Inside Michigan team meeting: Jim Harbaugh's 4 a.m. 'epiphany' leads to message in aftermath of MSU incident
Michigan Wolverines football is coming off the “traumatic” experience that included two of its players being “assaulted” by groups of MSU players, as head coach Jim Harbaugh put it. The incidents after Michigan beat MSU, 29-7, have resulted in eight Spartan suspensions.
The situation has dominated talk and headlines around Ann Arbor since Saturday night, including at Harbaugh’s Monday afternoon press conference and other interviews he’s partaken in. His main goal is to support cornerbacks Gemon Green and Ja’Den McBurrows, the victims of the attacks. However, his team also has a football game to play at Rutgers Saturday night (7:30 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network).
There’s no question Harbaugh and those in the Michigan program have lost sleep over the last few days. Harbaugh himself was up at 4 a.m. Tuesday morning, and had an “epiphany.”
“He was up at 4 a.m. this morning, and he had an epiphany,” graduate center Olusegun Oluwatimi said after practice Tuesday evening. “That epiphany was to focus on Rutgers and not feel like a victim of the situation that happened, and become a victor out of it.
“We’re trying not to let what happened on Saturday be a distraction; we’re trying to move forward.”
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That was the message Harbaugh delivered at a Tuesday team meeting, too.
“He was just like telling us, we all know what happened,” Michigan freshman defensive tackle Mason Graham explained. “We’re supporting these guys. Coach Harbaugh and the administration are taking care of it.
“We’re just looking forward to Rutgers this week, and we’re focused on our game plan. People are expecting us to fall off from this, but we’re looking to stay on the same track as we’re on.”
“Coach Harbaugh just said, basically going into this next week, we’re going to play with discipline and not let the anger, or whatever we may be feeling, transition into this week,” graduate tight end Luke Schoonmaker said of the Michigan team meeting. “So just kind of leaving that in the past and moving together as a team — that’s what the focus has been.”
According to the U-M players, Harbaugh’s words were received well. Senior defensive back Mike Sainristil, a team captain, said practice felt normal
“That team meeting did a great job of helping us refocus, and charge into this week head on,” Oluwatimi said.
“It hasn’t been hard, focusing on football,” Schoonmaker added. “Obviously, those are two of my brothers, and it’s going to tick everybody off, but they both know that this whole team has their back through whatever. Just moving on and moving on with them is something that we have to do.”
Sainristil and the Michigan leaders are needed every week, but especially this one. Harbaugh and Co. are dealing with helping the program heal, so Sainristil and the captains have stepped up.
“Just focusing on what’s ahead of us, and focusing on the opponent this week,” Sainristil said of his message to his teammates. “What happened, happened.
“Coach Harbaugh is doing what he can to make sure outside people handle that and make sure we move on as a team. I’m doing my best as a captain to relay that message.”
