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Jim Harbaugh Talks Emotions, Georgia, Mike Macdonald

As Michigan prepares for a showdown with Georgia at the end of the month, Jim Harbaugh is as fired up as he's ever been.

What a ride it's already been for Jim Harbaugh. His first six seasons at Michigan were filled with a lot of wins, but not much else in terms of significance. This season, however, truly has been lucky No. 7. The 2021 season now contains a big win over Ohio State, a beatdown of epic proportions of Iowa in the Big Ten title game and now a spot in the College Football Playoff. Harbaugh kept his excitement to a minimum when asked about all of that, but you can see it on his face that he's ecstatic to be where he is right now.

"There was a lot riding on [the Big Ten Championship game] and it has been that way for awhile now," Harbaugh said. "When you have to win to move on, that playoff mindset is there. Our team’s been in that realm for weeks now and how they respond to that is really good. They prepare, they get into the game and they’re focused on doing their job. 

"The thing that really stands out is they’re really enjoying it. I look at it and go, ‘There’s no place these guys would rather be. They’re enjoying every minute of this,' so it makes it fun. And then when you play well and win, it makes you feel even better."

The win over Ohio State and Iowa means now the Wolverines have to face Georgia — the team viewed as the country's best up until this past weekend. Beating the Bulldogs is not going to be easy, and Harbaugh knows it.

“I’ve watched them throughout the year," Harbaugh said. "My general impressions are rugged — it’s a rugged, tough, tough squad that plays extremely well on all sides of the ball and special teams. It's going to be really exciting to dig into it and study them.”

Luckily for Harbaugh, he has a defensive coordinator in Mike Macdonald that can make life very tough on opposing offenses. Macdonald's unit held Iowa to just three points in the Big Ten title game and he did so by adjusting early, often and effectively. That defense, along with a complimentary offense and special teams unit is going to give Michigan a real chance against the Bulldogs and anyone else.

"The greatest impact he’s had on our team is that he’s really smart, a really good teacher, brings a lot of energy and brings a lot of intelligence," Harbaugh explained. "He's a great communicator. All those things. 

"Guys love playing for him. They're really stimulated by all the football situations, by all the football knowledge. I see our guys really into it. It’s been that way since day one. One other thing I would say about Mike too, the thing that makes him really, really great, is he is a team guy. He is all about the team, all about complementary football and all about any situation that comes up. Whatever is best for the team."

It truly has been a team effort for Michigan all year. Different receivers have stepped up and had big games, Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins have both looked like the best back on the team at times and David Ojabo and Aidan Hutchinson have taken turns terrorizing quarterbacks. Special teams have made plays all year and every coach seems to be locked in. Georgia is really good, but so is Michigan.