The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1422614
20 THE WOLVERINE NOVEMBER 2021 felt it deeply the first day of workouts. He challenged his team to keep it up, and the Wolverines have, from then to now. "There's no doubt that this group, go- ing back to mid-January, the amount of guys that were bought in, were hungry to be good," Harbaugh said. "We picked up some experience in the 2020 season. The way they've come together and worked as a group of players has been very, very special." Following the Wolverines' 32-29 win at Nebraska — in which they held a 13-0 advantage at halftime, lost it and had to scramble back from their first deficits of the season — redshirt freshman quarter- back Cade McNamara made a very telling comment. McNamara said he's not sure that's a game Michigan wins, since he's been here. "You hate to make comparisons with this team, that team," Harbaugh said. "But I know exactly where Cade's com- ing from. Probably comparing this year's team with last year's. Last year's team was pretty darned thin, when it was all said and done, in terms of who really thought it was in their best interest to play football or not, based on a worldwide pandemic." This team is different — in attitude, in depth and in the ability to play winning football. Both of the Wolverines' starting guards went out with injury during the fight past Nebraska, and U-M played next man up. They did it well, according to Stueber. "I'm super proud of everyone on the O- line who stepped up there," Stueber said. "I looked over about five times, and every time I saw a different person playing next to me. I have full confidence, and Coach [Sherrone] Moore has full confidence, in everyone who played in that game. "It showed — they went in there, and we didn't skip a beat. They knew exactly what they were doing, they came off the ball full speed, and that's a great testi- mony to Coach Moore and how he pre- pared everyone to play." NEW FACES, PLAYING ACES Moore represents only the tip of the iceberg in Michigan's coaching changes, but a sharp tip. His crew kept things air- tight for McNamara and freshman quar- terback J.J. McCarthy through the first half of the season. It also paved the way for a rushing attack that ranked No. 5 in the nation through seven games, averaging 253.3 yards per contest. That's been a huge dif- ference for the Wolverines, with old friend but new coaching face Mike Hart guiding the running backs. Matt Weiss came from the Baltimore Ravens to become Harbaugh's quarter- backs coach, while Mike Macdonald did the same in taking over the defense as co- ordinator. Add in George Helow coach- ing the linebackers, and Steve Clinkscale along with U-M alum Ron Bellamy han- dling the defensive backs, and change ar- rived in a towering wave. It's one that's been received with en- thusiasm by Michigan players. Most focus only on the here and now, but redshirt sophomore cornerback Gemon Green didn't hold back regarding his compari- sons to the recent past. "We can disguise it a little bit better," Green said of Michigan's pass coverage. "It helps us as players because that's what they do in the league [NFL], so it gives us a look at it earlier on in college. "It takes some pressure off us, but you've still got to play ball." They have, combining the experience gained last year with a more flexible, in- depth plan to hold down opposing of- fenses. "My confidence is a lot better than last year," Green noted. "Last year, I was try- ing to get better — the same as this year — but I feel like we prepare better this year than we did last year." He also likes the easy interchange with the coaches, in an effort to improve. "We go back and forth," Green said. "This year, when we feel uncomfort- able with something — in a coverage or something — we'll go to the coaches, and they'll try to help us out. "Last year, we didn't do that. We First-year defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald led a group that through seven contests sur- rendered an average of 14.3 points per game, which is No. 2 in the nation for scoring defense. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Head coach Jim Harbaugh "It's a special group of guys that really like football. You see it when they practice, the energy that they bring, the fun they're having, the grit."