The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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Moeller, former U-M assistant Jerry Hanlon, iconic equipment man Jon Falk and a host of former players packing the Junge Family Champions Center. Carr noted he was impressed by how Harbaugh handled himself during his first brush back with the local media, along with a number of national media outlets in town. "I've always had great respect for Jim," Carr said. "I'm just happy this day has come. These things don't happen every day. To have a guy who means this much to this program come back from the NFL is a wonderful thing. "He's pretty good on his feet, that's for sure. He's funny respectful, and smart. He's a smart guy." Moeller insisted Harbaugh will inject some grit into the mix, along with an ability to communicate with players. "The toughness, the getting after it, and playing the game the way it was meant to be played," Moeller said. "Every guy playing on every down. There are just little things. Now, be technique conscious and perfect that. That's the key thing. "Kids will buy what he's saying. He's not trying to beat them up. Now, if they need beating up, yeah, he'll get after them. He'll do that, no question. But he'll work with them as well." Former running back Jamie Morris and former tight end Derrick Walker shared a huddle with Harbaugh. Morris backed the notion that Harbaugh hates to lose at anything, including helmet stickers gleaned for good performance. "We used to have the Wolverine stickers on our helmets," Morris recalled. "Our defense would stop them, and Jimmy would turn around to our offense and say, 'Okay, let's get a sticker. We're going to have one of those 12-, 14-play drives.' "His thing was, 'Let's get a sticker. I don't care if we have to run the ball all the time.' I'm like, 'Well, wait a minute, Big Poppy. We should throw the ball some- times, too.' Bo was known for running the ball, but when Jimmy was there, we'd throw that ball and I was happy with that. "Those helmet stickers … that's what I remember about Jimmy." Walker insisted Harbaugh will be a stickler for doing things the right way, just like their former head coach. Bo Schembechler put forth an aura of someone not to be trifled with, who demanded and received excellence. Walker sees his former teammate in that same vein. "He brings that fire back," Walker said. "His father was a coach. He played under Bo Schembechler. Those were the things Bo taught — accountability, consis- tency, not being late … those are the tings Jim is going to make these kids ac- countable for. That stuff is important. "The guy next to you needs you to be accountable. Jim brings those things back. Not only that, he's a winner. His pedigree is NFL player, captain for Michi- gan, played under the greatest coach, has a family coaching history. He played