Shea Patterson has been one of the most criticized players on the Michigan roster after the first two weeks of the season, but it appears the bye helped his mental and physical well-being.
The Michigan starting quarterback suffered an oblique injury on the first play of the game against Middle Tennessee State in the opening game and admitted that it did affect his play on the field.
“I got banged up the first game, and it did kind of wear on me a little bit,” Patterson said on Tuesday. “But I’m ready to go and 100 percent.”
How did it affect his performances exactly? Patterson did note that there were some mobility issues, but that it was more of a mental block for him.
“I couldn’t really rotate all the way. It was more mental I think,” Patterson said. “The oblique is no fun, but I’m ready to go.”
The offense has yet to explode under the new coordinator in Josh Gattis and the wounds have been mostly self-inflicted, but Patterson vows that his team will be ready and that they want to send a message to the world with their performance on Saturday at Wisconsin.
“What is it like three and a half, four days, is that when the game is?” he said. “We’re looking to go out there and make a statement. It’s as simple as that.”
Fellow alternate captain Josh Metellus had an edge to him during Tuesday’s media availability, revealing his mentality for the weekend.
Metellus laughed that oddsmakers who "don't play football" have U-M as underdogs. "When the whistle blow, ain’t no more underdog. It’s me versus you, Wisconsin versus Michigan."
— angelique (@chengelis) September 18, 2019
So the Wolverines don’t feel like underdogs? "No, we feel like Michigan.”
There’s a bit of an edge to the Wolverines this week coming off the bye. Will it mean they stay on track and get a big-time win at Wisconsin? Who knows. But if there is any uncertainty in Ann Arbor right now, it certainly is not coming from the players, who are itching to get back on the field and right some of the early-season wrongs.
Michigan happy with investment in Jim Harbaugh
Jim Harbaugh would be the first to tell you his teams have not delivered enough of the big wins under his watch at the University of Michigan, but the pressure for him does not seem to be coming from the decision makers in Ann Arbor.
MLive put together a story about Harbaugh’s salary, what the school is making right now and how the program’s financial rebound since his hiring means much more than perhaps what has taken place on the field.
“Under Jim, the program has rebounded. Seats are being sold, fans are buying apparel and winning and the Michigan tradition make the difference,” said Andrea Fischer-Newman, who served as a regent from 1995 until 2018. “Personally, I don’t think winning a national championship is the end all and be all. Sure, it would be wonderful to win one, but in the meantime, the work Jim is doing on and off the field is what we all should be proud of.”
...
“Those who think Michigan ought to be competing for national championships find the lack of playoff appearances distressing, which makes them think Michigan is paying (Harbaugh) to get to the playoff,” said Rodney Fort, a sports management professor at Michigan.
“I think nothing could be further from the truth. They’re paying him to help generate as much revenue as could possibly be generated at the University of Michigan football program. And it would be difficult for me to think of anybody who could do it any better than he.”
Basically, the long and short of this story is that what Harbaugh brings to the table from a value standpoint mixed with the way he builds and runs his program is something that Michigan currently values more than anything.
If you remain unhappy with the program, you speak with your wallet. The university is making money hand over first right now and the only way to send a message would be for people to stop spending. At this point, that is not necessary, and Harbaugh is at Michigan until either the bottom totally falls out or the money stops coming in.
Chris Webber hopes to return to Michigan
The moment that Juwan Howard was hired to take over the basketball program at Michigan, folks speculated that a Fab Five reunion could be coming sooner rather than later. Of course, that reunion is not complete without Chris Webber, who was a key figure in the Ed Martin scandal and has had a strained relationship with the school and his former teammates.
Webber is rallying around his guy in Howard and believes he has what it takes to keep up with Tom Izzo at Michigan State.
“Izzo is one of the best coaches,” Webber said, via The Detroit News. “(Howard) has name recognition. He’s the only one who can recruit with Izzo. He’s the only one that can say I’ve been in a locker room with your favorite player, LeBron James. He’s the only one who has been with Pat Riley and that type of system. He’s a 15-year NBA player. He’s a pretty good college player, if I do so say myself.
”He has the passion, experience and most importantly, he is one of these kids. There are a lot coaches that coach kids from these areas, but he’s from those areas. He’ll be one of their own coaching, which will be cool.”
Both parties have expressed interest in a Fab Five reunion, but no such plans have been made to this point.
National Brews
- Jordan Poole was known for never turning down a shot at Michigan and he just took one of his biggest jumpers yet. The Golden State Warriors first round pick took to Instagram to suggest a date with actress and singer Zendaya.
- The Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame will induct Nick Saban next summer, and the Alabama coach admitted that the biggest professional mistake he ever made in his career was leaving LSU for the Miami Dolphins.
- Might Butch Jones wind up being a head coach again? Butch Jones might wind up being a head coach again.