OPENING STATEMENT
COACH HARBAUGH: Super thankful really for everything, for the CFP, all the hard work they did, and their committee, board members of the Fiesta Bowl. Everything has been top notch. Practice facility has been outstanding. The Angels, thank their organization. They have done a tremendous job. The food has been great. The hotel is great. It's really allowed us to lock in on our preparation and our focus. And the thing we are most excited about is the opportunity. Just a tremendous opportunity that not everybody gets. Some people go a lifetime without having an opportunity like our team has. And through our talent and through our hard work, we have created this for ourselves and couldn't be more -- couldn't be more excited about the opportunity that awaits us in two days.
Q. Jim, why are you guys maybe better prepared this year doing this a second time? Do things come easier, the logistics, compared to last year?
COACH HARBAUGH: I don't know. I don't ever really like to get into comparing anything, really. As soon as you start comparing something, somebody or something gets diminished, so I tend to stay away from comparisons.
Q. The best players tend to peak at the right time. How is J.J. McCarthy playing his best ball right now?
COACH HARBAUGH: Wow! Just in every way. The kid's got it all. Tremendous talent, athleticism, work ethic, and the willingness to put the team as the highest priority. And I think that's what every -- every one of his teammates feels, knows that it's never all about J.J. He makes it about the team and his teammates.
Q. TCU have been talking about they have never -- they haven't faced an offense like you guys by the way you play, the style of play. And you haven't really faced how they play defense for the most part, 3-3-5. What challenges does that present? They seem to think if they stop the run, that's the entire key. I would imagine most teams think that against you guys.
COACH HARBAUGH: Yeah, the challenge is TCU defense, yes, it's -- I mean, it's sometimes a true 3-3-5. It's got a lot of variations. Tremendous secondary that runs and hits. Disruptive defense, 14 interceptions, 15 fumbles, or 15 interceptions, and 14 forced fumbles. Downhill linebackers but the linebackers play over the top and behind the blocks. I mean, it's really good, really athletic defense.
Q. When I spoke to your father (Jack Harbaugh) about the real enjoyment that you are having this season and last season, he went back to Aidan [Hutchinson] and the seniors coming into your office and saying, We've got everything downstairs and that they were going to handle the locker room, obviously. And you're involved in that for sure. But talk about the sources of the joy that you've had not only this season but last season and how much fun it's been for you.
COACH HARBAUGH: Yes. It's the enjoyment of football, of, like I said, the opportunity to have what this team has created and what it's brought to life. It's been a great team effort. Coaches, strength coaches, players, families, parents, it's been a team in every -- in every respect. And everybody bleeds blue and pulls the same direction. One of your favorite ball teams that I've ever been a part of, for sure. And the enjoyment of football. Speaking of my dad, that's also like Sonny Dykes and myself, we really had that in common. We're coaches' sons. Spike Dykes, great coach, three Coach of the Years when he was at Texas Tech. But to be young like we were and be exposed to the game of football and be exposed to a team and the culture of -- the family culture of a football team, it's something that when you are a kid, you just know that that's -- it's not only possible, but that's the way our players, our coaches approach the game of football, with a great joy.
Q. You mentioned Ted Lasso. I'm wondering what coaching philosophy do you take from Ted Lasso, if any.
COACH HARBAUGH: Just everything. Everything is perfect. I mean, just my favorite TV show, right up there with the "Rockford Files," and just so good. There's a lesson. There's a lesson, really, in every show, whether it's a life lesson or coaching lesson. That's what I take from the show "Ted Lasso."
Q. What are the statuses of Andrel Anthony and A.J. Henning heading into Saturday?
COACH HARBAUGH: I don't have a status report for you.
Q. Coach, how much credit does Ben Herbert deserve for what you guys have been able to do along your offensive line these last several years? And also, how does this one stack up from the great ones you have been able to coach throughout your years in the NFL and, of course, the ones we saw at Stanford?
COACH HARBAUGH: I give Ben Herbert all the credit. He is the X factor in our football program, just the center of player development. He's phenomenal, you know, more than anybody in our entire program. It's with every player. It's with every position group, his impact on every single player and coach and myself. We just think he's the best. Doesn't get any better. There is not -- there's nobody better. Like I said, he's our X factor.
Q. Second straight year you guys have had the top offensive line, Karsen Barnhart has been a big part of that. What is it about him that's made you want to pencil him in week after week?
COACH HARBAUGH: He's our most improved player on offense. He's just had a tremendous season and just kind of epitomizes a great team player, great teammate, blue collar, hard-working, talented. Just the reasons we are here, because of talented guys that work really hard and really play well together. Play well as a team. He epitomizes that.
Q. Jim, the last couple of years college football has obviously gone more spread. You elected to revert back to the passing game or the rushing attack. I'm wondering why you decided to do that ultimately and why it's worked?
COACH HARBAUGH: Well, you have been around here. We like them both. We like to run the ball. We like to throw the ball. We like play action. We like perimeter runs. We like inside runs. We like all of those. We like them all. But it really comes down you can run, go through the air, or by the ground and we definitely want to be -- we strive to be really good at both.
Q. What was it about Sherrone Moore that has allowed you to build trust in him? You didn't really know him when he joined your staff that well, but he's become seemingly a vital part of that.
COACH HARBAUGH: They don't get any better. There's been a lot of great line coaches. I mean, I can't think of one better than Sherrone Moore and he's a great teacher. I will start with that. "Teaching" and "coaching" is synonymous. Tremendous passion for the game and for our players. Bleeds Blue like nobody else. Just tremendous enthusiasm every single day. Smart, smart. Wicked smart. And just, in every way, a Michigan man. He's not afraid of any challenge or taking on any new challenge. But those are just to list a few. I mean, nobody I have more respect for than Sherrone Moore, nobody that I worked with do I have more respect for. Like a brother. Like my own brother. And he's -- that trust, that friendship, that love goes both ways. That's what I -- that's how I feel about Sherrone Moore.
Q. Obviously, Donovan Edwards -- the rest of the running back room has had to step up with [Blake] Corum's injury. How has he continued to be a leader without being out there on the field?
COACH HARBAUGH: Yes, Blake Corum, never before have we had someone win the Most Valuable Player, win the Hardest Working Player on the team and win the Toughest Player. So all three of those awards paints a picture exactly what each award stands for, right? And those are awards voted by the players, and Blake won all three and only player I have been a part of that's won all three of those awards. That's what he means to our team. Dennis brought up Aidan Hutchinson earlier. We call them Heisman habits. Aidan Hutchinson had those Heisman habits, and Blake Corum has those Heisman habits in every way. It's infectious. Everybody feeds off it. Everybody can be smart. Just watches, emulates and then tries to surpass what those two are doing. So what's he meant? That much. The most. And Donovan -- Donovan Edwards, we said from the beginning of the season, we had two starting running backs, Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards. That's the way it's played out. Both are great, great, great players.
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