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Michigan football: Several objectives this spring, but one huge one

Chris Balasby:Chris Balas•02/23/22•

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(Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Last year’s Michigan football team started strong in spring and never let up, going from projected also-ran to Big Ten champion. The tale was one we’ve seen before — a group of seniors sick of losing and determined to go out on top. 

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And that they did. Michigan end Aidan Hutchinson became one of the program’s best-ever leaders, and he’ll leave Ann Arbor a legend. He and Hassan Haskins, Brad Hawkins, Josh Ross, Andrew Vastardis, Andrew Stueber and so many others changed the culture of the program and got Michigan back to the conference pinnacle for the first time since 2004. 

The question now, of course, as posed to head coach Jim Harbaugh by former Michigan lineman Jon Jansen on his recent In the Trenches podcast — who fills the void left by their departures? There are a number of candidates, starting with last year’s captain Ronnie Bell, but the fifth-year senior can’t do it alone. 

“It’s the question every year … and every year is a new year, right?” Harbaugh said. “That leadership — seven or eight guys, and they were the ones — they were the reason why we were where we were and had the kind of season that we had. As [strength coach] Ben Herbert would tell you as we’ve been going through this winter cycle, there are those eight leadership spots that are void.”

Walking through the Michigan weight room, though, on any given day during winter conditioning eased his mind. 

“You’re looking around and there are 18 or 19 guys that could very well fill their shoes,” Harbaugh said. “And you watch guys … they understand that. The players understand that, and you watch them going about their business, and you know they understand that.

“… I see over a hundred examples of that daily when I’m walking through the weight room or see them out on the field training and going about their business, taking care of their business. They’re doing right, and I catch them doing right all the time. It excites the heck out of me.”

A new season, different Michigan team, but …

As New England Patriots legendary coach Bill Parcells told our Doug Skene when he played for the franchise, every year, every team is different. No matter how much you have coming back or how few leave, it won’t be exactly the same. 

That’s why culture is so important — younger guys learning from older guys, etc. Anybody can have a good year, but that’s what builds winning programs. Michigan saw it for years prior to the Rich Rodriguez hire.

“Using the example that what the team was … I’ve seen a continuation of that, to where if I had to boil it down to one thing, it was a ball team,” the Michigan coach continued. “It was like being on a ball team that’s your favorite ball team you were ever on. Whether it’s little league, college or pro, think about that favorite ball team you were on. That’s what it was like here in 2021 for the Michigan football program.”

But again, he stressed, they aren’t resting on their accomplishments. Guys who worked hard to get where they were last year are putting in even more time this season. Those a notch below are striving to see the field this season to experience it for themselves. 

“I see the continuation of that,” Harbaugh said. “Like I said before, I look around and darn near every single guy — it’s, ‘you keep doing what you’re’ doing. It’s really good what you’re doing.’ Now don’t’ fall in love with your stuff and if you want to get a little bit better work a little bit harder.  But just keep her going.”

Right through spring, summer and fall camp into the Michigan Sept. 3 opener with Colorado State. 

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