Michigan Coach Jim Harbaugh Reacts to 43-22 Win Over Purdue in Big Ten Championship
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has led the Wolverines to back-to-back Big Ten Championships after defeating Purdue 43-22 on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium. No. 2 Michigan moves to 13-0 on the season with a trip to the College Football Playoff on its way.
Here's the full transcript of Harbaugh's postgame press conference.
Opening statement...
Harbaugh: First, I would like to thank the parents of the Michigan Wolverine players for raising such tremendous young men. Not just these two super sophs right here, but all of them.They just help us win in every way on the field, off the field, through perseverance, character, and mostly love. It's been that kind of a team. It's beyond culture. It's a brotherhood. Just truly. I've talked about it being a happy mission, not a grim mission. It's been a mission of God. I want to thank our parents for how they've raised these youngsters. I mean, they are amazing. Parents, what they've poured into these young men from such an early age. Esteeming them when they're young and all the practices and everything they drove them to and took them to. Just the support and love that they give them.It's an amazing group of players, and I just want the parents to take a deep long bow for the kind of young men that they've raised.
On Michigan's run game...
It's a really good game plan. It's a really good offensive line, and it's been -- I mean, this guy has 401 yards in the last two games. You want to talk about big games? This guy comes alive in the big games. And Blake Corum has been a warrior too that same way. But, I mean, those are two supreme backs, Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards.This guy, when it's a big game, I mean, his whole career, whether it was high school, college now, I mean, he just hits another gear. He takes off to another level.And J.J., I mean, he does the same thing in the running game. I mean, pretty dynamic two guys right there. And credit to a lot of places, you know? But, yeah, that's what I would say. You do. That's who you are (laughing). 401 yards in the last two games, amazing.
On the changes Harbaugh has made in the last two years...
No. I mean, I don't think so. I don't think I've changed one bit. I mean, I'm the same as I was before, am now. I think when you get to this age, you're not going to change.But I really think it's the players. I think the players really appreciated that as well, that there was no change. We made it about the guys on the team, about getting good at football. I mean, I can guarantee you Ben Herbert hasn't changed any of the five years that he has been here.I point to these two guys. I mean, when they came in, they said, Coach, we're winning the Big Ten Championship. We're beating Ohio State, and we got it.I think that combination of not changing, I think the guys appreciated that deep down. You know, having these guys that like football, you know? They like football. They like training. They enjoy each other's company. I mean, there's not a day that goes by that either of these two guys have had a bad day.I mean, they like to -- I'll speak for them, but I think they like the direction of the program. They like the program. They like the opportunity in the program, and I like them back a lot. I'm proud of them, so proud of them.And talking about J.J. and Donovan, but talking about the entire squad. I mean, every guy to a man. So, I'll probably step out and let you talk to these guys. Otherwise, I'll get a little emotional (laughing). Is that okay?
Related stories on Purdue football
- GAME STORY: Michigan football remained undefeated with a 43-22 win over the Purdue Boilermakers in the Big Ten Championship game on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. CLICK HERE
- BIG TEN CHAMPIONSHIP LIVE BLOG: Purdue football is playing for the 2022 Big Ten Championship game against undefeated No. 2 Michigan at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday. Follow our live blog for updates, news and analysis throughout the game from the Lucas Oil Stadium press box in Indianapolis, Ind. CLICK HERE
- WATCH JAMARI BROWN'S INTERCEPTION: Watch the replay of Purdue cornerback Jamari Brown intercepting Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy in the Big Ten football championship. CLICK HERE
- WATCH CHARLIE JONES' 26-YARD CATCH: Watch this replay of Purdue wide receiver Charlie Jones' 26-yard catch off of Aidan O'Connell's bullet from the 48-yard line in the Big Ten championship versus Michigan. CLICK HERE
- WATCH DEVIN MOCKOBEE SCORE TOUCHDOWN IN TITLE GAME: Watch this replay of Purdue running back Devin Mockobee's touchdown to put the Boilermakers on the board in the Big Ten championship versus Michigan. CLICK HERE
Jack Ankony is a Sports Illustrated/Fan Nation writer for HoosiersNow.com, where he covers Indiana football, basketball and baseball. He graduated from Indiana University's Media School with a degree in journalism.