The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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60 THE WOLVERINE ❱ DECEMBER 2023 S ome laughed back in February when Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh compared his program to a "superhero" that absorbs "attacks" and spits them back out "in some sort of laser fashion." They chuckled when he said the Wol- verines are like "some of those housing markets that become recession-proof. They're just good." He made those statements at the be- ginning of spring practices, after some weeks of rumors that he was considering leaving Michigan for the NFL and amid an NCAA investigation for alleged illegal minor recruiting and practice violations. Those were nothing compared to what's being said about the program now, with the illegal in-person scout- ing allegations being the No. 1 story in the sport (because it's Harbaugh and Michigan) and the Big Ten punishing the head coach despite there being no known evidence Harbaugh had knowledge of or directed former low-level staffer Connor Stalions' alleged actions. Perceived enemies in the media, com- petitors on the field, rival fans and the Big Ten and NCAA are firing shots across the U-M bow. It's one thing to block out the noise. That's typically the canned response athletes give during times like these. But that's impossible right now. Graduate left guard Trevor Keegan said he had to delete his X (formerly Twitter) account just so he wouldn't see the discussion surrounding Michigan (at least on that platform). "One-track mind" has been the com- pany line, with the Wolverines saying they're focused on football and accom- plishing their goals, all of which are in- tact. But they're also using the attacks as fuel. Michigan's 24-15 win at Penn State Nov. 11 has been the best example so far. After a court motion for a temporary restraining order for Harbaugh, which would've allowed him to coach if granted, fell through, the Wolverines found out an hour and a half before the game that they wouldn't have their leader on the side- line. They didn't flinch and got the job done anyway. Last season, Harbaugh declared Mich- igan's ride to the Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff a "happy mission." This year, it's more complicated than that. There's certainly joy in the way his team plays, but there's also anger — an emotion he apparently instructed them to channel Friday night before playing at Penn State — and a wide range of emo- tions. Mixed together, it's a mentally tough team with loads of motivation to go along with their talent and experience. "I saw this quote on Instagram the other day. It said, 'The mindset you choose when adversity hits is the de- termining factor of whether you win or lose,'" junior quarterback J.J. McCarthy said. "Anything that comes at this team, we're going to be ready for it and use it to our advantage." Michigan would much rather be on a happy ride. But its ability to roll with the punches and keep pummeling opponents has been impressive, with the Wolverines now 10-0 heading into their final two regular-season games. "There's a target on our back right now, and we love that," Keegan said. "Just players and the staff having a one-track mind, banding together as brothers. The storm is coming. Nah, we are the storm. That's our mentality." "We never could have imagined this," senior running back Blake Corum said of the circumstances. "One thing I will say is, this builds character. That's what I was always told — hard times build character. It's definitely built character within our team." HOOPS, YOU HAVE OUR ATTENTION Michigan men's basketball is 3-0 with a 23.7-point average win margin, beat- ing UNC Asheville (99-74), Youngstown State (92-62) and St. John's (89-73) to begin the season. Don't discount what the Wolverines have done in the early going, showing great promise through mid-November. Michigan has scored 85-plus points in three straight games for the first time since a four-game stretch in 2012-13. It also has averaged 1.2 or more points per possession in all three outings, after hit- ting that mark in just five total games last season. There's a long way to go, but the media picking them to finish 11th in the Big Ten in a preseason poll looks more and more absurd by the game. Immediately fol- lowing the win over St. John's at Madison Square Garden, Kenpom ranked U-M No. 23 in the nation and second in the Big Ten, trailing only No. 1 Purdue. Things have changed dramatically in short order. A lot is riding on the kind of jump sophomore point guard Dug McDan- iel made during his offseason of "silent grinding." So far, he's proven to have taken a leap, averaging 21.3 points and 6.3 assists per game, and completely in control of the pace. Great point guard play can take a team a long way, and he appears to have more talent around him than most thought originally. ❏ SAYFIE BLITZ ❱ CLAYTON SAYFIE Michigan Football Is 'The Storm' Graduate student left guard Trevor Keegan summed up the team's mindset prior to the Penn State game, saying, "The storm is coming. Nah, we are the storm. That's our mentality." PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL Staff writer Clayton Sayfie has covered Michigan athletics for The Wolverine since 2019. Contact him at Clayton.Sayfie @on3.com and follow him on X (Twitter) @CSayf23.