Michigan Wolverines Football: Mike Hart Enjoying Being Back, Ready To Work

Ron English, P.J. Fleck, Dino Babers, Tom Allen and now Jim Harbaugh. Former Michigan running back Mike Hart has climbed the coaching ladder and is now back home where he’s always wanted to be.

Hart played three years in the NFL before hanging up the cleats with gas left in the tank. He could have signed elsewhere and played a few more years, but he was ready to get started on his passion.

“I’ve always loved the game. That’s why I like recruiting players that love the game,” Hart said on the In The Trenches Podcast with Jon Jansen. “What football did for me in my life, I’m in the position I‘m in now, because of football. Bill Spicer, my high school coach, Lloyd Carr, Fred Jackson … the relationships and what they did helped me grow as a man.

“Football taught me how to be a parent, a coach and the husband I am today. I really wanted to give back in that 18 to 22 range. Pretty much freshman year knew I was going to coach, that I wanted to coach. Same thing in the NFL when I decided to stop playing. I just shut it down, because I knew what I wanted to do was coach at that stage of my life.”

He didn’t even have second thoughts when he was watching his former teammate, Chad Henne, lead Kansas City to a playoff win over Cleveland to get to the AFC title game after starter Patrick Mahomes went down.

“That was amazing,” Hart said. “I was watching with my son. He was like, ‘he played with you? Dad, you should still be in NFL!’ I said, ‘absolutely not!’ I texted Chad when the game was over and told him I’m sitting here eating a 12-piece with French fries and you’re still playing in the NFL. He said, ‘watch your calories, Hart.’

Click the image to sign up for TheWolverine.com, free for 60 days!

“I’m just so happy for him. We came in together. He was such a hard worker and I was so excited for him … just so excited to see the last play. That’s who Chad Henne is. He’s smart, detailed … hopefully he’ll go get another [Super Bowl] ring.”

Hart’s job now is to find players like him and his own (younger) self who understand the sacrifice it takes to win at a place like Michigan. He never doubted himself, though others might have doubted him.

Hart recalled walking into Schembechler Hall early in his career and encountering one of them — Bo Schembechler himself — in the parking lot.

“The first I heard the voice of Bo was in the parking lot," he recalled. "The first time I met Bo was probably third day on campus as a freshman. He was getting out of his car walking in, said, ‘you’re that Hart kid, huh?’ I said, ‘Yes, sir.’ He said, ‘you’re too small to play running back here.’ And then he just kept walking. I was like, ‘that’s great.’

“… I haven’t been back at the facility in 10 years, since before they re-did the museum part. Just to see what was done, the investment they made, it’s just beautiful, from the museum … I saw the indoor (facility) before, but everything else like the weight room, nutrition area ... it’s just amazing.”

He had a chance to meet several of his running backs, including Hassan Haskins and a couple guys he recruited for Indiana in sophomore Blake Corum and freshman Donovan Edwards. Now he's doing Zoom calls in preparation for spring ball, hopeful they’ll get back to work after the state-recommended two-week shutdown on campus.

Having former running backs coach Jay Harbaugh still in the building as tight ends coach has helped with the transition. Harbaugh recruited all of the guys in the room, Hart noted, and that’s made the transition easier.

And his own transition? That started with taking it all in after a long time away, realizing he was back home. He immediately got to work after a few hours of nostalgia, hitting the recruiting trail and looking for talent to help the program rebound after a tough, 2-4 season.

“I have to recruit the right kind of guy who is going to do well in my room with my coaching style,” Hart said. “You coach every kid different. You have to be honest with them so they know your vision for them and the way you do things.

“We’re just recruiting kids, No. 1, that fit the culture of your program; kids that will fit in your room. If you don’t do that, you’re going to butt heads all the time. Try to build relationships, get to know kids, be brutally honest … but get the right kids. That’s how you win. Hard workers. Nothing can replace hard work; I don’t care how many stars you have. You recruit running backs that want to work hard.”

Obviously, he added, the No. 1 thing is talent. If they don’t have talent, he can’t recruit them no matter how hard they work. But he’s looking for players who love football, care about academics and are unselfish, just the way he was when played. The winning then falls into place.

Though it was hard to leave his guys behind at Indiana, Hart is thrilled to be home.

“There’s a lot of talent on this team. I’m really looking forward to spring ball, getting back in the office and getting around the players,” he said. “Getting this thing back on track.”

---

• Talk about this article inside The Fort

• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel

• Listen and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes

• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine

• Sign up for our daily newsletter and breaking news alerts

• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @Balas_Wolverine, @EJHolland_TW, @AustinFox42, @JB_ Wolverine, Clayton Sayfie and @DrewCHallett

• Like us on Facebook