Spring Football: Harbaugh Likes Staff, Recruiting In The Early Going
Michigan is only two practices into spring ball with another slated for Friday, but head coach Jim Harbaugh already likes a lot of what he's seen in the early going. Padded practices don't start until tomorrow, but the coaches have been implementing the offense and defense and are getting accustomed to one another.
There are several new additions, including defensive coordinator Mike MacDonald, co-coordinator and cornerbacks coach Mo Linguist, safeties coach Ron Bellamy, running backs coach Mike Hart, linebackers coach George Helow and quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss, and Harbaugh has been impressed with them all.
Macdonald was considered the big one, replacing Don Brown, and Harbaugh noted he came highly recommended from Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. It's been 'so far, so good' the way the defensive staff is working together and where they are in the early going, he added.
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"Obviously, how good the Ravens' defense is, insight from my brother John. I talked to a lot of people about Mike Macdonald, interviewed a lot of other great coaches, but Mike is really good; really smart," Harbaugh said. "Right now what we've seen on the field is putting in the systems, players understanding them, growing. A lot of coaching going on — drill work, installation, on-field coaching. It's been really good; really pleased.
"Mike was a part of the defense when they restructured it a few years ago. John, Mike, Wink [Martindale] were heavily involved in it. That feedback, John's recommendation that he really liked Mike ... he was somebody who could probably be their next D.C., but John cares about Michigan football, me as his brother. That was one recommendation I knew I could count on, not steer us wrong.
"I respect so many people in football ... but nobody more than my brother John. He's on top of that list. That's the way we went, and I'm glad we did."
Linguist is essentially coordinating the back end of the defense with a hand in all phases, run and pass, but especially corners, nickels, safeties and how it relates to the front seven.
"It's going really well. Mo is a tremendous coach, tremendous coordinator," Harbaugh said.
As to how different the scheme will look, Harbaugh said it was too early to tell. There's an obvious difference in language, front structures, coverages, blitz patterns, etc., but he hesitated to say it would be a big departure from what U-M ran under Don Brown.
"Could be," he said. "There's no sense talking exactly about specifics of what it's going to be, but it's in the making, starting with the base fronts, base coverages, how quickly our guys can pick it up.
"Mike's definitely got the philosophy of mastering a front, a coverage before we move to the next layer, so we're still in the process of the first, beginning layers, what we want our guys to know best. It's the principal of first learning, but it's been good. I see a lot of good coaching, communication, and very much like what's happening the first few days of practice."
NOTES — Young and Energetic Recruiters Off and Running
Harbaugh wouldn't go into specifics as to why he made such significant changes to his staff, but it was clear he felt it was time.
"Of course I felt an overhaul was best for the team," he said. "I'm not going to go into comparisons or all the reasons why, but I gave it a lot of thought, put a lot of energy into it and everything I did I believed was the best for our program, players, for the Michigan football program.
"I didn't find any kind of disconnect. I wanted to be strong in all areas, making improvements to everything. I would describe it as that."
That they got much younger was just a coincidence, he said, but it's clear it's paid off on the recruiting trail.
"I was just looking for great coaches, really. That was the thing I was looking for the most," he continued. "It happens that there is definitely, whatever you classify as young, but ... I feel they are already accomplished coaches for their age, definitely coaches that are going to do great things in this profession.
"Recruiting has been impressive. Our coaches have come in, and you can tell they have a real love for it, getting into the trenches and forming those relationships. It's very much so relationship-based and been really good, so that's the kind of guys they are ... just what their philosophy is. That's what we've seen."
Among them — former receiver Ron Bellamy, who came from West Bloomfield High to coach receivers, and quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss. Harbaugh was going to coach quarterbacks himself before linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary bolted for Tennessee, creating an opening.
"Like I did throughout the entire process, it was looking at what coaches would be the best fit for us, the best possible coach available. Then that was the opportunity to hire Matt Weiss ... I thought that was the best thing for our team," Harbaugh said.
Weiss had been with him at Stanford and was with the Ravens under John Harbaugh.
"I swung for the fences there and that's how I could make it work," Harbaugh said. "I Had to also ask Ron to go to the secondary, which was part of the original plan way back in December, January. George Helow moved from safeties to linebackers and now we're set.
"I feel really great about the staff; I really do. Also, it just that told me a lot, too when I asked Ron, would you be opposed to moving to safeties? He said, 'coach, whatever is best for the team. George had the same response. I told them that's music to my ears, and a tune you don't always hear played that often in today's world.
"It just made me know I got the right guys on board, working hard, coaching hard. As you can tell, I feel really good about where the staff is."
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