Noteworthy comments from Jim Harbaugh’s pre-Big Ten Championship press conference

Nov 28, 2022 - 7:31 PM

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After answering questions over Zoom on Sunday afternoon, Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh once again addressed the media on Monday, this time from Schembechler Hall.

Here are his most noteworthy comments:

On the performance of his coordinators against Ohio State - “It was incredible. The level of preparation and the level of detail, it was Super Bowl like, and we understand this is like having a Super Bowl every year. When you’re at Michigan, you get to play in a Super Bowl every year, and it was treated as such by our coaches, especially the coordinators. I can’t say enough good things — the amount of preparation and detail that went into this game and ultimately the performance by our team, they were directly responsible.”

On how much of a pivot there was in the strategy following Blake Corum’s injury - “There’s quite a bit, it’s something that (Sherrone Moore) had been planning weekly, monthly. Same with our defensive staff and coaches, and our special teams coaches. I wouldn’t call it adjustment so much as preparation.”

On what’s fueled the ability to adjust so strongly in-game - “That’s who they are, that’s who our players are. They are never about being bitter, they get better. It’s incredible the difference between those two words, it’s one letter. That letter signifies making it about yourself, making it about just you, and with our players it’s about the team, it’s about really doing anything they can for the team.”

On the clutch performance of walk-ons during the Ohio State game - “It warms the cockles of the heart in every way. I’m giving a game ball to every single walk-on that played in the game, just as a token of appreciation for how challenging that is, how tough that is. Not here for the scholarship; here cause they’re really good in school and they’ve gotten really good in football and have contributed so much to our team. Probably nothing more heartwarming than that, when a guy steps up like that — playing for the love of the game, not playing for what they’re getting in return. Just everything is sacrifice and I can’t say enough about our guys like that.”

On how the closeness and selflessness of the team developed - “In my opinion it’s been here for a long, long time. I mean throughout 50 years ago, that is the Michigan program; the team, the team, the team. It is now and I’d expect that to go on into the future. But it’s also definitely some remarkable players that have also been raised that way, are that way and will continue to be that way. So many of our guys are like that in every way, I could give multiple examples.”

On strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert - “To me it was just a combination of, I’d never seen somebody that was old school strength coach, and cutting edge, scientific strength coach. You usually get one or the other, but the absolute perfect blend of old school and cutting edge in every way, detailed strength coach. I did (try to nominate Herbert for the Broyles Award), I did.”