Outback Bowl Postgame Presser: Jim Harbaugh
[Upchurch]
“I'd like to thank the Outback Bowl. [Ed. A—And I’d like to thank David Nasternak for being our guy on the ground in Tampa and getting audio of the presser] Great experience. Congratulations to South Carolina on their victory.”
Did you feel it slipping away at any time, or did they get better as the game went along?
“I think they did get better. I think probably a little bit of both those things. They got better as the game went on, no doubt, and made plays to win the football game, and we didn't get the knockout punch when we needed it. We didn't take advantage of the opportunities that were there.”
Can you put your finger on why the defense was having a dominant performance and then it all changed? What did you see in terms of why it changed?
“Yeah, they made a really good throw, really good catch on the touchdown. Made another spectacular throw and catch on the second touchdown pass. Yeah, they executed well, really well, and then our errors, starting with the—really starting with the fumble by Sean McKeon, which was not Sean McKeon’s fault, that was our fault. That was a coaching error. We had the wrong personnel in there, and I should have called time out. And then the other miscues we had.”
Pat Kugler, was he banged up a little bit? Is that why you took him out of the game?
“Yeah, Pat had gotten rolled up on his ankle and gave it a go and was doing fine, but just felt like it was too much to overcome.”
When did you know about that Ben [Bredeson] wasn’t going to be able to play?
“About three weeks ago.”
[After THE JUMP: sifting through what went wrong in search of answers, shooting down NFL rumors (again), evaluating QB play and what it means for 2018]
What kind of adjustments did South Carolina's offense make in the second half that gave you guys trouble?
“I don’t know, I think that might be a better question for Will [Muschamp]. But they hit the inside seam fade. The quarterback threw a really nice ball in the red zone. Were able to create some big plays.”
You mentioned the coaching error on the McKeon play. Were there others that you wish you—were you happy with the playcalling today or was it execution or a little of both?
“Always think that just making the play when you've got the other team down, a chance to grow your lead, take advantage of those things, but we weren't able to do that. Kind of let them hang around and they took advantage of it.”
At the beginning of the year you talked about the guys getting experience. Do you feel like that’s what they got this season through a game like this that they can build on for next year?
“Yeah, there will be things to build on. I thought our guys played extremely hard. I thought they really played their guts out, and so did South Carolina. But yeah, we'll—another year of the pursuit of excellence. That's the way we'll be looking at it.”
Coach, you've had a quarterback competition going into every season so far. How heavily do bowl performances weigh into those at the beginning of next year?
“I don't know. I really I don't know how much that would weigh into it.”
How would you evaluate Brandon’s [Peters] performance today?
“You know, there's some really good, and there's a few I know he'd like to have back. But he was battling just like the rest of the guys. There was some error there, a little too much at the wrong time.”
Was Khalid [Hill] unable to play? He was in early but he was on the sideline for most of the game.
“Yeah, Khalid, he had an injury during bowl prep.”
You guys have lost three straight. Can you put a finger just on one thing or what do you think has been the reason why overall?
“Hasn’t been one thing, it's being able to just kind of sustain the momentum, keep the momentum, and then get the knockout punch. That would be what my thought would be right now.”
You talked about your message after the regular season and you talked about wins; what has to change overall for the program to get over this and [inaudible]?
“We’ll look at every aspect of it and make improvements.”
With the opportunities that have opened up today in the NFL, is there any possibility that this is the last game you would coach for Michigan?
“No.”
Did South Carolina do anything on either side of the ball that you didn't expect today?
“No, I can't think of something different.”
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:05 PM ^
Please
January 2nd, 2018 at 1:20 PM ^
Love the downvoting homers who are upset with the toxic fan base. You just lap up that "We've got our best people on it" bullshit.
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:21 PM ^
Am not a fan of the glasses he wears, as tribute to Woody... it makes him look OLD....and ever since, the team seems to have lost an edge.... the program evolves from the coach... I wish he would go to contacts, and look young again... seriously... he is losing that edge he had.
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:54 PM ^
Yeah. That's the problem. His glasses! Offseason Lasik means 10 wins minimum next year.
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:23 PM ^
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:42 PM ^
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:53 PM ^
I really wish someone had mentioned to JH the statement from some SC players about how Michigan ran the same routes over and over and they (SC) knew when and where the runs would go based on formations. IMHO that is completely unforgivable. You just got outcoached by a bunch of 18 - 21 year olds on a bad South Carolina football team. I think the question for JH then would have been "what changes do you plan to make on your coaching staff to ensure that this does not happen again?"
Holy fuck. No wonder top offensive recruits do not want to come play for this staff. Let's see ... a choice between going somewhere with a creative, innovative staff that makes playing fun or someplace to beat my head against the wall for four years where I am likely going to be injured because the defense knows exactly where I will be at all times to lay massive hits on me ... hmmm ... some choice.
January 2nd, 2018 at 2:36 PM ^
January 2nd, 2018 at 6:54 PM ^
UM's offense reminds me of the Borges era where we ran a billion different formations but only ran a single play out of each. Mork alluded to that after the MSU game.
January 2nd, 2018 at 2:56 PM ^
Before the whole "The Big Ten can go 8-0 and make history!!" thing, nobody cared all that much about this bowl game. It was viewed as a meaningless exhibition agianst an uninspiring opponent.
We are probably reading too much into what it means for next year. Harbaugh certainly does not seem all that wound up about it. He's talking about it like it was just a bad practice.
Which in his mind, maybe that's all it was to him.
I will admit that I thought we'd see a repeat of 2015 when Rudock and the rest of the players and coaches looked like a completely different team after 5 weeks of extra practice. We pounded a listless, clueless Florida that didn't want to be there.
Instead, we looked like Florida. Listless and clueless. And not all that concerned about it.
It's hard to explain, but I hope it's just a lack of focus thing and doesn't bleed over into next year.
I should know better than to do this, but I will be paying even more attention to the Spring Game than usual, trying to read tea leaves that probably aren't there.
January 2nd, 2018 at 4:48 PM ^
We are the #1 winningest program in college football and with being so lethargic and not seeming to want to win each and every game that will not last long.
January 2nd, 2018 at 5:04 PM ^
January 2nd, 2018 at 5:26 PM ^
Another some of my two cents and randomness. After watching Peters yesterday, I feel just like I did after watching Henne in that Nebraska game in 2005. The way Henne acted and pouted like a whiney little bitch while that last play was still going just got under my skin so bad. He possibly could've threw the game winning block but he quit on that play. The next year he was my hero but still never really got it done when he had in the important game except Florida. Didn't do shit in the NFL really as far as I know. I saw that same whiney entitled candy ass sort of attitude out of Peters yesterday. The kid is still a boy and he doesn't have an edge on the job or in his mental mindset and preparation. He's mentally and genetically very soft. Not what you want leading this team next year. Shea will waltz right in there and take it from him. I hope this happens because at first site, Shea looks like a kid with brass balls and is a competitor. He's a winner, not a pretty boy who comes out of the game because a player knicked his eyeball. Dudes, we've all been poked in the eye. When its bad, it's really bad right? You cant see shit, it stings and waters. It's just terrible. Peters rolls around on the ground after being knocked down like he got hit by a bundle of lumber. A big bundle. Takes himself out of the game when he gets mud on his arm. Stuff like that. There's a reason he was third string behind O'Korn most of the season. Jim was just trying to please all of the critics and fanbase but deep down inside and behind the scenes, they knew what the problem was with Peters. He's a mental case that needs to grow up and toughen up into a man if he wants to become something on the field. Good luck to you Mr. Peters. You have 8 months to transfrom yourself into something alpha and go down in history as possibly one of the greatest qbs to wear the winged helmet. There are enough pieces around you to get it done. Is the stage too big for a little boy? I think so but I'd be tickled if you proved me wrong kido!
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:03 PM ^
Same thing as all season, OL sucked, QB sucked, we lose.
Our OL has been terrible all year and we were without 2.5 starters this game, it's not surprising they didnt do well.
There's a reason Peters was #3 on the depth chart, because he has a shitty work ethic and attitude and still barely knows any of the playbook after two years. So Harbaugh is 0/1 on QBs, if Dylan sucks too then we can start worry about his qb whisperer pedigree. Otherwise it's just bad luck that he missed on the 1st attempt and not any other one instead.
So of course Drevno looked lost looking at his playsheet, if the offense sucks at everything what the hell can he call that will work? Yeah at least one of, and maybe both of, his OL recruting and OL development has been bad but that's my only gripe with the Harbaugh era so far.
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