Michigan Wolverines Football News & Views: Harbaugh Talks Don Brown, More
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh talked about defensive coordinator Don Brown and more Monday. We tackle his comments in News & Views format:
NEWS: Michigan leads the nation in several categories once again under Brown, including total defense and pass defense.
HARBAUGH: “I’ve learned so much from Don. Indiana does a great job of making adjustments and having calls, fixing things. Don is the best I’ve seen at this of any coach, either side of the ball or special teams.
“He can be standing on the field and know what happened, how a play hurt our defense or had a gain and then be able to fix it with a call, know exactly what needs to be fixed.”
VIEWS: And he does it on the field … not from the press box or by looking at game film, but immediately from the sidelines. He’ll then have a call to fix the issue. U-M got beat for a big run on a fake reverse Saturday, for example — when Rutgers tried it again, it went for no gain.
There are some coaches who just see the game differently. Michigan head basketball coach John Beilein is one. Brown is another. They’re guys you wish both had another 15 years (or more) to go, but they both have the enthusiasm of guys half their age.
“You don’t have to sit in on a Don Brown meeting to know what’s going on in a Don Brown meeting. You just have to be within 50 or 75 feet,” Harbaugh quipped. “It’s great. He brings enthusiasm and energy every single day.
“Paint peels off the walls. We have to get it repainted every couple weeks.”
NEWS: Harbaugh praised linebackers coach Al Washington and tight ends coach Sherrone Moore for their first-year contributions.
HARBAUGH: “Those are two guys doing a fabulous job. We’re getting so much good play out of [linebackers] Khaleke Hudson and Josh Uche. Al’s contribution has been huge. He’s also a high-energy coach who does a great job in recruiting.
“Also, Sherrone Moore has done a fabulous job with tight ends. They’re really being coached at Michigan. [Junior] Sean McKeon, the things he does blocking, there’s nobody better I’ve seen … his level of blocking is so high right now. He has this ability with his back turned to the runner, the running back behind him, he can’t see him but knows where the running back is going to end up.”
VIEWS: Redshirt junior tight end Zach Gentry is also playing well, he added, and redshirt sophomore Nick Eubanks is a different player than he was a year ago.
The recruiting boost these guys provide is huge. Washington is a big reason five-star end Zach Harrison is probably going to commit to Michigan, and Moore also is an outstanding recruiter.
“I wanted to mention those two in particular,” Harbaugh said of his young assistants. “You don’t hear many people talking about them as much, but they are two rising stars in the profession.”
NEWS: Redshirt junior left tackle Jon Runyan Jr. has been one of the team’s most pleasant surprises after struggling in the opener against Notre Dame.
HARBAUGH: “We figured he would have a good year. Staying healthy was key. Jon had a couple fluke-type injuries along the way, an off-the-field injury and things that slowed him down, but he had a really good year in the weight room.”
VIEWS: Harbaugh credited strength coach Ben Herbert and his staff for the improvement, and it’s well deserved. He made the offensive line his project, and it’s paid off.
“I think they’re doing a good job, paying well as a group and individually, each playing the best football of their careers,” Harbaugh said of the line. “[Offensive line coach] Ed Warinner has done a great job and getting a lot of help with the perimeter blocking by the receivers. The backs are really running hard and fullbacks are doing an excellent job blocking; tight ends are as well.
“It’s well coordinated, its schemed up really good. They practice and work at it, make adjustments.”
The second five up front isn’t humming along, Harbaugh admitted, but they're making progress. It’s a process, and there’s a good, defined second group they feel is on track for success.
Harbaugh has been committed to the running game more stubbornly than most coaches in the game, and it’s paying off.
“I feel like it’s really come together,” he said. “The obvious reason why it takes longer is it’s not just five guys working together. Trio blocks, double teams, the fullbacks are involved, tight ends are involved … getting that all orchestrated can take some time.”
But it’s peaking at the right time.
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