The Wolverine

August 2017

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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AUGUST 2017 THE WOLVERINE 43 M ichigan's June football camps provided opportunity for ques- tions about summer progress, and head coach Jim Harbaugh talked about a number of topics. One that kept coming up involved sophomore defensive end Rashan Gary and his leadership abilities. Gary has stepped forward in a force- ful way, teaming with fifth-year se- nior defensive tackle Maurice Hurst Jr. to take charge. "We saw it in the spring," Har- baugh said of Gary. "It was obvi- ous in the winter workouts and the spring practices, every day, attacking it with a lot of energy. Like a force. "We're in June, so you hate to talk about it too much, but yes. Did I see it? Yes." Harbaugh also waved off the no- tion that Gary's actions were excep- tional because of his underclassman status. "Leadership can come from any grade," he said. "The class doesn't matter. It's the person. He does it the right way — it's by example. It can't be denied when something is by example, and it can't be hidden by what class you're in. He does by doing it." Harbaugh also talked about: • True freshmen getting used to a new setting: "I've always felt it takes 21 days to really be acclimated to a new home. In many cases, it started today. You take 21 days, three weeks out, and circle that day on the calen- dar. That's when they should feel it's their new home … "Whether they came at the mid- year, or today, this is the very first time they've come with mom and dad, and the car went home, and they weren't in it. That's an attack on the nervous system that has never taken place before. They're in un- charted waters. There is that process, and giving them the tools, the tips and the advice for what we do next is what we did then, and what we'll be doing now." • Freshman center Cesar Ruiz dropping from 345 pounds to around 317 since arriving: "It's a long process. The crash diets have proven not to be real effective. To be able to space that out, where it's a pound a week, seems to be scientifi- cally the best way to get in shape and reduce the body fat. "It's been good for him. Again, you're talking about freshmen, and you hate to say too many great things about them. He's one of the ones we're most pleased with, yes — level of maturity, the football talent and ef- fort, and the way he performed in the classroom. He is what some people call an older soul." • Fifth-year senior fullback Kha- lid Hill and sophomore offensive guard Michael Onwenu have also been shedding weight: "Yeah, they're making strides. They're com- ing along … as a coach, you like to have it happen a little bit faster. They understand now that things have amped up and there is heat out here, these workouts are more strenuous and just how important it is to be in great shape. "If you're not in great shape — no matter how courageous you are as an athlete — it makes cowards of us all if you're fatigued and out of shape during a game." • Five-year NFL running back Alfonso Smith, who played for Harbaugh's 49ers in 2014, has been added to the staff as a coaching in- tern: "He's a great guy, a first-class individual all the way. He'll be very serious about football. He always was. "When we were coaching him in San Francisco, I remember the day, I went up to him and said, 'You should coach. Play football as long as you can and then coach.' When he de- cided he was hanging them up, he called and we jumped at the oppor- tunity to get him over here. "He'll be in an off-the-field posi- tion, but obviously his expertise is running backs. What a natural fit there."   MICHIGAN FOOTBALL Jim Harbaugh Gives Updates At Camp Harbaugh said sophomore defensive end Rashan Gary has stepped up in a major way by help- ing to lead the young Wolverines. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN 2017 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Date Opponent Time (ET)/TV Sept. 2 vs. Florida* 3:30 pm/ABC Sept. 9 Cincinnati Noon/ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 Sept. 16 Air Force Noon/BTN Sep. 23 at Purdue 3:30 or 4 pm/TBA Oct. 7 Michigan State TBA/TBA Oct. 14 at Indiana Noon/TBA Oct. 21 at Penn State TBA/TBA Oct. 28 Rutgers Noon/TBA Nov. 4 Minnesota TBA/TBA Nov. 11 at Maryland TBA/TBA Nov. 18 at Wisconsin TBA/TBA Nov. 25 Ohio State Noon/FOX Dec 2 Big Ten Championship Game^ * at Arlington, Texas; ^ at Indianapolis

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