Hlas: Jim Harbaugh says Jake Rudock has “real pizzazz”

CHICAGO - Over the last seven years - three under Rich Rodriguez and four with Brady Hoke - Michigan was 24-32 in Big Ten football. Yes, the Michigan Wolverines.

So Michigan said it was time to stop conceding the state to Michigan State and the conference to Ohio State, and hired Jim Harbaugh after he finished an 8-8 season at San Francisco that followed three NFC title games and a Super Bowl appearance.

The fan base instantly went from disheartened to thoroughly rejuvenated. The Detroit News reported Michigan has a waiting list for season tickets for the first time in eight year.

Harbaugh also gives Big Ten football what the SEC never seems to lack: A lightning rod.

'There's no doubt about it,” Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said here Friday. 'It's a head-turning hire.”

The first thing Harbaugh was asked in his 15 minutes at the Big Ten football media days podium Friday morning was this:

Brady used to call Ohio State 'Ohio” and Urban calls them 'the team up north” or 'the rival.” Do you have a special adjective for your opponent, your rival?

His response: 'No. Ohio State in particular? Just ‘Ohio State.' But great to see everybody this morning. Glad everybody could be here. Wonderful turnout.”

The quick veer from the question said enough. So did Harbaugh calling Ohio State by its name instead of something silly. That's an early small step toward demythologizing the Buckeyes. Outscoring them in November will be another matter, but first things first.

And, the tone of the 15 minutes was set. Harbaugh wasn't going to spend a lot of time answering questions about his team, but still owned the room by going off on unrelated tangents.

When asked what he has done to change the culture of Michigan football, he said 'I really don't have that list in front of me right now.” Then he immediately launched into a story about Ohio State coaching legend Woody Hayes that had nothing whatsoever to do with the question, which he probably found annoying since Hoke is a longtime family friend of his.

Harbaugh was repeatedly asked about his quarterback situation. That is of interest to Iowa fans since former Hawkeye starter Jake Rudock is in the mix. So is junior returnee Shane Morris.

'He's got a bounce in his step,” Harbaugh said regarding Rudock. 'He's got some real pizzazz.

'I've noticed Shane Morris and Jake are very serious, very focused, but very loose and very confident at the same time. I'm very excited to watch both of them compete. ... Whoever is playing better will be our quarterback.”

The overall comment had zero informational value, although that may be the first time 'pizzazz” was an attribute hung on Rudock.

This question was clunky at best, and maybe it got the answer it deserved:

What's your general take of the talent level that you have to work with there? You just need to get everybody going in the right direction and things should be just fine?

Said Harbaugh: 'You go through the winter conditioning and then the spring ball, and then the summer conditioning. And now it starts. This is the beginning, the training camp. And the rebirth of football, the rebirth of the season. And then you watch and you watch and you observe.

'And you can learn you can observe a lot by just watching.”

It sounded plausible when you heard it come from him. Then you read the transcript later and laughed.

The only things Harbaugh seems interested in sharing happen on game days. And the Big Ten will have to deal with it.

Comments: (319) 368-8840; mike.hlas@thegazette.com