Michigan football: What is the “Michigan Method” that Jim Harbaugh keeps talking about?

Yesterday, Michigan football head coach Jim Harbaugh addressed the media for the first time since the start of fall camp. With just 17 days until the season starts, the Wolverines still have a few ongoing position battles, such as cornerback, offensive tackle, and more. According to Harbaugh, the “Michigan Method” is at play across the board right now, but what does that mean?

Jim Harbaugh, Michigan football using the ‘Michigan Method’ to determine starters

Last season, the Wolverines’ quarterback battle between Cade McNamara and JJ McCarthy bled into the regular season, consuming weeks one and two before a true starter was named. McNamara, who led the team to a Big Ten title in 2021, got the starting nod in Week 1, with McCarthy getting the same treatment in Week 2 — by the time Week 3 rolled around, Michigan football had its starting quarterback set in stone.

According to Jim Harbaugh, that is the “Michigan Method.” How do you decide who starts? Play whoever plays the best. How do you know who plays the best? You give them in-game action.

Right now, the Wolverines’ biggest position battles are at offensive tackle (both right and left), cornerback, edge rusher, and linebacker. Jim Harbaugh explained yesterday that he expects the Michigan Method to be in play quite a bit during the early stages of the season — luckily for the Wolverines, Michigan’s first three games are not too daunting, so the program can afford to change things up from week to week.

“I definitely think you’re gonna see the Michigan method in play at offensive tackle,” Jim Harbaugh said yesterday during his first fall camp presser. “There’s two starters on the left, there’s two starters on the right. There’s four starting tackles that we have. It’ll go through camp — I envision starting two tackles one game and two tackles the second game. I see that happening at edge, could be the case at center. Probably will be the case at corner. Those would be the main ones. It’s just that close, it’s just that good really for four starting tackles.”

Given the success of the Michigan Method with Cade McNamara and JJ McCarthy, it’s likely that Jim Harbaugh and his Michigan football program will continue to heavily rely on it not only this year but also in the seasons to come.

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