Michigan Football Back at Practice Day After Cancelling Ohio State Game

Jim Harbaugh's comments today had Buckeye fans a little upset as the Wolverines got back to practice the day after they were supposed to play Ohio State.

Even though Ohio State is in championship season, the sting of not playing the rivalry game last week will linger for quite awhile for Buckeye fans.

I'm not going to suggest that Michigan dodged Ohio State the way Kirk Herbstreit did (which he quickly thereafter apologized for). But Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh spoke with the media today and a few of comments have left Buckeye fans upset. Namely, the timing of Michigan remarkably returning to practice the day after they were too sick to play the Buckeyes.

Jim Harbaugh says #Michigan returned to the weight room on Thursday and Friday of last week, practiced Sunday and plans to practice again today.

As for playing Iowa on Saturday, "that's our plan."

— Aaron McMann | MLive.com (@AaronMcMann) December 14, 2020

In other words, Michigan had a light practice on Monday last week, but they were not cleared for team activities. Suddenly Tuesday, the Wolverines cancelled the game and said they wouldn't be healthy enough to play Ohio State by Saturday. And to Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel's credit, he was very complimentary of Ohio State and indicated before the Big Ten moved on the decision that he thought they belonged in the championship game.

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But somehow by Thursday last week, the case load was under control enough that the team could return to the weight room and they had a "spirited" practice on Sunday, one day after they were supposed to play the Buckeyes.

So if you're to believe Jim Harbaugh here is the Michigan timeline.

Monday: Approved for light on the field work.
Tuesday: So sick shut it down cancel the game.
Thursday & Friday: Approved to start again.
Sunday: Had a spirited practice with lot's of enthusiasm. https://t.co/2iKCCXFDqI

— JBook. (@JBook_37) December 14, 2020

Michigan announced on Friday that it had nine athletes and four staff members test positive for the coronavirus last week across the athletic department (but not specific to football), but it was rumored that between CoVID diagnoses and contact tracing, along with other injuries, the Wolverines would have been without as many as 45 players should they have played the Buckeyes last Saturday. But the school included the following disclaimer at the end of their recent press release.

“Please note that the overall number of tests and positive results will not necessarily equal the sum of this week’s update plus the figures given in prior weeks’ updates,” Michigan’s athletic department said in its release. “This is due to the number and timing of surveillance tests being conducted, and reflective of the fact that some test results lag behind others.” 

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