8 — Friday, April 3, 2015
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Harbaugh brings new excitement to Spring Game

By MAX COHEN

Managing Sports Editor

Since Jim Harbaugh was hired 

as Michigan’s football coach 

Dec. 30, there has been constant 
excitement surrounding his every 
action.

There he was one day, helping 

two women after a car crash. 

There he was on another, coaching 
first 
base 
for 
the 
Oakland 

Athletics. Even 
his 
presence 

online 
has 

been a point of 
captivation 
— 

Harbaugh has 
amassed more 
than 
200,000 

followers 
on 

Twitter 
in 

less than four 
months.

But Saturday 

will 
be 
the 

first time that 
attention will be turned to the 
football field, when Harbaugh will 
coach Michigan’s Spring Game. 
With his arrival, the excitement 
for the game around campus is 
more palpable than in years past.

Associate Athletic Director 

Dave 
Ablauf 
estimated 
that 

there could be between 35,000 
and 50,000 fans in attendance 
depending upon the weather, a 
sizable increase from the 15,000 
fans who attended last year’s 
Spring Game. Ablauf said a crowd 
of 75,000 fans wasn’t out of the 
realm of possibility. That can be 
attributed to Harbaugh.

Even 
Michigan’s 
students, 

known 
for 
their 
relative 

indifference toward attending 
football games in recent years, 
have made the game a point 
of 
discussion 
on 
campus. 

Fraternities 
have 
planned 

tailgates for the morning of 
the game, and talk on campus 
indicates that the Spring Game 
could overtake the annual city-
wide 
marijuana 
celebration, 

known as “Hash Bash,” as the 
go-to weekend event for students.

The format of the Spring Game 

will only help matters. In recent 
years, the game has served as little 
more than an opportunity for the 
public to watch the team practice. 
Last season, the team spent a 
large portion of the afternoon 
warming up and running drills 
that were not reminiscent of a 
football game. That won’t be the 
case Saturday.

The Wolverines will play four 

10-minute quarters of football. 
Last Saturday, Harbaugh held a 
draft to determine rosters for the 
game. Michigan’s players will be 
split up into two teams, one maize 
and the other blue. Defensive 
coordinator and linebackers coach 
D.J. Durkin drafted and will coach 
the maize team, while offensive 
coordinator and offensive line 
coach Tim Drevno will have the 
same role for the blue team.

The 
Athletic 
Department 

released the rosters Wednesday 
afternoon, though the order the 
players were picked is unknown. 
The main point of interest for fans 
in attendance will likely be the 
quarterback battle. The returning 
quarterbacks have seen little game 
action, and Saturday could provide 
a glimpse into their development.

As 
expected, 
the 
three 

scholarship 
quarterbacks 
on 

the spring roster were split up 
between the teams. Early enrollee 
Alex Malzone is a member of the 
maize team, while junior Shane 
Morris and redshirt freshman 

Wilton Speight will play for 
the blue team. Members of the 
coaching staff have claimed on 
numerous occasions throughout 
the spring that no quarterback 
has separated himself from the 
rest of the group by a margin 
worthy of the starting job.

The Spring Game will be the 

last opportunity for the trio of 
quarterbacks 
to 
impress 
the 

coaching staff on the field until 
new 
competition 
arrives 
on 

campus over the summer. ESPN 
reported Wednesday that Iowa 
graduate transfer Jake Rudock 
plans to enroll at Michigan and 
play for the Wolverines in the fall. 
Rudock was a two-year starter 
for the Hawkeyes, and threw for 
2,436 yards last season to go along 
with 16 touchdowns and five 
interceptions.

Also arriving on campus this 

summer will be highly touted 
prospect Zach Gentry, a four-
star recruit from New Mexico. 
Participating in spring practice 
won’t be a prerequisite for 
winning the starting job. Drevno 

believes practicing in fall camp 
will give the newcomers enough 
time to come in and potentially 
earn a starting role, even at the 
game’s most important position.

Other 
Michigan 
players 

possibly competing for time were 
not listed on the Spring Game 
roster, perhaps the result of 
injury. This group includes junior 
linebacker Mike McCray, senior 
linebacker James Ross III, junior 
defensive end Taco Charlton, 
senior 
running 
back 
Drake 

Johnson, senior fullback Sione 
Houma, senior defensive end 
Mario Ojemudia, senior defensive 
tackle Ondre Pipkins and junior 
tight end Khalid Hill.

Despite the division of the 

Wolverines’ 
squad, 
Drevno 

laughed when asked if there would 
be trash-talking between him and 
Durkin. He said there wouldn’t be. 
Still, a victory will be his goal.

“We’re competitive, which is 

fun,” Drevno said.

For the first time in recent 

memory, the Spring Game could 
be, too.

Maize vs. 
Blue

When: 
Saturday 
12 P.M.

Where: 
Michigan 
Stadium

TV/Radio: 
BTN

RUBY WALLAU/Daily

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh’s presence will bring an added layer of excitement to this year’s Spring Game.

