The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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the park right now." So what would a head coach thinking like an 18‑year‑old con‑ coct next? What can Harbaugh do to push the Michigan brand even further or give his program a com‑ petitive advantage? Here are a few ideas that may or may not be legal (no one is better at finding NCAA loopholes than Harbaugh). Hold media day in Indianapolis: The site of the Big Ten Championship Game Dec. 3, Michigan could plant its flag in a bold proclamation that it intends to return to the state of Indiana after winning the East Divi‑ sion title. Hosting media day in Indy would attract a crowd of Midwest and na‑ tional media, and would likely tick off conference competitors, but it would create an expectation within the team — nothing short of a return trip is good enough in 2016. Scrimmage a team of NFL training camp cuts: For years, coaches have been pushing for the opportunity to scrimmage other college programs during preseason practices — think Western Michigan or Bowling Green — but the NCAA forbids it. But right around mid‑August, NFL teams dump players from their rosters that simply are not good enough to hack it, and from that list, there should be at least 25‑40 ath‑ letes that would like another chance to showcase their potential. Imagine forming a de facto scout team that scrimmages against the Wolverines while performing in front of NFL scouts, and the benefit U‑M could glean from high‑level competition. Host a Big Ten underclassmen com- bine: On the heels of the NFL Draft in early May, and the conclusion of the winter term for most schools, Michigan invites underclassmen from throughout the Big Ten to at‑ tend a combine in Ann Arbor. NFL personnel could get an early jump on evaluating talent while the players could vie to be the fastest or strongest man among their confer‑ ence brethren. It would also give the underclass‑ men a preview of what's to come, allowing them a chance to prepare themselves for the critical testing they face in efforts to make the NFL. Invite recruits to Junior Day in Can- ton: Over the last few summers, Michigan has made popular its BBQ at The Big House, hosting a Junior Day event for the top recruits it can attract to Ann Arbor for an after‑ noon of meet‑and‑greets, tours of campus and discussions with aca‑ demic support staff. U‑M would lose the chance to ex‑ pose prospects to its facilities when the Wolverines head to Canton, and the Pro Football Hall of Fame, for their Junior Day, establishing their event in a place more centrally lo‑ cated for recruits from Ohio, Michi‑ gan Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland while very likely turning every Buckeye an irate red. ❏ Associate Editor Michael Spath has been with The Wolverine since 2002. Contact him at mspath@thewolverine.com and follow him on Twitter @Spath_Wolverine.