Wolverine Watch: Playing The Game … Better
Jim Harbaugh and Warde Manuel grimly spoke of the pain of watching The Game ripped away by a virus. We believe they’re truly hurting, and so should you.
They didn’t create the COVID scourge. They’ve done their best to combat it. Even Kirk Herbstreit knew enough to reel his tongue back in after foolishly casting doubt on Michigan’s good intentions.
Those intentions remain good, Harbaugh insisted.
“The players, to a man, wanted to play this game,” he assured.
Michigan’s athletic director declared days earlier that anyone hinting otherwise — hello, Herbie — is a “fool.”
Many agree with the sentiment. Former All-Big Ten offensive lineman Doug Skene declared any feeling of relief over Wolverines and Buckeyes not taking the field this year to be “garbage.” Some have called for the teams to square off a week from Saturday, instead of playing in the crossover game against the West Division of the Big Ten.
Yet there are many, many Michigan football fans who heard about the cancellation, shrugged and said: “Oh well …”
That’s the overriding sadness, above and beyond skipping The Game for the first time since 1917. For some, seeing this one disappear is a relief.
That’s because another virus infected Michigan football over the past dozen years. It crept into the bone marrow, rendering the Wolverines helpless for the most part in big contests, and not good enough in too many small ones.
Those relieved over the one-year absence of The Game aren’t chicken. They’re realists. They’ve seen the Wolverines lose to a truly terrible Michigan State squad this year, before a wave of U-M injuries made things worse. They’ve watched Harbaugh squads get outscored in The (horrifying) Game, 191-99, over the four contests other than the “JT was short” theft in 2016.
They know Ohio State has won 15 of the last 16. They know the Wolverines haven’t won in Columbus since 2000. They know all too often it hasn’t been competitive.
Michigan wants to play that showdown, no doubt. Believe them when they say it.
Believe this also: U-M needs to want to play it better.
That promise burned brightly when Harbaugh stormed into town almost six years ago. The Jackhammer took on cheating programs via social media and creatively collected talent within the rules, sporting an in-your-face attitude and backing down from nobody.
He raged his way through the 2016 game, a 30-27 double-overtime agonizer. At one point, the Wolverines led, 17-7, and it appeared Harbaugh stood on breakthrough ground.
Now some wonder if an infinitely more reserved Harbaugh stands at the breaking point, in terms of his coaching tenure here.
Manuel and Harbaugh will talk contract after the season, they both stressed. Of course, the season might be over, with COVID cases increasing inside Schembechler Hall.
Harbaugh could walk away. Or, he could agree to a lower-cash, more highly incentivized contract extension, if the murmured talk is true.
Whether he stays or walks, somebody needs to fashion a better crew going forward. More playmakers in The Game and all big ones. More of an edge. More Charles Woodsons, Desmond Howards, Steve Everitts and Jon Jansens. Fewer with a too-early eye on the NFL.
Former U-M safety Julius Curry remembers what it’s like to win in Columbus. He could inform those on Michigan’s present roster, many of whom weren’t born then.
It wasn’t easy. The Wolverines fell behind, 9-0, on that crisp November day. They didn’t cave. They fought back to win, 38-26, behind an offensive onslaught and a big defensive play at just the right time.
On third-and-long for OSU — with Michigan leading by the already memorable score of 24-12 — Curry told cornerback Todd Howard to cover for him.
“If they run a dig or a curl, I’m robbing it,” he said.
They did, and he did, slicing in front of a well-studied Steve Bellisari pass. Fifty yards later, Curry and his teammates rejoiced over a 31-12 lead the Buckeyes couldn’t overcome.
All of Columbus stood silent. It hasn’t since.
Michigan’s loaded roster back then included Drew Henson, David Terrell, Marquise Walker, Anthony Thomas and tough guys like Steve Hutchinson, a four-year All-Big Ten offensive lineman, two-time All-American and seven-time Pro Bowler.
But there’s more to it than talent, Curry assured.
“It’s cool when we get four- and five-star players,” he said. “But I want to get guys that know, this is my life. It’s only going to be your life for about eight years. You’ve got four years in college, maybe five, and then you’ve got three to four years in the NFL, right?
“Guys don’t really understand that. Education is automatic — you’re a student-athlete. So first you’re a student, and athletics is that time that I can be me. I can be that superhero for the fans. I can be that superhero for my family. I can be that person that the whole city of Detroit is behind, with them saying: ‘This guy is going to make it. He’s going to come back and do something in our community.’
“It’s more than just making a play and doing a dance. The dance is cool, but when you ain’t winning, then you’ve got to stop dancing. You’ve got to focus on your assignment. You’ve got to focus on everything that matters, right? Winning the game.”
To Curry and many others — who unyieldingly support their program — playing The Game is important. Playing it better remains vital.
Since the days of Chad Henne and Mike Hart, Michigan hasn’t won a Big Ten championship. That’s a decade-and-a-half out, and the Wolverines seemed farther from it this year than they have since Rich Rodriguez (briefly) roamed the sidelines.
Things need to change, Curry stressed, mouthing aloud what a host of former players are thinking.
“It kind of seemed like it was more about the hype,” he said. “I’m tired of the hype. I want to see guys perform.”
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