Michigan Postgame Quotes
Head Coach Jim Harbaugh
On playing from behind and making big plays
“It was a great football fight. Incredible plays made by incredible athletes on both teams and the fighting for the win. Fighting for down after down after down. It was a tremendous game. Incredible really. We are enjoying it. We are enjoying the incredible.”
On Michigan playing from behind for the first time this year
“I knew they would not flinch. And like I said, some incredible athletes. Brad Hawkins and the incredible play he had, stripping the ball at the end and picking it up. Dax Hill’s interception. Incredible. Some of the throws Cade (McNamara) made. Incredible. Could go right down the list. Talk about the fight of the guards. The offensive guards. Zak Zitner went as long as he could. Trevor Keegan’s shoulder had been bothering him. The toughness. The grit. Chuck Filiaga played both guards tonight. Karsen Barnhart came in and had an amazing game. He played both guards. Reece Atteberry. I think we had five guards that played in the game. And not a single negative yard rushing by any of our running backs. Incredible run by Hassan Haskins. The one early in the game that they spotted him. I had never seen one spotted nine feet short of the spot. That was the first time I had seen that. He is incredible in terms of the ways he keeps his balance and maybe it is believing or seeing it you know. But that was a Clint Eastwood win. We are going to enjoy it.”
On the resilience of the running backs
“It was block for one yard and then they would get three or four. Then it would be block for eight and they would get 30. It was incredible. Blake (Corum). Hassan (Haskins). Hassan. Blake. They are fun to watch.”
On his reaction after the first Nebraska touchdown
“It was illegal formation from what I saw on the field. I was wondering who were they putting on the line of scrimmage when they had five in the backfield and they told me the guy they put on the line of scrimmage. He released on a pass. It was either illegal that he was not on the line of scrimmage and if that is who they put the number three receiver on the line of scrimmage then he cannot release downfield on a pass. At that particular time that is what I was trying to argue about.”
On the difference between this year’s team and last year’s team
“The grit. The fight they have. That mindset of not being denied. The way they prepare and they have fun doing it. It is in the eyes. Practice and games.”
On Cade McNamara throwing his first career interception
“I have always thought that was one of the huge tests for any quarterback. After they throw an interception do they have the ability in the next possession to drive the offense for points. Right there in a nutshell you can tell so much about any quarterback, what happens on the next possession after they throw an interception. The really good ones can drive their team for points. Field goal or touchdown on the very next possession. Some guys cannot and they go in the tank or they get ultra-conservative or conscious. But that is just a huge indicator in a quarterback.”
On the defense giving them a couple big plays
“Yeah making plays when they had to. We didn’t flinch. That’s what I’m talking about. That kind of grit and determination. We just stayed after it until we made one more incredible and sensational play than they did. They made some big ones. That catch on the sidelines was an incredible catch they made. They did some good things. The atmosphere and the environment showed a lot of poise and moxie from our guys. There is no doubt they were ready to storm the field and tear down the goalposts. Not on our guys’ watch tonight. It was pretty cool."
On kicker Jake Moody’s reliability
“It has been the confidence and preparation. Brad Robbins is a huge part of it. Not just because he is the holder but his mental fortitude and his positive daily infusion on our entire team and especially that snap hold kick battery. He is as rock solid of a leader I’ve ever been around. He’s huge with that. He’s just a straight, strong, cool, collected kind of guy. Wagner is the same way. All three of those guys are ice water in the veins.’
On if Moody wanted it on the left hash
“It just worked out that way. We were trying to get a first down there.”
On Nebraska’s simulating Michigan’s offensive snap count
“We’ve been talking to them about it. There are several things that had already shown up in terms of the alignments. Officials keep saying they want to put guys on and put them in the right spot and they don’t flag but I don’t want football to turn into this kind of where you don’t know who is on and who is off. It should be clear. You can’t have two guys lined up in the exact same spot. You put one guy on and one guy off. I don’t think that’s where we want football to go. That clap kind of stuff should really be an attempt to deceive foul which is in the rulebook. I’m just going to enjoy it. That was awesome.”
On injuries
“I don’t think they are long-term injuries.”
On McNamara’s plays when they needed him
“He made some spectacular throws. He made a lot of those throws standing from the pocket. He knows he is going to release it and get hit and still put those throws on the money. Pretty sharp the entire night. The way he was seeing the field and he just got cold-blooded back there in the pocket. When you know someone is going to hit you and you’re still throwing it to the right spot and not flinching. That says a lot. He’s really doing a heck of a job.”
NU Athletic Communications
