Michigan Thursday: Jimmy Speaks At The Indy Camp

From the Detroit News:

“It was so good, so fun. I remember talking after last year’s (camp tour) this is the most fun I’ve had in, I can’t remember when I had this much fun,” Harbaugh said after the camp wrapped up. “Getting to do it even more is a great privilege, blessing. It’s an honor to be doing it.

“Connecting with a big part of the football world — as I see it anyway — and I think the youngsters learned some things. One, two, three, four good things they can take away from. So it was very productive, healthy start and onward.”

To start the camp.....

He laid out several ground rules for the camp: no injuries, make a new ally, leave the event with more confidence and have an “attitude for gratitude.”

“You’re somebody’s pride and joy, their whole world. Just have a little gratitude for that,” said Harbaugh, who wore his usual Michigan shirt, Michigan hat, khakis and black cleats. “Maybe when you leave here today, thank them or thank somebody for being alive, being here, whatever it is.
“Do your best, that’s all anybody asks and that’s all anybody expects. That would make your parents very proud. Go out and give it your best and take something away from today.”

Jimmy is in Atlanta with Coach Smart from Georgia this morning.

• Some of Baylor's 2016 signed recruits are asking to be let out of their LOI's to attend school in a couple of months.   Too early to tell if Michigan is interested in any of these players if they are let out of their LOI's.   This will come down to Baylor's decision to let them out or not.  They can transfer but would have to sit out a year. 

Michigan Friday: Thinks Out Loud On Baylor

Winning in college football is important.  As Michigan fans we had gotten comfortable with our 10+ wins a year and a New Years Day Bowl.   Many including myself thought if we put in a innovative coach and recruit a few more athletes we would be playing for National Championships. 

Well, we know that didn't work out and Michigan has been digging itself out of a deep hole of dysfunction.   That hole now seems behind us and were finally moving in the right direction.  

What if you don't have that tradition and support? 
What if your trying to build a winning program at a school not known for winning?
Do you cut corners? 
Do you get wealthy supporters to help the cause with $10K hand shakes? 
Do you play kids who get in trouble?  
Do you even try to intervene in a police matter and "convince" people not to press charges?  
Do you cover up that there is a sexual assault problem on your team?

Have we really gotten to that place?  Places like Baylor and Ole Miss have struggled to put a winner on the field for decades.   It's hard to compete with the likes of Oklahoma, Texas, Alabama, LSU and Florida when it comes to recruiting.   So how do they build a winner?

They take chances and sometimes even make un-believable decisions to keep guys on the team that have done un-speakable things.   Baylor's case is more Penn State then Ole Miss.   When Ole Miss started to reel in 5 stars in a class 3/4 years ago, all the whispers started.    They even pulled 5 star WR Laquon Treadwell from Michigan who quickly posted a photo of himself with a ton of cash on social media.   When you think about it, paying kids to come to your school is not even in the same universe as what happened at Baylor. 

I wasn't shocked that Jim Harbaugh's new friend Art Briles was fired yesterday.    Jim and Art seemingly became new friends as Art spoke at Michigan's coaching clinic recently.  Michigan and Baylor had also agreed to do a joint Satellite Camp together.   I'm guessing that camp is now in doubt.

Art had to go and will probably receive a "show" clause from the NCAA.    He might even be looking at criminal charges.   What he is accused of doing for winning football games, should make you sick.  

How did we get here?  Winning football games is not worth it.  I don't care how much money your program is making or how much the head coach is making.    There is a way to do the right thing and still have a good football program.   Why risk everything to put a criminal on the field?  Or even worse, try to cover up those criminal charges by intimidating a victim.   I guess these guys didn't learn anything from the Penn State situation. 

For a long time, I thought concussions were the biggest risk to the sport we love, I'm starting to think these "cover-up" coaches will take down college football just as fast.