The Michigan Wolverines enter the bye week at a perfect 6-0 thanks to Saturday’s come from behind victory over Nebraska, officially reaching Bowl eligibility and reaching the highest ranking in the AP Top-25 (No. 8) since September of 2019. They’ve enjoyed home victories over Western Michigan, Washington, Northern Illinois, and Rutgers before heading onto the road for consecutive triumphs over Wisconsin and then Nebraska.
Many are viewing this season as a make or break year for Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, who was brought back by the team at a reduced salary. And so far on the season, he believes what he’s seeing from this current edition of the team is different than year’s pas.
“Yeah, it’s a special group of guys that really like football,” he said today. “You see it when they practice, the energy that they bring, the fun they’re having, the grit. And more of them like that.”
Of course, there are several new faces patrolling the sidelines along with Harbaugh this season, and he was quick to give them credit for the improvements that have been made.
“I think it starts with the coordinators,” he explained. “Just the way they work together, the energy and the passion that they bring. I really attribute a lot of that to being a fresh, cohesive group that’s attacking it. On defense, offense and special teams.”
Harbaugh, who remains winless against chief rival Ohio State and only 3-3 against the Michigan State Spartans, issued a bold declaration earlier this summer when talking about the Buckeyes, saying that Michigan will beat them “or die trying”. Are his players more confident?
“It’s a lot of factors,” he said. “Not gonna conflate a bunch of them. But that’s — as I said, it’s a gritty team. They’ve earned, through their preparation they’ve earned that confidence that they have. And they have fun doing it. All things, I think, contribute to the players having confidence.”
– – Quotes via Wolverines Wire Link – –
