Jim Harbaugh: U-M Must 'Lock In With Laser Focus' In PSU Game
Jim Harbaugh spoke on his Inside Michigan Football radio show tonight with host and former U-M offensive lineman Jon Jansen. Harbaugh looked back at his team’s performance in the 42-25 win over Illinois and looked ahead to the upcoming challenge of playing at Penn State.
U-M had a fast start against Illinois especially with the run game. Harbaugh liked how his team came out of the gate, especially up front and in the run game.
“The offensive line is really jelling,” Harbaugh said. Nick Eubanks set the tone physically on the first play of the game. It happened again four or five times in the game where he was really dominant in blocking.
“[The offensive line] really set the tone early. They were playing hard and brought their own energy right from the get go.
“A lot of credit goes to them and the tight ends and the receivers. They did a heck of a job blocking.
“On the second play of the game, Jalen Mayfield blocked a man – for many yards. Mike Onwenu made a lot of the plays that set the tone and opened up the holes.”
Harbaugh also raved about the backs that hit those holes created by the offensive line’s tone-setting.
“The running backs ran hard and good,” Harbaugh said.
“Hassan Haskins was outstanding. The ball security plus the yards after contact by him.
“He was a 100-yard rusher and so was Zach Charbonnet.
The run-game being effective was crucial early on a windy afternoon in Champaign. Harbaugh acknowledged that the wind did play a part in the game.
“The wind was a real factor, especially when you were going into it,” Harbaugh said.
Even though the conditions weren’t ideal for throwing the ball, Harbaugh continued to like the quarterback play from senior Shea Patterson.
“He’s always been good, accurate and understands the offense,” Harbaugh said. “He’s playing smart and taking care of the football.
“His number was called on fourth and three and he had to make what amounted to one of the plays of the game.
“He had a defender at the yard to gain line and was able to lower the shoulder and get the first down.”
It wasn’t just the big fourth-down conversion by Patterson that won U-M the game, but there were other big plays, especially on the defensive side of the ball that helped the Wolverines pull back away from Illinois after a third quarter to forget.
“That play along with Jordan Glasgow’s blocked punt, Mike Danna’s forced fumble, Cam McGrone’s big play — those five or six plays were the big plays of the game.
"With the momentum turned toward Illinois, that was as decisive as I’ve seen a team take the momentum back [like we did]."
Sophomore cornerback Vince Gray had starting role and played every defensive snap for the Wolverines defense against Illinois with senior LaVert Hill not making the trip due to a minor injury. Harbaugh was impressed with what he saw from the pass defense overall and from Gray and junior cornerback Ambry Thomas.
“[Gray] had four tackles, two pass break ups,” Harbaugh said. “Ambry [Thomas] had three pass break ups. There was a high amount of pass break ups in this game. They both played really well and played really good coverage without penalty.”
He also liked the pressure that his defensive front put on the Illinois quarterbacks.
“Sacks are big, but hurries are big, too,” Harbaugh said. “Getting the quarterback off his rhythm, off the spot and making the ball having to come out earlier than the quarterback would like to throw it.
“That’s happened a lot. Those hurries are big.”
Looking ahead to the game with Penn State on the road in a “white out” this weekend, Harbaugh said the team is looking at it as a “great opportunity and a great challenge.”
“A lot is made of it,” Harbaugh said of the environment at Penn State’s Beaver Stadium. “You got to play like Nick Eubanks did in the Illinois game, Jalen Mayfield on the second play — that’s what counts, that’s what decides the outcome of the game.
“The environment has very little to do with the actual game. We have to lock in with a laser focus on doing [our] job.”
As for the opponent, Harbaugh knows a lot of challenge will come with playing the Nittany Lions in how they play.
“They’re fast, physical and strong,” Harbaugh said. “They can run sideline to sideline. They’ll be good, sound and well prepared.”
Notes
Harbaugh gave a quick update on two of the team’s injuries. He said junior defensive end Kwity Paye has a “really good chance” to play this week. He added that junior wide receiver Nico Collins is “doing better.” Neither played against Illinois.
Fifth-year senior left tackle Jon Runyan also joined the radio show. He talked about the upcoming challenge:
"It's going to be a big test going into this Penn State game — a white out, a loud home crowd over there," he said. "We're all very excited and can't wait to get out there and get after it."
Offensive line coach Ed Warriner also spoke on the upcoming game, saying the environment will be a challenge for his guys up front, but they are up to it.
"It is a challenge," Warriner admitted. "It's one of the loudest places in the country to play in. Extremely difficult to communicate.
"It requires extra effort. We'll use crowd noise in practice — sometimes you can't hear so you have to watch the ball and go by reaction, key the ball, things like that.
"[Our guys] won't be overwhelmed by the environment. They'll be focused on what they have to do to get their job done."
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