Northwestern Postgame Presser: Jim Harbaugh
[Fuller/MGoBlog]
News bullets and other items:
- Drake Johnson is working through something minor.
- Jake Rudock had his best week of practice leading up to Northwestern.
- Higdon played because they had some “specialty runs” they wanted to use him for.
- On the rescinded targeting call, Harbaugh says they must have forgot to add the personal foul penalty. The refs also told Harbaugh they didn’t see the second player that landed on Rudock.
- Things Harbaugh is pleased with: His fullbacks and how much his team likes to work.
- The team’s physical play is helping them develop a “callus.”
What did you think of the two targeting calls, and will you appeal the suspension for James Ross?
“Yeah, we’ll take a look at them.
“I’m just really pleased with our team. All three phases had great success today: Special teams, starting with the kickoff return for a touchdown; defense, tremendous shutout; offense played really, really good football. Jabrill’s fielding of the punts…I’m getting less and less nervous about it. Did a nice job.
“So many factors. So many keys to the game, but the fellas really came out ballin’ right from the start and played a heck of a ballgame, so really pleased.”
Just talk about what a kick return touchdown like that does to spark your team.
“Does a lot. Does a lot.”
Talk about the play?
“106-yard return. The blocks were sharp and crisp. Timing was nearly perfect. 10 guys, 11 guys hustling and 10 of them blocking, blocking for Jehu and he got- he is the fastest player on the team. I know Jabrill said one of the fastest but he is the fastest, and he showed it today.”
Can you talk about this defense? Three straight shutouts for the first time since 1980. I mean, what’s the ceiling on this? Is this even shocking you, how potent this defense is?
“With a couple exceptions, we really shut down their running game. They got a few runs that got out, but not many so for all intents and purposes we were able to shut down their running game. Then coverage was- our guys were in the hip pocket almost every route, getting hands on the ball. They threw the back shoulder on Jourdan Lewis a couple times and one time he made an incredible interception. Looked like he got his arm in between the receivers arms and somehow intercepted it and took it back to the house. And then the pass rush was intense.
“All three of those phases were at the highest level today, and all working together. DJ Durkin and the defensive staff- tremendous week of preparation and called a near flawless game. That’s A++.”
[The rest after THE JUMP]
Can you give us some early thoughts on the matchup with Michigan State?
“Um…yeah. Tremendous opponent. It’s gonna demand that we’re at our very best. That’s gonna mean a great week of preparation and practice is in store for us, so move on. Move on even more quickly than usual because it is such a good, worthy opponent next week. We’ll be looking forward to it.”
For the run game, how critical was it to get De’Veon back, and what did Karan [Higdon] do in the last week or however long to be the guy you gave a lot of carries to and got in early in the game?
“It was good to have De’Veon back. We didn’t want to put too much on him, but he was running very well. Looked like he had no rust at all after being out a week. Looked really good.
“Our fullbacks are really blocking well. I haven’t talked about them that much, but Sione Houma, Joe Kerridge- they’re doing a great job blocking and running the ball. Some of these fullback carries…I mean, we cracked a couple today. Joe Kerridge had one and Sione had one. Doing a heck of a job in short yardage.
“Karan, he’s been coming and improving every day. Thought there was some specialty runs that he would be good at, and he was. And Derrick Green continues to assert himself. He’s running the ball harder and harder. Doing a nice job seeing lanes and dropping the shoulder pads, so it’s been good.
“Thought the offensive line was…again, they’re ascending, playing very good football. No turnovers. Very few penalties. Every which phase you look at was humming today, so that was good to see. Congratulations. That was impressive. Next. Onward.”
This is the halfway point in your first season. Have the players met your expectation? I assume you’ve been pretty demanding on them.
“Have they met expectations?”
Yeah.
“They’re doing a heck of a job. Said it many times, really every week, but this team likes to work. They enjoy each other’s company. Whether it’s meetings, whether it’s practice, whether it’s film study, lifting, etc., I mean, they like to work and get after it. That’s all you can ask as a coach.”
What was the explanation for not getting the targeting call on Jake Rudock. Did you think it warranted one in that situation?
“Yeah, the explanation was that they called targeting and it didn’t…maybe for got to put the personal foul penalty on it? That’s the only thing I can think of, but that was the explanation. They didn’t see the second person land on Jake Rudock as well. That was the other part of the explanation I got.”
Was it meaningful to you guys to get the shutout today?
“Yes.”
Is that why all the defensive starters were on the field at the end?
“Some came out at the end on the last drive, to start the last drive. Substituted some defensive linemen. Yeah, very meaningful. Tried to figure out last week when was the last time we had three shutouts. 1980, we found out. But it was good.
“The most meaningful thing is that defensively really everything, all phases were good. We’re playing good on the back end. Playing really good in coverage. Linebackers. they’re involved in everything- pass defense, drops, rush. That level’s playing lights out football right now, and had a couple runs that got out a little bit but other than that we really shut the run game down. Pass rush, as we mentioned before, is really good. We’re getting some pushback. We’re collapsing the pocket. Thought we did a good job there. Every part of that phase- run stop, coverage, pass rush, pursuit- everything was really good. That’s the most meaningful thing is play good. Play good football.”
You mentioned no turnovers. When your defense is playing like it is, how difficult does it make it for the if you don’t give them the ball with field position and all that
“Yeah, we want to be on the side of…want to be plus in turnover margin. Did we get there today? How many turnovers did Northwestern have? Just one, so we’re not there yet. We’ll keep- we were a step in the right direction for sure, not turning the ball over at all today. Definitely a step in the right direction.”
Comment on Jake’s decision making and how he’s taking care of the ball?
“Yeah, really solid. During the week of practice he was playing his best football. Very confident. Played really good. Thought he would have a good game today; thought he had an outstanding game today. Could have seen it coming. He’s good in practice, good in games. Wednesday he had one of his best practices of the year, so we just keep building on that. He’s playing really good football.”
How would you describe your team’s level of confidence, both offense and defense at this juncture?
“I don’t know. I mean, execution fuels emotion [and] it fuels confidence. You’d expect that they would be confident, and they understand that- what execution does fell like. That’s…with good execution there’s good preparation. Probably the thing I’m most excited about with our team; they like that part of it and they like the work. Blue-collar way of doing things. So, we’ll be at that again this week.”
You were asked for your thoughts on Michigan State. For your guys, is it kind of a test to see how they handle this week? Surely there will be a lot of attention on this game. Can you gauge or do you have an idea how they’ll react to what this week’s going to be like?
“Every week’s a test. Win the next game. That’s always a big task and test.”
You don’t think this week will be different for them?
“I think they’ll do good.”
You mentioned all phases of your team playing well today. What about the physicalness of your defense and your offense? It seems to go in concert when you have tight ends and fullbacks, and your defense; how would you grade it right now?
“Good. I think we came out good. Good and healthy. That’s a good sign. You’re building a good callus. When you can play physical and not get beat up yourself, that’s a good gauge. Probably the best gauge. I think our team is…that callus is hardening. Like a callus on a foot. It’s not soft and puss-y. It’s hardening.”
Was Drake [Johnson] working through something today health-wise? He only played a little bit in the first half.
“Yeah. Yeah, he worked in there but he had a little something, yeah. I like it. ‘Working through something.’ You’ve got the language.”
October 11th, 2015 at 4:04 PM ^
so much of the running game this week, as opposed to power.
This Jim Harbaugh guy--he uses this week's gameplan to set up the following three. I just cannot wait to see what he launches for Michigan State.
Hail.
October 12th, 2015 at 7:35 AM ^
Comedian Milton Berle was well -known in Hollywood for having an enormous male appendage. One time, some upstart bet thim that his was larger than Berle's. The 2 guys went off to the bathroom to settle the bet. When they came back, berel had won and his friend asked him how it went, whether he whipped it out. Berle replied that he only took out enough to win.
Notice how we get a lead and then go completely vanilla on offense. Maybe show a little reverse stuff, jus tto give Sparty something to practice for, but if the game is in the bag, why get fancy?
October 11th, 2015 at 3:44 PM ^
Jabrill’s fielding of the punts…I’m getting less and less nervous about it.
That makes one of us.
October 12th, 2015 at 7:27 AM ^
He makes some tough catches but if he backs off, lets the ball hit and it goes 15-20 yards, there goes field position. And field position after punts has been a plus all year long. Our special teams overall has been a big plus.
October 11th, 2015 at 4:55 PM ^
For the whole game, I was wondering if the kick return did something to somehow spark the team. I was glad a diligent sports reporter had Harbaugh verify the presence of the aforesaid spark.
October 11th, 2015 at 5:43 PM ^
Go Blue
October 11th, 2015 at 6:37 PM ^
Using SRS from College Football Reference, I've looked all the way back to 1980 in this series. I take the higher team's SRS and subtract the lesser team's SRS, then give three points for home field to get a 'predicted' victor and margin. For example, last year this formula yielded a 17-point victory for MSU. They won 35-11. The prediction is very rarely off by more than a score.
Bottom line: for all the Feelingsball thrown out there by fans, this game is almost always won by the better team (unlike, say the UM-ND series, or UM-OSU in the '90s). The last time a double-digit 'favorite' (using this formula) lost was all the way back to 1990, when UM was 'predicted' to win by 10 and lost by 1 (when State cheated). The other times the 'predicted' winner lost (in all cases, they were just slight favorites) were 2011, 2007, 2001, 1995, & 1993: all at Spartan Stadium, MSU went 4-1. Home field does mean quite a bit in this series.
So, the question really is, who is the better team? Well, right now Michigan is ranked #1 in SRS, and MSU is #36. UM has the #1 ranked defense by far, and even their *offensive* SRS is better than State's. Basically, UM has been playing out of their mind lately and State is barely surviving against teams ranked around #100.
My SRS formula predicts UM will win by 19 points.
*One caveat: State has played 'above' these predictions in this series -- relative to the rest of their seasons -- under Dantonio. (He is likely the reason for your nervousness). I have him as adding +6 for State's cause in this game (comparatively, JLS was +2, Bobby Williams was -8, RichRod was -5, Carr was +3, and Hoke was -10). Harbaugh? TBD, but I feel safe thinking he'll have them as prepared as possible, and neutralize most if not all of the scorned-Dantonio impact. Harbaugh was 6-2 against Stanford's main rivals (Cal, USC, ND, Oregon) in his last two years there, when they were about at full power, and three of the wins were by 20+ points on the road.
Given all this data (and S&P+ has UM +18 over MSU), and the O/U will likely be around 40, I am predicting a final score of
Michigan 30, MSU 10
Then again, Texas inexplicably got up off the mat this weekend, but I feel confident Stoops=/=Harbs in these situations. Hope this helps.
October 11th, 2015 at 7:49 PM ^
P.S. You're highly underpaid where ever you are.
October 11th, 2015 at 8:23 PM ^
should dust off the old resume.
If we factor in Human Heart -- comparing Harbaugh's love for Michigan to Dantonio's black, shriveled bag of hate (i.e. Montgomery Burns' heart), Michigan is projected to win, 82-0.
Seriously, the Human Heart is for sports radio callers (and many hosts). Football (and math) are hard, so instead projections become a battle of cliches. Harbaugh answered this, more or less, recently: "You win on the road by being a good football team."
That's why I did this: to show that the cliche "throw out the records" isn't actually true, historically.
Don't overthink it. The better team, in this series, pretty much always wins.
October 11th, 2015 at 7:27 PM ^
October 11th, 2015 at 8:09 PM ^
Like I said, Michigan is currently ranked #1 in SRS, and MSU is #36. That is quite decisive. UM never made it better than #60(!) under RichRod; MSU had far superior teams all three years. Hoke had a superior team, at home, in 2012 and won -- despite a heavily disadvantaged coaching factor. In 2013 & 2014, MSU was far better. In 2011, they were about the same and MSU won a close-ish one at home.
If MSU turns out to be the better team this year, so be it, but there is pretty much zero evidence that they are.
October 12th, 2015 at 10:23 AM ^
I'm honestly not familiar at all with the SRS ranking system, but I know what my eyes tell me. It doesn't always work out...sometimes turnovers, big plays with momentum, home field advantage in a close game etc, effect the outcomes. But, in general you call tell a lot more by simply looking at two teams play. If one team struggles and gets breaks or has to work extra hard for every first down, but the other team makes big plays look easy and can score in a hurry it's a clear sign that one team is better even if the score is tied.
On paper, if MSU is healthy, IMO they are still the better team mainly because their offensive line is so good and they have good QB/WR play. They are very balanced which makes them hard to defend. UMs o-line play is much improved, but far from dominant. Ruddock still makes questionable decisions at least a few times a game and has trouble hitting the deep balls which costs them points and doesn't open the run game as much as it could. And, although UMs recievers are solid, they have no big playmakers. Chesson can be because of his speed if the gets the ball in space, but hasn't shown he can do that on his own down the field. MSU's defense is not lights out, but good enough to slow UMs offense.
Now, drop a few starters off MSU's offensive line and pressure the QB and slow down their run game and it's a different story. It becomes a defensive struggle, which UM should probably win assuming they win the TO margin (especially at home). So, it's hard to tell who is better given the current injury situation at MSU. IMO which ever team has more rushing yards and wins the TO margin will win the game and I have no idea who that will be due to question marks with MSUs o-line and Ruddock's questionable decision making. I will say that I do believe unless MSUs offensive line is in fact very hampered (which it may be) by injuries that Ruddock will have to play his best game so far this year for UM to win, which there's some reason to suggest he is still projecting up, but it's far from a given based on my eye test.
October 12th, 2015 at 10:55 AM ^
is that it is hard to parse out how much is due to the skill of the winner and how much is due to the anti-skill of the loser.
I don't think people understand how BAD State's opponents have been thus far, and still they have not yet dominated a game. Michigan has already faced three opponents (Utah, BYU, Northwestern) that are far superior to any of the teams State has played (almost evenly) and blew out two of them at home. Cook might get a couple NFL-style completions to Kings and/or Burbridge, but going up against Jourdan Lewis is a lot different than going up against whomever Purdue or Rutgers had out there.
"you can tell a lot more by watching how two teams play" ... and yet National Championships used to be decided on 'experts' watching teams play. The first year we had a playoff, the #4 seed won and the two teams that would have been in the BCS game (FSU and Alabama) didn't make it out of the semis. Vegas makes a killing off people who think they know what will happen based on eye tests. My eyes, as well as my numbers, tell me Michigan will blow the doors off State. No, it is never a guarantee, but if we're talking about predictions then we're talking about playing percentages, and I'd wager a large sum that Michigan will not only win but cover the 6.5
October 12th, 2015 at 4:59 PM ^
I understand what you're saying, but so much of sports is mental, ie confidence, momentum, big plays, getting hot at the right times, being "up" for an opponent, etc. Just like when a mediocre UM gives a highly ranked OSU team a really close game, but can't beat the likes of Rutgers or Maryland. Just like OSU who arguably should not have gotten into the playoff last year won it all, many times NFL teams that aren't the #1 seed win the Super Bowl, and MLB wild card teams win the World Series at a pretty good percentage. Getting hot at the right time is important. Also, really good players and really good teams tend to "get up" for good competition. So, a really good team may not be super amped to play a subpar opponent and look so-so against them, then turn around and dominant a quality opponent because they are motivated to do so.
I hear what you're saying, but I trust my eyes more than numbers. Numbers may pan out statistically over the long haul, but I'd always trust my eyes on any single given situation. If MSU's o-line is healthy they win IMO, if not then it's a toss up with the team winning the TO margin and rushing yards statistics. I like UM's chances at home with the MSU injury situation, however I still think Ruddock has to play better than we've seen yet for UM to win. I know Lewis is good, but being a good DB doesn't mean never getting beat. Clark and Stribling have looked good too, but I'm nervous about them in this game as they haven't seen an offense like this yet. And, both Smith and Johnson are dinged up and I'm not sure UM can win without one of them getting the majority of snaps to find the holes and protect the football in a way the other RBs have yet to show.
October 12th, 2015 at 10:42 PM ^
the data I gathered included games played with emotion as well. That was the whole point of the exercise.
O/U is out now, at 40. Only reason to take MSU +6.5/7.5 is because of their ridiculously inflated ranking and Dantonio's scowl. Knock yourself out.
October 12th, 2015 at 10:47 PM ^
just saw this: "I still think Ruddock has to play better than we've seen yet for UM to win."
If Rudock plays like he did against Northwestern, Michigan will win by 20
October 12th, 2015 at 11:04 AM ^
another team that could make scoring look easy and make big plays in a hurry was BYU. We scoff at that idea now because most of us only watched them vs. Michigan, but their offense is very similar to State's this year, though against much better competition.
October 12th, 2015 at 3:57 PM ^
Not sure that's a fair comparision without Hill.
October 12th, 2015 at 10:43 PM ^
to BYU's offense with Mangum. Ace & Brian described the Mangum offense well on WTKA. They rely on the big play. Michigan gave them nothing.
October 11th, 2015 at 8:22 PM ^
If you want to be a cautious-pessimist: no Michigan coach has won their first game against MSU since MSU joined the Big Ten.
October 12th, 2015 at 12:11 AM ^
I've been one almost as long as you, and if there's one thing we know, it's that UM over the years too often has failed to come throug in the clutch. Remember the line in the The Big Chill"? Kevin Kline's character says, as we're about to lose the game on TV, "These guys always break your heart." Maybe it's all those Rose Bowl games we lost. Or maybe it's something in the water in A2. But it's not "just you."
October 12th, 2015 at 1:33 AM ^
October 11th, 2015 at 7:23 PM ^
any chance he saw significant PT this week was due to a Kareem Walker being in attendance? showing that immediate PT does exist and true frosh do indeed play for JH if they prove themselves.
October 11th, 2015 at 7:28 PM ^
October 11th, 2015 at 9:03 PM ^
October 11th, 2015 at 11:47 PM ^
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October 11th, 2015 at 11:29 PM ^
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October 12th, 2015 at 7:23 AM ^
I've got to watch it on video but the text is such a hoot.
October 12th, 2015 at 12:35 AM ^
Royce Jenkins Stone looked solid yesterday as the primary guy in Ojemudia's former role. I rewatched a lot of the game today and saw him doing a good job setting the edge, taking on blocks well well and making tackles. He also looks a lot more fluid and ahtletic in space. Basically it's a trade off in size and strength for speed and agility. I think it should work out well in most situations. I don't think I saw Marshall at all.
October 12th, 2015 at 10:07 AM ^
I didn't see him come back in and never heard anything on the broadcast about it or any mentions on Twitter. I hope it's not the knee for his sake. I really think we need both him and Smith in our rival games. Green just isn't that effective. I'm not sure I saw enough of Higdon yet. And, Isaac looks great at times and not so much at others. The rest of the schedule beyond the rivals looks managable, but we'll need someone that can hit the correct hole, not go down immediately, and not fumble in those games in particular as the margin of error will go down.
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