The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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28 THE WOLVERINE SEPTEMBER 2021 they shouldn't, it will be a fun sea- son. There's going to be some ad- versity at some point. If they fight through that adversity the first time, they're going to be really good." STAFF CHANGES LIGHT A FIRE No fewer than six new coaches made their way onto Harbaugh's staff after last year. They range from bringing serious NFL experience in new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald off John Harbaugh's Baltimore Ravens, to injecting old- school Michigan success stories in Mike Hart (running backs coach) and Ron Bellamy (safeties coach). New QBs coach Matt Weiss also spent 12 years with the Ravens, while linebackers coach George Helow served on national-championship staffs with Florida State and Ala- bama. Defensive backs coach Steve Clinkscale embodies the strong- recruiting, fired-up persona of the newcomers, who know what Michi- gan is capable of and expect the Wol- verines to get back there — soon. "I walk around with a chip on my shoulder," Clinkscale assured during fall camp. "We're all nice guys, but when we get on that field, we better have a damn chip on our shoulder. "Regardless of what happened last year, you teach and coach players — as a corner, as a defensive back, as a safety, any player — the next play is the most important. Why continue to harp on things that happened in the past? "I don't bring up the past … I'm a physical, aggressive by nature, chip on my shoulder, we're going to prove everybody wrong type of person. That's why, I believe, God set it up to be in the situation we are right now. "Regardless of what happened last year, we don't really talk about it. But they do have a chip on their shoul- der, and they're going to try and go out to prove — to me — that they can do it, and prove it to themselves." Player after player has acknowl- edged the motivation provided by media — social and otherwise — pre- dicting a pedestrian season by the Wolverines. They're ready to push back, and have coaches pushing them to do so. "We want the guys to go out there, have a chip on their shoulder, prove everybody wrong," Clinkscale said. "We're coming to show people what we're all about. We're just going to do it quietly, be humble, be honest and be hungry, and at the end of the season, pray the result is what we want." Meanwhile, it's not all about some wild-eyed response to disappoint- ment and the disdain of others. The Wolverines say the new coaches bring plenty to the table in terms of X's and O's as well. J u n i o r d e f e n s i v e e n d A i d a n Hutchinson doesn't hesitate in en- thusiastically affirming the new boss. "Coach Mac has been everything so far," Hutchinson said. "He's been good since day one, coming in and teaching new concepts, really just breaking down the basics to all of us. He brings such a different energy, that I love. "We've got a really young coaching staff, a lot of young, brilliant minds. I've really fallen in love with this de- fense these past couple of months." BIG CHANGES DEFENSIVELY Michigan's defense fell off precipi- tously in 2020, but the cracks were beginning to show prior to that. No- body will beat Ohio State surrender- ing 62 or 56 points in a game, like U-M did the last two times the teams played. Sophomore defensive back Daxton Hill flat-out insisted the Wolverines Redshirt freshman quarterback Cade McNamara is more comfortable with the offense and has grown in his leadership since last season. PHOTO COURTESY U-M ATHLETICS