Jim Harbaugh on Michigan camp, Week 1: 'We're ahead of last year'
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh had three words for his 2022 squad at the beginning of fall camp — observe, emulate, surpass. All, of course, were in reference to last year’s team, the Wolverines’ first Big Ten championship squad since 2004.
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That group happened to do just about everything right, and it was apparent in most of what they did. There was great leadership and work ethic, a hunger, and — as important as anything — a love for the Michigan program.
Harbaugh has been beyond impressed with how this group has responded in the first week of camp.
“First impressions after four practices is that we’re further ahead than where we were last year at this time — especially on defense,” he told Jon Jansen on the In the Trenches podcast of his eighth Michigan team. “More installed, more coverages, more fronts, more blitzes. From a conditioning standpoint, I think we’re ahead, and an execution standpoint as well.
“So far, so good.”
Michigan lost some elite leaders in edge Aidan Hutchinson and linebacker Josh Ross. Harbaugh isn’t the slightest bit concerned with leadership, however, calling it “as good as it’s ever been.”
“We’re going to start doing some voting, leadership council, captains in about 10 days,” he continued. “We’ve already started looking and predicting … it’s outstanding. It really is. You see that on the field, off the field, behind the scenes. We’ve been watching that develop for a good nine months now.
“We have more fifth- and sixth- year guys on this team … we have 19. That’s almost double or triple we’ve had in the past. So, when we talk about leadership, but also just players that are good and good at football, have stayed in the program — we have 24 that are fourth years. It’s a more veteran team than we’ve had in the past.”
Experience should be huge for this year’s Michigan team
They’re guys that know the program and have excelled in it, Harbaugh noted. They’ve been passing the messages and what they’ve learned down to the younger players.
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There are 36 players in both the Michigan sophomore and freshman classes, he added. Nobody left, and they can’t wait to learn.
“Every class right now is solid, and they’re just going about their business, taking care of their business. To my eye, they’re thriving in the program,” he said.
Finally, they all came back in great shape thanks to strength coach Ben Herbert and his staff. It was evident on the trip around Michigan they were in incredible shape. The personal bests from the players returning, and in so many different categories, proved it.
“Going into your second year, you’ve done everything once. Now, you’re doing it for a second time, and you know the lay of the land,” Harbaugh said. “It’s invaluable in terms of the weight room. Coach Herb and the entire staff, they do an incredible job. That’s an understatement. I just said they do an incredible job, and that’s an understatement.
“That’s all been brewing and taking place. Seeing how that affects somebody’s play … just dramatically. That’s how it affects it.”
And why he feels so good about his team heading into a Sept. 3 Michigan opener with Colorado State.
