ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Over the past two college football seasons, few teams have been as dominant as the University of Michigan. Led by Michigan Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh, the Michigan football team has won 25 of its 28 games, 19 of its 20 Big Ten games, two Big Ten titles, appeared in the College Football Playoff twice, and more. Still, despite all of this incredible success, the Wolverines’ head coach is getting increasingly aggressive as he pursues the program’s first national title since 1997.
Once again, Michigan football is knocking on the door
From 2015-2019, it felt like Michigan football was close to greatness yet continued to fall just short. On a handful of occasions, Michigan was one game (THE Game) away from appearing in the Big Ten title game and likely a College Football Playoff game as well. In 2021, in a year that no one expected much from the Wolverines, his program finally broke through and finished 12-2 with a Big Ten title and more. The year after, Michigan football did it again, going 13-1 with another Big Ten title and CFP appearance.
Now, heading into 2023, the Wolverines appear to be stuck again — instead of being a game away from a Big Ten title, Michigan is a game away from the national championship. While Jim Harbaugh and his team have seen great success over the past two seasons, the Wolverines’ head coach knows that if Michigan wants a national title, it needs to be more aggressive, and that is precisely what Harbaugh and his program are doing.
Jim Harbaugh is getting aggressive heading into 2023
Whether it be spring ball, recruiting, or otherwise, Jim Harbaugh is getting aggressive as Michigan’s head football coach. For Harbaugh and Co., there may not be a better shot at a national championship than the coming season — Michigan is loaded on both sides of the ball, has a favorable schedule, and anything less than another Big Ten title and a win over Ohio State would feel like a letdown.
According to Michigan Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh himself, the time to strike and be aggressive as a program is right now.
“Again, as I said, I think this team is the best version that we’ve had of ourselves,” Harbaugh said. “The phrase ‘strike while the iron is hot’ is on the forefront of our minds. We want to keep the ground that we have, plus we want to take some more ground.”
Wolverines have an elite roster in pursuit of the program’s 12th national title
In Michigan football’s long and storied history, the program won 11 national titles, most recently in 1997. Now, heading into a new season this fall, the Wolverines will look to claim a 12th and will have an elite roster to do it.
“As we sit here April 1st, 2023, it’s gonna be the best team … it’s the best version of a Michigan football team on April 1st, 2023 than we’ve ever had,” Jim Harbaugh said. “A great roster of players, tremendous coaches all pulling in the same direction. That doesn’t mean we’re not going to have a letdown as the months go on, but this is the best version of football that I’ve seen since I’ve been here the last eight years.”
Michigan football just played its annual spring game on April 1st, and in just a few short months, will kick off its 2023 campaign at the Big House in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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