Michigan Football: Harbaugh Updates Tarik Black, Other Injuries And More
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is very happy with recent updates on receiver Tarik Black’s progress. That and more from his Monday press conference …
Black suffered a broken foot for the second time in two years, this one in camp just before the Notre Dame game, and has been out since. He’s off crutches, however, and will see his specialist Oct. 5 weekend.
“He’s rehabbing good, and his doctor will be coming into town when the Packers play the Lions,” Harbaugh said. “He’s scheduled to take a look at it and could have some good news at that point. Things look really good the way he’s progressing.”
Harbaugh didn’t have an update on sophomore defensive end Kwity Paye, who left late in the second half of Saturday’s Nebraska game with an undisclosed injury. He also said junior running back Chris Evans had been limited last week.
“I don’t really have [an update] on Chris because he hasn’t practiced or done anything on the field yet,” Harbaugh said.
Other notes:
• Harbaugh said he’s been extremely pleased with two of his stars on defense, juniors Rashan Gary and Devin Bush. The defensive end and linebacker dominated their positions Saturday.
“It’s at the highest level,” Harbaugh said of Gary’s play. “During the week, his intensity in practice, every day. He’s such a great example for the rest of the players on the team. If I want to play like Rashan Gary, how do I go about that? Study Rashan, see how he approaches his workouts, his practice, his meetings. It’s at the highest level. It’s a great position to be in as a coach … look at your best player, see how he prepares, do like Rashan.”
Bush and his father, Devin Bush Sr., have been great program additions, he added.
“Devin’s contributions have been great. His play, his work ethic; his leadership, his enthusiasm, all at the highest level,” he said. “Just as my dad was a coach, Devin’s is, and I think that’s really cool.
“I kike it when dads and sons can be together, share something as big as this. He was his high school coach and they won a state championship. Now they’re together in college, and they’re both great… excellent football coach and an excellent football player. It’s awesome.”
• Jake McCurry continues to impress on special teams. He made the hit as a gunner that caused a first quarter fumble and led to a Michigan touchdown, and he also laid a block that sprung sophomore Donovan Peoples-Jones for the last leg of his punt return for touchdown.
“He’s been good,” Harbaugh said. “He was in there and has been in there for a lot of big plays. He won his battle through promotion in the Notre Dame game and has not given it up.”
Special teams overall have been outstanding, he added.
“Consistently good, plus they’ve made the big play in every phase,” he said. “A kick return for a touchdown, tackles inside the 20, turnovers on the punt, scoring on the kickoff return and the punt return. We’ve been really good at making the big plays.”
• Harbaugh considered letting redshirt sophomore kicker Quinn Nordin try a 59-yard field goal on the last offensive play of the first half Saturday, but opted for a bomb to sophomore Nico Collins, instead. Collins’ arm was grabbed near the goal line, but there was no call.
Nordin made kicks from both 50 and 38 yards.
“They were big field goals,” Harbaugh said. “The one in the SMU game made it a three score game, a 45-yarder, and he comes back this week and makes a 50-yarder. It raises everybody’s confidence to go out there and bang it. When he comes through, that’s good.
“With the fourth down [Saturday] we decided we had two options — to take the shot for the end zone or try the 59-yard field goal. I liked ‘em both, decided to go for the deep ball, max protection. When we came from halftime I thought maybe I should have let him rip a long field goal. That would also have been the time there.”
Harbaugh pulled his arm down with a grin when asked what he saw of the Collins play on film.
• Jalen Mayfield will burn his redshirt this year, Harbaugh said. Mayfield played again at left tackle in Saturday’s fourth quarter.
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