ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan is four practices into spring practice, but head coach Jim Harbaugh, coming off his best season with the Wolverines and then a flirtation with the NFL, already has a good feeling about his team.
Michigan went 12-2 last season, won a Big Ten title and finished No. 3 in the Associated Press Top 25 after being unranked at the start. Considerable defensive firepower was lost from that team, namely Aidan Hutchinson, the edge rusher with a single-season program record 14 sacks, projected a top NFL draft pick; David Ojabo, who added 11 sacks; and defensive back Dax Hill, who turned heads with his numbers at the NFL scouting combine last week.
The offense will have to replace offensive lineman Andrew Vastardis and Andrew Stueber, and running back Hassan Haskins, who set a season program record with 20 rushing touchdowns.
Harbaugh, looking invigorated during a news conference Tuesday, is bullish on his group.
“The state of Michigan football is scary good right now.” Harbaugh said.
He said this even after taking the opening question about the health of quarterback J.J. McCarthy, a five-star recruit who during his freshman season last fall was a backup to starter Cade McNamara. Harbaugh confirmed what The Detroit News reported Monday that McCarthy will not require surgery on his right (throwing) shoulder and is resting it by not throwing. Harbaugh described it as “lingering arm soreness."
They consulted medical experts, he said, to determine a plan for recovery. It does not include surgery.
McCarthy is participating in spring practice, but not throwing.
“I can’t say when he’s gonna throw,” Harbaugh said, “but we’re not gonna have him throw right now.”
McNamara emerged from spring practice last year as the starter and never looked back, although McCarthy did get game action, in large part because of his mobility as well as his arm. McNamara was a strong leader last season, and threw for 2,576 yards and 15 touchdowns against six interceptions.
“Cade’s looked good,” Harbaugh said. “Has really been just sharp. It’s been a nice continuation from the season. J.J.’s getting reps, and then all the other quarterbacks. Alan Bowman (a grad student who transferred from Texas Tech before last season), the two freshmen (Alex Orji and Jayden Denegal), we get a lot of reps in practice.”
Michigan will have a different look at offensive coordinator with Matt Weiss, who coaches the quarterbacks, and Sherrone Moore, who was a co-coordinator last season with Josh Gattis, resuming his role coaching the offensive line. Gattis abruptly left last month to become offensive coordinator at Miami (Florida) and sent a scorching text to many of his players that was obtained by The News.
“Unfortunately, the past few weeks has told a different story to me about the very little appreciation I have here from the administration,” Gattis wrote.
Harbaugh briefly addressed that move.
“I didn’t see it coming,” he said, before later adding the transition has been smooth. “Yeah, that departure was replaced quickly and seamlessly and we’re rolling.”
Grant Newsome, the former Michigan offensive lineman whose career ended with a gruesome knee injury in a game against Wisconsin in 2016, is now coaching tight ends, and Ron Bellamy, who last year coached safeties, is coaching receivers, the position he played at Michigan. Running backs coach Mike Hart is now the run-game coordinator.
Harbaugh said the offense will be “completely collaborative” while not being specific about how Weiss and Moore will work together to coordinate the offense.
“You want to know who’s calling the plays?” Harbaugh said. “That’s going to be determined. In a collaborative way.”
Harbaugh first made the “scary good” comment when answering a question about the returning defensive linemen. Then he was asked if the offense should be characterized that way, as well.
“Just the whole state of the program,” he said. “There’s people that want to keep different stories going, love to hate us or hate to love us, but we’re having a blast. The word tumultuous was used in the offseason. If guys are bringing the energy and having fun and the momentum that the program has, whatever word you want to put on that, that’s what we’re having.
"And that’s scary good, because you know something’s gonna happen at some point. The law of averages will catch up to you at some point, but it’s the place you want to be.”
