The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MARCH 2017 THE WOLVERINE 9 BY JOHN BORTON Imagine becoming a part of Michigan's 2017 class of incoming football freshmen. You're already geared up to join a group fresh off back-to-back 10-win seasons, behind the most interesting coach in college football. You wonder whether you might get to head for Florida, like Michigan players did a year ago. Then Jim Har- baugh throws the bomb — it's Rome, all expenses paid, passports handled and other opportunities abounding beyond, all in a memorable late April and May. Harbaugh simply won't stand for doing anything in a half-hearted way. Michigan players did a double take, and future Wolverines followed suit. The trip to Italy portion of the trip will be from April 22-30. After that, the Wolverines head to various spots around the globe to study abroad. "We're going to Italy for a week, we're going to practice, but from there, all of our players are going to branch out all over the world," Harbaugh said. "The world is our classroom. They're going to be going to Iceland, Belgium, Japan, Israel, South America, Puerto Rico, all over the world to do their classes in May. "It's so phenomenal that I can't wait to get there." That's just the beginning, Harbaugh insisted. "This is centered around our study abroad program," Harbaugh said. "We're going to give our players off all of May, to pursue their study. That was a good center spot. Year two I want to go to South Africa, year three I want to go to Japan, year four — not totally determined yet, but New Zealand or London. "The possibilities are limitless, and the educational op- portunity for our players is to the moon. That is where we want to go … if we could." One unnamed individual — "one incredible Michigan Man," in Harbaugh's words — is paying for the initial trip. Meanwhile, assistant head coach and special advisor to Harbaugh, Biff Poggi, earned some major credit for the Rome legwork. The idea to head for Rome popped into Harbaugh's head on a flight from Michigan to Baltimore, and Poggi took it from there. "Biff Poggi picked me up," Harbaugh said. "We were going to do a satellite camp in Baltimore, and I said, 'Biff, what do you think about this idea?' He loved it. Biff Poggi has done legwork, organized, planned, since that June 6 day. "We owe him an incredible debt of gratitude. He's talked to the Department of Defense. He's had meetings in Rome. He's talked to the Italian ambassador. He's talked to people at the Vatican." Poggi actually put the hotel bill on his personal credit card, before the trip was officially approved. Harbaugh got a laugh out of that one, acknowledging he grew al- ligator arms after saying he'd put his credit card down as well. "We said if it doesn't go through, we'll take our families to Rome," Harbaugh said, laughing. "He's incredible. A lot of people ask what does he do here? He does a lot — for our players, for our program, for me. That's one of the many things he does behind the scenes." Michigan's spring practice begins March 24, and final exams for the semester are from April 20-27. The players who are finished by April 22 will travel with the initial group, while others will come later. ❏ Inside Michigan ATHLETICS Rome Is The Starting Point For U-M Travels Head coach Jim Harbaugh will take his team to Italy April 22‑30, and then players will head to various spots around the globe to study abroad during the month of May. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN