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.