The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1503142
12 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2023 FOOTBALL PREVIEW MICHIGAN FOOTBALL It's truly amazing. We don't have any bad guys. There are no bad guys. There are no bad players, coaches or staff [mem- bers]. Especially the players, there are good guys, there are elite, great guys, there are guys that are good guys that are learning from the other guys. You've got the Heisman habits guys, the great guys. No bad guys. Either that or they're impeccable with their timing, because every time I look at them they're doing things right. … There's a real cultural momentum taking place." — JIM HARBAUGH "Every one of our assistant coaches will be a head coach. I'd even say four after this season. The talent and the coaching acu- men are really good." — JIM HARBAUGH NUMBERS & QUOTES 2,492 Career rushing yards for senior run- ning back BLAKE CORUM, rank- ing 17th in program history. His 31 career rushing touch- downs slot tied for seventh with Steve Smith (1980-83), and his 6.01 yards per carry check in fourth. 4 Is where Jim Harbaugh checked in on Sporting News' ranking of the top head coaches in college football, behind only Alabama's Nick Saban (No. 1), Georgia's Kirby Smart (No. 2) and Clemson's Dabo Swinney (No. 3), all of whom have won multiple national titles. Harbaugh's placement was a rise of five spots from No. 9 last year. In order, the top 10 was rounded out by Ohio State's Ryan Day, LSU's Brian Kelly, USC's Lincoln Riley, Wisconsin's Luke Fickell, Utah's Kyle Whittingham and Tennessee's Josh Heupel. "It took Harbaugh time to get Michigan on track in recruiting, the Big Ten and the rivalry with the Ohio State," the site's Bill Bender wrote. "It's hard to argue with the results of the last two seasons. The Wolverines have won back-to-back Big Ten championships after consecutive wins against the Buckeyes, and Har- baugh has evolved in recruiting with the help of the transfer portal. "Last year's playoff flop against TCU also is on the record, and ... Harbaugh [has yet] to break through for a national championship." 549 Rushing yards and 9 rushing touchdowns com- bined in Michigan's back-to-back wins over Ohio State in 2021 (297, 6) and 2022 (252, 3). Those numbers are more than the 500 yards and 7 scores rushing the Wolverines recorded in the five previ- ous meetings with the Buckeyes from 2015-19. The focus is always on Ohio State. We beat them the past two years, but that's always the game. Them, Michi- gan State, Penn State and then whoever's in the playoffs and the Big Ten champi- onship. Ohio State is always that team we have to beat that's on our schedule. It's always personal for me." — Junior safety Rod Moore, a Clayton, Ohio, native 7 Michigan Wolverines were named top-100 players in the country by On3 — senior running back Blake Co- rum (No. 14 overall, No. 1 RB), sophomore cornerback Will Johnson (No. 35, No. 5 CB), senior defensive tackle Kris Jenkins (No. 46, No. 4 DT), senior right guard Zak Zinter (No. 48, No. 2 OG), junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy (No. 70, No. 7 QB), junior running back Donovan Edwards (No. 79, No. 10 RB) and junior safety ROD MOORE (No. 84, No. 5 S). PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER