Harbaugh Says He Learned "Several Things" From 2015 Collapse Versus MSU
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
When Michigan lost to Michigan State last season as time expired at the Big House - after a fumbled snap, a calamitous turnover and an altogether shocking finish - the expression on Jim Harbaugh's face said it all.
The coach was in disbelief.
With the Wolverines and Spartans set to renew their rivalry this coming weekend in East Lansing, Harbaugh was asked to revisit that moment during his Monday afternoon press conference.
"I was hoping to never be a part of a play at the end of the game where it was a Hail Mary or one of those lateral-10-times to beat you on a kickoff or a blocked punt - all those ways where defeat snatches a victory away at the very end," he said. "I was hoping to go my whole career without having that happen. Obviously, that didn't happen."
Asked if he's since moved on from the play - something he challenged his players to do in the immediate aftermath of last year's game - Harbaugh confirmed that, "Yes, I have."
Later, he said he has learned "several things" from one of his most dire moments as a head coach.
"Have the punter at the right depth, don't be in a spread punt in that situation would be the two that come to mind," Harbaugh said.
That was as far as he would go in discussing last year's game. In fact, Harbaugh has declined to even mention Michigan State by name in the lead-up to this weekend's clash, falling back on his 2016 motto of treating every game the same.
"It's been an ongoing strategy for our football team, to treat every opponent with respect, to treat every game as a big game, to treat every game as a championship game," he said.
And Harbaugh insists a matchup with Michigan State is no different, no matter what happened in the past.
"This is a big game for us, a championship type of ball game," he said. "Our preparations will need to be at their best. But I don't have much more to say about it than that, that says it all."