Jim Harbaugh calls Michigan 'America's Team' following Penn State win

Move over, Dallas Cowboys, because Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has a new football program in mind to wear the label of “America’s Team.”

At a lively press conference following a Michigan win over Penn State, which Harbaugh did not attend, the head coach spoke to media and was fired up for how his squad performed in the biggest game of their season on Saturday despite his absence. He even had a new moniker for this 2023 Wolverine team.

“The perseverance, you know, and just the stalwartness of these guys. I mean, it’s gotta be America’s Team. It’s gotta be America’s Team,” said Harbaugh, per On3’s Clayton Sayfie, explaining what he and America really admire in a football team.

“America loves a team that beats the odds, beats the adversity, you know, overcomes what the naysayers and critics, so-called experts think. That’s my favorite kind of team.”

Such facts about his team were revealed even more after he had to watch them play on television without coaching them in person this weekend.

“Watching it from that view on the television, it was… finally, people get to see what I see everyday in these players and these coaches.”

Harbaugh would obviously love to man the sidelines himself down the stretch of the regular season, but if he’s not able to, at least he has a very trusted hand guiding the way in Sherrone Moore. After a carousel of assistants led the way during Harbaugh’s other suspension earlier in the year, he entrusted Moore this week and will continue to going forward, noting that he’s “the best of the best.”

Jim Harbaugh certainly had some other interesting things to say after a dramatic weekend on and off the football field. Randomly, he had a bit of a hoarse voice but made sure to let everyone know that he wasn’t feeling ill.

“I don’t know what I have, some kind of virus or something, but I’m not sick, feel great,” said Harbaugh on the topic of his health, tacking on quite the metaphor. “I am the iron wall that viruses bash against and shatter.” He also said that he already completed a “tremendous” workout that morning and may do some more pushups or “eat an apple.”

Whether he is or isn’t on the sidelines against Maryland and Ohio State, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is certainly in good shape and ready to leap back into action at a moment’s notice.