The biggest impact is their mental makeup. He took a program that was comfortable and made it uncomfortable, forcing players to push themselves more, eliminating the entitlement they previously had. – Mark Snyder, on Jim Harbaugh
Editor's note: This is the third in a series previewing each of the opponents BYU, Utah and Utah State will face this season.
The matchups
Michigan at Utah, Sept. 3
6:30 p.m. MDT, TV: Fox Sports 1
Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City
BYU at Michigan, Sept. 26
Time, TV TBA
Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
Michigan has turned to the past to try and recapture the magic for college football's all-time winningest program.
They found their man in former Wolverine quarterback Jim Harbaugh. The ex-San Francisco 49ers coach was hired to take over the Wolverine program after Brady Hoke went 31-20 in four seasons at the school, including a 5-7 mark last year. Harbaugh's team opens fall camp on Friday.
Utah and BYU will both have their chances to challenge Harbaugh and the Wolverines in the first month of the season. The Utes will be looking for a third straight win over Michigan, while the Cougars play the Wolverines for the first time since the 1984 Holiday Bowl, the clinching victory in BYU's national title season.
The Deseret News caught up with Mark Snyder, who covers Michigan football for the Detroit Free Press, to find out what impact Harbaugh has already had on the Wolverines' program and what Michigan needs to do to overcome its offensive woes.
DN: In what ways has Jim Harbaugh already had an impact on the Michigan program?
MS: The biggest impact is their mental makeup. He took a program that was comfortable and made it uncomfortable, forcing players to push themselves more, eliminating the entitlement they previously had.
DN: What are the expectations for the Wolverines in 2015, and how much of those expectations hinge on the offense showing improvement after a tough 2014 season?
MS: The expectations are mostly about making progress, reaching a bowl game at minimum and winning a few games beyond that. U-M needs to show more resolve in the second half of games and that gets back to the mentality. As for the offense, it's essential because it ruined any chance of last year being successful. The U-M defense was solid last season most of the year but spent too much time on the field and in bad situations, put there by the offense.
DN: Who are the players to watch on offense?
MS: There are no players to watch on offense because there are no proven commodities. Tight end Jake Butt could be a game-changer, given Harbaugh's history with developing tight ends. Ty Isaac is a highly ranked running back transfer from USC who has never shown if he can handle a full workload, and Amara Darboh is a receiver who has only been a complementary piece, never a No. 1 target. At quarterback, Iowa transfer Jake Rudock is a two-year starter. But he lost his job in Iowa City, so that's no promise in Ann Arbor.
DN: Who are the players to watch on defense and special teams?
MS: On defense, linebacker Joe Bolden is the known figure, having produced all season last year, making a major leap in his game. His ability to move and sound fundamentals are critical. But Michigan's game-changer is at safety, redshirt freshman Jabrill Peppers, the former national No. 2 recruit, who may play offense and special teams as well.
DN: What major question marks does the team need to solve in fall camp?
MS: U-M needs a quarterback, a running back and a receiver. U-M needs to have a five-man cohesive offensive line and figure out who the pass rushers are. There will be a new punter and kicker, too. Beyond that, not too much to figure out ...
Email: bjudd@deseretdigital.com; Twitter: @brandonjudd