Michigan Football: Jim Harbaugh Press Conference, News & Views
Our take on head coach Jim Harbaugh's comments from Monday's press conference:
NEWS: Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh wouldn’t name Brandon Peters the starter for Saturday night’s game with Minnesota.
HARBAUGH: “We’re going in the way we have, preparing both quarterbacks. We’re not naming a starter today. We’ll see how the week progresses. Our system is a meritocracy, where the best players play. It was time for Brandon to play, he went in; he acquitted himself very well. He will play again this week.
“There’s a lot to build on, getting your first action and things you did well, how that felt when it happened … things he could have done better. Now that he’s been in game action, I think that helps a lot.”
VIEWS: Harbaugh said he wanted Peters to have a “good, full week of practice,” that nothing was going to change — he was going to prepare both quarterbacks, that Peters would play and “it’s likely that he’ll start. We’ll see.”
The coach also noted Peters starting would be on the side of 51 percent in a 51-49 breakdown, adding he wanted him to “put a stamp on what he did in the game” in practice this week.
In other words, Harbaugh is continuing to coach him up. Peters is more physically gifted with better upside than either redshirt junior Wilton Speight or fifth-year senior John O’Korn, yet didn’t beat out either in fall camp and finished third in that race. Harbaugh clearly needed to see something more.
Peters will get every opportunity to keep the job after last week’s showing, as he should.
NEWS: Junior running back Karan Higdon continues to impress after another 100-yard game. He is up to a team-high 604 rushing yards on the year with eight touchdowns and is averaging 5.9 yards per carry.
HARBAUGH: “He plays low, he drops the pads at the line of scrimmage, his vision keeps getting better and better, as well as his balance. He’s been a hard runner. He’s done a great job picking up the fourth-and-one, got a half yard early in the ball game by the narrowest margin, but found a way to get it done.
“He’s popped the big runs, pass protected well. I’ve liked the balance, the low center of gravity … the way he can drop his pads, the physical nature of the way he plays.”
VIEWS: On the pass protection, not so sure we agree. However, there’s no denying Higdon has come a long way. For those saying, “Yeah, but look how many of his yards came before contact Saturday” (and it was a bunch), all you have to do is go back to the Indiana game, when he had 94 yards after contact.
He’s always had great feet, and he’s come a long way. In addition, we love what we’ve seen from redshirt freshman Kareem Walker in limited action.
“He’s demonstrated a good, hard running style, just the way he runs, it’s feet turning over fast, picking the right hole and he finishes,” Harbaugh said. “He’s leaning forward, attacking. He’s the aggressor, not the ‘aggressee.’ I like that he’s coming through piles, with contact, picks a soft shoulder to go through and come out on the other end.”
So do we.
NEWS: Young offensive linemen Stephen Spanellis, a redshirt freshman, and true freshman Cesar Ruiz saw more action Saturday and continue to improve.
HARBAUGH: “[Spanellis] has really done a great job in all areas. Mental part of the game, maybe our smartest guy on the team grade-wise … it applies to football smart. He changed his body. He’s looking like he’s becoming a physical specimen.
“He’s got a passion for playing. He wants to be out there. That’s a real talent, and we keep seeing it over and over with our football team — that guys that really want it, want to play, practice and train to be good … they get out there, get themselves on the field, get opportunities and do well with it. Guys who don’t just kind of boost through in four years.
“Stephen Spanellis is a go-getter. He has a passion for playing, is seeing it get better and better, therefore he’s out there. If he makes more of his opportunities, we’ll see more of Stephen Spanellis going forward. [Senior left tackle] Mason [Cole] played at the highest leveland has a passion for wanting to be good.”
VIEWS: Watch the block on Karan Higdon’s short touchdown run as an example. Harbaugh noted Cole got a helmet sticker for pushing his blocker into the end zone.
Harbaugh made a similar observation about Walker, noting he’s got "the want-to," and "the passion for being out there playing."
“That showed up in the ball game when he carried the football. We’ll see more of No. 6 as we go here.”
We think that’s a good thing. He appears to be the back we saw during his sophomore and junior years in high school, when he appeared on his way to being really, really good.
NEWS: Redshirt junior Drake Harris has yet to see the field for meaningful minutes at receiver.
HARBAUGH: “It’s a meritocracy. Those that can beat the best, have the most talent, give the most effort are the ones that play in the games.”
VIEWS: That applies to all positions. The coach has been doing this a long time and deserves the benefit of the doubt.
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