As long as Michigan keeps winning, everyone involved with the program is in good spirits and having fun with a pretty tough situation.
Michigan defeated Maryland 31–24 on Saturday to record its 1,000th victory. Although the Terps occasionally made it interesting, the Wolverines now have 1,000 wins, so even though it wasn’t pretty, it was still a win. While serving a three-game suspension imposed by the Big Ten, Jim Harbaugh was obviously not present, but he wasn’t far away.
Though it’s unfortunate that Harbaugh wasn’t present at the stadium for the team’s 1,000th victory, he seemed happy after the game. Roman Wilson, the wide receiver, uploaded a video of coach Jim Harbaugh celebrating the victory and being back with his team, so we know this.
The players’ commentary is unquestionably memorable, even though the film itself is brief and unmemorable. After the game, you can hear them all giggling and expressing happiness to see their head coach. One player even remarked, “He looks like a kid about to get a Happy Meal from McDonald’s.” When they see how content Harbaugh appears and how much he does resemble a toddler in the backseat of a car, antsy for some nuggets and a toy, the laughter level increases.
Although the entire thing isn’t that significant, it does reveal something about this team’s mindset. Due to his suspension, Harbaugh was unable to attend; Roman Wilson was also removed from the game as per concussion protocol; Maryland persevered and created some suspense towards the end; and Ohio State is the team that faces them the following week. But while making light jokes about their suspended coach, this team is composed, happy, and content with each other’s company.
Coaches and players have told us all year long how this group is like a family and how unique they are, and things like the video up top serve as evidence of that. Though it’s a modest sample, it supports the team’s long-standing claims. The major instances are the four decisive victories, two without Harbaugh, since Connor Stalions’ suspension and the revelation of the sign-stealing controversy.