Jim Harbaugh shares how Michigan remained in the game during offensive issues

Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh had a problem in the second half of the Rose Bowl against Alabama. The offense was struggling to find any kind of success. Still, the Wolverines managed to figure things out and keep the game close enough to tie in regulation and win it in overtime.

After the game, Harbaugh shared how Michigan was able to remain in the game while the offense was having its issues.

“I would just say that it’s just the way this team depth is built and how connected they are as players and we are as a team,” Jim Harbaugh said. “It’s unanimous support for each and every guy.”

Harbaugh explained that, given what this Michigan team has been through, it was easy to deal with something like offensive struggles.

“It’s almost been an unfair advantage, all the things that the team has gone through. We don’t care anymore. Don’t care what people say. Don’t care about anything that comes up. We just know we’re going to overcome it because it’s unanimous support from every single guy on the team.”

For Jim Harbaugh, the other key thing for the offense getting through its struggles was having experienced players like running back Blake Corum and quarterback JJ McCarthy to be able to rely on.

“Blake, the best. There’s nobody we love more than Blake. Let’s get Blake up here. Yeah, and the guys up front, the front seven and the defense, the coverage on the back end, our offensive line, our tight ends, our running backs, just the physicality. That was two teams that were really physical, really tough teams up front. I really felt this game was — if ever a game was going to be won up front, it was going to be won with toughness and physicality, and our guys were just there in rhythm and got it done,” Harbaugh said.

“Epic game. Epic game. The stick-togetherness — I guess what people don’t know, how could they know what the togetherness is like. There’s just nothing that can separate these guys. But Blake is the huge — he’s — in so many ways JJ is the glue, Junior is the glue, Blake is the glue. I could name you 50 other guys that are the glue, but it is so tight.

JJ McCarthy credits Michigan’s defense amid second half offensive struggles

After the game, JJ McCarthy credited the Wolverines’ defense for keeping Michigan in the game while the offense struggled in the second half.

“I would just say credit to a great defense. They played tremendous. It’s just all about focusing on the next play, one play at a time, and just staying in the present moment and worrying about the assignment that you have to go out and execute,” McCarthy said.

“We weren’t really getting things going, but that never bothered us because it is all in the past and we are focusing on staying in the present and controlling the future.”