Michigan Football Week 2 – Head Coach Jim Harbaugh

9/3/22 Michigan 51 Colorado State 7
9/5/22 Week 2 Press Conference
9/10/22 Hawaii @ Michigan

Q:
Jim, after reviewing the film for Saturday’s game what did you like about what Cade did and what do you think he could have improved upon?

Harbaugh:
I thought Cade had a really solid game, I think he walked away mad at himself for missing CJ Johnson on the crossing route and threw the ball to CJ a little wide on the opposite boundary. But, you know, other than that, he made some terrific throws, heck of a two minute drive. You know, I think that’s just the way he is, he’s a perfectionist. So I thought it was a really solid game.

Q:
Do you think the offensive line performed especially considering he had a lot of pieces in different areas? And do you have any update on Karsen Barnhart?

Harbaugh:
Yeah, he’s got a sprained ankle and probably not gonna be available this week. But he played really good, very well. Olu played really good. Keegan and Zinter graded out the highest, played the best. I’d give the game ball to Trevor Keegan, the way he played and also played in there at left tackle when Karsen went out. So that was really good, really pleased. Also the second O line when they went into the game, you know, they put together a heck of a good drive. Persi, Greg Crippen played very well, Reese Atteberry, he’s gotten it out there, he played good. Trente had some some really good snaps. So overall, we felt like we were 10, 11, 12 deep in the offensive line. I thought they played good.

I think you know exactly where I stand on that, well documented that I do believe the players should receive a revenue share, you know, from the massive TV deals that are being worked out. Don’t you agree?

Jim Harbaugh

Q:
Jim, when we talked to you during fall camp, you mentioned being open to playing both quarterbacks in each game into the season, you didn’t want to withhold anything that would be good for the team. After the game, Cade kind of said that you suggested to the quarterbacks that you didn’t want to do the alternating system that you would prefer having one over the other, I guess which which way are you leaning at this point?

Harbaugh:
We plowed this ground about as thoroughly as it can possibly be plowed. I mean, dating back to the summer, when you asked this question, so yeah, one could start, the other could start or could be a combination of both in the game. So those are the options. You know, happy that we’ve still got another another week to look at it. As we said that each would each would get a start. And, you know, make it as fair as it possibly be.

Q:
I guess, is there a reason Cane doesn’t seem to think you’re open to the back and forth?

Harbaugh:
Well, I think I said same thing to you guys, I’d prefer to have have a starting quarterback going in to each ballgame…been very transparent with that. And also said that if things are exactly the same as they were coming out of camp, which is pretty close to dead even then we were going to have to as coaches find a way to maximize both of their talents, you know, and for the best use of the team and that’s, that remains a very viable option.

Q:
Jim, your thoughts on the expanded playoff? And as someone who often advocates for student athletes, do you have any innovative ways to help them get a cut, especially if they play 17 games?

Harbaugh:
You talking about the expanding to 12 games? Yeah, it’s great. All for it.

Q:
And with players maybe playing 16-17 games?

Harbaugh:
I think you know exactly where I stand on that, well documented that I do believe the players should receive a revenue share, you know, from the massive TV deals that are being worked out. Don’t you agree, what do you think?

Q:
I think they should get a cut, if they play 17 games, especially. You usually have those ideas…

Harbaugh:
You know, as I said, back in the summer, I think a large piece of come from the ones who are negotiating those TV deals- The Big 10- I mean, it’s seven point something billion? It’s a lot of billions. It’s a lot of money. You know? Yeah, I think that players should receive a revenue share.

Q:
Coach, could you talk about recruiting Roman Wilson and that whole sort of timeline?

Harbaugh:
It really helped that both Mom and Dad had Michigan ties, both went to Michigan, Western Michigan Mom from from the up originally. Same time as Barry Pierson, I think I’m right on that, she was a track runner. So that really helped, even though Roman was in Hawaii. I think it helped with the parents having the Midwest ties. But yeah, he’s just a great guy all the way around. Great competitor and tough as nails. Love Roman, great fit, you know, Roman Wilson, Michigan, you’ve always thought that was a great fit.

Q:
Did you fly out to recruit him?

Harbaugh:
Of course, I think just the one time that I was allowed to during the contact period, which was, they got it now the head coach can only get to the guy he wants once, pretty much sometimes twice. But I get the one visit during the contact period.

Q:
First impressions of Jesse Minter on how he called the defense on Saturday?

Harbaugh:
Really good. I mean, the headsets were clean, smooth. I mean, the operations were clean, smooth in all three phases, I thought it was really good. He’s a calm, cool collected guy, you know and just the whole operation, signaling, communication. That was a plus plus, from what I saw.

Q:
I think you mentioned at 84 players playing on Saturday, when you have three games where you can potentially get that deep in the roster, how do you balance playing younger guys versus maybe holding out for richer?

Harbaugh:
Well, you can have four games and still receive a red shirt. So our philosophy has always been that they’re going to be better in the fifth year than they would be in their freshman year. But if they can make it into the two deep, and get playing time, every week, we feel like there’ll be better football players for having played football. I mean, you get better at football by playing football. So that’s really it, if they can be in the too deep we play them in over four games. And if it’s going to be something equivalent to not important time in the game, then, you know, we were just playing up to four games. But those will be individual decisions based on how much they can contribute versus being that much better in their in the fifth year.

Q:
With the read option threat how much does JJ open up the inside running game?

Harbaugh:
I think he definitely pulls defenders some and they have to know where he is. I mean, our our defensive coaches him the same way…There needs to be a plan when somebody when a quarterback can run in the four-fives, and that’s faster than linebackers. So you gotta have a plan to contain that. So you definitely can see even if he’s carrying out fake somebody’s paying attention.

Q:
Going back to 2020 when Cade got hurt on a run against Penn State. I mean, how much did that kind of change your mindset as far as using him as a running option?

Harbaugh:
We still use him as a running option. I mean, we called a quarterback draw in the Big 10 championship game, if you’ll recall.

Q:
On JJ- do you encourage him to get out of bounds, slide a little bit when he takes some contact, like the Georgia game, he took some hits? How to do you temper that so he doesn’t limit his playmaking ability?

Harbaugh:
I like to see him get down, you know, a little more. I mean, it’s something to keep improving. Once he gets the first down, try to get down…Also understand that as a quarterback I mean, you’d like to get some kind of contact, you know, early when you’re out there. I mean, that’s really why I try to simulate hitting them with the pads and you know, in the front, the back and pounding on the helmet a little bit just because it’s always good. You gotta get the butterflies out, you know, just blocking somebody or getting hit or running and it helps to get the butterflies out I found every everybody’s a little different. But yeah, to answer your question, I’d like to see him get down a little quicker once he’s got the first down.

Q:
Jim, after the game, you mentioned playing 84 guys. Is that a trend that you’d like to continue with the next two non conference games or is there a point where you taper down to get ready for Big 10 play by giving the primary contributors more reps?

Harbaugh:
You can get better at football by playing football and if we have opportunity, you know, always gonna play guys as much as we can. Right now we got over 100 on the roster that have played in games. I’d like to set a record, I’d like to get to 120 or 130, hopefully maybe we get everybody have played football I mean, that makes the team better. Great for the morale of the team. Everyone wants to play, let’s see how many we can get hopefully we’ll be in that position. You don’t know if we’ll be in that position or not but if we if we are we’re going to get as many guys in there as we can.

Q:
Jim, did CJ Stokes surprise you with how prepared he was to play right away and what allowed him to get out there as quickly as he did?

Harbaugh:
No, I really thought he was going to have a big game. I mean, I told him in the days leading up to the game, I don’t if it’s this game or the next you’re gonna be one of those freshmen that everybody’s talking about- he’s just good. Super important to him, he’s a studier and very, very focused player and a really talented too. So it’s fun to see his first run be a long 13 -14 yard pickup.

Q:
Now that you’ve had some time to kind of look back what what did you see with Derek Moore?

Harbaugh:
Yeah, I saw a lot of good things from a lot of people.

Start defensively, Mike Sainristil was all over the field. I mean, he was everywhere and pretty much what I loved was just how many how many winged helmets were showing up in the picture frame of every clip. Just great pursuit right to the football.

Jaylen Harrell had a phenomenal game with four tackles and a sack. Rod Moore an interception, four tackles, a sack. Also super pleased with Makari Paige, who is he was running, hitting, I mean just how far he’s come. I remember back in his freshman days of being a little slender and you know, a very good athlete but now he comes up and hits and we’re really, really excited about that.

Mike Barrett as another one, I’m gonna I’m gonna take a little deep, long bow on that one. Because when he we were recruiting him as a quarterback out of Georgia…people were like, well, there’s no position he can play, “he’s gonna be a safety, he’s going to be a linebacker, you know, he’s gonna be one of the two, you can see that?” And now to watch him and he’s made his mark on special teams, and the linebacker position these days especially as much nickel is we play and all teams playing football, he’s just out there running, hitting, and tackling, what did he have eight tackles, six tackles, and a sack? and doing a great job on special teams I mean there’s a there’s a real football player right there and I’m just super super happy and proud of him. I guess the days of the middle linebacker you know kind of went the way of the down safety in cover three. You need to be able to run sideline to sideline, tackle and play and I’m just really happy with Mike…he’ll be playing this game for a long time. So really proud of him.

Other guys…Giovanni El-Hadi got significant snaps in the game great to see his developments been very good. And another guy Eamonn Dennis, he’ll be our special teams player of the week, he had both tackles on the two punts that we had in the game, really good, punting, Brad Robins 47 net, Jake moody continues his streak, I think it’s around 12 in a row, something like that. Great to see him get some, some kicks and be successful there.

So you know, a lot of really good positive things we can improve on. I want to prove more on our coverage, punt coverage and kickoff coverage and field goal protection was a little loose and some other stuff, so. But yeah, as I said after the game, smooth, a really clean type of football game.

Q:
Coach, it looked like the players had a sticker acknowledging the 50th anniversary of the Title IX legislation on their helmets. Is that something that you and the coaching staff wanted to emphasize this year, either either in public or with the players?

Harbaugh:
Yeah. We wanted to recognize that both internally and publicly that anniversary, and how important it is.

Q:
When preparing your team for Hawaii, what do you tell them to respect the team this lost 112 to 27 in their first two games?

Harbaugh:
Yeah, we’re just trying to get as good at football as we can as fast as we can. I mean, you always respect your opponent. And that’s it, you take nothing for granted. And also, we’re going to need to improve, we have to improve I mean, I saw some, some darn good football teams playing after our game, able to watch them on TV- teams like Georgia, Ohio State and Alabama. Notre Dame was real good. There’s a lot a lot of good football teams playing playing good. So we got we got to get better and better, better, better, better. That’s, that’s what we’ll talk about.

Edits made for clarity.