Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh met the media at the podium today during Big Ten Media Day. Here are our thoughts on his comments.
NEWS: Harbaugh wouldn't name an offensive coordinator at media day, noting they had several great offensive minds in the room.
HARBAUGH: “We’ve had great collaboration. I think that’s what we were striving for with our offensive coaching staff. They are great additions. Jim McElwain has been a great addition, Ed Warinner, Sheronne Moore has been a great addition, Jay Harbaugh … Pep Hamilton is doing a great job. I feel like there were a lot of great football minds … collaborating and working very well together.”
VIEWS: Harbaugh was asked about it again away from the podium, and he mentioned Hamilton again before stopping himself. It’s something he simply doesn't want to talk about.
But folks close to him that he trusts did tell him they thought there were too many cooks in the kitchen last year. Ideally, all will put their heads together with a game plan that works based on their experiences and it provides a better product on the field.
Let’s not forget that the previous two years were pretty good ones offensively. Harbaugh is a great football coach who just happened to have a not so great year. It happens.
NEWS: Michigan has two experienced running backs returning in junior Chris Evans and senior Karan Higdon.
HARBAUGH: “Karan is an outstanding football player. I always think Karan and Chris are both great, really good players and that bodes really well for our football team. Both have come into leadership roles as the team has developed over the last nine months … they’ve embraced those roles, it’s important to them … it’s important to them how they play, but I also see them working with the younger backs, and we have some talented younger backs.”
VIEWS: Harbaugh said he always sees Higdon putting his arm around the young guys trying to motivate them and teach, and he’s seen it from the soft-spoken Evans, as well. This is part of a culture that Harbaugh grew up with at Michigan, and it’s what makes great programs tick — ‘The Team, The Team, The Team’ mentality.
Higdon is here at Big Ten Media Days in Chicago, and he is absolutely ripped. Harbaugh said he couldn’t say enough good things about Higdon and Evans both, and while neither is in the elite echelon of backs who have played at Michigan, they can be backs on a championship team … if they do their part when it comes to pass blocking.
NEWS: The quarterback position has been upgraded significantly through experience (another year for redshirt sophomore Brandon Peters and redshirt freshman Dylan McCaffrey) and addition (junior transfer Shea Patterson, freshman Joe Milton). Harbaugh called the competition ‘very valuable’ to the team.
HARBAUGH: “Shea went through all of spring practice with our team, got great work in there and played really well. Brandon Peters was also improved this spring. Dylan McCaffrey probably made the most improvement of any quarterback on our roster. Joe Milton cam in and did very well. I think he’s got a very bright future.”
VIEWS: The overall quarterback room is “better overall,” Harbaugh said, than it was last year, just better as a group.
“I feel like the starting quarterback will also play better,’ he said. “That’s how I evaluate the room.”
And he would know, having had years and years of experience as a player and a coach.
The hype around Milton is real. They think he’s got the goods to be special. McCaffrey continues to ascend, and Peters has experience. For this year, however, Patterson is the guy whether they admit it or not, and he has the chance to help bring Michigan its first championship since 2004.
He’s legit.
NEWS: Harbaugh believes the NCAA Playoff should be expanded to 16 teams.
HARBAUGH: “The first thing that comes to mind is more would be better in the playoffs. We have four in right now, so let’s go to eight and eventually get to 16.
“The I-AA teams have been very successful at that model. I think if they playe all the way through the National Championship game, that’s 15 games. In a 16-team playoff it would be 16 games … we’d probably take away the league championship game, eliminate that.”
VIEWS: But the only teams that would play that many would be the last two teams. Most teams would still play 13, Harbaugh noted.
Harbaugh is right that the field needs to be expanded, but we like the eight-team model new Nebraska head coach Scott Frost recommended. Five conference champions and three at-large teams seems to make the most sense. Teams that miss out on the eighth spot will likely complain, but it beats leaving out the No. 5 team that might have had a great shot to win it all.
NEWS: Chase Winovich was left off the Big Ten’s “players to watch” from the Big Ten East Division despite leading the league in tackles for loss last year with 18.5.
HARBAUGH: “The first thing that comes to mind with Chase is the incredible work ethic he has, the great effort he always plays with. A lot of people talk about motor. It’s a great analogy. He’s always playing all out, and the talent has really, really gone up and up each year. He’s really finding his position, which is defensive end. It has been great for his career and our football team.
“At linebacker you could see the speed he had. Playing at tight end, then defensive end on the scout team he really was tough to block. From that point on he just developed a love and passion for the defensive end position, and he’s great at it.”
VIEWS: Harbaugh believes he could also be a tremendous stand-up outside linebacker in the NFL, a prototypical 3-4 linebacker and nickel defense pass rusher who will bring a lot of value at the pro level.
For now, though, he’s still Michigan’s, and he’s primed for a huge year. Only five players made the Big Ten’s players to watch list, so it wasn’t the slight many thought it was … however, it’s not inconceivable Winovich could have a better year than junior Rashan Gary, who did make the list. Both are great team guys primed for huge years.
The lasting memory of Winovich after he made the move to defensive end a few years back was him talking about practicing his spin moves, etc. on the way to the bathroom at parties, etc. He took it seriously (or maybe he just really had to go) … either way, it’s paid off.
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