Jim Harbaugh on Michigan's 'most physical' OL from Minnesota game, debate with Kirk Campbell on J.J. McCarthy's biggest strength

Michigan Wolverines football may have found its starting offensive line combination. Over the last two weeks, which have included a 45-7 win over Nebraska and 52-10 victory over Minnesota, the Wolverines have started graduate LaDarius Henderson at left tackle and graduate Karsen Barnhart at right tackle. Previously, senior Myles Hinton opened the first four contests at right tackle, while Barnhart started on the left side.

Host Jon Jansen asked coach Jim Harbaugh on the ‘Inside Michigan Football’ radio show to assess how Henderson played in the last game against Minnesota, to which the ninth-year head man responded that he’s “playing really good.”

The Wolverines rushed for 191 yards and 4 touchdowns on 33 carries, after gaining 249 yards on the ground at Nebraska. Michigan also didn’t allow a sack in either contest and has only given up 3 all season. Harbaugh has seen improvement with the offensive line as a whole and highlighted what he liked about the group’s performance against Minnesota.

“[Graduate center] Drake Nugent had a really good game,” the Michigan coach continued. “[Senior right guard] Zak Zinter was the most physical. Bodies were moving all over the place around him. Keegs [graduate left guard Trevor Keegan], exceptionally well, Karsen Barnhart …

“There were throws in that game that J.J. made that you couldn’t have better — it’s as good of a looking pocket as you could have.

“And all that said, every week is a new week. It’s not just like, ‘Oh, well, we’ll just pick up where we left off.’ It’s a new scheme every single week, it’s different players — adjusting to their moves, what they do well — it’s a whole new game plan that has to be devised, practiced. Gotta be locked in. It’s every single day, because the next week it’s all changing once again. All those things that you gotta prepare for, and it’s on a weekly, new basis. There’s definitely carryover, but it does start new.”

Michigan senior running back Blake Corum ripped off a 40-yard run early in the second quarter, setting up a touchdown run later in the drive. On that play, Keegan and Zinter pulled around to the left, and Barnhart — all the way from his spot at right tackle — was down the left sideline blocking men dozens of yards past the line of scrimmage.

“We’re all about it,” the Michigan coach said of the extra effort plays. “If you don’t have the ball, you’re a blocker. And the quarterback is sometimes not a blocker, but he’s carrying out a fake and trying to make a block, in essence, by having a defender chasing him, which has been effective, too. The pursuit — we want to be the second-best pursuit unit in the Big Ten, right behind our own defense.

“And our guys are doing a good job of that. Getting better blocking on the perimeter. That’s continuing to show up. [Senior] tight end AJ Barner really needs to be highlighted for the level of his play and his blocking. [Junior] Max Bredeson, the tight ends, Cole [sophomore Colston Loveland] and all the guys.

“Where can we get better? It’s just everything, right? Everything, you’re trying to get better and better at.”

Debate between Jim Harbaugh, Kirk Campbell on J.J. McCarthy

Michigan junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy is excelling in a bevy of areas this season, widely viewed as one of the best signal-callers in the country and a potential first-round NFL Draft pick next spring. McCarthy ranks third nationally with a 77.6 completion percentage and eighth with 10.3 yards per attempt. His 70 completion rate against Minnesota — 14-of-20 passing — actually caused his season mark to take a dip, showing how efficient he has been.

Harbaugh and quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell have actually been arguing about McCarthy’s best attribute.

“Another game well above 70 percent [completion rate], plus a few drops in the game,” the Michigan head coach said. “And I keep raving about the playmaking ability. J.J. has a lot of great attributes — accuracy, athleticism. I just go ‘playmaking’ — that’s like his best one.

“And then Kirk Campbell, he thinks that it’s just how well J.J.’s seeing the field and processing the information. That’s good that we’ve got a debate about that. That’s a really good thing for a quarterback.

“All those good things — make it all the best, make it all the strength. That’s when you say, ‘What can you improve on?’ I know that’s J.J.’s mindset. He’s constantly trying to chase perfection in all those areas.”