Michigan State Postgame Presser: Jim Harbaugh
[Upchurch]
It’s a hard game to put in words. What are your impressions of what happened tonight?
“Too many turnovers. We got momentum going, then we turned it over. You can’t expect to win when you turn it over five times.”
Replacing Nolan [Ulizio] with Juwann [Bushell-Beatty]: what went into that and how long were you guys planning on leaving Nolan in there before switching him out at that right tackle spot?
“It wasn’t a plan. Coaches decided to make the switch.”
How far along was it?
“At what point? I can’t remember exactly what point it was in the game.”
There was a stretch there with the three interceptions and you guys throwing the ball around. Did you consider running the ball more and what went into the playcalling during that stretch?
“Yeah, I mean, you can criticize that. We were trying to run the ball. We were trying to piece drives together. We really were. That was—we needed to score points and we needed to piece drives together and that’s what we were trying to do.”
There was a lot that went wrong on offense tonight but what can you hang your hat on the most in this game? What made you most proud of the offense even through all the faults tonight?
“Just not enough good things. There were good things. Opening drive was good; sixteen plays. We get the ball back, we started to do it again then three plays then we had a fumble. That two-minute drive before the half, that was materializing and looked like we would get points and we stopped ourselves there.
“Then we had the interception. It was hard to tell from where I was standing whether John was throwing the crossing route. Think he was expecting the receiver, Kekoa, to keep coming on the move. It was one of those things, weren’t on the same page there. I think the one ball, to your points, didn’t have a good grip on it. Overthrew the receiver. But yeah, there was good things. Not enough good things. Stopped ourselves. In the course of piecing drives together we turned the ball over. That’s what I saw.”
[Hit THE JUMP for more]
After a game like this with the way the offense struggled, do you take a hard look and reevaluate some things on offense or do you look at it as a bizarre game, a rain game, and you don’t think you need many changes?
“We’ll evaluate, like we always do after every game. Always take a hard look after every single game.”
You’re 1-4 against the two biggest rivals. What should be the reaction midway through year three?
“I don’t know, Dennis. We’re bowing our heads getting ready for the next game. That’s our reaction.”
Can you talk about the defense in the second half especially and what they did to keep you in it?
“Yeah, they were getting stops and even with the five turnovers they did well. The one we fumbled at midfield, they did score a touchdown on that but I think that’s the only points that came off of those turnovers. That was outstanding. Kept us in the ballgame.”
Offensively, has it been a situation where it’s not one thing in particular? Seems like it’s a bunch of little things. Is it just a case of you’re not getting 11-man football out there or is there something underlying as to why it’s not consistent?
“Best I can tell you right now is what I’ve already said. Turned the ball over too many times offensively.”
Despite the turnovers, do you feel like there’s maybe one or two plays or anything that you left out there that could change the outcome of the game despite the rain?
“Yeah, yeah. We had our opportunities.”
October 8th, 2017 at 12:08 PM ^
Harbaugh who is the primary play caller and whether this is supposed to be a zone or power team.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:11 PM ^
There is no way that he's going to answer either of those questions, and he shouldn't.
He isn't going to throw Pep/Drevno/whoever under the bus publicly, and he's not going to admit tendencies or strategy.
October 8th, 2017 at 1:08 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 1:48 PM ^
Both Higdon and Evans but especially Higdon were getting pretty consistent yardage. We had to pass, however.
In fairness, I doubt that the gameplan was about running the ball as much as it was about passing to burn their safeties and LBs - but it was pretty obvious early on that they were hip to that coming in.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:09 PM ^
Harbaugh: I will hire Mike Hart for RB coach and finally have an identity for the offense. With Mike, he understands the MSU rivalry as no one else can.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:13 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:15 PM ^
It probably wont happen, but having Jay Harbaugh as the RB coach needs to end. Nothing against Jay, but we have better options for that coaching position.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:19 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 2:14 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 8:54 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 9:01 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:19 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:41 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:49 PM ^
and start seeing our players get better and improve.
You mean on offense right? Defensive development has been as good or better as any team in the country.
October 8th, 2017 at 2:26 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 2:57 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 5:34 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 6:34 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 8:53 PM ^
"not afraid to play anyone on our schedule. This was not true in 2014."
100% accurate.
October 8th, 2017 at 9:06 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 6:11 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 9:56 PM ^
Maybe he's trying to avoid more unsportsmanlike penalties. This team doesn't need to shoot itself in the foot any more that it already is.
October 8th, 2017 at 8:08 PM ^
MSM and Sparty critiques too often. I generally respect your takes even when I disagree, but I can't go along with this one.
To be clear, criticism of JH is warranted, and he got outcoached by Dantonio. But I don't think this is warranted criticism.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:46 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 5:34 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 5:49 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 6:29 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 9:34 PM ^
Both Ruddock & Speight finished above average in QBR. A bit dishonest to claim otherwise.
October 9th, 2017 at 11:54 AM ^
Yeah, logged in just to upvote this. I think people spend too much time watching sports center and not watching other teams' games. The last 2 years our QB play has been pretty good comparitively. We don't have Deshaun Watson or Lamar Jackson but Wilton Speight came in the top 25 of most metrics last year. People keep expecting a Heisman candidate and video game numbers. We had video game numbers in 2010 at the QB position. Doesn't necessarily win you a championship.
October 9th, 2017 at 1:38 PM ^
This is really it. To win the Big 10 and possibly an NC, you have to have either a good QB/great O Line or good O Line/great QB. Either we have the guys and they are not ready, or we have to get the guys.
October 8th, 2017 at 9:24 PM ^
How do you think the game would have gone if QBs were switched? Lewerke didn't take a single sack or make a turnover.
October 8th, 2017 at 10:56 PM ^
o.k. but nothing more. His OC gave him a few plays where he could run, at least one really well designed.
He is an average passer.
While he did not throw any picks, there are at least three of his passes that were very very close to being intercepted.
Also, Lewerke did take a sack. I'll give you that he avoided a few by throwing it out of boubds, which O"korn needs to do more often.
October 8th, 2017 at 11:10 PM ^
He didn't turn the ball over but yes he was sacked.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:51 PM ^
it is hard after a loss, but this is not really true and not really the problem.
They are making an officiating emphasis this year on coaches going on the field and/or blowing up on the refs. JH has intentionally toned that down.
Yeah, there are serious coaching problems on the offensive side, but JH 'checking out' or being half there is not one of them.
October 8th, 2017 at 2:22 PM ^
I don't believe for a second that Harbaugh isn't invested, and after OSU he noticeably dialed back the sideline intensity - he's not going to give the zebras any reason to penalize the team.
October 8th, 2017 at 4:35 PM ^
but it wouldn't let me. That would be a dream...
October 8th, 2017 at 12:09 PM ^
Honestly, not a ton else to say. It sucks to lose, we have to move on.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:10 PM ^
We don't need more/better game planning, we don't need more meetings. What we need is to show some fucking HEART!!
October 8th, 2017 at 12:14 PM ^
HART. How spoiled we were to have guys like Hart and Perry running every snap and barely fumbling the ball behind stout lines.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:19 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:25 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:51 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:31 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 1:06 PM ^
Do a Jeff Brohm impersonation? Huh. Wonder why our coaches haven't thought of that.
October 8th, 2017 at 2:20 PM ^
October 9th, 2017 at 1:31 PM ^
Who the fuck upvoted this?
You should feel bad.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:14 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 12:16 PM ^
He was a player and I find it very hard to believe he doesn't understand these rivalries. I'm just literally confused as hell about the whole situation.
October 8th, 2017 at 12:39 PM ^
October 8th, 2017 at 2:34 PM ^
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