Jim Harbaugh Views Donovan Edwards' Touchdown As A Jar Of Olives
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- It took six full games and a half of another before Donovan Edwards scored his first touchdown of the season. It came with 12:02 left in the fourth quarter before Edwards took a two-yard run up the middle -- with Jack Tuttle right behind him pushing -- to find the end zone. The junior running back had another modest day gaining 20 yards on the ground and adding 33 receiving yards.
But once Edwards finally got his long-awaited touchdown his teammates were thrilled for him. Blake Corum and J.J. McCarthy were both on the sidelines at that point in the game, but as soon as Edwards punched the football into the end zone, both of them went running onto the field to celebrate.
During the post-game press conference, J.J. McCarthy was one of the first players the media had a chance to speak to, and he was asked about Edwards finding the end zone. McCarthy had a big smile on his face, called the running back his brother for life, and referenced an olive jar Jim Harbaugh had used to describe it.
Olive jar?
It made total sense once the Michigan head coach came to the podium and was asked about it. Once you get that first olive out of the jar, then more will follow.
"When things are stuck -- you haven't gotten something in a while," started Harbaugh. "Sometimes I use that analogy with turnovers on defense. You're close, you just can't seem to get it. The olive jar analogy is the olives are packed in so tight, they got the big screw on top, it's wide and you turn the olive jar over, nothing would come out because they're packed in so tight. If you can get -- just get one, one to get to shake loose, then they all just started plopping out. That's what I said to Dono. 'Hey, now you're in'."
Edwards had a chance to score right before halftime. There were 15 seconds left in the second quarter, Edwards was just stuffed at the one-yard line and Michigan was sending in Blake Corum into the game to replace Edwards. However, Edwards waved Corum off. Harbaugh called for a timeout, put Corum in and the Wolverines scored a touchdown. It appeared Edwards looked a little distraught on the sideline -- he wanted to finally score a touchdown.
Harbaugh was asked about the situation after the game and Harbaugh said he wanted Corum in there -- who has been a terrific goal-line running back. But he understood Edwards' sentiment, he is such a competitor.
"He was rolling, he wanted to stay in and I wanted Blake," said Harbaugh. "Blake's a really good goal-line runner, short-yardage runner. I think Blake is the guy I wanted in that situation. I understand the competitive nature of The Don and he helps us in so many ways. That was his competitive, fiery nature, he wanted to finish it off."
Edwards and Michigan will travel to East Lansing next Saturday night for a game against Michigan State at 7:30 p.m. ET.
