Harbaugh: 'Sneaking suspicion' Michigan defense can be better in 2022
INDIANAPOLIS — Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has played and coached on dozens of teams over all levels in his long and storied career. That’s given him more experience than most in knowing what he’s got in a football team.
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Last year in spring, for example, he said it “felt different,” and he could sense something about his squad. It proceeded to win the Big Ten title for the first time since 2004. This year, he’s seeing great qualities among his squad, and some on defense that convinced him to save some of his highest praise for that group.
“That was a great defense last year, and we talked about some of the stars like Aidan Hutchinson, Dax Hill, and David Ojabo,” Harbaugh said Tuesday at Big Ten Media Day. “Last year, there was no talk of David Ojabo … some real stars there, and people are asking, ‘how are you going to replace those stars?’
“I have been a part of many a team where the no-star defense was the better defense, because there’s more competition within the position groups. There are more guys hungry like David Ojabo was a year ago — a hunger to be great. That’s why I feel as I watch it, I just have a sneaking suspicion that it could even be better on defense.”
Last year’s group, led by first year Michigan coordinator Mike Macdonald, came out of nowhere to help lead the Wolverines to a title. There are several really good players on this year’s defense, as well, and they played together as a tight-knit group this spring under new coordinator Jesse Minter.
In some ways, it was reminiscent of the 1985 Michigan defense in Harbaugh’s junior year in which the Wolverines led the nation in scoring defense most of the year.
But those doubting him need only look at the other side of the ball from last year’s Michigan team for proof it’s possible, he said.
“Last year offensively was a perfect example,” the Michigan coach said. “There was a real no star offense last year, and they played really good together. The line, the tight ends, quarterbacks, the receivers, backs. Everybody meshed. Now you have some real legitimate stars over there.”
That could be the same this year. Like Ojabo last season, Michigan has several hungry defenders ready for their own breakout seasons.
It’s been fun to watch, Harbaugh said.
“So many were a part of last year, and so many are putting the same work all the players that aren’t here anymore … some of the stars like Aidan Hutchinson, Hassan Haskins, that whole great group,” Harbaugh said. “Dax Hill and Andrew Stueber, all those great players like Vastardis. There are a lot of these players that did the exact same thing those players did, but maybe they did a little at a leadership level that our guys got to see that. They got to be a part of that, and got to see how well it paid off, both for the team and for each of those players individually … it’s a great template.
“Within days of our last game, our guys were in the building, attacking stuff, picking right up, and ever since. They’ve attacked everything that’s been put in front of them, and they’ve done it with zero entitlement, and there’s none in the foreseeable future. It’s much better than being satisfied or full of yourself. Here we go. It’s just cool — not, ‘it’s just going to happen,’ or reaping all the rewards. They just really went back to working the same way they worked in January of 2021.”
They come to the building like kids in a candy story, Harbaugh said, ready to work and meet their goals. Beating Michigan State and Ohio State in the same year, winning the Big Ten, and winning the national championship are among them, and if the defense really does become better than last year, they’ll have a shot at many.
