Ernest Hausmann shares his biggest takeaway about Michigan team culture: 'The standard is set'
Michigan Wolverines football sophomore linebacker Ernest Hausmann transferred in from Nebraska this offseason. He looked at other schools when in the portal but quickly decided Ann Arbor was the place for him, thanks in large part to strength coach Ben Herbert‘s approach.
“One of the things that caught my eye was the demeanor of the strength staff,” Hausmann said. “I felt like it fit who I was as a person, and I know they’re not going to develop me just as a strength staff — it was lessons that I can learn and apply in life and in the weight room, as well.
“Us players, we’re in the facility a lot — many hours a day, many hours a week, many hours a year. Most of the development [is] on the field, but there’s another side of us as a man that has to develop, as well. I just felt like the strength staff, that’s part of their development.”
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Hausmann said Herbert stresses the importance of “the little details,” which can apply to other aspects of life. That was attractive to him when he was making his decision and is someting he’s enjoyed during his three-plus months with the Michigan program.
The Wolverines’ culture has been a big topic of conversation over the last two seasons, with the Maize and Blue winning back-to-back Big Ten championships. The high expectations have stood out to Hausmann since he’s been in Ann Arbor.
“One of the main things is just the standard here at Michigan,” Hausmann said of what he’s noticed. “This team that we have here has definitely set a standard. It’s the whole building.
“Everyone is in it for that one common goal — that standard is set. You get held accountable for that. There’s not a day that everyone doesn’t have access to what you did wrong to what the standard was, and nothing’s accepted below that standard. The standard is set there. The accountability that we have here at Michigan is really special.”
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The standard hit Hausmann right away, and while he wasn’t with Michigan during its last two title runs, he’s hoping to replicate what the Wolverines and add to the success.
“My moment was probably right when I met Coach Herb on my transfer portal visit, when I met with him. Just the way that he spoke about the team, the way that he conducted his business, the way that he structures development — you can just tell there’s a standard that’s set, and anything else is not acceptable,” Hausmann said.
The stated goal every Michigan player has identified is to not just make the College Football Playoff, but win the national championship. Hausmann said the Wolverines are “working toward” winning it all on a daily basis, and that it’s verbalized from the top, starting with head coach Jim Harbaugh.
“Everything’s being said; there’s no, ‘We’re gonna hide that away,'” Hausmann revealed. “No, it’s plain and simple. The first day when I came in here, this was the standard that was set, this is the only way we can improve as a team. There was no shyness about it. This is how it is, and we’ve got to make sure each day that we do what we do to put us in the best position.”
