The Wolverine

April 2015

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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T here's a bizarre dynamic at play among Michigan football and basketball fans. Their teams didn't make a bowl, didn't make the NCAA Tour- nament (or the NIT, for that matter), and many are smiling as if all is right with the world. For both programs, far better days are right around the corner, and those paying close at- tention know it. Confirmation arrived in a whirlwind when Jim Harbaugh hit town. He immediately injected his "enthu- siasm unknown to mankind" into every aspect of Michigan football, and it's evident he's not playing around. Neither is athletics director Jim Hackett and the Michigan administra- tion, which obviously signed off on a serious ramping-up of the firepower Harbaugh has at his disposal. It's not just the top layer that jumps out, with proven NFL personnel such as Tim Drevno and Jedd Fisch running the offense, standout University of Florida defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin heading north, and the most recognized special teams coach in all of football, John Baxter, signing on for duty. It's the expansion of the foundation, put- ting so many pieces in place that can make a difference. It's bringing in a T.J. Weist, a former Michigan grad assis- tant, who has spent a quarter-century in the business, to operate as a senior offensive analyst. It's culling a Chris Partridge — sopho- more standout Jabrill Peppers' former high school coach — from New Jersey prep pow- erhouse Paramus Catholic to orches- trate Michigan's recruiting efforts. It's snagging one of the top high school coaches in the state of Ohio — Cleve- land St. Edward boss Rick Finotti — to become the Wolverines' new direc- tor of football operations. It's not about just doing your best with what you've got and hoping to get better. Harbaugh and Fisch are doing everything they can to develop a capable starting quarterback for the 2015 season among those in spring practice. But the new boss isn't stopping there. He has freshman Zach Gentry, WOLVERINE WATCH   JOHN BORTON Anticipation Reigns For U-M Fans Head coach Jim Harbaugh has put together a top-notch staff of assistants. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN

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