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Live Updates: Michigan's Jim Harbaugh Speaks At Big Ten Football Media Days

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Michigan Wolverines head football coach Jim Harbaugh is set to take the podium at Big Ten Football Media Days at 12:30 p.m. ET. TheWolverine.com is on hand and providing live updates.

CLICK HERE for updates and to join the discussion on The Fort or find quotes below.

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Michigan Wolverines football head coach Jim Harbaugh has won 49 games in six seasons (2020 was a shortened campaign) at U-M.
Michigan Wolverines football head coach Jim Harbaugh has won 49 games in six seasons (2020 was a shortened campaign) at U-M. (Brandon Brown)
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Jim Harbaugh Live Updates

• "It feels good to be back. ... It's great to see everybody. I know I'm here to have a really good day visiting with all the coaches and to see the players. This is a special day for the players to come to Media Day."

• "We've got three great guys with us today. [Junior defensive end] Aidan Hutchinson — an All-American type football player. Also [redshirt sophomore running back] Hassan Haskins and [redshirt junior linebacker] Josh Ross. All three are real football players. ... All three guys are even better guys than football players."

• "No speech. We can go right to questions."

• "There have been a number of new hires. The things they bring to the table are their knowledge. ... When I sit in the defensive room and [defensive coordinator] Mike Macdonald is talking, and there's input from [defensive passing game coordinator] Coach [Steve] Clink[scale] and [linebackers coach] George Helow and [defensive line coach] Shaun Nua. [Safeties] Coach [Ron] Bellamy, as well. Nobody's afraid to talk, nobody's afraid to put their opinion out there. ... It's almost like a scrimmage — ideas are going on, thoughts are getting taught through. You can tell there is trust in the room."

• "See the same thing with Josh Gattis going into his third year as the offensive coordinator ... The trust he has in all of the coaches on that side of the ball, and the trust we have in Josh."

• "[Assistant] Matt Weiss has been a great addition coaching the quarterbacks. Steve Casula, an analyst on offense, [analyst] Kyle DeVan, what he brings. To be in those meetings and see the interaction, the dialogue, the trust — it has exceeded my hopes and expectations."

• "Being able to move the team, being able to put the ball, putting points on the board, drives, good on 11-on-11 football, making everybody else around you better — those are the things you look for in a quarterback. ... That quarterback is the straw that's stirring the drink.

"Right now, [redshirt freshman quarterback] Cade McNamara has done a tremendous job. He played in some games last year and did very well. Went through spring practice and was outstanding. He's our No. 1 quarterback going into fall camp. You talk about leadership ... he has been that guy throughout the entire spring and the summer cycle. ... He's got that gene that he must win, must give it his best.

"And then [true freshman] J.J. McCarthy has some of those same qualities and did an excellent job in spring practice. He's fighting, and he's got the athletic ability and the arm talent to get it done. Cade McNamara's not letting him take it away. That's probably the best thing for our team, and for J.J. and for all of us. That's where we stand, as I see it, at quarterback. [Freshman] Dan Villari is a big, strong athlete who has been improving his throwing mechanics."

• "I hadn't been around Mike [Macdonald] a lot, except the times I had gone to Baltimore and visited, and talked some football. My brother, [Ravens head coach] John [Harbaugh], was like, 'Yeah, this is the guy I would hire, would probably be our next defensive coordinator here in Baltimore.'" ... Since that hire, it has worked out probably even better than I would've hoped."

• Aidan Hutchinson [is] a true football player, real football player. This is a 267-pound guy who can really move. ... He has a great desire to be good and have his teammates be good. You talk about leadership — pulling other guys in, holding himself and other guys accountable. It's the kind of player that, as a coach, when you're sitting down, you're sitting forward in your chair to tell you that this is one of my favorite guys that I've ever coached. He does everything that you want him to do. He gets the best grades, wins the most awards and excels at sports. He honors his dad [Chris Hutchinson] and is also paving his own legacy."

• On beating Ohio State: "We're going to do it, or we're going to die trying."

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