The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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66 THE WOLVERINE ❱ APRIL 2023 C h r i s P a r t r i d ge fe lt i t shor t ly a f ter steppi ng fo ot i n Schem b e ch ler Hall for his second go-round on Jim Harbaugh's coaching staff. Something was different. T he l i nebackers coach h ad success w it h t he Wolver i nes during his five years on staff be- fore leaving to help coordinate the Mississippi defense, but the program couldn't get over that ch a mpion sh ip hu mp. T hey'd come close, especially in 2016, but top-level success was just out of reach. Something was missing. Whatever that was, the Wol- verines found it in 2021 and 2022, capturing back-to-back Big Ten titles. We've sa id ma ny ti mes that: (A) The first one after a huge drought is the toughest. Starting with Bo Schembechler in 1969, there were a lways ch a mpion sh ip cl a sses who knew what it took to get to the top. T hey'd pass that to the you ng g uys below them, those players to the ones who came next … rinse, repeat, win. (B) And staying there is harder than getting there. To win it back-to-back adds prestige and validation, and Par- tridge could sense it. "You can feel it as soon as you walk into the building," he said upon his re- turn. "This thing seems to be humming. These guys have gotten it rolling since I've been gone. The culture is just awe- some. It's got to be one of the best cul- tures in college football. I think the players, how willing and how hungry they are — it's a really good place." Partridge probably saw it, too. On one wall was a picture of Harbaugh pushing the late Meechie Walker, an osteosarcoma patient and former Di- vision I recruit from Muskegon, Mich., across the goal line at a practice while the Wolverines celebrated with him. It was one of the most touching moments in all of college football last year. Harbaugh preaches family, and that one scene epitomizes his program. It's genuine. Across the way and above the recep- tion desk in the Towsley Museum is a mural of scenes from the last two Ohio State games, Michigan blowout wins that swung the rivalry back in the Wol- verines' favor. One of the pictures was of the team celebrating at midfield in Columbus last year after planting the flag. The joy on their faces — and yes, the love for one another — was evident. It's been a huge reason for their suc- cess, Harbaugh said this spring, and why they're able to ca ncel out the "noise," whether it's NFL rumors, neg- ativity, whatever. "I would just say you've got to be in Schembech ler Ha l l. You've just got to be in this building to really feel it," Harbaugh said. "Compare us to per- fect and we're going to come up short. In the major areas, compare us to any other program, I think you're going to see that it doesn't get any better. "You talk about graduating players — it's not up to perfect, but it's as close as you could possibly be to graduating players over the years. "Talking about doing things with integrity on the field, off the field, players, coaches, staff, ev- erybody within this football pro- gram ... it's about as close as you can get to perfection." That includes winning. It took a bit longer than some might have hoped or expected, but Michigan football is Michigan football again after several years in the wilder- ness. Talent helps, of course. But any- one who understands what has made U-M successful in the past knows it's much more than that. "One analogy I can make to it — just how good in terms of cul- ture and a family that this Michi- gan football program is — it's al- most like some of those housing markets have become recession- proof," Harbaugh said. "They're just as good no matter what's coming from the outside of here. "I just see everybody here … it's a l most l i ke what a superhero [goes through]. An attack comes in, and it's like we're able to absorb it, spit it back out in some kind of laser fashion. You just see the way they attack the next day and every day. It's phenomenal to be around on a day-to-day basis." He's got a room full of those heroes, from one of the best staffs he's ever had (if not No. 1) to humble superstars like J.J. McCarthy. The junior quarterback has NFL aspirations, of course, but you wouldn't know it. All his dedication is to his team and his school, and win- ning for Michigan — it's old school, it's refreshing and it's special. He learned from the leaders before him, and the guys in the classes behind him will benefit from it, too. So will Michigan football, a family affair in every sense. Enjoy it, Wolverines fans. These are the good old days all over again. ❏ Chris Balas has been with The Wolverine since 1997. Contact him at cbalas@ thewolverine.com and follow him on Twitter @Balas _ Wolverine. INSIDE MICHIGAN ❱ CHRIS BALAS A Family Affair Michigan football's family culture has palpably restored both smiles and championships to the program. Edge Kechaun Bennett (center) would attest to that after last year's Big Ten Championship Game. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER