Who’s Got It Better Than Jim Harbaugh’s Fullbacks?
Michigan’s football coach has an odd fascination with the game’s least interesting position
"Harbaugh was infatuated with fullbacks long before he shook up college football by returning to his alma mater last season. Harbaugh’s first head-coaching position—before Michigan, before the San Francisco 49ers and before Stanford—was at the University of San Diego in 2004. One of the first things Harbaugh did after taking the job was to seek out legendary Michigan coach Bo Schembechler for some advice. Schembechler gave him an idea that turned out to be indispensable: He told him to find a good fullback.
Harbaugh took the advice quite literally. He has found good fullbacks everywhere and has used them in every way possible.
The result is a position room that could be the most fascinating collection of players in the country. Henry Poggi, for example, came to Ann Arbor as a four-star defensive tackle. Harbaugh thought he would be more valuable on offense. Now he may be the starting fullback for a darkhorse College Football Playoff contender.
“It’s like a sixth sense,” Poggi said. “He knows what guys are going to be best at what positions.”"
Source: Max Cohen, WSJ, 8/30/2016
http://www.wsj.com/articles/whos-got-it-better-than-jim-harbaughs-fullbacks-1472591215
August 31st, 2016 at 8:48 AM ^
Jimmy, you gotta have a fullback!
August 31st, 2016 at 8:53 AM ^
Sounds like a quote for an MGOSHIRT!
August 31st, 2016 at 9:31 AM ^
August 31st, 2016 at 9:55 AM ^
Sign me up!
August 31st, 2016 at 11:32 AM ^
Where's an expert?
August 31st, 2016 at 1:34 PM ^
Looks good to me. Just change it into a quote like: "Jimmy, ya gotta have a fullback" and I'm in.
August 31st, 2016 at 8:50 AM ^
The tailbacks?
August 31st, 2016 at 9:43 AM ^
August 31st, 2016 at 8:54 AM ^
August 31st, 2016 at 9:20 AM ^
Well, we know that the guy has no idea what a concussion is.
August 31st, 2016 at 10:36 AM ^
August 31st, 2016 at 2:01 PM ^
August 31st, 2016 at 9:30 AM ^
To football fans with the mentality of kids who think concerts are for watching pretty people dance, sure.
My understanding of football itself drastically improved just trying to understand fullback play. It seems everyone's trying to get rid of the position, but a good fullback adds a dimension to offenses that will confound defenders who aren't students of the game. When Stanford obliterated VT in the Orange Bowl, at one point the safeties keyed on Owen Marecic since he so reliably indicated where the hole was going to open up. The RB cut back on an iso for fifty yards.
To be fair, WSJ is writing to those casual fans who think a "skill" position is a 6'3" wide receiver with rocket boots. Not to say it isn't, but "interesting" is in the eye of the beholder here.
August 31st, 2016 at 9:39 AM ^
tfw you come at dragonchild with a soft ass take like the fullback position is not interesting.
August 31st, 2016 at 9:51 AM ^
Doc Brown needs more ZOOM ENHANCE
August 31st, 2016 at 1:24 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
August 31st, 2016 at 9:47 AM ^
I think Harbaugh's fullbacks are just one of the "blocky-catchy" types that are his prototypical "football player". I mean, what's a "fullback" to Harbaugh? Just another of the big, strong, agile, quick, good hands and aggressive mindset guys (dudes?) that Harbaugh wants on his team. Sure, he needs burners, and man-mountain OL/DT types, and kickers, and long snappers, too, but he loves putting defense on their heels with these blocky-catchy types!
August 31st, 2016 at 9:54 AM ^
As I recall Harbaugh relating it in some interview once:
Schembechler: "You gonna have a fullback, Jimmy?"
Harbaugh: "Yeah, coach ... I'm going to have a fullback."
Schembechler: "And tight ends?"
Harbaugh: "Yeah coach ... I'm going to have tight ends too."
August 31st, 2016 at 10:34 AM ^
Are they going to have their hand in the dirt?
August 31st, 2016 at 10:09 AM ^
August 31st, 2016 at 10:26 AM ^
Nope. He was waived on Monday. Didn't really have a shot as a fullback once the Saints signed John Kuhn 2 weeks ago.
August 31st, 2016 at 10:28 AM ^
they signed John Kuhn. I have not been able to find any info on whether he has been picked up by anyone else.
http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2016/08/live_new_orleans_saints_be…
August 31st, 2016 at 10:19 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
August 31st, 2016 at 10:33 AM ^
NOOOOOOOOBODY!
August 31st, 2016 at 11:19 AM ^
August 31st, 2016 at 2:59 PM ^
Takes the most marbles - ISO and power blocking of DE and LB
Takes great hands - screens, wheel routes, outs and stab routes
Need to be an RB that runs w/out a lead blocker - trap, counter and dive
Needs to understand pass pro and blocking assignments like a center - fronts, coverages and blitz packages
THEY DESERVE SCHOLARSHIPS BRIAN!!!!
August 31st, 2016 at 4:46 PM ^
does anyone down-vote this thread/OP?
August 31st, 2016 at 8:30 PM ^
August 31st, 2016 at 5:50 PM ^
I made this comment before I actually read the post. Delete and shame me.
August 31st, 2016 at 8:42 PM ^