Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh full of pride and joy at Rose Bowl
Michigan Football is the #1 team in the country, in its third straight College Football Playoff after winning its third straight Big Ten Championship. They are preparing for a Rose Bowl matchup against Alabama. Jim Harbaugh is known for asking, "Who's got it better than us?" to a loud response of "Nobody!"
The former Michigan ball boy, former Michigan quarterback, and current Michigan head coach has brought his program to a place many only dreamed of. It's no secret this has been a challenging year for Harbaugh, who was suspended twice for three games and dealing with a media storm. Harbaugh and his program were built for adversity in many ways, and watching Michigan get through it all has been a blessing.
At the Rose Bowl, Harbaugh knows what is ahead for his team and what it means to be at this point.
"Just that your dreams and goals can come true," Harbaugh said. "Our team has been very definite about this is where they wanted to be, this is one of their goals, this is the goal."
Harbaugh has been around many football teams, as a son of coach Jack Harbaugh, a player, and a coach himself. This team is special, he says.
"This is a real ball team. I just love our staff, love our players. Like Moses, I am going to die leaning on my staff, and I couldn't have a better staff to lean on. Just happy that people get to see the kinds of guys I get to coach. It's a joy to coach this team."
For a man who has dealt with so much, joy is the overwhelming emotion coming from Harbaugh.
"It's like watching my son, my son did coach one of those games, Jay Harbaugh, Mike Hart, Jesse Minter, and Sherrone Moore coached 4 of those games. It's like watching your son, watching your brother, kind of felt like watching my brother's team last Monday night. Just that kind of joy to watch those guys lead our football team, watch our players respond."
While there is still plenty to look forward to with the Rose Bowl and a possible Championship game, Harbaugh is also aware of everything the last year has meant.
"It has been a spiritual journey. It's been a mission. Daily, weekly, monthly, it's a year now. One year with this team that they've been on this mission. It's been a happy mission, it's been a joy to watch guys make the choice to play as a team. to be unselfish, to play for each other, and to give it their very best. You know it when you're on a real ball team, that's what our team is."
Harbaugh didn't explicitly say this was the best team he has ever been a part of, but when it comes to a famous mantra, he made it sound like it could be.
"The team, the team, the team. In so many ways, this team is 'the' team. Couldn't be prouder and couldn't be more excited to lead this team into battle in the Rose Bowl."
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