Jim Harbaugh describes Michigan's preparation in one word and reveals the infectious mentality of his men
Jim Harbaugh is gearing up for a third consecutive Big Ten Championship this year. And he has just one word in mind when it comes to talking about the preparations taking place at the training camp of the Michigan Wolverines.
The 59-year-old has been the Wolverines' coach since 2014. And his record as a college football coach is pretty impressive.
Jim Harbaugh is a part of the four Big Ten coaches who won more than 10 games each in their initial two seasons with their respective teams. When it comes to players, there is no shortage in the quality of the talent pool under Harbaugh.
The Wolverines had Mazi Smith, who was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the first round of the 2023 draft. And even the 2023 rosters boast players with exceptional talents, such as Blake Corum, Donovan Edwards, JJ McCarthy, Will Johnson, and others.
During a recent press meet, Jim Harbaugh was questioned about how the situation looked like for the team in fall camp. When he answered this question, he had just one word to describe the atmosphere and the mentality of his players, 'Vibrant'.
Harbaugh said:
"Vibrant. This is vibrant. That's my word. I can't get that word out of my head. It just best describes the vibe, the mentality. It's infectious. Can't help but not pick up on that and that was well defined. It's vibrant"
It looks like Harbaugh is positive about having another stellar season from the looks of his comments. His players are focused and committed to the end goal, and the thought of being the Big 10 champions for three consecutive seasons is truly an enticing factor.
However, amidst the preparations, Jim Harbaugh is currently facing an investigation by the NCAA. This comes from allegations that the Michigan Wolverines violated NCAA regulations regarding recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period.
NCAA backs out of agreed four-game suspension for Jim Harbaugh
Initially, it was agreed that the 59-year-old would serve a four-game suspension for his alleged involvement in the recruitment violations. But NCAA rejected this agreement, with vice president Derrick Crawford coming forward to shed light on the seriousness of the violation.
"The Michigan infractions case is related to impermissible on and off-campus recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period and impermissible coaching activites - not a cheeseburger," Crawford said.
With the initial punishment now scraped off, one can only wonder what the next course of action will be by the NCAA for the Michigan case. Amidst this, Harbaugh can breathe a sigh of relief that his players with the Wolverines are not affected by these hindrances, and they still have their priorities set straight for the 2023 campaign.
"It's got to come from the players, right? From any individual. I've tried to make guys love football, have enthusiasm, attack each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind. Make them love football, everything in my power, I've come to the realization that it's got to come from the individual, no matter how hard you try," Harbaugh said.
The Wolverines are set to face the East Carolina Pirates on the 2nd of September for their home opener. And for Jim Harbaugh, it will be a question of whether he can use the talents at his disposal to make it a three-peat in the Big Ten Conference.