Jim Harbaugh continues to move forward with the coronavirus crisis bringing society to a halt.
Harbaugh, who spoke with WTKA-AM 1050 on Friday as part of a fundraiser in conjunction with Michigan Medicine, says he and his family remain healthy and at home.
During a wide-ranging conversation, he touched upon a number of topics, including how his family is handling the shutdown, how he has bonded with Michigan’s 2021 recruiting class and his admiration for medical professionals.
“All doing good, and also very grateful,” Harbaugh said. “All of our players are healthy, their families. All of our coaches, all of our staff. Much to be grateful there. Parents are doing good here in Ann Arbor. Us, my family, Sarah, the kids, we’ve all been right here in Ann Arbor.
“Harbaughs are doing what they’re told to do, trying to protect others around us. A lot of fighting in the house. Kids screaming at each other. ‘You’re an idiot!’ Breaking up the fights. That’s normal. Sometimes you’ve got to show your teeth every now and then with them and put a little fear in them. But it’s been good. Silver lining, getting to spend so much time with the kids.”
While the coronavirus outbreak canceled all collegiate sporting activities, including Michigan’s spring football schedule, Harbaugh and his staff have remained busy while working remotely. He says the Wolverines have tried to “be as creative and productive as possible,” and have focused on staying in touch with players.
“We’ve had team meetings, individual meetings, unit meetings, special teams meetings, coaching staff meetings, doing it all remotely,” Harbaugh said.
Harbaugh has been impressed with how the players have handled the pandemic, with many moving home from Ann Arbor and now having to work out remotely. He recounted the story of one unnamed incoming freshman who rode over 50 miles on a bike, averaging roughly 11 miles per hour, and has heard other “incredible stories of guys doing physical feats.”
“Our players, they’re super engaged, too,” Harbaugh said. “Which has been great, talking with at least a few guys every day. They want physical stimulus. They want the playbook and the meat and to get coached up.
“Guys doing squats with backpacks on. One-legged squats and lunges. Everybody had a backpack, they put books and weights in. Caden Kolesar sent a video of doing one-legged lunges on a flower pot. Just cool stuff. They’re young and everybody wants to prepare. Everybody’s preparing for getting as strong as they can and getting as in best shape as they can for the upcoming season.”
The pandemic forced the NCAA and Big Ten to suspend all in-person recruiting, which means Harbaugh and his staff have not been able to host visitors since the shutdown began in mid-March. Still, he says there has been an emphasis on remote recruiting. The Wolverines have landed eight verbal commitments in recent weeks, and Harbaugh has gotten to know each of those players well.
“Recruiting, I don’t know how many calls I’ve been on, but a lot, hundreds,” Harbaugh said. “Maybe close to 300 now. FaceTime calls. Virtual that we’ve been doing. I feel like I know our recruiting class for this year, this 2021 class, better than any class that I’ve known so far, just because there has been so much time to talk to them. They have the time to talk, we have the time to talk as coaches, and at this point in the recruiting process, feel really good that I’m knowing these guys and they’re knowing us.
“I really just think there’s more time. You don’t have practices. You’re here at home. And they’re not at practice, and they’re not in gyms, their workouts, most guys are at home in a room in a house. Staying active. And time to talk on the phone. So that’s why there’s been more time to do it, and more productive with it.”
Harbaugh reiterated multiple times his admiration for the medical personnel fighting COVID-19, adding he is “really super proud of our medical system” and that “you’ve just got to salute” doctors.
“We’re doing what we’re told here,” Harbaugh said. “There’s a lot of smart people in America, a lot of smart people around the world, and listening to them is our strategy. Taking coaching — that’s what I ask our players to do, be open to coaching and take coaching.
“And I trust that the medical professionals are doing their job and we’ll get out the way and let them do their job. Our task, our assignment is stay out of their way and don’t put other people at risk. You take care of yourself, but you’ve also got to think about other people. You’ve got to think about the person you might be endangering.”
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