Notebook: Gattis talks offe Ethan Sears | Managing Sports Editor
THE RPO
SCHEME BREAKDOWN:
At Big Ten Media Days last month, Maryland c o a c h M i k e Locksley made headlines in characterizing the workload d i st r i b u t i o n between himself and Josh Gattis. The two were co-offensive coordinators at Alabama last year, though Gattis’ responsibilities also included the receivers. When Locksley got the Maryland job, he originally intended to bring Gattis with him, per reports at the time, but then Jim Harbaugh got involved. Gattis instead went to Michigan, taking sole responsibility of the Wolverines’ offense. “(Gattis) was very helpful as an assistant in our program,” Locksley said last month. “He had an opportunity to see me call every play and put together game plans.” On Wednesday, speaking to media for the first time since Michigan opened fall camp last week, Gattis confirmed that he wasn’t calling plays for the Crimson Tide, as he will for the Wolverines. However, he took some exception to the latter part of Locksley’s comments. “Mike Locksley can say I watched
him call every play, but ask him where the game plans usually come from,” Gattis said. “So I’m fine with that. He did call every play, and I’ve got a notebook upstairs with all the game plans written down in them. But I’ve got tremendous respect for him, obviously.” Sniping aside, Gattis faces the mammoth task of satiating expectation that has only grown since the spring. Michigan’s offense returns most of its starters, including senior quarterback Shea Patterson, and with Gattis running the show and implementing a spread, it’s expected to buoy the Wolverines. It’s the first time during the Jim Harbaugh era that the comfort of the fan base rests on the offense. Gattis — as well as the experience that comes back — is the reason why. “Shea is playing the lights out right now,” Gattis said. “I was a little bit worried about him because he spent so much time on the golf course this summer. But his playmaking, his ball placement, his footwork in the pocket, I’ve been really pleased. He’s playing at a really big-time level, so he sets the standard. The other players around him can really see it.” That’s the kind of thing you expect to hear about a senior quarterback in fall camp — all positive. Given that Patterson is coming off the best season a Michigan quarterback has had this side of Denard Robinson, and is now playing in an offense tailored to his skill-set, there’s no reason to doubt Gattis.
Michig tions: Zach and B the ba tween net, th most i
“Zach’ to us, the we fices,” spring mistak
• Gatti produc surpri rave re He als nelius Johnso nectic to com Howev see him Michig
• Don practic though the re the sp could as a po
“He’s done a it over techni sition Gattis • At running back, the biggest question mark going into the year for this sp the Wolverines’ offense, Gattis said catchi
Amid Harbaugh’s praise, Ronnie Bell preparing for increased role Theo Mackie | Daily Sports Editor
ense at start of fall camp
gan likes all five of their opTru Wilson, Christian Turner, Charbonnet, Hassan Haskins Ben VanSumeran. Realistically, attle for the starting job is bethe first three, with Charbonhe freshman, being perhaps the ntriguing option.
• As for the defense, coordinator Don Brown said that junior cornerback Ambry Thomas hasn’t returned to practice, nor did he specify a timeline. The nature of Thomas’ injury is unclear.
• Brown also said that senior defensive tackle Michael Dwumfour ’s maturity stood out right away is practicing, though still working as did the way he is always in his way through a torn plantar faseight room and the coach’s of- cia suffered last season in a win over Gattis said. “He missed all of Maryland. Luiji Vilain, who missed g ball but still hasn’t made any two full seasons with knee ailments, kes in fall camp.” is practicing as well.
is highlighted Mike Sainristil’s ction at wide receiver, little ise after the freshman earned eviews throughout spring ball. so made sure to mention CorJohnson in the same breath. on, a freshman from Conut, has the kind of physicality mpete in the Big Ten already. ver, it would be a surprise to m earn real playing time given gan’s depth at receiver
novan Peoples-Jones has been cing through a groin injury, h Gattis didn’t say whether eceiver was at 100 percent. In ring, Harbaugh said the injury go into the season, so take this ositive development.
been making plays and has a really good job kind of taking r and learning the details and iques that we learn at that poand applying them this camp,” said. “He missed all of that pring, but he’s done a nice job ng up.”
STATS 2018 receiving statistics Donovan Peoples-Jones: 47 rec, 612 yards, 8 TDs Nico Collins: 38 rec, 632 yards, 6 TDs Ronnie Bell (7 GP): 8 rec, 145 yards, 2 TDs Tarik Black (6 GP): 4 rec, 35 yards, 0 TDs
Katelyn Mulcahy / Daily
When Jim Harbaugh was asked about Tarik Black — Michigan’s presumed number three wide receiver going into the offseason — on Monday afternoon, he gave the customary assurance of a strong training camp to spur August optimism. In these settings, Harbaugh prefers to be a man of few words, complimenting the player he’s been asked about and moving on to the next question. Parsing meaning can be fruitless — it’s rarely an endorsement or indictment. This time, he followed up with something far more telling: unprompted praise of sophomore receiver Ronnie Bell. “The other receiver, Ronnie Bell, he’s probably our most improved player on offense who played last year,” Harbaugh said. “If you were to say, ‘Who is your most improved player on offense who played last year?,’ I would say Ronnie Bell.” For Bell, this offseason has been his first with any sort of assuredness in his role. A former basketball player who is only playing college football thanks to a late offer from Michigan, Bell entered his freshman season last year with no playing-time guarantees. Eleven months later, he recalls the turning point coming in the Wolverines’ 56-10 win over Nebraska in late September — “I played quite a bit and that was kind of the jump from there,” he said. But even then, Bell was the fun story of a former basketball player finding his place at Michigan. His 56-yard touch-
down against Nebraska — his first career catch — came in the waning moments of a 46-point blowout. The next week, in a narrow win over Northwestern, his stat line was one rush for negative-two yards. November brought more promise — Bell notched five receptions over the last three games including two against Ohio State — but he still entered the offseason seemingly
I know when it’s time to play, we’re going to play
mired behind Black, Donovan Peoples-Jones and Nico Collins on the depth chart. Even that fourth spot, likely a significant role in Josh Gattis’ offense, was subject to healthy competition. Since then, Bell has revolutionized himself. “I would say I’m much more comfortable, much more mature and just kind of mentally ready for what I’m getting myself into this year than I was last year,” he said. “Last year when I got here, it was more of camp football. This year, it was more of getting ready for
the season, getting my mindset ready to go.” With the season three days away, Bell won’t give his opponents the advantage of knowing the “little details” and route-running improvements he and Gattis have focused on, but both he and Harbaugh are eager to discuss his physical preparations for an increased workload. “His body is changing from a basketball physique to a football physique,” Harbaugh said. “He’s really made ascending strides, very positive.” As a reporter relayed Harbaugh’s assertion to Bell on Tuesday afternoon, he smiled, taking the moment to bask in his coach’s praise. “That sounds good, that sounds good to me,” Bell said. “That’s probably one of the biggest things is just being strong.” But Bell, still listed at just 6’0”, 184 pounds, isn’t staking his claim to playing time on size, even if his signature play of fall camp came on a jump ball catch on a go-route. His ascension began in spring ball, after injuries to Peoples-Jones and Collins afforded him the opportunity to maximize reps as Gattis began to implement his offense. Now the star of fall camp, Bell should have newfound opportunity to translate those reps to game action. “I know when it’s time to play, we’re going to play,” Bell said. “And we’re going to take care of business. All of us.”
AS OPENER APPROACHES, running backs room remains crowded Theo Mackie | Daily Sports Editor Before running backs coach Jay Harbaugh could even situate himself in the middle of his first media availability of the season, the inevitable question came: Has Zach Charbonnet separated himself from Michigan’s other running backs? It’s the inescapable — if understandable — question surrounding Michigan’s run game. Charbonnet carries the sexiness of the unknown and the promise of a four-star, top50 recruit. But as Jay Harbaugh began to reply, he cracked a knowing smile. “All those guys are playing at a high level,” Jay Harbaugh said. “So we’ll see as the season goes on if anyone really separates themselves in the way that you’re looking for me to say.” Seconds later, he confirmed what Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said two days earlier and the assumption that has floated around Schembechler Hall all offseason. Michigan doesn’t have a singular starting running back set to fill the void left by Karan Higdon’s 224 carries and 1,178 rushing yards. For the Wolverines, finding a running back has been an ongoing process since last December, when Higdon announced he would skip that month’s Peach Bowl. The Wolverines’ backfield was headed by Chris Evans and Christian Turner, both spelled by Tru Wilson in what seemed to be a preview of this year’s running game.
Instead, very little remains from that afternoon in Atlanta. Evans was kicked off the team, Charbonnet arrived on campus and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis was hired with the promise of revolutionizing Michigan’s offense. Turner’s breakthrough nearly came in the Peach Bowl, with a 46-yard jet sweep touchdown momentarily providing a glimpse into the Wolverines’ future before it was overturned. “Obviously I feel like I can do better,” Turner said at the time, an expressionless look glued to his face after Michigan’s eventual 41-15 loss. “I’m gonna watch film and see what things I can improve on. There’s always chances to do better. I’m not gonna say that I played good enough cause that’ll make me complacent and that’s not what I’m trying to be cause we need to win these big games.” Eight months later, Turner and the rest of the Wolverines’ running backs have used both spring and fall camp to do exactly that, working into Gattis’ offense and attempting to fill the void left by Higdon. Still, just three days before the season opener, he, Wilson and Charbonnet remain in a three-headed committee, with sophomores Ben Vansumeren and Hassan Haskins occupying the next two spots on the depth chart. “It allows you to put multiple guys on the field at once,” Jay Harbaugh said of Michigan’s running back depth. “Then it
also just lets you survive a season because it’s hard to keep a guy healthy — one or two guys healthy — for 13 games, that’s pretty tough. So you’ve really got to have three, four, five guys that are legitimate contributors for you to make it through a season and we believe we have that.” The Wolverines get an added benefit to their depth at the position thanks to the mix of skill-sets among their top three backs. Wilson earned the most playing time of any returners last year with his pass-blocking ability, while Turner’s speed gives him bigplay potential. Charbonnet possesses a mix of the two, according to Jay Harbaugh, giving him the opportunity to contribute immediately in Gattis’ spread offense. “As a running back, we have more space to work with now because there are going to be less people in the box typically when we’re running the ball,” Jay Harbaugh said. “So just being tough to tackle is probably the main thing because you’re going to get more opportunities where there’s one guy that’s going to make this either a six-yard gain or a 20, 30 yard gain. And being able to win that battle is a huge thing.” With 220 to 275 reps each in camp, all three running backs have begun to familiarize themselves with Gattis’ offense. Now, all three will have the chance to show they can translate those reps into game touches.
Despite personnel losses, defensive line beginning to gel Aria Gerson | Daily Sports Editor
MAN FREE
SCHEME BREAKDOWN:
LOST PRODUCTION
The freshmen on the defensive line have done a lot of screwing up in fall camp. At least, if you ask Aidan Hutchinson. But it’s not entirely a bad thing. “Obviously, they’re screwing up a lot in practice, which is expected, and you gotta let them learn from their mistakes,” the sophomore defensive end said. “But you can also ease that transition into helping them with some little things, but for the most part they just gotta learn from what they do, you gotta do the things, you do them wrong and that’s how you learn.” For Hutchinson, the difference between last year’s fall camp and this year’s is night and day. In 2018, the linemen were led by star ends Rashan Gary and Chase Winovich. Now, they’re gone to the NFL. Previous starters Lawrence Marshall and Bryan Mone graduated. And the guy presumed to take one of the interior spots, Aubrey Solomon, transferred to Ten-
nessee. Last year, Hutchinson was the freshman who didn’t quite know what he was doing, looking up to the established starters. Now, Hutchinson, along with fellow defensive end Kwity Paye and senior lineman Michael Dwumfour, has to be one of the leaders. The switch flipped for Hutchinson in spring ball, when he realized he was the next man up and was capable of making the step forward that came with such a designation. “It is weird,” Hutchinson said. “Looking back at last year and then looking at where I’m at now, it’s really amazing how far I’ve come.” Hutchinson prefers to let the young guys screw up so that they can learn from their mistakes. He adds a few words of encouragement here and there, but he saw the way Gary and linebacker Devin Bush eased him in as a new lineman, letting him figure things out for himself, and he wants to
do the same for the next generation. It’s not just him, either. The loss of Bush, Gary and Winovich has impacted the defense, prompting the upperclassmen to take on a bigger role and the freshmen to show everyone else what they’re made of. “It goes on and on through our position groups and mindsets have changed and everybody’s just taking a bigger step in their role,” said senior linebacker Devin Gil, who named senior Carlo Kemp as a lineman who’d taken on a big leadership role. Much has been made of Michigan’s lack of depth on the defensive line this year, but Gil and Hutchinson believe that won’t last long. Fifth-year senior defensive end Mike Danna, a grad transfer from Central Michigan, has added leadership and explosiveness to the pass rush, and some of the true freshmen have started to come on after learning from those early mistakes. Freshmen Mazi Smith and Chris Hin-
ton both got mentions from c o a c h Jim Harbaugh on Monday, and Hutchinson pointed to Smith as a player stood out because of his driv players have all started to ge growing in skill and confidenc that, more than the personnel is what the linemen hope comes fine the season. “This D-Line, we’re fast, I think bonded, too, just everything w Hutchinson said. “All of us are ing to adopt that attitude of not what anyone says and we’re just go out there and do what we got
Chase Winovich
Rashan Gary
Bryan Mone
Lawrence Marshal
5 sacks, 17 tackles for loss
3.5 sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss
0.5 sacks, 1.5 tackles for loss
0 sacks, 1.5 tackles for loss
How do you replace Devin Bush? Let Michigan’s linebackers explain Ethan Sears | Managing Sports Editor Three of Michigan’s linebackers — Devin Gil, Jordan Glasgow and Josh Ross — spoke to the media this week. Each time, the first question was almost preordained, some variation of, This defense has lost a lot. How can you replace it? Or more specifically for their position: How can you do what Devin Bush did? If any took exception to the insinuation that they simply aren’t as good as Bush, none showed it. Bush was something of a generational talent at Michigan, moving sideline to sideline with the speed and precision of a low-flying aircraft. He papered over holes to the tune of 172 career tackles, a consensus All-American selection last year that morphed into a top-10 selection in April’s NFL Draft. It almost doesn’t matter who is tasked with replacing him because no matter what, there will likely be a drop-off — which speaks more to Bush than anyone else. That is the unsavory task Ross, a junior, finds himself staring down. He spent last year locked in a positional battle with Gil to play next to Bush at the Will position. Now, he’ll be in the middle, carrying all the responsibility that comes with it. “I handle (expectations) well,” Ross said. “I’ll say this, playing with a guy like D-Bush, that dude’s one of the best players I’ve ever been around. So, learning from him, kinda passing the torch into this year for me has been a big deal. So I’m
who ve. The el, too, ce. And losses, s to de-
k we’re we do,” e startt caring t gonna tta do.”
ready to go.” Glasgow noted that Saturday’s opener against Middle Tennessee State won’t be Ross’ first time at the position — he played when Bush rotated out last year, and started last year’s Peach Bowl against Florida when Bush skipped what amounted to an exhibition. That game, though, served as more of a warning for what the Wolverines were losing than anything else. The Gators ran the ball down their throats for 258 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. They went for 428 total yards and romped to a 41-15 win. That shouldn’t be attributed entirely to Bush’s absence, or Rashan Gary’s decision to sit in advance of his own training for the draft. An amalgamation of factors contributed, foremost among them that Michigan — four weeks after Ohio State killed their chances of winning a trophy in the most emphatic way possible — simply didn’t seem to want to be in Atlanta. But it was a harrowing reminder of what things could look like without Bush. And now, until proven otherwise, everything about this defense will be viewed through the lens of its losses. “I don’t think that would be correct in any shape or form,” Glasgow said of the perception that Michigan will be worse than last year. “Every year, every defense loses big people.” He’s not wrong, and he’s not wrong in pointing out the Wolverines have managed to weather worse losses
under Don Brown. In three years with him running the defense, Michigan has never ranked worse than 9th in defensive S&P+, despite losing nearly every starter between 2016 and ‘17. If you want optimism, that’s your fallback. If not, look to the bowl game. Ross has been named as more of a leader, and must be just that. His new position requires vocality, and a more complete understanding of the defense. “Something goes wrong, it’s kinda on you,” Ross said. “Cause you’re out there kinda directing everything.” As for the spot Ross occupied last year, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh named Gil, Glasgow, Cam McGrone and Jordan Anthony as part of the mix. McGrone, along with Ross, also earned a mention as one of the most improved players on defense. Whoever ends up playing will need to do more than Gil and Ross combined for last year. Any mistakes Bush covered up for last season are now more likely to be exposed, the ripple effect of the loss. “(Bush) was able to cover up for some mistakes of the linebackers, but we’ve grown as a linebacker room as individuals,” Glasgow said. “I feel that we’ll be able to cover each other. We might not have a top-10 pick in the linebacker room now, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t be as effective as linebackers, like, in total. “As everyone improves, I feel that we’ll be just as good as we were last year.”
Depth in front seven allowing for healthy competition in camp Akul Vijayvargiya | Summer Managing Sports Editor
ll
Amelia Cacchione / Daily
Losing a majority of starters from his top-five defense, Michigan defensive coordinator Don Brown stood in front of the media five days into training camp, reflecting upon how last season could have gone differently. “The first 19 minutes of the regular season were not very good for the Michigan defense,” Brown said. “The next 10-game stretch was pretty damn good and then we got 19 minutes left (in the final game), and it’s a 7-point game, 8-point game. And the last 19 minutes weren’t very good. If we would have just squeezed out the first 19 and the last 19, which is probably the result of the things we can control, it might have been a historic year. “That means mentally you gotta be tougher, that means from a preparation standpoint, we gotta be better. That means from my standpoint, we have to be better. So, you know, that’s really the challenge.” But perhaps an even greater challenge for Brown is figuring out a combination of 11 guys who can line up on the same side of the field and replicate what last year’s defense did. And though he didn’t give many specific answers as to who the clear-cut favorites are at each position, his answers did often include a plethora of contenders, specifically within the front seven. They showcased the most important thing any defense
needs in order to be successful all season long — depth. With the departures of Rashan Gary and Chase Winovich, the trenches lost the most star power of any unit on defense. Though pass rushers like junior Kwity Paye, sophomore Aidan Hutchinson and junior Donovan Jeter were already expected to step up and follow their predecessors’ footsteps, Brown was most
Probably the most improved guy that I can speak on behalf of is Carlo Kemp impressed with the guys right behind them. “Probably the most improved guy that I can speak on behalf of is Carlo Kemp,” Brown said. “Stronger, way faster, confident. Just body language and the whole deal, leadership, really playing at a high level. Ben Mason vastly improved, obviously was a former running back but we put him into that mix, and we feel good about him.” Brown also mentioned that senior Michael Dwumfour is
continuing to recover from his injury that ended his junior year campaign but he has practiced already as well, making that six guys who are in a position to win four starting roles. The linebacker squad suffered perhaps the greatest loss as middle linebacker and defensive anchor Devin Bush declared for the NFL Draft. And with the SAM being one of the weakest positions in last year’s defense, Brown has his hands full trying to figure out the best fits at each spot. But once again, he preached the depth in the middle unit starting with junior Josh Ross, going as far to say that all of his contending linebackers are some of the best in the nation. “It’s not a challenge to coach Josh Ross — he’s the brightest linebacker I’ve been around in a long time,” Brown said. “Ross, Cameron McGrone, (Jordan) Glasgow, Devin Gil, and Jordan Anthony can play a lot of places in this country, let me just tell you that… this is probably the most depth I’ve had. “Let the competition just go. Isn’t it a beautiful thing when we have five guys who can play all three positions? So, if you’re not playing at your best, sorry.” For Brown, this philosophy won’t stick to just the linebacker unit, though. With the depth he has, it’s starting to become a central theme of fall camp.
AUGUST 31 SEPTEMBER 7 SEPTEMBER 14 SEPTEMBER 21 SEPTEMBER 28 OCTOBER 5 OCTOBER 12 OCTOBER 19 OCTOBER 26 NOVEMBER 2 NOVEMBER 9 NOVEMBER 16 NOVEMBER 23 NOVEMBER 30
MIDDLE TENNESSEE ST ARMY BYE WEEK @ WISCONSIN RUTGERS IOWA @ ILLINOIS @ PENN ST NOTRE DAME @ MARYLAND BYE WEEK MICHIGAN ST @ INDIANA OHIO ST
Projected
DEPTH CHART Offense Quarterback #2 Shea Patterson, SR #10 Dylan McCaffrey, JR #3 Joe Milton, SO #12 Cade McNamara, FR Running Back #13 Tru Wilson, SR #3 Christian Turner, SO #24 Zach Charbonnet, FR #25 Hassan Haskins, SO #40 Ben VanSumeren, SO Full Back #40 Ben VanSumeren, SO #45 Peter Bush, JR Wide Receiver #4 Nico Collins, JR #9 Donovan Peoples-Jones, JR #7 Tarik Black, JR #6 Cornelius Johnson, FR #22 George Johnson, FR #43 Jake McCurry, JR #81 Nate Schoenle, SR Slot Receiver #8 Ronnie Bell, SO #19 Mike Sainristil, FR #15 Giles Jackson, FR #22 George Johnson, FR Tight End #84 Sean McKeon, SR #82 Nick Eubanks, SR #83 Erick All, FR #86 Luke Schoonmaker, SO #85 Mustapha Muhammad, SO Left Tackle #75 Jon Runyan Jr., 5th #76 Ryan Hayes, SO #53 Trent Jones, FR Left Guard #74 Ben Bredeson, SR #66 Chuck Filiaga, JR #52 Karsen Barnhart, FR #58 Zach Carpenter, FR Center #51 Cesar Ruiz, JR #72 Stephen Spanellis, 5th #68 Andrew Vastardis, SR #58 Zach Carpenter, FR
Alexis Rankin / Daily
#80 Mike Morris, FR Defensive End #97 Aidan Hutchinson, SO #19 Kwity Paye, JR #4 Mike Danna, 5th #18 Luiji Vilain, JR #91 Taylor Upshaw, SO #71 David Ojabo, FR #99 Gabe Newburg, FR #96 Julius Welschof, SO Viper #7 Khaleke Hudson, SR #10 Anthony Solomon, FR #23 Michael Barrett, SO #9 Joey Velazquez, FR SAM #6 Josh Uche, SR #10 Anthony Solomon, FR #23 Michael Barrett, SO MIKE #12 Josh Ross, JR #34 Jordan Anthony, JR #44 Cam McGrone, SO #13 Charles Thomas, FR WILL #8 Devin Gil, SR #44 Cam McGrone, SO #29 Jordan Glasgow, 5th #34 Jordan Anthony, JR #13 Charles Thomas, FR Cornerback #24 Lavert Hill, SR #1 Ambry Thomas, JR (*inj.) #31 Vincent Gray, SO #16 Jaylen Kelly-Powell, JR #5 DJ Turner, FR #9 Gemon Green, SO #3 Jalen Perry, FR #17 Sammy Faustin, SO Nickelback #16 Jaylen Kelly-Powell, JR #20 Brad Hawkins, JR #30 Daxton Hill, FR Free Safety #20 Brad Hawkins, JR #26 J’Marick Woods, JR #30 Daxton Hill, FR #17 Sammy Faustin, SO
Right Guard #50 Michael Onwenu, SR #59 Joel Honigford, JR #55 Nolan Rumler, FR
Strong Safety #14 Josh Metellus, SR #20 Brad Hawkins, JR #13 German Green, SO #23 Quinten Johnson, FR
Right Tackle #73 Jalen Mayfield, SO #76 Ryan Hayes, SO #70 Jack Stewart, FR #77 Trevor Keegan, FR #71 Andrew Stueber, JR (*OUT)
Special Teams
Defense Nose Tackle #2 Carlo Kemp, SR #58 Mazi Smith, FR #42 Ben Mason, JR #92 Phillip Paea, JR Defensive Tackle #50 Michael Dwumfour, SR #15 Chris Hinton, FR #95 Donovan Jeter, JR
Kicker #2 Jake Moody, SO #3 Quinn Nordin, SR Punter #3 Brad Robbins, JR #17 Will Hart, SR Kick Returner #1 Ambry Thomas, JR (Inj.) #15 Giles Jackson, FR #19 Mike Sainristil, FR Punt Returner #9 Donovan Peoples-Jones, JR #15 Giles Jackson, FR #19 Mike Sainristil, FR
The Harbaugh Paradox Max Marcovitch | Managing Sports Editor I was at the doctor’s office the other day — stay with me here — and we started exchanging pleasantries. We got into school, what I was trying to do in a year (because no good conversation ends without some existential dread) and then Michigan football. It was then that he uttered a sentiment I’d heard dozens of times before. This one’s make or break for Harbaugh, right? I shrugged it off and told him Jim Harbaugh has this job for as long as he wants it. They could go 6-6, I said and believe, and Harbaugh would still man the sidelines next year. The whole exchange, one that’s quite common outside the state of Michigan these days, is ironic because this Michigan team might be the most talented in over a decade. In Harbaugh’s four years, the Wolverines have the 10th best record in the FBS. Michigan has double-digit wins in three of the last four years; the last time that happened was before the turn of the century. The 2020 recruiting class is on its way to being Harbaugh’s fourth top-10 class in five years; Michigan hasn’t done that since the mid-2000s. By any veritable metric, this is the healthiest spot the program has been in since the mid-Lloyd Carr years. And so, this disconnect fascinates me endlessly. Now that I’m back above
the Mason-Dixon Line for the year, I’ve settled on two explanations. The first, and most topical, is the warped perspective outsiders have of Jim Harbaugh as a person. This is, to be sure, at least partly his own doing. In the case of the James Hudson/ Luke Fickell sh*tstorm, Harbaugh communicated a worthwhile message in maybe the most destructive possible way. Instead of plainly advocating for his desired one-time free transfer for all student-athletes (the most progressive, player-friendly proposal out there!), he insinuated Hudson lied about his depression. At best, he was vague. At worst, he was irresponsibly insensitive. In the instance of the quote he gave to John U. Bacon for his book — that “it’s hard to beat the cheaters” — the context is an off-hand remark about the underbelly of college football recruiting. But if you so choose, it’s not hard to construe the comment as a preach-y, holier-than-thou excuse for losing. As a result, there is a degree of schadenfreude from the Paul Finebaums of the world who seek blood. When that blood arrives in the form of another big loss, it leaves Harbaugh’s national public image tattered. Which goes hand-in-hand with the second explanation: that one game,
The Game, consumes so much national oxygen that it has come to envelope any underlying positives in the program. It can only be written so many times that Harbaugh just has to beat Ohio State, and it’s written so many times because it’s true. It’s true in the pragmatic sense: Michigan likely cannot achieve any of its goals without doing so. It’s true in the symbolic sense: beating Ohio State is, on its own, one of those big goals — and a prerequisite for defining any year with “success”. These conflation of factors then warp the national conversation into a muddled cesspool of takes that bely what really exists within Michigan’s program. I am of the belief that whether or not Harbaugh spouts some new headline and feeds that insatiable bloodthirst matters none, for what it’s worth. It’s hard for me to see how that correlates to his team’s preparation for the Buckeyes, and so, frankly, none of it is worth the time of day. But it is undoubtedly a reason my doctor, among others, expects Harbaugh’s head on a stake if this year doesn’t go according to plan, while those in and around the program understand that even if this is the plateau — between the 5th and 10th best program in the country — any
possible alternative would likely be far worse, not better. This is the crux of the Harbaugh Paradox, as I have come to understand it. That’s not to say there aren’t consequences if this isn’t the year he and Michigan dispatch Ohio State and/ or win the Big Ten. Those consequences, for what it’s worth, are likely what brought Josh Gattis to town. That’s a credit to Harbaugh’s willing evolution. This really should be the year. The offense has an all-Big Ten caliber senior quarterback, three potential NFL receivers and four returning starting offensive linemen. The defense has an able crop of talent to reload with, if still with a few lingering questions. All the while, Ohio State should be in its most vulnerable spot since pre-Urban Meyer. If it is the year, the rest of the college football world will come to understand his value, even if the distaste for him remains. But if this year follows the now-familiar path, that divergent perception of Harbaugh will only become more entrenched. And I’ll be having that exact same conversation with my doctor a year from now.
Roundtable: The Daily football beat predicts the season Here comes year five of the Jim Harbaugh era. And with it comes perhaps Michigan’s most opportune shot at a Big Ten title. Urban Meyer’s retirement has opened up a window, the thinking goes, for a shift in the paradigm of power in the Big Ten. Last year was the second in which Harbaugh took his team to the final week against Ohio State with an appearance in the Big Ten title game on the line. Instead of a trip to Indianapolis the team left Columbus with a seventh-consecutive loss to the Buckeyes. This year, The Game is at home. Michigan returns a senior quarterback, four starting offensive linemen and three potential NFL wide receivers. Don Brown will pilot a young but talented defense. Hope is aplenty in Ann Arbor. Can the Wolverines finally breakthrough and claim their first Big Ten Title since 2005 — and potentially more? The Daily football beat — Max Marcovitch, Aria Gerson, Ethan Sears and Theo Mackie — has some thoughts. Here are a handful of (surefire) predictions as the college football season rapidly approaches. Offensive MVP Marcovitch: Shea Patterson. To me, the difference between a Michigan offense that finishes top-15 in S&P+ and one that finishes top-5 is Patterson playing at a Heisman caliber level. (For reference, the Wolverines finished 25th in the category last year, their best mark of the Harbaugh era). In this offense, it’s at least plausible. Gerson: Shea Patterson. Michigan has tons of weapons in its receiving corps, and Patterson is the most experienced quarterback in the Big Ten. This new offense plays to his strengths, and I see him taking a step forward this year. Sears: Shea Patterson, if only because it’s pretty hard to argue for anyone else. The running back position might be the team’s biggest question, and Patterson will be on the other end of any wide receivers who put up numbers. More importantly, he’s a returning starter who threw for 2,600 yards last year and gets to play in an offense better-suited to his ability. Mackie: Donovan Peoples-Jones. If Michigan’s offense is among the best in the country this year — which it should be — it will be on the back of an explosive passing attack that uses
its trio of uber-talented receivers to their full potential. Peoples-Jones is the best of those receivers, even if he’s only displayed it in small bursts in his first two years. This should be the year he becomes an All-American-level receiver. Defensive MVP Marcovitch: Josh Uche. Double-digit sack potential on a defense with loads of production to replace. Gerson: Lavert Hill. The defense lost a lot, and Hill — a third team All-American in 2018 — has played at an elite level in the past. He’ll anchor a young secondary and dares teams to target him. Sears: Lavert Hill is easily the most dependable player on this defense right now. According to Pro Football Focus, Hill allowed just 0.64 yards per coverage snap last season, tied for the fewest among returning Big Ten corners. He’s the kind of corner that’s necessary for a Don Brown defense to succeed — steady, reliable and able to win 1-on-1 matchups against almost anyone. Mackie: Lavert Hill. It’s the vanilla pick, but Hill is the quiet lockdown corner who got overshadowed by all of this defense’s NFL talent last year. He won’t be the key to Michigan’s defensive success, but he’ll be its best player. Breakout player Marcovitch: Does Mike Sainristil even count? OK fine, I’ll go with Brad Hawkins. Bonus pick (because I’ve awarded myself three selections and still don’t quite understand who qualifies as “breakout”): Mike Danna. Gerson: Kwity Paye. The junior, who will step into one of the defensive end spots, got playing time even as a true freshman and was an All-Big Ten honorable mention as a reserve last year. Now, as one of Michigan’s presumed starters at defensive end, he gets the chance to truly show what he’s made of — and under the tutelage of Don Brown and Shaun Nua, he’ll do just that. Sears: I liked what I saw from Aidan Hutchinson last year. With an increase in snaps and an expectation to replace a lot of departed production on the defensive line, it feels like he’s in line to put up some numbers. Mackie: Aidan Hutchinson. With
Rashan Gary and Chase Winovich gone, Hutchinson, Kwity Paye and Josh Uche will need to step up for Michigan’s defense to generate the pressure that made it so good for 11 weeks last year. Uche’s sack rate last year makes him the sexy option, but Hutchinson is a physical beast who impressed in limited snaps as a freshman and has been one of the most discussed names by both coaches and players all offseason. Michigan wins the Big Ten if … Marcovitch: The offense will take a step forward — the question is really how big. The defense will be just fine, if not immediately then soon thereafter. It’s all about Ohio State. The talent disparity between the two is no longer drastic. The Game is at home. Urban Meyer is gone. The coaching staff says they’ve learned from last year. This has to be the year. Gerson: Josh Gattis solves Michigan’s previous problem of the offense disappearing in big games and installs a more efficient, modern system. Meanwhile, the new players on the defense step up and let the Wolverines forget about what they lost. Sears: It clears the mental hurdle of beating Ohio State. On paper, this team has more than enough to go into Nov. 30 with a chance to make the playoffs with a win for the third time in five years under Harbaugh. On paper, Ohio State is weaker than ever, and it doesn’t hurt that the game is in Ann Arbor. Michigan just has to, you know, win. Mackie: Its defense replaces Gary, Winovich, Bush and Long adequately. The offensive line should be Harbaugh’s best at Michigan, Patterson is a potential first-round pick and Peoples-Jones and Nico Collins could both be All-Americans. All the defense needs to do is merely be good, but that may be a tougher task than it seems. Michigan doesn’t win the Big Ten if … Marcovitch: There’s a sneaky possibility Michigan doesn’t even get to Ohio State with a chance. Playing at Wisconsin that early is going to be a massive test, especially for the question marks on the interior defensive line against that running game. Winning at State College in a whiteout game is never easy. Michigan State is Michigan State. Life’s never easy in the Big Ten,
especially when replacing as many key contributors as this defense is. Gerson: The loss of Devin Bush, David Long, Rashan Gary and Chase Winovich proves too much to bear and the defense doesn’t play at the same elite level as last year. It’s the Peach Bowl all over again as the linebackers and secondary get torched against good opponents. Sears: A quietly tough schedule strikes early, the losses on defense get exposed and the excitement around the offense turns to lingering questions as Harbaugh loses trust in Gattis fast. Good as this team is, it’s not hard to construct a disaster scenario. Mackie: Everything doesn’t fall into place perfectly. This team is good, but it’s going to be really hard to win a conference with Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin and Michigan State. Michigan should be the favorite, but it still needs to navigate a daunting schedule, replace four of its best players on defense and successfully install a new offense. That’s a lot of things that need to go right. Michigan season prediction Marcovitch: 10-2 with losses at Penn State and at home to Ohio State. Insert “New Year’s Six bowl that no one really cares about” here. Wash, rinse, repeat. You know the drill by now. Gerson: 10-2. I don’t think Michigan will be good enough to get through its gauntlet of various Big Ten teams and Notre Dame unscathed — but I don’t see any other team in the conference being good enough to do it, either. The Wolverines make a New Year’s Six bowl somewhere warm, which they probably lose, because that’s just what Michigan does. Sears: 10-2, with losses to Ohio State and one of Army/Penn State/Notre Dame/Michigan State but with a win in a New Year’s Six bowl. That would be the best season of the Harbaugh era, but little enough that it will leave fans wondering if Michigan will ever really contend for a title. Mackie: 11-1. The defensive losses are a major concern, but if Don Brown does what he does, only one Big Ten team has the offensive firepower to exploit them. Unfortunately for Michigan, that one team is Ohio State and yet another season will go bust the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
Evan Aaron / Daily