Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh was pleased with his team’s 28-10 win at Purdue Saturday, but he wasn’t happy at all with a few things about the trip.
Here’s Harbaugh in News and Views format …
NEWS: Michigan redshirt junior quarterback Wilton Speight was knocked from the game in the first quarter on what appeared to be a late hit that wasn’t called on the field. He’s out for at least a while.
HARBAUGH: “If we were playing a game this week, he wouldn’t be able to play … and we’ll assess it as we go.
“Somebody asked me what I thought of the play. After having seen it now, I thought it was egregious. If I had a stronger word to use, I would use it. With all the emphasis on protecting defenseless players, it appeared the player knew what he was doing, targeted the head and neck area, the player was on the ground and he accelerated into it.
“I’m surprised we had two officials back there that were both looking at it, plus a review in the press box, that that wasn’t targeting and wasn’t a personal foul.”
VIEWS: They’ll contact the Big Ten about it, Harbaugh said, and will get a piece of paper back either way, but he’s got a point. It looked as thought it should have been called on the field.
“All the emphasis that’s been placed on the safety of the game, etc., I think needs to be addressed, needs to be answered,” Harbaugh said.
It was a chippy game throughout, with two Purdue players ejected and a few personal fouls. The Boilermakers were amped up for one of their biggest games in years … maybe a bit too much.
At the same time, the Wolverines didn’t do a good enough job protecting the quarterbacks, both the offensive line and the running backs. Harbaugh wouldn’t point fingers, but Speight has taken some shots this year, and whether it’s him or fifth-year senior John O’Korn back there, the protection needs to be better.
NEWS: Michigan’s locker room at Purdue was unbearably hot and cramped, to the point that the starters had the option to sit on the air-conditioned charter bus rather than in the facility. Speight had to be taken to an off-site facility to get checked up after he left the game.
HARBAUGH: “We are going to look at everything we can do for the visiting team here at the University of Michigan as it relates to a standard of care for the visitors, on multiple levels. It’s become apparent after going around to all of the visiting schools the last couple of years there’s a conscious effort of gamesmanship that is unsportsmanlike.
“You have locker rooms that are too small, not heated or cooled properly in this case, no air conditioning. Such a tight, cramped environment where you have to open the doors to get some kind of ventilation going in a very small area. People are walking by, they’re watching you dress …
“Mainly the health and safety of the players … it’s a very small space, a training room that had nothing in it. This is no different than the facility I saw when I was there in 1986. This is nothing I’m putting on Purdue … this is league wide, needs to be addressed by the league, the commissioner, and we’re going to lead the way. There needs to be a way to x-ray a player at the stadium, a minimum standard of care for the players …”
VIEWS: He went on, too. The training table looked like it was from the 1920s, he said, ‘ripped and not good.’ The locker room was ‘a hot box,’ and it’s similar around the Big Ten, Harbaugh added.
Reporters were drenched in sweat from the short time they spent interviewing players in it afterward, and that was after the sun had gone down. It was a mess, and as Harbaugh said, it’s the same at a number of Big Ten stadiums.
For the amount of money football brings in … well …
NEWS: The conditions didn’t affect the way Michigan played Saturday.
HARBAUGH: “There was nothing that would suggest with their play it was a hot day. They played all out, fast, really physical. Chase Winovich, Rashan Gary, Mo Hurst, Devin Bush, a secondary that is quietly doing a heck of a job with very little fanfare or self promotion … Lavert Hill is playing extremely well, David Long. Tyree Kinnel, though he missed a tackle or two. Josh Metellus is also playing very physical and doing a heck of a job.
“Some Rashan Gary plays, we talk about his athleticism, his speed …turn on play 17, a few other ones where it’s about as physical a play you’re going to see from anyone on a football field.”
VIEWS: Some have acted like Gary hasn’t been good through four games because he’s not racking up sacks … in fact, he’s been very good. He holds the edge and has drawn so much attention that guys like Winovich have been able to clean up.
“Chase is playing like J.J. Watt,” Harbaugh said. “I thought he had his best game ever as a football player. There was a play, they threw the ball to the tight end, he was mauling us on the sideline … went through two or three tacklers. Chase had been on the rush of the quarterback and went and made the tackle, kept the tight end out of the end zone. The ground he covered … we ended up holding them to a field goal at that point, really noteworthy.
“Mo Hurst was really tough to block, quite impressive. They did overcome the elements as both teams had to on the field … turn on the film and it did not look like it was a hot day the way our guys were hustling and playing football.”
Especially on defense. That unit continues to impress, and Harbaugh made it clear — again — how much he loves his defensive coordinator.
“As long as Don Brown’s good, I’m good. Want to know what my happiness or mood is like? If Don Brown’s mood is good, I’m good. More Don Brown,” he said with a laugh.
He might well be the best coordinator in football.
NEWS: Michigan vs. MSU will be a 7:30 kickoff a week from Saturday.
HARBAUGH: “I prefer they’re kicked off at 12:00, 1:00 on a Saturday afternoon. It most appeals to my football sensibility … just a personal thought there. Definitely not Fridays, not Thursdays, Wednesdays, Tuesdays or Sundays … Saturday.
“I prefer the 1:00 kickoff but understand 3, 4, 7:30, etc. We’ll get ourselves prepared.”
VIEWS: There won’t be nearly the amount of MSU fans in town as there were during the ‘dark days’ of the Rich Rodriguez era, etc., because Michigan will be a heavy favorite, but there will still be plenty.
U-M hasn’t scheduled this game at night in the past, in part for security reasons … it’s going to be interesting to see how this goes off.
NEWS: O’Korn threw for 270 yards and was outstanding in leading Michigan to its fourth win.
HARBAUGH: “That was my impression coming out of the game was John was seeing very things well going into the game … I thought that was the case the entire game. He was very good with his mechanics; his rhythm was good. He was seeing things really well.
“He played a very good ball game in all respects.” VIEWS: To the point that even if Speight is ready to go against MSU, it should be O’Korn’s show. He earned the right to start, and his team really responded to his play.
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