Michigan Thursday: Nico With Some Strong Words in Support of Jimmy

"If you think he’s not the right coach, you’re wrong," Collins said. "He’s a great coach. He’s a coach that played in the NFL, coached in the NFL, and knows exactly how to coach his players. If you want a great team to go to and a great coach to be coached by, go to the University of Michigan. It doesn’t get any better because of Coach Harbaugh. I learned a lot from him and I’m glad he was my coach for my first three years."

That comes from an online source called The Spun.  

At the end of the day, we are not in the room.   We are not on the practice field and we don't know if Jimmy is doing a good job or not.  All we get to see is the scoreboard.   Yes, the scoreboard tells a story but does it tell the entire story? 

For example:

Is he teaching the right things?

Is he involved but not too involved?  

Does he let his position coaches coach?

Is he there for his players?

Does he promote strong academic performance?

There could be a 100 more of these but you get the point.  

When they announced the Big Ten season was being re-booted, ESPN College Gameday did a live shot with him holding his cell phone.   Jimmy looked happy and excited that Big Ten Football was coming back.  We rarely see that anymore, but maybe the team does.  

Michigan Football over the years has been led by guys that didn't really love change.  Bo didn't pass enough, Carr was too loyal to his staff, RR couldn't recruit or care enough about defense, and Hoke was a good guy who was over his skis.

Harbaugh is willing to change and try to get better.   Can you imagine what it was like telling his good friend, who has turned Michigan's offensive line around, who has a son that just transferred in,  that his contract was not going to be renewed?  Jimmy knew Ed could coach and develop the hell out of the offensive line but his one weakness was recruiting.  Jimmy knew he had to have guys that could not only recruit but recruit at an elite level.  So he found Ed a job in Boca Raton.  

I'm going to tell you with certainty, that neither Bo or Carr makes that same decision.  

"Leadership is not a position or a title, it is action and example" Cory Booker 

"Michigan Football needs change and lots of it" Big House Bob

Wolverine Wednesday: Nico Comes Clean on Why He Left

 Nico broke his silence on the Adam Schefter Podcast:

“Right now, (I’m) training, getting ready for the NFL combine down here in Pensacola, Florida at XOS. That’s what I’m doing right now,” Collins told Schefter.

“I came back for my senior season,” Collins said. “Everything was going smooth, just as planned, until this virus outbreak. The one thing that really impacted my decision was when we were supposed to play — our set date was Sept. 5 against Purdue — so during that camp process and they canceled the season. That was heartbreaking for me, because I wasn’t sure when the next time they would say — they was saying in the spring, Thanksgiving. There was too many unknown questions to answer. Nobody really had answers to it.

“I sat down with my family and I made a business decision, because I felt like I was in no man’s land for a minute. I came back to play my senior season and they canceled it. Maybe three weeks before we played Purdue Sept. 5 — it was supposed to be a home game. I had that marked on my calendar. Once they canceled that and they said they wasn’t sure when the next time we’d have a season — they was saying towards the spring, that was time — that’s training. That’s time when I would prepare for the draft, that’s around December, January, after the bowl game, and that was the set date they was saying — towards spring a little bit.

“I really just sat down with my family, I had a business decision. I really appreciate my family helping me out with that. That was one of the reasons — too many unknown questions to be had, nobody had an answer to it.”

“It really was (a hard decision),” Collins said. “And once I signed and got ready for the combine — and that’s when they came out with the statement to come back, to have a season at the end of October, we were gonna play Minnesota on the 24th. It was kinda just like, kinda late, eight-game — I just didn’t want to get injured, something bad happen. It just didn’t feel normal to me. I kinda just felt like everything is just forced almost, just pressured. I just made the right decision.

“It’s bittersweet, for sure. I want to be out there playing with my teammates and everything. But just had to make the right decision that’s best for me.”

Good Luck Nico, you will be missed every Saturday for the next 9 Saturday's.

Wolverine Wednesday: Jalen Mayfield Heads To The NFL

Raise your hand if you knew (until recently) that Jalen Mayfield was even eligible for the NFL Draft?  I have my hand raised, which makes it very hard to type.  Jalen was expected to come into the year as an NFL prospect but with the season cancelled or re-scheduled this seems like a good decision.   A winter/spring season will not be at all interesting to NFL grade prospects.  Nick Saban yesterday, called it a JV season.  

When you lose your best offensive lineman, that is not a positive thing, but there is a positive spin on this announcement.   Mayfield has only been in the program for a few years as he would have been a red-shirt sophomore this season.  Coach Warriner has already turned him into an NFL prospect.   That alone is going to be very good for recruiting as it usually takes along time to develop NFL grade offensive lineman. 

Expect more announcements soon.  Kwity Paye and Ambry Thomas seem to be locks and I heard that Nico is practicing so maybe not him?

If there is any Big Ten season, the young guys are going to get a huge opportunity.  

• NCAA’s Football Oversight Committee sent a proposal for a 12-hour weeks for programs not playing this fall.   This is expected to be approved this week.  

• App. State suspends football practice after students are on campus one day.  

• MSU has gone to 100% online instruction this fall

Nike's latest Michigan Fall shoe release is happening on Friday, 10:00 AM at MDen: Air Zoom Pegasus 37

Michigan Tuesday: Nico to #1?

U of M Athletics

Social Media is buzzing that Michigan's #1 wide receiver is going to wear #1 next season (if we have a season).  Nico Collins is clearly Michigan's best WR and highest rated Wolverine for next years NFL Draft.   A ton will fall on the new Michigan QB but Nico is primed to have a very good season.   

I personally feel the #1 jersey on offense needs to be earned, not given.   The legacy of that number includes greats like "AC" Anthony Carter, Braylon Edwards, and David Terrell.    Nico very much deserves the number and it should be his, if he wants it.  The last WR to wear #1 was Crawford in 2017 before transferring out of the program.   As a reminder, Giles Jackson also switched numbers from #15 to Agent 0.