Harbaugh Q&A
More great content from mgoblue.com.
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/022415aab.html
My favorite:
Q. So it's the birth of a new team?
A. Yeah, it's like coming out of the mother's womb. You're in a nice, warm, cozy environment -- safe. And now you are out into the chaos and bright lights. It's a happening. It's all those things rolled into one.
And it's also like the first day of school. You're so excited for that first day of school, and the night before you set out your clothes, you stuff your lunch into a lunch box, and off you go. It's the start. It's laying down a benchmark. Now we have a place to start from. We have a place to improve from. We have a place to go forward from, and you hope to lay that benchmark halfway up the mountain -- and not way down on the flat land.
February 24th, 2015 at 10:02 AM ^
"I'd rather not talk about the scheme and how we're going to do what we're going to do, and what we're going to employ or implement. Right now, we're not really answering questions, we're asking them. Where are we at? What is the scheme that fits best for the personnel we have? How can we put the players in the best position to be successful? That's where it starts."
Sounds good to me, coach.
February 24th, 2015 at 10:10 AM ^
February 24th, 2015 at 11:10 AM ^
If you're going to deflect questions, this is how you should do it.
February 24th, 2015 at 11:32 AM ^
I agree. Harbaugh is an expert at deflecting questions while appearing to give answers. Some coaches get played by the media. Some coaches play the media. Harbaugh definitely falls in the latter category.
February 24th, 2015 at 3:26 PM ^
If you look at the statements Harbaugh made to the Stanford faithful right after he started in Palo Alto, and look at how he's handled things here in A2, one thing is for certain: Jim Harbaugh knows how to play to his audience. He's a master politician.
February 24th, 2015 at 7:23 PM ^
WEHHHHHHHHHL......
February 24th, 2015 at 10:13 AM ^
What a refreshing shift in ideals
February 24th, 2015 at 10:27 AM ^
This statement has the tone of someone who plans to be in Ann Arbor for a while. Not rushing to promise results, simply taking a longview of where they are and where we are heading...
I like it!
February 24th, 2015 at 12:27 PM ^
What is the scheme that fits best for the personnel we have? How can we put the players in the best position to be successful? That's where it starts.
YEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS.
February 24th, 2015 at 10:08 AM ^
The answer is Harbaugh
February 24th, 2015 at 10:21 AM ^
When I say Harbaugh, you say Harbaugh!
Ready?
HARBAUGH!
February 24th, 2015 at 10:27 AM ^
Harbaugh!!!!!!!
February 24th, 2015 at 2:03 PM ^
Harbaugh!
February 24th, 2015 at 4:22 PM ^
You've said it all!
February 24th, 2015 at 10:10 AM ^
He is wonderfully insane. What I would give to just sit and watch practice.
February 24th, 2015 at 10:11 AM ^
Oh, to be a fly on the wall of Glick fieldhouse today.
February 24th, 2015 at 10:11 AM ^
Not enough TOUGHNESS in my opinion. Can't win games without talking a lot about TOUGHNESS.
February 24th, 2015 at 10:54 AM ^
Physicalityness, toughability, non-relentation. Staples of the new regime.
February 24th, 2015 at 10:13 AM ^
I wish I could watch every practice and meeting..
February 24th, 2015 at 10:14 AM ^
Kind of reminded me of "It's happening!"
Maybe I spend too much time on this board?
February 24th, 2015 at 10:31 AM ^
No such thing as "too much", do you hear me young lady?
February 24th, 2015 at 3:02 PM ^
I liked the FlightAware one better. But regardless, it's amazing that it actually happened. Jim Harbaugh is actually our coach.
February 24th, 2015 at 10:23 AM ^
I think JH will set the bar extremely high on the mountain. That's his style. Realistically, if he answers the QB question we could set that bar at 10 wins. 9 should be the minimum right now with the schedule and roster. The opener in Utah will determine whether or not we can run the non-conference table against pretty good competiition.
February 24th, 2015 at 11:58 AM ^
that if we win the Utah game in convincing fashion, we're going into The Game undefeated.
February 24th, 2015 at 12:25 PM ^
on this undefeated business.
February 24th, 2015 at 12:30 PM ^
How many games did Meyer lose his first three years at OSU? I expect nothing less from Harbaugh. My maize colored glasses are stapled to my head. And I'm wearing maize colored contacts in case they should fall off.
If the QB situation gets sorted out there isn't a game on the schedule that we can't win. MSU is the biggest challenge IMO, but I expect JH to plan well for that game and surprise the hell out of everyone.
February 24th, 2015 at 1:50 PM ^
But "If the QB situation gets sorted out" is the biggest "If" in all of football.
February 24th, 2015 at 1:51 PM ^
we have 42 QB's on the team now.
February 24th, 2015 at 2:23 PM ^
And more on the way!
February 24th, 2015 at 4:31 PM ^
keep applying steady pressure until the crazy expectations stop or become reality.
February 24th, 2015 at 12:42 PM ^
We WILL go into the Utah game undefeated!
February 24th, 2015 at 12:49 PM ^
assessing the starting point of where the team currently stands. He is hoping that we aren't starting from scratch (base of the mountain) in terms of coaching them up, talent level, etc. Hopefully they/we are already halfway up.
There's no debate as to where on the mountain Harbaugh and the team will set their sights... the Mountaintop of course!
February 24th, 2015 at 4:39 PM ^
correct, thats absolutely the referenced context
February 24th, 2015 at 10:16 AM ^
Q. I didn't intend to ask you a question about how you've decorated your office . . . . What in here means the most to you?
A. The pictures of the (six) kids and (wife) Sarah, those mean a lot to me. And I love anything Michigan. My family and Michigan -- those two things.
February 24th, 2015 at 10:25 AM ^
and yes, to those who haven't read it yet, he does mention "enthusiasm unknown to mankind". That was not a one time thing... it is a lifestyle.
February 24th, 2015 at 10:37 AM ^
"It's that first day of school. I will lay my clothes out tonight. I will triple-set my alarm and be here attacking it with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind."
By "it," I'm thinking he means his day and not his alarm clock. My disposition toward attacking my snooze button with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind probably explains why Harbaugh is the head coach of the University of Michigan and I... am not.
February 24th, 2015 at 10:32 AM ^
another coach who is very good at NOT answering many of the questions posed :)
February 24th, 2015 at 10:36 AM ^
Harbaugh sounds like he comes from the Beilein school of talent evaluation- he looks for under the radar guys with high upside and character, and I won't be surprised when a few unexpected players who meet Harbaugh's criteria emerge as starters this Spring.
February 24th, 2015 at 10:39 AM ^
I have a feeling that we have some very surprising depth charts ahead of us, with some of the surprises turning into actual starters.
February 24th, 2015 at 11:39 AM ^
Who is your big surprise?
Mine would be Peppers moving back to CB, and Moe Ways or Harris starting at reciever.
QB I have no idea, the oline looked really solid at the end of the year. Dline they rotate so much that being the starter not as big of a deal. The only other position group I could see some change is at LB, and maybe Gedeon plays a lot more. But to me Desmond Morgan seems like the kind of player Harbaugh likes and both Bolden and JRIII have had a lot of playing time.
February 24th, 2015 at 12:02 PM ^
6'4" and 174 may not put him on the field. If he is a starter as you suggest, it would be a great surprise to me.
February 24th, 2015 at 12:20 PM ^
I see your point, but he also might become our best deep threat, and I think besides QB, the WR group is the most "open" position group on the team.
February 24th, 2015 at 12:39 PM ^
Anyone that spurns MSU the way he did, is fine in my book.
I am also very interested in watching the development of Jehu Chesson, Amara Darboh, and Freddy Canteen.
February 24th, 2015 at 12:57 PM ^
i think Darboh can be a very effective possession type reciever, he is a chains mover kind of guy like a Jason Avant. Chesson to be seems like a Breaston type guy, who is great when he isn't the number 1 reciever. We need someone who can attack the defense deep and force the safeties to play the deep portion of the field, and my hope is Harris or Ways can accomplish that.
February 24th, 2015 at 12:09 PM ^
6 ft 276 lb. FB? Talk about a road grader... Why manbawl when you can Harbawl??
February 24th, 2015 at 10:51 AM ^
I don't think JB or JH are intentionally looking for 'under the radar' guys to develop... Both are going to (and JB has, sometimes with disappointing results) target the best talent they can identify. This may or may not align with the recruiting sites' opinions, but I don't think either of our coaches are shying away from the blue chippers; its just a matter of landing them.
February 24th, 2015 at 11:26 AM ^
I agree with you. There's no way Harbaugh is going to recruit under the radar 2 star guys from the upper Peninsula. He's going to go after his share of five star and four-star guys. Michigan is not the kind of place that needs to settle for three star small, slow guys. Aim high!