We have all hear the stories and seen videos of the antics that Michigan’s head coach will pull. Jim Harbaugh, who is entering his ninth season as the coach of the Michigan Wolverines’ football team, is known as one of the outgoing and friendly coaches in the game — he is also known as being funny without even trying. That was on display with this quote that Harbaugh told his team according to former UM football standout defensive end Mike Morris.
Jim Harbaugh tells Michigan football to never be a houseplant
Mike Morris — a standout on Michigan’s stellar 2022 defense — went on the Momentum Podcast, and said that Harbaugh told his team that they should never be a houseplant. Here is Morris’ full quote on what Harbaugh said to his Wolverines:
“Coach Harbaugh really doesn’t care about anything but football.” Morris said. “Like, he cares about us as players, but if you’re not making the team better or doing anything to make the team better, you’re not really benefiting the team. He calls it a ‘houseplant.’ You know how house plants need to be catered to, you gotta put them in the sunlight, you have to fertilize it — a nice, little, cute houseplant. He’s like, ‘If you’re a houseplant, you’re not good for the team, but if you’re a field crop, all you need is some rain, a little bit of water here and there, and you’re going to grow and flourish.’ So he’s like, ‘Always be field corn and never a houseplant’.”
Harbaugh’s quote actually does make sense
While Harbaugh’s quote on being a “houseplant” is unintentionally funny, he does raise and good point. Over his past 28 games, Michigan football has a 25-3 record (19-1 Big Ten) with dominant wins over Penn State, Michigan State, Ohio State, and two blowout victories in the Big Ten title game. Additionally, Harbaugh’s last two teams have made the College Football Playoff in back-to-back years.
While this may not be something that most head coaches say to their teams, it’s very on-brand for Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh. He is right, too; if you’re hurting the team or holding the Wolverines back, you really have no place on Jim Harbaugh’s roster. Still, the way that he delivers this message in the most Jim Harbaugh way possible made us laugh, and we wanted to share with other Michigan fans.
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