It’s game week for Michigan Wolverines football, and head coach Jim Harbaugh disclosed plenty at his first Monday press conference of the season. We provide our take on some of the more intriguing developments from the press conference, along with a few from the past week, not limited to just Harbaugh …
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NEWS: New defensive boss Mike Macdonald is preparing to call his first game ever as a coordinator Saturday. How will he adapt in games?
JIM HARBAUGH: “I got a good feel for that. I feel like he’s ready. In fact, we’ve had a ton of situational calls where we didn’t script it, especially in fall camp. I’ve seen him in every situation, where it wasn’t able to be scripted the night before; it was just on him to come in, well thought out ... to come in quick.
“He’s got good adjustments. We talked about the communication … when your players are communicating and know the calls, know the adjustments, can execute them quick, it’s all good study and good coaching.”
VIEWS: This is where the Wolverines struggled last season, and not just on defense. Don Brown did great things here as Michigan’s coordinator prior to last year — those who don’t acknowledge it aren’t giving him his due — but rumblings that Ohio State knew the defensive calls (it sure looked like it if they didn’t, always in the right play against the defense) and last year’s debacle in which the corners were overmatched but still thrown into bad situations essentially forced Harbaugh to make a change.
This year’s defense, according to linebacker Josh Ross and others we’ve spoken with, is more old-school Michigan — don’t allow big plays, make offenses earn it, come with a number of different looks mixed with exotic NFL blitzes, etc.
And it all sounds wonderful.
At the same time, it’s talent that wins games, and U-M is still lacking in some areas, primarily the defensive line. If you can’t stop the run, you’re going to have a hard time beating the better teams on the schedule (Wisconsin, Penn State, Ohio State to name three).
We’re anxious to see what Macdonald’s defense looks like in the opener against WMU, knowing this is a work in progress.
Speaking of adjustments …
NEWS: Michigan’s offense is in year three under Josh Gattis and needs to show major improvement this year, especially in that “adjustment” area.
New quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss seems to have a hand in it this year, focused on the technical aspects of it, and the head coach himself seems more hands on.
CADE MCNAMARA: “I can see people saying that about [Weiss], for sure. He’s a pretty serious guy … he’s given me a new perspective on quarterback play. Him not being a quarterbacks coach right before he came here helps us get a new perspective on the offense and how just our simple footwork can affect the running backs. That level of detail wasn’t taken last year.”
VIEWS: It’s even more important this year given how much talk there’s been about establishing the run game. Gattis said they didn’t give their backs enough responsibility last year, and we expect that to change.
But we still want to see what he and the staff do when things aren’t working — what changes they make on the fly, how they react when something’s thrown at them they weren’t expecting. Frankly, that hasn’t been a strength the last few years, and that simply can’t be the case.
It’s time for the Wolverines to win some of those chess matches on offense.
NEWS: The receiving corps has been extremely solid in the early going, led by junior and captain Ronnie Bell.
MCNAMARA: “He’s been a guy who’s consistently been a positive energy in the locker room, probably one of the most liked guys on the team, for sure. He’s super competitive and displays that on a consistent basis.
“… Ronnie can jump out of the gym. He can make every catch … for me, he’s a guy always willing to get some extra work. For someone like me always trying to throw more, I can always count on Ronnie to be there.”
VIEWS: Even Bell showed frustration last year and wasn’t himself at times when things went south — that’s how bad it was — so it’s fair to say we need to see him and the other captains/leaders in adverse situations before we can say that will be the case all year. And while this receiver room is talented, it’s not among the best Michigan has seen in the last 30 or 40 years.
But as one former All-Big Ten receiver told us recently, it doesn’t have to be. They need to do their jobs, block well and to the whistle on every play without excuse, be where they’re supposed to be on routes and make some contested catches, something they haven’t done enough of over the last few years (since Amara Darboh left, really … even the future NFL receivers, though in fairness, Nico Collins wasn’t targeted enough).
Jackson State transfer Daylen Baldwin, who checks in at 6-2 and 219 pounds, might help in that area.
“He’s added physicality,” McNamara said. “He’s a big dude, makes contested catches and is a really good dude. He’s a very positive guy, as well.”
Remember, this is a kid who held an Ohio State offer as a transfer, too. We think he’ll help.
NEWS: Running backs Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum are Nos. 1A and 1B on the depth chart and have had excellent camps. Coach Mike Hart is developing his plan to ensure both get their work, and he’ll go by feel and experience.
MIKE HART: “I had a guy [at Indiana] who didn’t play at all on third down his first two years. Last year he played every third down because he got better at it. It really depends on where they are in their career.
“Do they know pass protection? Can they pick up blitzes? Can they do those things in certain situations? There might be a guy that never plays but goes in on third-and-one, on a run play where everyone knows he’s running. Those are the things, whoever earns those jobs … that is who is going to be in in those situations.”
VIEWS: There’s something that makes us feel better with Hart in that room. As good as he was — and make no mistake, he was an elite back at Michigan — there’s still an element of the fan base that won’t acknowledge he’s one of the greatest of all time because of his lack of top-end speed. Elite footwork and vision helped him, but he knew what he was looking at on the field when defenses lined up, one of the reasons he’s had so much success as a coach.
He was also an elite pass protector, another reason we feel better about the offense this year.
“Hassan and Blake just continue to do what they do [pass blocking]. They do a great job,” Hart said. “They understand their assignments and they pick up the blitzers when they come. As long as they do that in the game, we’ll be all right.”
We believe they’ll be as well prepared as they could possibly be.
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