Michigan football players react to Jim Harbaugh suspension: 'We're definitely going to bring some fire to the field'
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines football head coach Jim Harbaugh will miss the first three games of the 2023 season (East Carolina, UNLV and Bowling Green) with a school-imposed suspension stemming from an alleged Level I NCAA violation. Harbaugh informed his team at a meeting Monday.
While speaking with the media late Monday afternoon, players wouldn’t get into specifics about the meeting or the NCAA situation, but did offer some reaction.
First and foremost, multiple Wolverines said, the Michigan team, ranked No. 2 in both major national polls, won’t let the suspension distract them, and they’re confident in their ability to come out victorious in non-conference play.
“The situation doesn’t really affect us that much. We rally behind Coach,” Michigan sophomore defensive tackle Kenneth Grant said. “Whatever the decision is, we’re going to stand by it and play our game, Michigan football. We’re going to come out and do what we do.
“It’s time to get to business. It’s two weeks away from the first game, so we know what to expect. Just come out and ball.”
“Not much really to talk about,” added junior tight end Max Bredeson. “This is a pretty focused team, so everything that happened there, we just keep to ourselves. Focused team, driven — so we’ll be fine.”
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The agreed-upon negotiated resolution of a four-game suspension between Harbaugh and NCAA officials was rejected by the NCAA’s Committee On Infractions earlier this month. Subsequently, most reports said that Harbaugh would coach every game this fall, but there remained the possibility of Michigan self-imposing a punishment.
“You always get surprised by random news, but this is a very focused team,” Bredeson continued. “So I guess we just saw it as, we have practice later, and we’re going to keep doing the same thing, just keep pushing.”
Team leaders didn’t feel the need to address the team after Harbaugh spoke, further evidence to support Bredeson’s point.
“We already kinda knew what it was. It’s time to get to business,” Grant said. “It’s two weeks away from the first game, so we know what to expect. Just come out and ball.”
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If anything, Michigan players said, the Wolverines will have more fuel for the first three games of the season, all of which are against Group of Five opponents for a second straight year.
“We ride behind him, so we’re definitely going to bring some fire to the field the next three games,” Grant said. “We’re going to rally behind him, for sure.”
“Everybody took it well,” junior linebacker Jaydon Hood said. “We’re going to back anything that goes on with Coach Harbaugh or anyone on staff, teammates, whatever. Like Coach Harbaugh said, ‘Get better, not bitter,’ and that’s exactly what we’re going to do.”
Speaking at Big Ten Media Days last month, Michigan senior running back Blake Corum shared a similar sentiment when asked about Harbaugh’s potential suspension.
“If anything, it’s going to make us go even harder,” Corum said. “Maybe a little motivation, light a fire under us.
“I’m gonna rally my troops, get them going, and we’re going to do this for Coach Harbaugh. … Really just bring my guys together and do what we do — play ball, leave it all on the field and get the job done.”
Michigan is 12 days away from its season opener, which has more intrigue than it did before, due to the Harbaugh news.
