The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1242051
MAY 2020 THE WOLVERINE 11 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS THEY SAID IT I'm trying to make memories with my kids. We're picking a different thing to do every day, things we haven't ever done. I'm trying to do things with my wife and kids so I can look back and say, 'This was the time we got to spend a whole month together and made memories.'" — Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh on the National Review podcast April 10, revealing how he is spending his time during the coronavirus "There was no other game that I've ever been a part of — college, high school or in the NFL — that had the kind of feeling that the Michigan-Ohio State game had, with the history, vitriol and importance for both teams. Playing in the NFL, I played in Denver mostly, but the rivalry we had was with the Raiders. That didn't feel the same. I think that game colors your history and your relationship with your alma mater, whether it's on the Ohio State side or the Michigan side. And people still remember — to this day when I see people on the street, they ask me what my record was against Ohio State. And I'm sure they do the same in Columbus." — Former Michigan quarterback BRIAN GRIESE March 24 on Jon Jansen's "In the Trenches" podcast PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN "Maybe I am sipping the Kool-Aid but, taking a step back, I actually like how Michigan's roster stands compared to if [Lakewood (Calif.) Mayfair five-star shooting guard Joshua] Christopher and/or [Raleigh (N.C.) Word of God Christian Academy five-star power forward Isaiah] Todd would have enrolled. Sure, its ceiling for success would have been higher, but cohesion and role allocation will be much more seamless. "Replacing [point guard] Zavier Simpson will be no easy task, but [rising fifth-year senior graduate transfer] Mike Smith should help and [rising senior guard] Eli Brooks is a more than capable contributor. [Rising senior forward Isaiah] Livers evolving into the go-to piece, [rising sophomore guard] Franz Wagner becoming more efficient and a breakout campaign from [rising junior forward] Brandon Johns could do it." — Rivals.com national basketball recruiting analyst Corey Evans in an April 16 article explaining why Michigan losing out on Christopher and receiving a decommitment from Todd may not have been as bad as many people perceived it to be "The floor is slippery, too. I think one of their players fell a couple years ago and there is still one wet spot." — U-M freshman guard Franz Wagner on Instagram March 28 when asked about Michigan State's court, referring to when his older brother Moe famously crossed over Spartan big man Nick Ward and made him fall to the ground late in the Wolverines' 2018 victory at the Breslin Center 15th Was where the U-M football team checked in on Sporting News' too-early preseason top 25, updated in late March. "It's the same old story in Ann Arbor for sixth-year coach Jim Harbaugh," Bill Bender wrote. "The Wolverines return a talented roster, and the quarterback battle between DYLAN MCCAFFREY AND JOE MILTON will be the focus of the spring. … The question remains: When will this team break through against Ohio State and win a Big Ten championship? The Wolverines haven't won at Ohio Stadium since 2000. Sep- tember tests at Washington and at home against Wisconsin won't be easy either." 2020 foes making the cut were No. 2 Ohio State, No. 9 Penn State, No. 12 Minnesota and No. 16 Wisconsin. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETICS