Coach Jim Harbaugh is a stickler for fundamentals.
Fundamentals mean learning how to correctly block, tackle, run and pass the
football. There many illustrations of Harbaugh demonstrating proper techniques
to his players especially the quarterback. Make no mistake about it, current
quarterback Rudock is learning to be fundamentally sound at that quarterback
position. Proper blocking and tackling is the foundation for good football and
something Harbaughs learned early on from Bo Schembechler’s football staff.
With Schembechler, he learned the importance of practicing and practicing or in
other words, running the play correctly. He also learned from Bo, that one
plays how one has practiced during the week. That means practices are
competitive with hard hitting, utilizing fundamentals. The importance of
competitiveness cannot be overstated and is one of the hallmarks of a well-coached
Michigan football team. Harbaugh like Schembechler even has his players running
that weekly competitive mile under the coach’s watchful eye.
Coach Harbaugh learned from Bo Schembechler about the
importance of being part of the team. In essence, football is the ultimate team
sport. One player does not win or lose the game. With Schembechler, it was
about the team, and only the team. In changing the culture, coach Harbaugh’s
quarterback was a transfer from the University of Iowa. Rudock beat out Shane
Morris last year’s backup quarterback. Even with early struggles, Harbaugh said
that Rudock was hands-down the best quarterback, and now we know that Shane
Morris is being redshirted. Harbaugh is making sure that individual egos are
not getting in the way of playing for his team. No one is bigger than the team
as that would interfere with developing team cohesiveness. Harbaugh is creating
a band of brothers, so that each player is taking care of his own position, his
assignment and being part of the team. Each player has to respect the team and
respect the coaching staff’s decision for certain alignments. Jabrill Peppers,
for one, is learning about the dangers of freelancing versus playing his
position.
We know the physical part of the game is very important. But
perhaps more important, is the mental aspect or the mental toughness component.
In part, mental toughness is also about expectations. Coach Harbaugh brings
positive energy based on his dynamic personality. Harbaugh has succeeded at
every level, and I mean every level. He knows success and he knows about hard
work. Success is important because it leads to more success. And there’s a
relationship between success and ego- goal achievement or attainment. We all
have expectations and expectations can only appropriately rise based on
previous successes. Winning at your position means beating or dominating your
opponent. Developing that confidence builds more confidence with higher
expectations. Research shows that expectations is a personal and powerful
motivator. The Michigan Wolverines have a very different expectation level this
year than they did during last year’s football season.
Jim Harbaugh has learned and Incorporated many ideas
[teaching fundamentals, creating cohesiveness, and mental toughness with
expectations of success] over his lifetime. Having a father for a coach; an
older brother as a coach; and having a brother-in-law as a coach, has been
great modeling for this 50-year-old man. Also important was learning from one
of the best that being legend Bo Schembechler. Being intelligent, Harbaugh
knows about learning from others, and about playing the game at the highest level
possible. Quarterbacks are known as being smart, and Jim Harbaugh is as smart
as they become. Currently he has surrounded himself with terrific coaches and
already has changed the “I CAN” thinking mentality of his Wolverines. They are
his Wolverines. I know that coach Harbaugh is not totally satisfied. He
stresses improvement, improvement and improvement. He is off to a tremendous start.
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