Championship Eve Musings: How Did Michigan Football Develop Its Toughness (With That Side of Nasty)?

Submitted by AlbanyBlue on December 2nd, 2022 at 3:01 PM

Looking back in Michigan's recent-ish past, one common theme was that the football team, despite being pretty good, was a bit on the softer side. I recall one comment from years ago that addressed this directly -- I think we were termed white-collar at one point. The implication, then, was that we would fold up when faced with adversity. We saw this some on the field, with games such as 27-for-27.

Fast forward to 2021 and 2022. No one is referring to us that way any longer. Now talking heads are using terms like suffocation and imposing one's will when describing the team. Teams are clearly frustrated that Michigan can no longer be pushed around. Of course, this is desirable and has helped the team ascend to the level of CFP-caliber unit. 

But I'm curious how this happened. Is it primarily a function of this special group of players from this year and last? Is it due to better / more innovative coaching? Is it due to the fact that the general scheme that Harbaugh has wanted to implement during his time here is finally in place? 

This attitude shift is one of the significant drivers for our success in 2021 and 2022, and I sure hope it's something that remains a focus in the future.

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canzior

December 2nd, 2022 at 3:08 PM ^

I've heard this a lot on the radio for the last 12-14 months and one consistent thing I've heard (Reece Davis & Joel Klatt both mentioned it recently) was that the "toughness" of your team is dictated by your offensive identity. They mentioned they heard this from various coaches and coordinators. Getting back to a smash mouth run game toughened the team up. Even thinking about Bama, they don't seem as inevitable as before, especially among the lines could be because they (seem) throw the ball A LOT compared to older Bama squads. 

Apparently there is something about your defense facing the best offensive players on the team and having to buckle up and hit which probably conditions them to a more rigorous style of football. And I think the differences are subtle...it's not necessarily being able to dig in and pull out a big play on an important 3rd down, but being able to fight just as hard on a random second down without taking a down off.

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goblu330

December 2nd, 2022 at 3:13 PM ^

The white-collar comment was made by an Illinois basketball player during the JB era, was not related to football.

Michigan has developed its "toughness" from genuinely having to be built from the ground up.  We tend to think of Michigan as static, with just a "little bump" in the road.  The fact of the matter is that "bump" lasted for over a decade and Michigan was no longer even a competitive football team with the middle of the BIG.  Its mentality had to be rebuilt entirely.  It suffered massive set backs, gut punches, and heartbreaks in the process, and had to collect itself and come back from all of them, all while people laughed at it and said it never could.   It is now an elite recruiting program that also plays with the edge of an underdog.  That is a really good combination.

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sammylittle

December 2nd, 2022 at 4:18 PM ^

I logged in to say this. Michigan had a lack of available bodies on both the O-line and D-line at various times over recent years. Physical toughness starts in the trenches. It is difficult to be a "tough" cornerback if you are eating pulling guards because the D-line can't occupy blocks. It is difficult to be a "tough" running back if you constantly encounter a defensive tackle in your own backfield.

Mental toughness can come from any position but, I would venture, that the mental attitude of the quarterback is most important to team resilience. Cade and JJ are both mentally tough in a way that players like Shea and CJ Stroud do not seem to be. Mental toughness can be infectious. Guys like Mike Sainristil on defense possess and spread this trait as well.

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njvictor

December 2nd, 2022 at 3:22 PM ^

I thought Seth made an interesting point on this topic on the MGoBlog Round Table this week. Basically saying that you can't have a hard nosed, tough defense and air it out / finesse offense as the defense of a team imitates the toughness of the offense. I think our defense and offense have fed off of each other over time and developed a toughness almost through a feedback loop of scheme, culture, execution, and attitude

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Midukman

December 2nd, 2022 at 3:30 PM ^

I posted, somewhere during Harbaughs early days at Michigan that if he eventually got his road grader line and big TE’s that he’d pave people. Much like he did at Stanford. We pretty much are his last few teams from back then, just better athletes. We’re Stanford on steroids. 

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M-Dog

December 2nd, 2022 at 4:08 PM ^

Our scheme is better now, once we got away from pure under-center.  

We went away from patiently inflicting body blows and then punting in hopes of a big 4th quarter, to inflicting body blows AND scoring along the way while we are doing it.

We don't just "punt and play defense" anymore.  That is the big difference.

We would kill those Stanford teams.

 

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Midukman

December 2nd, 2022 at 7:01 PM ^

Your not wrong. Our blocking schemes are about as confusing as it gets if your a defense. How many times have we watched a guard and tackle looking for someone to hit at the second level because our motion clears defenders away from where the plays going ,only to have the D coord whiff on the next play because we were a step ahead. Harbaughs truly evolved his caveman football to the point of evil genius. Many high school and college coaches are going to fill out Harbaugh coaching camps for years to come. The wheel will always be round but it’s like Jim invented the Michelin tire to roll on here of late. 

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UMForLife

December 2nd, 2022 at 3:51 PM ^

DL and OL. When you can maul on offense and imposing DTs/DEs, people attribute that to physical team. Just my opinion based on so much talk about trenches.

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BlueDad2022

December 2nd, 2022 at 5:22 PM ^

I’m sure there are many reasons but I agree this is up there.   Having leaders you have to tell to leave the weight room (Blake) sets a year round standard for the whole team.   The toughness and fitness level shows up in the third quarter in almost every game as the opponents just can’t keep up.   It’s easy to talk about strength and conditioning but having a competitive culture where everyone pushes each other is key.

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PopeLando

December 2nd, 2022 at 4:17 PM ^

I don't know about this narrative. It's possible that a couple blowout losses vs OSU, 2020 in general, and some of the worst game planning ever conceived against MSU has taken its toll.

Remember 2015-2017, when Harbaugh made the fullback the centerpiece of the offense and scored what has to be a record number of 3-or-fewer yard TDs? Remember De'veon Smith and Sione Houma? Remember Jehu Chesson blocking multiple people on one play? We had a goddamned Hammering Panda, ffs.

The departure of Fisch definitely changed our identity. I honestly didn't mind the direction we WANTED to go with Shea at the helm (dude was a sniper...if he knew what he was looking at...). Between Pep "we take one deep shot per quarter" Hamilton and Josh "I certainly TALK a good game" Gattis, it took a while for us to find ourselves again.

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MGlobules

December 2nd, 2022 at 4:27 PM ^

It almost has to start with great line play. Opening up holes, winning on third down--these are the engines of football success. Some of it may be luck, and more cerebral than is immediately obvious. I think that we've been incredibly lucky, for example, to have a series of brilliant centers anchoring our o lines. There's just no substitute for a guy who knows the plays, is looking up and down and lining up players, who the guys on both sides see as unflappable anchor.  

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BlueRude

December 2nd, 2022 at 5:06 PM ^

Ah yes. I remember that statement we were soft and needed kids from the hood. I'm taking a stab here only because I haven't seen a reply. Woodson? I hope we get an answer. Thanks for mentioning it. The machine blew a fuse on that one.

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