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Jim Harbaugh describes his Saturday watching his team at Sherrone Moore's house

Chris Balasby:Chris Balas•09/04/23•

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Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh will be on the sidelines Saturday vs. Nebraska. Kirby Lee | USA TODAY Sports

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh got up early Saturday, as he always does, in preparation for gameday. This time, though, he didn’t head to Michigan Stadium for the Wolverines’ game with ECU, suspended for the opener and two more games. Instead, he accepted offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore’s invitation to watch the game with him at his house. 

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Moore, also suspended one game for a recruiting violation, had lunch ready for him when he arrived. The two watched intently while their players dominated ECU, winning 30-3 in a game not as close as the score. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter was the interim head coach while quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell filled in for Moore calling plays. 

“I said, ‘hey, let’s watch the game together,’ and he said, ‘why don’t you come over?’” Harbaugh said with a grin Monday. “His wife, Kelly, had some sandwiches … his two daughters and my son Johnny [were there]. It was good. Excellent. 

“I really loved what I saw out of our team. Colonel [Jim] Minick, who I am lifelong friends with, he sent me a message and he said that there’s a military saying that the true sign of your leadership is what your unit does when you aren’t there. For us, I thought it was really great. Our captains, our senior leadership, our coaches, all were phenomenal.”

When they started fall camp, Harbaugh continued, he told the team that Moses had 70 leaders, and asked them how many he thought they needed. They all said “more,” and took it upon themselves to provide it. On Saturday, Harbaugh said, it showed. He was also touched when the team gave the coach a tribute by lining up in his train formation holding up four fingers in honor of his old college number.

“Talk about turning a negative into a positive,” Harbaugh said of his three-game suspension. “I love the way our team is doing that. It’s a unique opportunity to build leadership, because they have a chance to make those incredible leadership qualities. 

“Personally, it was great. Great watching the team. They played fast, physical, smart, tough. Personally, I felt the love, too, which was great from our team and the Michigan faithful. Good day.”

As for the game … he was pleased with what he saw. They won and emerged healthy, always the first two goals. The defense completely shut down the ECU run game, while the offense adapted when the Pirates stacked the box against the run. The playmakers all got plenty of touches, which was the goal, and it translated into a big win. 

Watching wasn’t easy, Harbaugh admitted, but the outcome couldn’t have been better.
“[The challenge of it] was what it was. You do the absolute best you can to turn the negative into the positive,” Harbaugh said. “It’s how I think about it — it’s what I do. Just put the needs of the players, the coaches, the team, before my own.

“It was a really cool thing, Sherrone and I were both sitting there, [would say], ‘it’s time for a play action pass. Let’s run this.’ It was uncanny how many times that’s what Kirk would call or do. We both said to each other, ‘hey, time to get the starters out,’ boom — the starters were out. It was cool that way, both with Kirk and Jesse.”

They were “guardians of victory” Saturday as Harbaugh called them before the game, and he’s anxious to see what Jay Harbaugh and Mike Hart due in their roles when they share the head coaching duties against UNLV. 

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