38 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2018 FOOTBALL PREVIEW
BY CHRIS BALAS
I
f ever there were a guy born to work for someone like Jim
Harbaugh, Ben Herbert is that man. Rugged, no-non-
sense, high expectations of his players — all are
traits common to both Michigan's head coach and his
first-year strength coach. Their "do the work, no ex-
cuses" approach has worked for both guys in
their various coaching stops.
Perhaps the best evidence of the duo's
similarities is summed up in one anec-
dote from Herbert's time at Arkansas,
where he worked under Bret Bielema
from 2013-17.
He had followed the coach from
Wisconsin, where 'Herb' was a
Rose Bowl champion, four-year
letterman and two-year starter on
the defensive line from 1998-
2001.
When he became the team's
full-time strength coach in 2009,
much was made of a unique in-
centive he brought with him. The
players who performed best actu-
ally got to work out harder and more
strenuously, and sometimes more often.
Tr a nsforma nce
New Strength Coach
Ben Herbert's Approach
Is Already Making An Impact
Herbert played along the defensive line at Wisconsin before
spending 11 years on his alma mater's strength and condition-
ing staff — the last four as the head man — and then he spent
five seasons in the head job at Arkansas.
PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN