIKE position. He’s got versatility to play both MIKE and WILL.
"Anthony Solomon is a sophomore, but he’s doing a heck of a good job. The two freshmen you really look at at insider ‘backer — Nikhai Hill-Green and Kalel Mullings are both doing really well, especially for only being freshmen. So, starters and depth are being developed there at the linebacker position. Also, Jaylen Harrell. He’s right there with Nickhai Hill-Green and Kalel Mullings, standing out as freshmen.
On the identity of Michigan's defense
"I think if you can picture [senior defensive end] Kwity Paye and [junior end] Aidan Hutchinson … Wow. Tremendous players, and they’re having great camps. I kinda look over there and see the identity of our defense, just in those two. Really talented, great, high effort type of players. [Fifth-year senior defensive tackle] Carlo Kemp and [sophomore tackle] Chris Hinton. [Redshirt junior tackle] Donovan Jeter, also, is really surging and doing great. He’s such a natural, good football player. And [redshirt junior tackle] Jess Speight, total Michigan man. Talk about position switches … The guy will do anything for the team. He’s in there playing nose.
"Also [redshirt junior end] Luiji Vilain, look for him to have a very good year. [Redshirt sophomore end] Taylor Upshaw is surging as a player. And [redshirt sophomore tackle] Julius Welschof — keep an eye on him. He’s coming into his own. [Redshirt sophomores] Mike Morris, Mazi Smith, Gabe Newburg is really turning into a really good football player. That group of defensive linemen, too, there’s a lot of identity coming out of that group."
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