Jim Harbaugh is working players hard, and they love it.

Submitted by The Mad Hatter on

The players are buying into Coach Harbaugh's training methods.  Article includes some info and perspectives from current and former players.  

http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2015/03/michigan_players_appreciate_ji.html

Harbaugh's unique methods force players to be on alert at all times. Because, one, you know Harbaugh's watching. And, two, any slips could cost you your spot in the snap of a finger.

getsome

March 30th, 2015 at 6:31 PM ^

wheres all the bs outrage?  someone trashes a QBs play and theyre destroying a young mans character, calling him stupid, and guilty of online bullying - but calling players on other teams ugly (even if in jest) is fair game?  

i dont really care, i just find the hypocrisy amusing - was wondering if someone could explain the rules

Mr. Yost

March 30th, 2015 at 9:06 AM ^

But I'll give them this... MLive fluff content is vastly superior to anyone else. Great job guys. It's hard to meet deadlines and articles off the same tired quotes or ideas, but they go out of the way to get a fresh take on the matter - that makes it worth reading.

Hats off to that staff.

turd ferguson

March 30th, 2015 at 9:22 AM ^

That's what she said.

It's nice to see fluff articles written for an audience other than 70-year-olds who only get information from News/Free Press fluff articles.  Baumgardner does a good job of speaking to more engaged Michigan football audiences (e.g., most of MGoBlog).

evenyoubrutus

March 30th, 2015 at 9:32 AM ^

But I wonder if the difference is because Harbaugh comes with high expectations and he has already shown that his methods can build a championship team.  When Bo arrived, he came from Miami and while he was certainly considered a good coach at the time, I don't think any of the players had an idea what kind of a legend was coaching them and making them run their asses off until they puke, etc. and so many probably said "why the heck am I doing this?" and left.  Whereas on this team these guys know what they are in for if they keep going.

growler4

March 30th, 2015 at 10:27 AM ^

Perhaps this has a lot to do with it. Yet, it may also indicate that, while different, the practices and training under Hoke & Co. were no picnic either.

From my readings throughout the years, it seems as if the transition from Bump's to Bo's regime was much more radically different than this one likely is.

Tater

March 30th, 2015 at 1:09 PM ^

Harbaugh is walking into a group of players that played hard and worked hard but was saddled with coaches rendered ineffective by DB's meddling.  Bo walked into the "Den of Mellow Men."

The dynamics were slightly different.  Bump's teams underachieved because they didn't bother listening to the coaches anymore.  Hoke's underachieved because they were saddled with the worst offensive scheme and playcalling in the history of football.  

These guys want to win as badly as Harbaugh does.  That's why they have all bought in.  Knowing that Harbaugh can get them to the NFL doesn't hurt, either.

BeatOSU52

March 30th, 2015 at 9:57 AM ^

People want to compare the situation to Bo, but back then Bo wasn't considered one of the best coaches in football going into Michigan like Harbaugh is.   Not to mention, the media presence obviously wasn't the same back then which I affects the situation in a sense. 

DonAZ

March 30th, 2015 at 10:13 AM ^

Plus, 1969 was quite a different era from 2015 ... there was a prevailing sense of "Do your own thing, man ..." in the air.  It was a time of of anti-establishment, anti-discipline ... and Bo's approach would have seemed out of place to some. 

But ... those who stayed were champions.

truferblue22

March 30th, 2015 at 9:47 AM ^

I wouldn't say they're "loving it". They're being pushed hard and they understand the reasoning. They know they have to get better or they're screwed. I love the quote "you're either getting better or you're getting worse, no one stays the same" -- that's true and really motivating. If the players really loved it, then he probably isn't pushing them hard enough. This is good though; they understand why he's doing it and they're doing everything they can to get better (or at least those interviewed).