The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/641955
I think of it as not a static foundation, but a locomotive that's moving down the tracks. Constantly in motion. The train was moving in a direction, and this team stopped it. They stopped that momentum, that direction, and they turned it around. And that's not easy to do. They turned it right around on the tracks and got it going. It's left the station, and it's picking up steam and we're going to continue. — Jim Harbaugh, at the 2015 Michigan Football Bust T he engineer didn't mention himself, but he didn't need to do so. The rest of the college football world is talking about him, and Michigan, and it just won't stop. Some are quietly cursing him, oth‑ ers howling in protest. They see the train coming, and they're tied to the tracks. If anyone thought Harbaugh would kick back after Michigan's 41‑7 bludgeoning of Florida in the Citrus Bowl, pour his Gatorade over a big bowl of cereal and take it easy … well, they haven't been paying attention. No, he pushed forward in recruit‑ ing and produced Rivals.com's No. 4 class in the nation, culminating with the signing of the country's No. 1 recruit, Rashan Gary, after the wildest National Signing Day extravaganza ever at Michigan or anywhere else. Who could put out the call, and bring Tom Brady, Derek Jeter, Des‑ mond Howard, Denard Robinson, Devin Gardner, Ric Flair, Jim Leyland and more to town? Who gets former NFL coach Mike Shanahan, Lou Holtz and ESPN's Todd McShay to sit on a GameDay‑type set and break down video of players who have yet to set foot on the Michigan Stadium turf in earnest? Who gets look‑ins via the big screen from actors Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, broadcaster Dick En‑ WOLVERINE WATCH JOHN BORTON Full Steam Ahead For Jim Harbaugh Harbaugh put together an unprecedented National Signing Day event that featured countless guests from the entertainment and sports industries. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN