Peach Bowl Postgame Presser: Jim Harbaugh
It's been a while since I transcribed a presser, and thanks to David and the Peach Bowl's PR people and something called ASAP Sports it's going to be a little longer. A transcript of Jim Harbaugh's postgame comments was emailed out and is contained below. I'll be throwing in the ol' earbuds to transcribe player audio, though, so look for that in a couple days. That way you can pretend Michigan's New Year's Six game was actually played on New Year's Day.
THE MODERATOR: Coach, take a short opening comment, then we'll go right to questions.
JIM HARBAUGH: We can go right to questions.
THE MODERATOR: Okay.
Q. Jim, looking back, do you feel like maybe your team was not emotionally ready, maybe coming off the Ohio State game, maybe players sitting out, did you feel like they weren't quite ready for this?
JIM HARBAUGH: I thought they were ready.
Q. Emotionally?
JIM HARBAUGH: I thought they were emotionally ready, yeah.
THE MODERATOR: Next question.
Q. Overall what went wrong offensively and what made it so hard to move the ball today and put points on the board?
JIM HARBAUGH: Combination of things. Started out not picking up in the third and short and the fourth and very short. That hurt. That hurt one drive. We were moving the ball at times and close to getting into a rhythm, but we didn't get the run game going effectively enough. Or the passing game, the protection, and the rhythm in that area to make it -- we got outplayed, really, on that side of the ball. Florida did a nice job defensively.
Defensively, it was really the same story. We didn't play as well. Had some -- had missed calls, adjustments. We left a couple receivers wide open, some things that we don't normally do.
[More after THE JUMP]
JIM HARBAUGH: It was a very good season. It would have been a great season had we won this game. Didn't get that done.
My feeling about the team is we're right there to the top, but we have to put it over the top. Especially in the big games at the end of the year.
Q. Last year, after the bowl game, you made a lot of changes. Do you anticipate making a lot of changes after this, or what are you going to take from this and change?
JIM HARBAUGH: I think we're going to take what we have and reload. A new season and tighten up. But keep working. Keep working to put it over the top.
Q. I have two. So piggybacking on that, so you don't anticipate any changes on the staff going into next season?
JIM HARBAUGH: No.
Q. Also, Kwity Paye and Devin Gil, a couple injuries. Can you share what those were?
JIM HARBAUGH: Yeah. They were both hamstrings.
Q. Just to follow up, you said you're right there, just can't get over the top, especially in the big games. What do you think has been missing in the big games late in the season?
JIM HARBAUGH: We're beaten by -- on those days, we were beaten by better teams. So we have to persevere, be persistent, keep working, and put it over the top.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Coach.
December 31st, 2018 at 1:14 PM ^
The issue with Hoke was almost all coaching ability. UM had 11 players selected in the 2017 draft. The most players UM has ever had selected in a single draft. The direction of the program was trending down under Hoke but Harbaugh didn't take over a complete mess.
January 1st, 2019 at 12:29 PM ^
There was some talent in the cupboard - but the even bigger and harder issue to fix was the culture. The 105 players were fully conditioned in complacency and entitlement. He took that talent to 10-3 by overhauling the culture.
OSU remains the real issue. At this point, there is still a meaningful talent gap with OSU (and there was a gap with UF with our best 4 out). Culture alone won’t beat them. Harbaugh will need to recruit better and prepare the team better to beat OSU. Expect more changes this offseason just like the numerous bug changes last year.
December 31st, 2018 at 3:20 PM ^
Forgive me if this is an ignorant question, but how do you allow 7-10 years to rebuild when, by definition, players stay on campus a Max of 4 yes and usually play less than that? Feels like rebuilding is a continuous annual event given player churn.
December 31st, 2018 at 4:08 PM ^
Mullen took over a dumpster fire, and in Year 1 he bitch slapped JH (4 years in). Guess some rebuilds go more quickly.
January 1st, 2019 at 6:19 AM ^
Yes, rebuilds can be done much faster with the right resources. The rebuild at Michigan, however, will be done the right way and will take much longer to fully complete.
January 1st, 2019 at 2:22 PM ^
The old "right resources" trick. JH is one of the highest paid coaches around, but Mullen taking over someone's leftovers had more resources.
Please tell me you're only pretending to be this slow.
January 1st, 2019 at 12:27 AM ^
You honestly think it takes up to 10 years to recover from a loss to Rutgers? So 2 and a half full recruiting classes? Come on man...
Let's just keep ignoring that Harbaugh inherited players that led all of the NCAA in players drafted his 2nd year here.
January 1st, 2019 at 6:22 AM ^
Let’s also forget that there was zero behind those seniors due to transition costs. That is how a transition works. And you fools want to jump right in again.
December 31st, 2018 at 1:26 PM ^
Better team that day is what he said and that is 100% accurate.
People place way too much emphasis on one game results. I know most won't agree with this but if Michigan would have played OSU the following week after losing to them the line in that game would have been around pick'em. Even that is saying a lot considering they were considered 9 points better than the Buckeyes (3 points for HFA) going into that game and teams power ratings don't move combined 10 points off one game results late in the season especially.
Added all up and means UM would win have about a 50% chance of winning that game yet most act like they'd have no shot at all. End of the day the spread is the easily the best predictor we have of future results in sports. Good luck if you believe your opinion is better than that as their is a betting market out there that will happily let you challenge it every week.
We see this all the time in sports, a team crushing an opponent and then playing them later on the same season even the next week and losing.
I actually laugh when I hear people say "won't beat them until this changes etc...". Total bullshit as even if OSU was clearly 6 points better or so that still means you are going to beat them 30% of the time or so as that's about the rate 6 point favorites win games.
December 31st, 2018 at 3:32 PM ^
Florida was a better coached team. They were not a better team.
December 31st, 2018 at 4:48 PM ^
Yet they've beaten us now 15 out of 16, right? That trend seems to not understand your statistical model.
December 31st, 2018 at 10:47 AM ^
Harbaugh noted that they got beat by better teams. That is true. Michigan players have not made enough plays to win big games for several years now. Best example of this: Florida ran up the middle on 3rd and long in the 2nd half and got a 53 yard touchdown. They made the blocks and broke a couple of tackles and took advantage of mistakes on the defense. In that same situation, Michigan gains 3 yards and this blog says their must be mass firings. At the end of the day, players gotta make plays. Without Bush, Gary, Higdon that was unlikely to happen
December 31st, 2018 at 10:57 AM ^
Missing Bush was huge. Hard to replace in a few bowl practices the Defensive Player of the year and QB of your defense. He was just awesome this year but when he went down in the OSU game you could really see his game changing impact. Same thing showed up in the Bowl game.
December 31st, 2018 at 11:12 AM ^
Dude how the fuck is Tyree Kinnel supposed to stop the QB when he’s 20 yards away from the line of scrimmage? He’s not that good of a safety nor should he have been in that position
Blame Don 1 trick pony Brown for being duped AGAIN! Penn State constantly motioned out the RB to get rid of our 1(!!!) LB in the middle to clear out the run lanes for Mcsorely and now Florida did the same thing with Franks on that 3rd and 20 which EVERYONE watching on tv knew would happen.
THAT is a coaching issue!!!!
December 31st, 2018 at 11:28 AM ^
Yep
They are motioning our guys to exactly where they want them to go.
IU did, Urban did it, and Florida did it
This team is getting out schemed and that is coaching.
The defense two bowl games in a row is calling out our plays an that is 3 games in a row Brown has not been able to solve the other teams offense.
December 31st, 2018 at 10:37 PM ^
Another thing-for all the bluster about pressure, negative plays, and "solving problems with aggression", Pony's defense sure doesn't seem to create as many turnovers/game changing plays as might be expected. Taking an INT to the house against SMU is great, could we maybe do that vs TUOS a couple times per decade?
December 31st, 2018 at 4:53 PM ^
Don OTP Brown really has been exposed. I guess holding Florida to only 41 was an improvement on the TUOS debacle. Solved a lot of problems with aggression, for sure.
Particularly galling was the turtle-like Franks taking it in from 20 yards out with ease. The guy looks like about a 5.2 forty...
January 1st, 2019 at 6:26 AM ^
Yeah, you know better than the guy with the top defense the past four years. You should be the next DC. Somewhere very far away from here.
January 1st, 2019 at 10:23 AM ^
Nobody knows better than Pony. Only allowed the most points ever vs TUOS. Only allowed 103 in our last 2.
Build him a statue already. And get Pony's dick out of your mouth-it makes you hard to understand.
January 1st, 2019 at 12:15 PM ^
The stats tell the story. His defenses have been top five every year for five years. There has been none better.
But given your recent joined date you have either been banned before for being an idiot or are an obvious troll.
January 1st, 2019 at 1:17 PM ^
Never been banned, thanks for asking.
What part of giving up 62 to your biggest rival do you not get? Math is hard...
Love the irony of you calling anyone an idiot.
BTW, you're still talking with your mouth full.
Thanks for playing.
December 31st, 2018 at 11:01 AM ^
I hope all the fans that bash Harbaugh would leave the fan base.
Let the man Coach the team.
December 31st, 2018 at 11:50 AM ^
And those of us who are alumni, whose parents are alumni, whose siblings are alumni, and can see the QB TD runs and LB blitzes coming, but the team can't, where should we go?
January 1st, 2019 at 6:28 AM ^
Somewhere to find some perspective.
December 31st, 2018 at 12:34 PM ^
3-10 in rivalry and bowl games under Harbaugh. Nothing of note coming back in the front 7 of the defense. Refuses to use the best playmakers on offense. 7-9 games on the schedule that could be losses next year. We should all be thrilled.
December 31st, 2018 at 11:08 AM ^
I read this as a coach who knew he was losing before he walked on the field...
just my snowflake.
December 31st, 2018 at 11:09 AM ^
Why do any of you think a coach would have his entire future strategy formed right after a final game? And even if he did, why do any of you think he should be revealing it in a press conference? And why would you think, if that decision encompasses staff moves, that this is the right way to inform professionals who you respect of these moves?
I know we all want explanations and insight, and we are in some pain, but let's try to separate that from making instant judgments about and from a press conference.
December 31st, 2018 at 11:09 AM ^
Can't expect much more than rapid, terse answers. He is a competitor, and is obviously pissed.
Coach is never going to be a wordsmith, folks.
Now, please reflect on the damn season. Modify the staff with proper skill sets to align the future trajectory of the program.
December 31st, 2018 at 11:14 AM ^
I sure hope Warde Manuel demands better answers than these when he meets with Harbaugh to evaluate the season.
December 31st, 2018 at 11:35 AM ^
Right, because Warde Manuel would fire Jim Harbaugh if he didn't show the holder of the high office of Athletic Director proper respect.
December 31st, 2018 at 1:09 PM ^
No, because it's Warde's job as AD to oversee the athletic programs, including football, and make sure the coaches of each such program are maximizing the possibility of success. He should be asking tough, direct questions and Harbaugh should provide candid, thoughtful answers. I'm not saying that needed to be done in this press conference, but it should be done behind closed doors. Otherwise, why do we even have an AD?
December 31st, 2018 at 11:40 AM ^
It’s basically the same philosophy as during the Hoke regime. The plan is fine, we just didn’t execute. Tarik Black even said it.
December 31st, 2018 at 3:32 PM ^
Kiss of death.
January 1st, 2019 at 6:32 AM ^
I don’t think you have adequate recollection of the Hoke regime. Many on this board deserve a quick return to that. Many are trolls who’s comments are directed at hope that we are stupid enough to return to it.
December 31st, 2018 at 12:05 PM ^
I get that this press conference was not the place to explain what exactly, if anything, Harbaugh is going to change between now and next year, but boy I'd really have liked to hear him say something other than implying that he can "put it over the top" by being persistent and working hard.
After being crushed in history-making fashion by OSU and then being run out of the building by Florida it'd be nice to see him allow for the possibility of some new approaches. All I read from this, though, is that he seems to think he can knock the wall down by continuing to bash his head against it.
Here's hoping. Time will tell.
December 31st, 2018 at 3:39 PM ^
He's like the British generals at the Somme that thought just one more bayonet charge into machine nests will do it this time.
They had so much invested in their plan and approach that they just could not conceive that the plan and approach itself was the problem.
Just needed to execute.
I'm sure that when some lowly corporal told them it was not working he was told: "Shut up, who are you to question the plan and approach? You don't know military strategy."
December 31st, 2018 at 12:08 PM ^
“We didn’t get the run game going effectively enough.”
Translation: “MOAR man ball! We must run ball harder up middle!”
John Harbaugh is kind of on the hot seat, maybe we can swap harbaughs with the ravens?
December 31st, 2018 at 12:13 PM ^
Do our offensive problems boil down to missing out on a lot of elite linemen recruits to other teams at the last second? We’ve lost at least two offensive line prospects to Stanford, and Isaiah Wilson to Georgia. I think there have been a few more too. We seemed to be in the drivers seat for all of them. Our offensive line might look drastically different for the better had they joined.
I know Harbaugh wants those elite and intelligent Stanford-type linemen, but they go to Stanford, if admitted, at the tail end of recruiting period. Would it be better to aim for guys not on Stanford’s radar?
December 31st, 2018 at 12:30 PM ^
It would be better for him to effectively use the guys he already has. Michigan has more talent than Florida. Florida had much better coaching. The players aren't the problem.
December 31st, 2018 at 3:24 PM ^
Our safeties were just not fast enough and were exposed by good coaches that had the elite speed to win those matchups for giant chunk plays. So it is part personnel and part scheme. But I doubt Brown or Partridge consistently had those guys out of position, rather our safeties were just not fast enough to execute the requirement.
December 31st, 2018 at 3:44 PM ^
Florida lost to Kentucky and Missouri. Michigan has much better players than Kentucky and Missouri.
The issue is not the players.
The issue is the scheme and coaching.
December 31st, 2018 at 12:17 PM ^
Jim, it seems you hate scoring quickly so much that you refuse to even do it when down 3 scores in the fourth quarter and not doing so means a sure loss. Could you explain your thoughts on that?
December 31st, 2018 at 1:20 PM ^
Harbaugh holds that improvement comes with ....perseverance....keep working to put it over the top.....so just work harder???
Persevering will only yield more mediocrity from very talented athletes...this is all on the coaches and their refusal to adapt....not using the best athletes on the offense, the wide receivers especially in the absence of Higdon...let Shea open up as a passer. He showed very little progress ...similarly not adjusting the defensive schemes to reflect changes such as the absence of Bush in the middle.....
Please watch the Pats and how Josh McDaniels adjusts every week with an incredibly creative game plan and while the Pats ran in some games for over 200 yards rushing, against others they would throw , six and seven times in a row. Keep the defense guessing
How can anyone expect a coherent offensive plan if plays are called by committee? The ridiculous amounts of times it takes to get plays onto the field and the incredible time mismanagement, in the last two games, failing to score any points before the half because of a complete breakdown.
The team needs a new offensive coordinator and not one who is calling the same play book as he did at Stanford a long time ago. The run to set up the passing game is decades old.
.
Please get a dynamic offensive coordinator....
December 31st, 2018 at 1:38 PM ^
Hire Adam Gase offensive genius and M State grad!
December 31st, 2018 at 1:37 PM ^
I haven’t seen Harbaugh get fired up over a call in a long time. The team can feed off of his intensity if he shows it. Even Beilein does it once in a while. Harbaugh is better when he isn’t a stoic.
December 31st, 2018 at 2:17 PM ^
It is an open secret that Harbaugh is talking to a number of offensive coaches to become the OC for next year. He’s not going to talk about such things, instead he’s going to take action like he did last off season. Take a hard look at the 2019 class, note the number of O linemen, note where the players are from (not many from Midwest), and figure out that Harbaugh sees what we see and is working to get players and coaches to move to the next level.
December 31st, 2018 at 2:27 PM ^
As a diehard fan since 1971 can I just say ten, ten, eight with a backup to the backup quarterback and another ten in the first four years. I hate losing as much as the next guy but some people seem to think we went undefeated in the Bo, Moellar,and Carr era. Granted I think we should tweak the offense to use our weapons and can game plan for individual teams better but our losses were not to App State and Toledo this year. Go Blue and a big thank you to The Team, The Team, The Team for a great fall season.
January 1st, 2019 at 6:36 AM ^
Agreed. I would further add that Harbaugh has always tried new things and has never rested to get the best for Michigan. He will continue to do so this off-season.
December 31st, 2018 at 2:31 PM ^
The comments on everything since the OSU game have been awful. 90% of you suck. Why do I keep reading these?!?
December 31st, 2018 at 2:40 PM ^
A substantive press conference is an unrealistic expectation after a loss. No upside, lots of downside.
And sure there are rabid angry unrealistic fans on this page. But a sober, albeit angry frustrated assessment of that which is plainly obvious doesn’t make one a hater.
He’s better than we had yet not meeting what I would believe would be his own expectations in yr 4. Am I wrong?
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