Ohio State Postgame Presser: Jim Harbaugh
[Bryan Fuller]
What’s your view of the last spot there before the touchdown?
“That it wasn’t a first down by that much.” [holds hands apart about eight inches]
So you agreed with the call, then?
“That it was not a first down. The officiating, I’m bitterly disappointed with the officiating today. That spot—the graphic display is the interference penalties. The one not called on us when Grant Perry clearly was being hooked before the ball got there, and the previous penalty called on Delano Hill, the ball’s uncatchable and by the receiver. So yeah, I’m bitterly disappointed in the officiating. Can’t make that any more clear.”
[Ed. A- The second Harbaugh used “bitterly” I knew that I’d heard that word spoken with the exact same inflection before. I realized about the time we were leaving the stadium that Harbaugh said it the way Bo did in the archival footage used in Tiebreaker. Watch through 33:38 if you can stomach it.]
[After THE JUMP: the most bizarre explanation for a personal foul I have ever heard]
I misunderstood--
“My view of the first down was that it was that short [holds hands apart about eight inches].”
How do you feel this game affects the rivalry?
“Right now it’s not on my mind. It’s what I said.”
Do you feel that your team deserved to win?
“I thought our guys have worked incredibly hard. They have done everything that they could, and they’ve done it so very well. I’m very proud of our players, yes.”
Did you consider going for two?
“Two penalties all day. Multiple holding penalties let go. Multiple false starts. The official on my side who’s supposed to be watching that is concerned with whether our coaches are in the white or not in the white. Not on the field. Their coaches were on the field [and] practically in the huddle at times. Yeah, I’m bitter.”
Did you consider going for two after the touchdown in overtime?
“No. Considered it, considered and decided to kick the extra point.”
Do you think there’s any shot at getting into the playoff with two losses?
“I don’t know.”
Do you think you deserve to be in the playoff?
[chuckles] “I told you what I think. Thought our guys did everything they possibly could. Bitterly disappointed with the officiating. That’s how I feel right now.”
Jim, when did you know Wilton would go and can you talk about his play other than the big turnovers?
“Yeah, um, doctors had cleared him to practice this week. He was chomping at the bit to go. He showed that he was functional right up to the level that he’s been playing at all year. After he practiced on Tuesday, Wednesday, made the decision that he would start.”
What did you say to your team when you got in the locker room right after? I’m sure it was a very disappointed group. What did you say to them?
“Same things I’ve said to you.”
Disappointed in the officiating.
“And the other thing before that. Very proud of our team. This group has worked incredibly hard. Done everything they possibly could do, and they’ve done it so very well. Very proud of our team. That’s what I told them.”
Despite the officiating, are these the two best teams in the Big Ten?
“Uh, I don’t know.”
Defensively, you did a really good job of holding right up until the fourth quarter, then they got some things going. What were you able to do so well defensively, and did anything change from what you saw in the fourth quarter?
“Yeah, I mean, I thought we were doing a heck of a job. They got a gift interference call. A gift. The ball was uncatchable, past the receiver, when our guy, Delano Hill, made contact. And then fast forward to overtime, second overtime, Grant Perry is getting hooked, turned before the ball gets there. I think that really benefitted them, that gift interference penalty.”
Do you feel you lost this game or had it taken from you?
“I don’t know. What do you think? That’s what I think. As I said, bitterly disappointed in the officiating.
“So concerned about—could have been watching the game instead of being concerned about throwing a—what, did you throw a hat? Throw your script toward your sideline? That’s a penalty? I asked him that and he said, ‘Well, it is in basketball.’ I go, ‘Well, this isn’t basketball.’ He told me he officiates basketball. I don’t know the relevance. He said it would have been a technical in basketball. Yeah, I’m bitter.”
It’s gonna be tough to make the playoff. What would you say, what would your case be to get your team in there?
“We make our case on the field. I’m not here to make any arguments or any cases. I feel like our team has done everything they possibly could do and done it very well.”
Could you talk about Kenny Allen today and how big he came up for you?
“Yeah, Kenny was really outstanding, especially that last punt. Kickoffs were great. Field goals were great. He played as well as he possibly can play.”
Jim, you’ve been in a lot of big games. Can you remember a time where you came out of a game feeling like this about the officiating and the outcome?
“Yeah, I can remember a few other times. Not to this level, though.
[SID points to next reporter, reporter almost starts to ask question]
“Felt like there were some outrageous calls, including the one that would have ended the game. They had a good camera angle on it, ball doesn’t make it to the line. Gave ‘em a first down.”
Before the announcement that that call was upheld, did you ever get a good look at it before it was actually announced on review?
“Uh, our guys in the box were seeing it. I was seeing it on the big screen. You guys were seeing it on TV. What’d you see?”
[someone whispers ‘Short’]
“Short? What’d you see?”
Short.
“Short. It’s outrageous.”
Your defense played so well for much of the game, really dominated at stages. Does that add to the disappointment that it looked like you had control of the game?
“Yeah, I thought we were—I thought we did a heck of a job defensively. Got a gift interference call. You see that one? We’re probably just gonna keep beating a dead horse here because you know how I feel. Don’t know where else we can go with this.”
November 27th, 2016 at 6:45 PM ^
Since Barret hit his own man and fell back. It should have been down where he came down. Now if he had banged into a Michigan player he would have gotten a forward momentum spot.
November 27th, 2016 at 6:50 PM ^
Hill knocked Barret into his TE. That's why he gets the forward progress.
November 27th, 2016 at 4:35 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 27th, 2016 at 5:24 PM ^
November 28th, 2016 at 10:05 AM ^
If you know what the answer to the question is going to be, then why waste everyone's time asking it?
Not you so much but I get really tired of all the amateur journalists here saying what dumb questions get asked at these pressers.
Yes, the questions aren't revealing but the reporters have been with Harbaugh long enough to know what questions he will answer and how he will answer them.
His players always gave a tremendous effort; he will never be critical of his players. He will never be critical of his assistants. He will never be critical of his opponents. And when he gets pressed on any of them, he gets real pissy, changes the subject and talks about what he wants to talk about anyway. When you ask him about game decisions, you get something along the line of that it seemed like a good idea at the time. And he doesn't deviate from the script; he's very disciplined in following it, unless he wants to deviate and unless it as nothing to do with the actual game.
On top of it, if you watch the post-game presser, Harbaugh wasn't answering questions so much as he was using them to launch his rant about the officlals.
My point is that after listening and reading transcripts of Harbaugh's pressers for 2 years, his answers are amazingly predictable.
Ok, so that was my rant. :)
November 27th, 2016 at 5:28 PM ^
Watching that Bo interview and reading this, really gets me pissed off all over again. I haven't felt so cheated and angry over a game in my life I think. I hope like Bo, Harbaugh never lets it go and it fuels him and the team. It makes me hate the Big Ten for allowing these stupid officials anywhere near the game, and it makes me hate all of the Big Ten because I feel like everyone wanted us to lose. I hope we run through the conference and destroy every team. My hate levels are so high right now.
November 27th, 2016 at 7:05 PM ^
I'll tell you why I hate the B10. First they allow this kind of crap to go on. In my mind unless these refs are sanctioned and fined, there is no justice. Second, the B10 has become a meaningless conference with the addition of programs that have no business being there. These schools were admitted for one reason and one reason only; REVENUE. What have these schools done other than dilute the caliber of talent and play on the field? What does M have in common with Rutgers? Sure they were one of the first schools to play football but it's a joke school and has no business being in our conference. It's all about TV, ticket, and merchandising revenue. Gone are the days that the play and players mattered. WTF now we play a minimum of 12 games a year for college kids, really? After this rant, I'm still pissed, ohio still sucks, and the B10 is crooked.
November 27th, 2016 at 5:54 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 6:05 PM ^
If JH tossing his playscript - which is something that is established in his repertoire of sideline histrionics - would be technical foul in basketball, then maybe the knucklehead ref should have had OSU attempt an extra point from say, the 25 yardline, and then replay the down.
I think Meyer strolling out onto the field throwing his arms up in the air repeatedly to spur on noise from the crowd preceding M's 4th down OT TD ought to be a similar sort of "technical foul". This is something he commonly does - I remember him doing the same thing during the 2012 Game.
November 27th, 2016 at 6:24 PM ^
Who are these clowns (Preacher Mike) that claim to be UM fans and say "gee guys, sorry but I think he made the 1st down". THE YELLOW LINE IS MEANINGLESS!!!!!! Check out the video below and think about the angle it's from. He doesn't make it - it's indisputable.
http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/11/26/13753594/ohio-state…
November 27th, 2016 at 6:42 PM ^
Hey dummy thanks for linking to the gif that I already posted right above! I'm not talking about the yellow line. When Barret hits his tight end in the back, he has the ball right up under his chin. You can't see it in the video on SBNation because Barret's helmet blocks the view of the ball. But Barret's helmet clearly crosses the 15 (the white line on the field, not the CG yellow one from ABC) and the ball is tucked right under the facemask when he collides with his own player. You can see that in the second GIF I posted. It is far from "indisputable".
November 27th, 2016 at 7:15 PM ^
I understand what this looks like to you, but the yellow line someone drew on the picture is not perpendicular to the field, given the perspective from that forward shot (I'm not referring to the yellow line on the 15, though it's important to note that it was drawn by ABC/ESPN in such a way that the ball had to cross it, not touch it like it was a goal line).
Nor is Barrett's helmet location all that relevant given that he was leaning forward and the forward progress of the ball itself stops when his right arm hits 88's backside, rolling up just a bit.
Forward progress gives all benefit of the doubt to the runner, but placement is the position of the ball itself when the player is either down or the furthest he reaches via forward progress.
The back view shows us that forward progress is that position on 88's back. That's fair. So where was 88? He was in blocking position over the 15. His backside was clearly behind the 15. Given that 88 is a solid object, how far could Barrett have gone?
The official had a good angle on Barrett. But what he apparently didn't see, because Barrett's helmet and left shoulder obscured that angle, is that the ball never went around 88 like Barrett was trying to do.
So that's why we have replay. I completely understand the initial spot. But I think there was clear enough evidence to overturn the call. We can get into a discussion of whether a crew will overturn such a call, given that it determined the outcome of the game and that would have upset 110,000 extremely passionate fans. But that's not terribly productive.
I'd like to see football go to a model where these plays are reviewed from a central warehouse location, but that's expensive and potentially unmangeable given the number of games going on at one time.
We have to suck it up and take the loss today, even though it still feels pretty bad. I thank coach Harbaugh for voicing our collective frustration yesterday. It may not have been the most measured response, but it helps a little to know how much he cared and, really, none of us feels all that measured right now.
November 27th, 2016 at 6:58 PM ^
The yellow line IS meaningless. It's an artificial construct of TV production. The sticks on the the sideline are the "official record". It was not simple happenstance that they were never called out.
November 28th, 2016 at 10:26 AM ^
And if they were positioned correctly, they should have lined up with the white 15-yard line.
There should have ben a measurement in any event.
November 27th, 2016 at 6:26 PM ^
Any human being, including that referee, that believes he knows with certainty whether or not the ball corssed the plane of the 15-yard line is deluding himself. The fact is that the referee knew the 15-yard line was the line to make, there could be no measurement, and he had the sole power to decide whether or not Michigan had won the game with where he placed the ball in relation to that white line. He chose to deny Michigan the victory.
If that had been the only 50/50 call Michigan had lost, it would be one thing. The problem is that Michigan lost every 50/50 call in that game, many of which were critical in allowing OSU to win.
November 27th, 2016 at 6:38 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 28th, 2016 at 8:12 AM ^
He actually made the right play when you watch it full speed. If he went for the form tackle, Barrett's momentum would have just pushed him past the tacklle for the first. Hill did not have a clean angle to simply wrap him up.
Hill tried to blast him backwards which worked to knock Barrett into the back of his blocker. He did the right thing at full speed.
November 27th, 2016 at 6:43 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 6:53 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 6:53 PM ^
Pathetic that the refs have to have a favorite in a big game.However, Michigan has chances to wrap this up before the zebras did. For some reason this Michigan team has had problems closing out games. A nice drive of 2 or 3 first downs and OSU would never had time for that FG tiing drive. Michigan was the better team but OSU just got lucky breaks.
November 28th, 2016 at 10:49 AM ^
The reason that we have had a tough time offensively all year long has been the inability to run the ball consistently well. We never had a consistently good running game against any decent defense.
We start the 4th quarter at our own 36. Not bad field position. Go 3 and out.
We get it back with 12:09 on our own 38. Not bad position again. 3 and out
After OSU misses the FG attempt, we have momentum and the ball on our 20 with 7:01 left and OSU has only one TO. A few first downs on the ground and game over. Even if you push it up to the 40, take it down to 2-3 minutes and punt it down to their 15-20, game is likely over. Nope, 3 and out and and punt it away with 5:46 to go. OSU then needs to run 12 plays to get their FG; they aint running that many with 2-3 minutes to go and 1 TO and that distance to cover.
No. we didn't run the ball on all plays in the 3-and-outs, largely because we had no success with it. 91 total yards rushing isn't enough. The running game has not been good enough this year.
November 28th, 2016 at 11:09 AM ^
Yeah, my disappointment started on drive four. first three drives we move the ball, one ends on jake butt drop, another on a clear PI that wasn't called (Darboh tackle), one ends in FG. Our defense blows them back the next two possessions and we have great field position and do NOTHING with it. Had a real chance to jump them right there.
November 27th, 2016 at 7:03 PM ^
So Preacher Mike - are you looking at the SB Nation video? Answer what is the relationship of Barretts left hand, which he is instinctively reaching out to the 15 yard line, and the ball. Do you think the ball is over his left hand?? (which I can see in the video no need to say it's in his facemask again.) Also in the video - I will grant you it looks close - he actually gets near the yellow line you love so much. Do you not realize the angle makes it looks like he gets a little further than he actually does?
http://www.sbnation.com/college-football/2016/11/26/13753594/ohio-state-...
November 27th, 2016 at 7:23 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 7:31 PM ^
After the one guy spotted the ball the ref behind the play signaled first down with body language, like, "YeSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSs!"
November 27th, 2016 at 7:47 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 7:54 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 27th, 2016 at 7:59 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 8:06 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 27th, 2016 at 7:47 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 7:54 PM ^
There were three holding penalities on the 4th and 1 play that should have gone against OSU. The issue of Barret getting to the first down marker is irrelevent. Go back and look at the tape as he's crossing back over the field to the left side. Three holding penalities that weren't called.
Every time I see OSU play, I am more and more convinced they must be paying refs off...
November 27th, 2016 at 8:02 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 8:43 PM ^
Double Post
November 27th, 2016 at 8:49 PM ^
-
1st and 10 at 50
(9:53 - 1st) Barrett, J.T. pass incomplete to Brown, Noah, PENALTY MICHIGAN holding (Stribling, Channing) 10 yards to the MICHIGAN40, NO PLAY, 1ST DOWN OHIOST.
Despite being wrong about the facts, your comment is non sequitur; the rules don't go out the window simply because the ref's choose to ignore them at some random point in the game. Rules apply all the time, and should be called when they apply. That's why they exist.
November 27th, 2016 at 9:42 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 7:55 PM ^
To everyone who believes the side angle from Steve Carlson is the point of most forward contact, here is a side by side of the actual point of most forward progress and the point that Steve's image shows. Steve's image shows a shot from a fraction of a second after Barret is already falling back.
At most forward progress, Barret's hand is still going down and Michigan's lineman still hasn't gotten his hand on Barret's shoulder. By the time the Michigan lineman's hand in on Barret's shoulder, Barret is already falling back.
November 27th, 2016 at 8:09 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 8:10 PM ^
The ball is moving. It's moving back. Here is a gif of the sequence from most forward progress to the shot you posted.
November 27th, 2016 at 8:12 PM ^
Here is the last frame of that gif sequence followed by the shot you posted. Compare body postiions, hand positions, feet positions, how much of Barret's numbers you can see under the lineman's hand. It is the exact same point in time. It is after Barret was falling back.
November 27th, 2016 at 10:16 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 8:13 PM ^
I don't normally do this kind of thing, but the B10 needs to hear about the officiating. Here are some ways to contact them. Please be respectful and state your case clearly and without insults. It's fine to sit here and stew but we're Wolverines and need to get back and show Harbaugh and the team that we are true fans...
Bill Carollo is the coordinator of football officials. He can be reached at 847-696-1010, ext. 20158.
Jim Delany is the commissioner and can be reached at the same number with the ext. 20101 (it routes to his assistant Ms. Green-something).
If you want to write, unlike suckeyes who don't have opposable thumbs and are unable to do so, send it to the aforementioned guys at the following address:
5440 Park Place, Rosemont, IL 60018
Unfortunately, I don't have their email contacts, perhaps someone else does?
GO BLUE!
November 27th, 2016 at 8:18 PM ^
@Steve Carlson, from your shot the ball looks maybe 3-4 inches back from the line. From the GIF I posted, it looks like Barret falls at least that far back from the spot of most forward progress.
November 27th, 2016 at 8:21 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 9:46 PM ^
November 28th, 2016 at 12:05 AM ^
Preacher isn't a Michigan fan, and he knows it wasn't a first down.
It's intriguing that OSU fans are trying so damn hard to make this case instead of simply enjoying the gifts they were given. I guess they want to believe it was earned.
November 27th, 2016 at 8:26 PM ^
Too bad you can't admit you are wrong when shown clear visual evidence. Barret bounces backward, not laterally, after he hits his TE. Every angle in real time shows this. He was closer to the line to gain that the shot you posted. I'm sorry you can't accept that.
November 27th, 2016 at 8:33 PM ^
Bouncing backward, not laterally.
:no_upscale()/cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/7537327/4th1.0.gif)
November 27th, 2016 at 8:39 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 27th, 2016 at 9:15 PM ^
Why do you think I'm talking about the yellow line? I've never referred to the yellow line except to explicitly state that I was not talking about the yellow line. I have always been referring to the actual 15 yarld line that is painted on the field.
November 27th, 2016 at 9:47 PM ^
Comments