Michigan silenced the doubters with Week 11 victory over Penn State
Michigan isn’t fazed by massive change. Despite losing head coach Jim Harbaugh to a suspension only a day before their matchup against Penn State, the Wolverines defeated the Nittany Lions 24-15. On Sunday, the Wolverine’s Clayton Safie revealed how the win will affect Michigan.
“Now, you’ve silenced some of the doubters,” Safie said. “They’ve used a lot of this as fuel, not just this stuff, but ‘the run game and you haven’t played anybody’ — that sort of thing. Now they’ve played a good team, a really good team. They’ve been able to run the ball effectively and feels like they got a little bit of confidence there.”
Michigan’s run game was spectacular against Penn State. The Wolverines tallied 227 total rushing yards in the win, averaging 4.9 yards per carry. Michigan was so confident in its ground game it only threw the ball eight times in the contest.
Despite its adverse circumstances, Michigan’s mind was clearly in the right place. The team only committed six turnovers in the game and did not commit any turnovers. Safie emphasized how vital the win was to the program amid the “sign-stealing” scandal.
“It’s massive for this program to be in this spot,” Safie said. “Ben Herbert, the strength coach of this team, has these guys so dialed in. They talk about it where they’ll get a text like, ‘Workout at 6 a.m. tomorrow,’ the night before. They’re all there. They’re ready to go.
“Some of them have to jump in the cold tub before their workout and do the entire workout sopping wet and freezing cold, and they’re fine with it. They’re kind of ready for when this stuff happens.”
Michigan’s success starts with its leaders
Michigan’s players aren’t the only ones who have been conditioned for change. Before the season, the university imposed a three-game suspension on Harbaugh for impermissible on and off-campus recruiting during the COVID-19 dead period. Michigan’s staff had to step into Harbaugh’s role during his absence.
In light of Harbaugh’s most recent suspension, offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore was responsible for taking the reins. Clearly, Moore stepped up to the challenge. After the emotional win, he delivered a rousing speech.
“I want to thank the Lord,” Moore told FOX Sports’ Jenny Taft. “I want to thank Coach Harbaugh. F—ing love you, man. Love the shit out of you man. This is for you. For this university, the president, our AD. We’ve got the best players, best university, best alumni in the country. Love you guys. These f—ing guys right here, these guys right here, man. These guys did it, man.”