Michigan Captain Discusses Harbaugh's NFL Flirtation, It's Impact On Players

While fans spent several weeks wondering if Jim Harbaugh would remain as head coach of the Michigan Football program, the players didn't seem to be worried.

For several weeks following the conclusion of Michigan Football's 2022 season, the focus - at least for the fans and media - centered around one man. Once again, head coach Jim Harbaugh became the topic of conversation as he flirted with a potential return to the NFL. While noise outside of the program grew louder and louder by the day, the guys inside of the program didn't seem to be impacted by the uncertainty surrounding Harbaugh's future at Michigan. 

During an exclusive one-on-one interview with Michigan's Mazi Smith, the veteran defensive lineman elaborated on what the experience is like as a player when there's the potential of losing your head coach. 

Christopher Breiler

"Don't nobody talk about it," said Smith. "We're kind of trained to be like, once something becomes a reality, then we can react. But until then, what are you going to do?"

Shortly after the 2021 season came to an end, Smith was about to enter his senior year as Harbaugh was seriously considering a return to the NFL. After things went south during an in-person interview with the Minnesota Vikings, Harbaugh returned to Ann Arbor and signed a contract extension to remain at Michigan. 

Whether Harbaugh stayed or left, Smith was already prepared for the outcome one way or the other. 

"My coach left before I seen him, I never saw Coach Matty on campus," Smith said. Greg Mattison, the former U-M defensive coordinator who recruited Smith for several years, took a job with Ohio State shortly before Smith even made it to campus for his freshman year. 

"So I learned early that this isn't about personal relationships or friendships, this is about business, and this is about winning. And just like I want to move on at some point and go to the NFL for my career, the coaches are in the same boat."

For Smith, an important lesson about college football was learned before he even stepped foot on campus as a young freshman. It wouldn't be a head coach, an assistant coach, or any other outside set of circumstances that determined his success. Instead, it would be Smith himself who dictated what his future would hold - regardless of who was coaching him. 

"I think what helped me a lot was what I told you earlier. No matter what circumstance I'm in, I'm going to make it. I'm going to make sure that I make something happen. My biggest fear is to be one of them guys on the field getting put on their ass. I don't like that shit. And it happens sometimes, but that ain't something that I want to go through. So whatever I can do to keep me from doing that, I'm going to do. Who your head coach is don't got nothing to do with you getting put on your ass. So you've kind of got to keep the main thing the main thing at the end of the day."