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Jim Harbaugh: Michigan football is 'ready to have at it' against 'the best' after Arizona arrival

clayton-sayfieby:Clayton Sayfie•12/26/22•

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Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and his team are on the doorstep of a title. (Photo by Jonathan Mouer / Fiesta Bowl)

Michigan Wolverines football arrived in Scottsdale Monday night ahead of its College Football Playoff matchup with TCU Saturday night in the Fiesta Bowl. The Maize and Blue practiced earlier in the day and have just a few more days before taking the big stage with a national title game appearance on the line.

“Jumped on the flight, and it’s great to be here,” Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said upon arrival. “We’re honored to be here. This is the best of the best playing the best, and our team is ready to have at it.”

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Michigan set out four goals before the season — to beat Michigan State and Ohio State, win the Big Ten title and be crowned national champions. Three of four have been checked off, and the Wolverines are two games away from accomplishing the ultimate.

“I think this team, since day one, it’s really just about ‘going to do my best today,'” Harbaugh said. “And that’s how they approached each day, going back to winter conditioning, spring ball, training camp and throughout the season. So no change. That’s our goal: Got to give it my best today.”

TCU is in that “best of the best” category, of course, after earning its first-ever College Football Playoff berth with a 12-1 season. The Horned Frogs are led by senior quarterback Max Duggan, who’s thrown for 3,321 yards and 30 touchdowns on the year.

“He’s one of the best players in the country leading one of the best teams in the country,” Harbaugh said. “Tremendous competitor. He’s so productive. Total offense and leadership and everything. You can tell, he’s on a mission. And so is our guy, [sophomore quarterback] J.J. McCarthy.”

The Michigan coach added that TCU is a “strong team in all three phases.”

Donovan Edwards ready for the big stage

Michigan sophomore running back Donovan Edwards has thrived over the last two games, taking over for the injured junior Blake Corum, who’s out for the season. Edwards has combined for 401 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns in the last two games, the biggest tilts of the season, at Ohio State and versus Purdue in the Big Ten championship.

He’s ready for another big game.

“Like I said, after the Big Ten Championship game and Coach Harbaugh, he said it first, I thrive in the big games,” Edwards said. “I come alive in the big games. That’s what I’m here for. I’m here to play in the big games.

“I’m blessed by God to be able to play in the big games and do my thing on the big stage and to be able to give Him the glory after the game and before the game.”

Edwards put those aforementioned performances together with an injured right hand and a cast on. He was asked about his injury status but did not provide a comment.

Michigan players were asked about what makes the Wolverines special.

“Everybody works hard. We’re all humble. Everybody wants everybody to get better,” Edwards said. “There’s no selfishness on this team. Everybody is disciplined. Everybody is well coached — everybody wired to be a Michigan man.

“We’re coached great by our head coach and all of our position coaches. And it’s easy when you have coachable guys and great guys to be able to play with and to play for. We play for each other.”

“I would just say our ability to make each other better every day, and to make ourselves better than we were yesterday,” Michigan graduate linebacker Michael Barrett added. “We constantly come out to practice, meetings, workouts, whatever we have, and we just strive to make each other better so we can be the best team in the country.”

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