The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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started at least one game for the 1997 national championship team alone saw at least some action in the NFL, one more than the number of former Wol- verines now in the NFL. "As that 1997 season went on, it was pretty impressive to look around and say, 'We didn't have any holes any- where,'" former Michigan linebacker Clint Copenhaver noted. "There were no chinks in the armor anywhere. We had a lockdown corner in Charles Woodson. On the other side was An- dre Weathers, one of the top corners in the Big Ten. We had two great safeties behind us in Tommy Hendricks and Marcus Ray, and a handful of studs on the defensive line. "That amount of talent gives con- fidence every single game, knowing you're probably the best defense in country." So yes — talent matters. A quick look at the current top 10 programs for put- ting talent in the NFL — LSU is No. 1 with 40, while USC, Alabama, Florida, Florida State and Oklahoma are among those on the list — is proof of that. In that respect, NFL.com's recent top- 25 list of programs with the most NFL prospects could be somewhat depress- ing. Three Big Ten programs made the cut — Ohio State at No. 1. Michigan State at No. 8 and Penn State at No. 18. And it's probably fair. After redshirt freshman defensive back Jabrill Pep- pers, there's probably no sure thing on the Michigan roster at this point. "We're still figuring out exactly who we're going to be," head coach Jim Harbaugh said following a 35-7 win over Oregon State. "We're not patting ourselves on the back, but moving on with a very humble heart, going back to work, seeing how good we can get. "If that identity is going to be a hard working, blue collar, physical football team … if people see that and feel that when they watch our team, I'd be the happiest guy around." Because then and only then will the 2015 Wolverines have a shot to contend. It would follow the formula of basket- ball coach John Beilein's 2012 Big Ten co-championship team, an overachiev- ing bunch led by captain Zack Novak. The 1997 Wolverines had that mental- ity along with the talent, Copenhaver recalled. "We had a ton of talent, absolutely, but the cool thing about that team was we had such a close unit of guys," Co- penhaver said. "Woodson was the star, but he was the coolest, most laid-back guy in the room. We were a true defi- nition of a team, a bunch of guys that pushed each other. That's what made it so special." Elite talent, work ethic and chemistry — that's what makes a perfect football team stew from the players' standpoint. For now, the Wolverines will have to make do with two out of three. And while that might not be enough to compete on the national stage, we all saw what a dash of elite coaching — the fourth key ingredient — did for Beilein's bunch. ❏ Chris Balas has been with The Wolverine since 1997, working part time for five years before joining the staff full time in 2002. Contact him at cbalas@thewolverine.com and follow him on Twitter at Balas_Wolverine.