Everything Jim Harbaugh said at Michigan football Week 9 press conference
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Never before has a Monday press conference for Michigan football had so much intrigue.
Sure, there have been big matchups, but the alleged illegal sign-stealing revelation came to light on a Thursday night before the Wolverines played rival MSU, and the bye week was the following week. So Jim Harbaugh has only been available to the media in the postgame in East Lansing.
It is an NCAA investigation, but there are multiple topics surrounding it. Harbaugh cannot discuss the ongoing investigation, but he had some answers to tertiary questions.
Wolverines Wire’s Isaiah Hole was on the scene. Here’s everything Harbaugh said on Monday.
Was his contract extension rescinded?
I wouldn’t say that’s accurate, no. And the university has a policy. I think they made a statement, right Dave? About the policy on contracts and publicly talking about them. I think it was worded something like they don’t comment about them until after they’re done.
How do these investigations affect his legacy at Michigan?
Is it a head coach's job to know everything that's happening in his program?
Was the team illegally hacked by the outside investigative firm?
Yeah, I’m not gonna get into — I got a one-track mind. I’m not gonna be speculating, can let others speculate that on the various speculation that’s out there. It would be unfair to the team to not just be coaching the team.
Was anything illegally obtained?
(Team spokesperson): Just so you guys know, there’s only certain things we can comment on. So we got to move forward or this is not going to be very long.
What does he say to alums who are embarrassed?
This again, that’s I mean, that’s speculation. I would say everybody’s entitled their opinion.
Having a leader like Mike Barrett going into the home stretch
As far as leadership, either of the two linebackers — Junior Colson, Michael Barrett and Ernest Hausmann as well. If I was a young linebacker, I would be wearing those two, three guys out, around them at all times. And to the point where they would have to beat them off would have to beat me off with a stick. Just everything they’re doing, Michael Barrett, Junior, Ernest, anything and everything that they’re doing — that would be that’d be my advice. Let them lead and follow their example.
Emulate him. Watch him. Copy him. And then try to go make Michael Barrett proud of you.
Is there a new refreshed message for the team?
Yeah, that’s the message — come up with a plan, practice it and then go execute the plan.
How does the team balance rest and preparation during the bye week?
You do both at the same time. We had a good week last week. In fact, it was so good that gave guys one extra day from what was planned, originally. And the opportunity to get away from football, get with their families, or, every guy did something — not every single guy went home, some guys stayed, did treatment, did whatever they thought was best for them.
Is there something he wishes he could say about the investigation?
I mean, I’m with you. I’m with you in the situation, but it’s — you just have to let it play out, cooperate with the investigation, and then watch how it plays out. That’s but the speculation part, I mean, as I said, just too much of a one-track mind and coaching the team to be able to engage in every piece of speculation that seems to be any and everywhere.
Keeping a one-track mind, and thoughts about night games
Yeah. I just channel my inner William Wallace. And that’s the visual I think of, keep a one-track mind.
And night games, the team is prepared to play 12 o’clock kickoffs. 3:30, 7:30, 9:00, whatever it is. It’s a team that understands and prepares and whatever the situation, it’s not always going to be 72 and zero humidity either. It’s gonna be cold, could be wet, could be hot. So they don’t have to have everything set perfect.
They’re like field corn as opposed to being a houseplant. Nothing against houseplants, they have their other functions, they can be beautiful in the home. They can bring great, great beauty and value to a home. But the field corn, drop a seed in a crack on the sidewalk and it will burrow down and come up with any energy that it can find and then rise up in a stalk-like fashion and just start producing. I would say that’s what our team is more like.
Pitfalls of coming off a bye week
Play when they’re scheduled, when they’re scheduled, where they’re scheduled. And that’s — yeah, I mean, there’s preferences I have, too. I mean, I prefer toe meet leather at 12 o’clock, noon, on a Saturday afternoon. And, but I, like a lot of everybody prefer to be 72 and sunny and no humidity. But that’s not reality. That’s not the facts. So you get prepared to play in any condition, anytime, anywhere. And just go out and do your best to prepare for it. Go do the best you possibly can.
Eager to get back to playing?
Yeah, I mean, it hasn’t changed. It’s been a one-track mind. You know, get up and take care of business that day, then you go to sleep, get up and take care of business again the next day. And last week that was it, was three days of practice and a fourth day of training. And then there was Friday, Saturday and Sunday of that refreshing, rehabbing. And that’s it, takes focus and concentration too, so now we’re back to maybe a practice day. So wake up, take care of business.
How long will the NCAA investigation take?
Same kind of question, I’m not dodging your question, just one of those things that’s speculation, and I don’t have a timetable for it. So, I can’t give you one.
They haven't given a timeline?
Again, stuff we just can’t talk about. I’d love to. I’m like you, I’m in all your positions. Let it all play out.
The team's national championship chances
We just take it one at a time. And I’ve shared that before, probably last year right about this time. Year before, right about this time. As Jackie Harbaugh would say, you can take one day at a time, one game at a time, one play at a time. The best advice I’ve ever gotten.
How should the College Football Playoff committee evaluate Michigan football?
Yeah, same answers I gave last year this time when that question was asked, the year before that, when that question was asked. We just focus on one-track mind of taking care of business today.
Have any of these distractions impacted his one-track mind?
I don’t really have a list of everything I’ve done with every hour. As I said, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, was working. And then Friday, Saturday, spent time with the family. Sunday was a split day. Worked half the day and spent the time with the family the other half.
The vibes of the Michigan administration
I can talk about the football game this Saturday. I can talk about Purdue and the vibes and the preparation and where it stands today. It doesn’t seem like you’re interested in that. But that’s what I could talk about.
Message to the fans
No, I don’t have a message right now. As I said, everybody’s welcome to their opinion. I think the people that know us the most think the most of us.
Will Kalel Mullings return from injury?
Kalel is back practicing.
Did he feel blindsided with this investigation?
I was very forthright in the statement. I just refer you back to that, that was forthright and spoke the most volumes, that’s where I stood. Probably a question that can answer itself.
