PHOENIX — Michigan football has officially arrived in Arizona and is set to kick off a week of practice and media availability with opponent TCU in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Saturday.
Upon arrival at Sky Harbor Airport, Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines were greeted by a gathering of fans on the tarmac and immediately moved into a tent where he, running back Donovan Edwards, security Rod Moore and the linebacker Michael Barrett answered questions from the media.
At the end, Edwards motioned for a child fan to ask a question (which you can read at the end of the transcript).
Here’s everything the group had to say as the college football playoff semifinals approach.
Opening statements
COACH HARBAUGH: Thank you. We are here. It was a good flight. We had a good practice today. Hopped on the flight, and it’s great to be here. We are honored to be here. It’s the best of the best who plays the best, and our team is ready for that.
MIKE BARRETT: Like Coach said, it’s great to be back. It’s great to be here. It’s always a blessing to play in December, January. So it’s a great feeling, especially the change of weather. It’s good to be here.
ROD MOORE: Glad to be here. Thank you all. And go blue.
What does Donovan Edwards represent for this team since the injury of Blake Corum?
COACH HARBAUGH: About 401 yards. How many touchdowns, Donovan?
DONOVAN EDWARDS: In the last two games? I think three. Three touchdowns in the last two games.
COACH HARBAUGH: Pretty huge.
Jim, in July you talked about four goals this year. Three of them are now complete, and this is one of the last games to get to that fourth. Can you just talk about this season, this moment, and where you are right now.
COACH HARBAUGH: Exactly where we want to be. And like I said, the best of the best plays the best. This is where we want to be. Great to have that.
Jim, now that you’ve had a look at TCU on film, what have you seen from them? And Sonny Dykes said they had the speed of the team. What did you see of that aspect?
COACH HARBAUGH: It’s a great team. No questions about this. Really good at all positions. Yes, I agree, the speed, but it is also a strong team in all three phases.
Jim, could you talk to Max Duggan, what you saw on tape of him and what he means to the TCU offense?
COACH HARBAUGH: He is one of the best players in the country and leads one of the best teams in the country. Fearsome competitor. He is so productive. Total offense and leadership and everything. You can tell he’s on a mission. And our guy too, JJ McCarthy.
Jim, of course you made it to the College Football Playoff last year. Now that you’re back, what have you learned from the past year? What did you learn last year? And what’s different about this one?
COACH HARBAUGH: I think this team — from day one, it’s really been about ‘doing my best today’. And that’s how they approach each day, going all the way back to winter conditioning, spring prom, training camp, and all season long. So no change. That’s our goal: I have to give my best today.
Could you talk about your relationship with JJ and how he has grown and matured this year in attack?
DONOVAN EDWARDS: I mean, he was always ready to – always able to be at quarterback. Now that he’s here, now that he has it, he just keeps doing what brought him here to keep thriving.
Hey, Donovan, how’s your hand? And how much do you love performing on the big stage, even going back to your West Bloomfield days?
DONOVAN EDWARDS: Like I said, after the Big Ten Championship game and Coach Harbaugh, he said it first, I thrive in big games. I come to life in big games. That’s why I’m here. I’m here to play in the big games.
I’m blessed by God to be able to play in the big games and do my thing on the big stage and be able to give him the glory after the game and before the game.
I would like to hear from the players. What’s so special about this Michigan team?
DONOVAN EDWARDS: Everyone works hard. We are all humble. Everyone wants everyone to get better. There is no selfishness in this team. Everyone is disciplined. Everyone’s well-trained — everyone’s, like, wired to be a Michigan man. We are very well trained by our head coach and all of our position coaches. And it’s easy when you have guys who can be coached and great guys to play with and play for. We play for each other.
MIKE BARRETT: I would just say our ability to improve every day and improve ourselves than we were yesterday. We constantly come to training, meetings, practices, whatever we have, and we just strive to improve each other in order to be the best team in the country.
Jim, how many real freshmen signed up early? And what have been your impressions of them during training in the time they have been able to spend with the team so far?
COACH HARBAUGH: Really good. It didn’t take them long to adapt. The first days, hearts pounding. But in the second, third practice, they acquitted themselves really well.
DONOVAN EDWARDS: My boy in the “Harbaugh is my hero” shirt, do you have a question?
Harbaugh, you are my hero.
DONOVAN EDWARDS: I’m sorry, we couldn’t hear you. You must be confident, boy. Be confident.
Coach Harbaugh, you are my hero.
(End of press conference.)
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