Even though they hadn’t yet faced a rival, the Michigan football team appeared to be the most reliable and formidable squad in the nation after nine weeks of play. With Jim Harbaugh out of the picture, the Wolverines had to play their first major game of the season at #10
Penn State. Even though the Wolverines prevailed in the end, their play-calling was very different from previous contests. Then, Michigan faced a strong opposition from a poor Maryland team prior to their historic victory over Ohio State.
A lot of people were asking throughout that period of time whether Harbaugh’s absence had anything to do with the play-calling. Prior to Harbaugh’s suspension, the Michigan football team dominated opponents with JJ McCarthy’s passing abilities. After Harbaugh was suspended, the run game was primarily used. The Wolverines won two huge games against Penn State and Ohio State in that span, even though they didn’t appear as strong versus Maryland.
What then motivated the change in play-calling? It wasn’t because Harbaugh wasn’t there; rather, McCarthy was dealing with a minor injury. Though he’s fully recovered now and looked terrific against Ohio State, it did have an impact on the squad.
According to a Blue By Ninety article, quarterback coach Kirk Campbell stated, “Absolutely (it had an impact).” It will be difficult to
complete a pass if you’re not feeling 100%, particularly if you’re a quarterback and have a weak lower body. I simply assumed that he was bothered by it. He’s fully recovered now, and we can go all out for the Big Ten championship game. It undoubtedly had a minor impact on his performance. He is a stalwart and a warrior. He was determined to fight and participate in the game regardless of his %.
