J.J. McCarthy, Mike Hart reflect on pummeling UNLV, winning for Jim Harbaugh

After another laugher early the season, this time a 35-7 steamrolling of UNLV, Michigan interim head coach Mike Hart thinks the Wolverines were adept “guardians of victory” as head coach Jim Harbaugh had charged them to be. After the win, he spoke with CBS sideline reporter Jenny Taft about the message from Harbaugh and how the team performed.

Hart never doubted that all the coaches and players wanted to come out and get another win for Harbaugh. The Michigan head coach is out through the first three games of the season as the result of a school-imposed three-game suspension.

“Just come out here and play for coach Harbaugh. All the guys do, all the coaches do. We miss him. Guys came out here and played hard. Everyone’s prepared. We’re creating more depth as the year goes on, so it’s great that we get to play all these guys,” Hart said.

J.J. McCarthy’s message to Harbaugh was simpler, and directed solely toward his head coach via the broadcast.

“I love you coach, can’t wait to have you back in a couple weeks,” McCarthy said.

And when Harbaugh gets back, Michigan is likely to be 3-0 and McCarthy will have played a big role in the that. The junior signal caller had just three incompletions and was in total control from the first snap. He was done by the middle point of the third quarter as the Wolverines rotated in a cast of reserves.

He was rather mum about the performance after the fact.

“I mean just getting the ball to my playmakers, in their hands. We treat every single day like game day this offseason. And just, these game days are just another day at the office,” McCarthy said.

Hart had more effusive praise for the play of McCarthy.

“J.J.’s a phenomenal player. No. 1, just the way he prepares for games. He know’s everything that’s going on. He knows where the ball needs to be and he controls the offense,” Hart said. “So when you can do that as a quarterback, you’ve got the athletic ability, arm that he has, sky’s the limit for J.J.”

And while Hart’s time as the head coach is done — offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore will be the interim next week against Bowling Green — he certainly enjoyed the run as the main man on the Michigan sideline on Saturday against UNLV.

“Yeah, it was great. It was awesome,” Hart said.