The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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win, and who haven't found a way to get over the hump as far as executing consistently at a big-time level to be able to win. A group of hard workers who are ready to win." Miller described Harbaugh's hire as a "home run," and acknowledged some appreciation for the new coach's ability to lighten the mood. "I was surprised at how funny the guy is," Miller said. "He's got a great sense of humor." The jokes will likely get set aside when it's time to get down to business, and sophomore quarterback Shane Morris is okay with that. He grew under former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Doug Nussmeier, an intense taskmaster in his own right. Morris knows he'll be seeing more of the same in Harbaugh, with some differ- ent twists on the approach to his position. "Coach Nussmeier, who was here last year, was a fiery guy, and I liked that," Morris said. "I heard Coach Harbaugh is very fiery. We're just very excited. I think we're going to respond well. We'll respond to someone coaching us up. Our team is a very coachable team. We'll respond well. "It's kind of surreal, knowing the quarterbacks he's coached and the success he's had with them, the development of the quarterbacks underneath him. We're all very excited to learn from him and be great again." Morris is about to experience his third quarterback coach in three years, but shrugged off yet another shakeup. He has no choice but to roll with it, and expressed an enthusiasm for jumping into a new system. "I'm kind of used to it by now," he said, smiling. "I'm excited — ready to learn, and ready to get my nose in the playbook every day." Morris was like the rest of the Wolverines during the coaching search. They heard some updates from interim athletic director Jim Hackett, but they didn't know where it was all headed until it finally played out. The result, Morris said, sent a surge of anticipation throughout the Michigan roster. "I had no idea," Morris said. "No one knew. I didn't want to believe anything, because I didn't want to get my hopes up. Now that he's here, I'm very excited. Our whole team is ecstatic. We're ready to learn from the best." Harbaugh, Morris pointed out, won't have a bare cupboard from which to draw. "He's inheriting a good defense," Morris said. "We have everyone coming back, except for maybe two guys. Our whole offensive line is coming back, and we've got a very experienced offensive line. We've got backs who have been starting for two years. We've got a lot of experience on our team, and we're ready to work. We're ready to learn from the best. He's one of the best coaches out there, and we're excited." — John Borton