Michigan Wolverines' tight ends coach and special teams assistant Jay Harbaugh is his father's son, there's no doubting that. And just like his father and head coach, Jim Harbaugh, he has now become one of the Wolverines' vital organs.
He's not trying to be his father, but Harbaugh approaches his job at a familiar, serious angle. After all, he's a Harbaugh and Wolverines football—or just football, for that matter—is embedded in his DNA.
Since forever ago, Harbaugh has been taught the ways of Michigan; that’s what happens when your father is a legendary Wolverines quarterback and your grandfather is Jack Harbaugh, a former defensive backs coach at Michigan.
The young Harbaugh is new to the job, but he's not new to the culture, nor is he unaware of expectations.
“All the time. Non-stop,” Harbaugh said of the Michigan “indoctrination” process. “I was just told that it was the best at everything. [I was told about] all the great players and just over the years, the great games and stuff and watching them with my dad.
“Just kind of a constant, not really over the top, but being told what a special place this was—and really, I see it now, so I get it. I get why [my dad] always told me all that stuff. I'm feeling it now, being around the people in Ann Arbor, you really get a sense of why my dad felt that way.”
There is a major cultural shift going on at Michigan. Harbaugh isn't only in the midst of the changing of the guard, he wants to have his finger on its pulse.
The Install
Harbaugh, who is just 25 years old, speaks more like a seasoned vet than a "kid." He's technical. But he can also say a lot without saying much and vice versa. He's got coachspeak nailed. And sure, he was nervous during his time in front of the media Thursday—he said so—but he was pretty clear about his message.
“To get here, as we're kind of—I won't say rebuilding, we're starting something fresh and new—there's something about being there from the beginning of it rather than coming in when the team's attitude is already set,” he said.
It takes a little sifting, but the truth settles at the bottom. Like his father, Harbaugh wants to construct greatness. That was his “I want to build a permanent home” statement, almost something like the one his dad made Dec. 30.
Harbaugh wants to be at Michigan and has had the influence of his father, his grandfather and even his uncle, John, who coaches the Baltimore Ravens. That's a lot of Harbaugh in football.
The success of the hard-nosed Michigan teams, the ones that had power at every position, often boiled down to the tight end. Whether by blocking or catching passes, that position has always had a place. Lately, though, it's been lacking.
That's where Harbaugh enters the picture.
Intent on developing tight ends, his mission is to fully utilize the talents of Jake Butt, Ian Bunting, A.J. Williams and the others within the group. He wants to build an "army" of dominance.
Again, that sounds like something his father would say.
With Harbaugh learning from an all-star cast, projecting immediate results wouldn't be out of the question. It might be a little heavy on the expectations side of things but not out of the realm of possibility.
As a quality control analyst with the Ravens, Harbaugh developed a keen sense of his surroundings. He also has extensive training in the world of film analysis, making him an ideal X's and O's guy.
He worked out for his uncle's Ravens, a team that won Super Bowl XLVII. He also worked well under coach Mike Riley at Oregon State. The Beavers went to a pair of bowl games during Harbaugh's time as an assistant. He'll do fine under his dad in Ann Arbor.
Creative Recruiting
When it comes to recruiting, Harbaugh is obviously a creative catalyst.
Citing eight specific reasons, he sent an informative “go to Michigan” letter to 4-star tight end Chris Clark, who ended up choosing UCLA, and he recently sent one to the girlfriend of Nasier Upshur, a 4-star tight end out of Philadelphia.
Reaching out, harnessing Photoshop skills—which one day may involve D-line coach Greg Mattison, he joked—and finding out exactly how to relate to guys is what makes a great recruiter.
Harbaugh has that touch. He does his homework.
But don't ask him to reveal his secrets. He won't tell. He “isn't allowed” to talk about recruiting tactics. Those are trade secrets.
As a child, he wanted to be either an agent with the FBI or CIA. Again, expressing a bit of nervousness, he laughed it off as a wisecrack, saying that he'd be “just terrible at it, just awful.”
On the contrary, he'd probably be good. He's already shown the ability to effectively and creatively target recruits in a manner they won't forget. Try to name another school that's sending letters to Upshur's sweetheart.
Taking the road less traveled, or blazing a new trail in Harbaugh's case, is the way of the recruiting world. By now, every player has seen every pitch. They've read all the "we like you a lot" letters and have the suits in the living rooms.
Harbaugh brings something different. He mentioned that he sees through a younger lens when it comes to many things, including recruiting. His unorthodox ways could soon become common practice. At the very least, he's ahead of a possible trend.
He's not shy to go for it all. He's been taught to do that.
Coach Jay Harbaugh
The learning process never stops, and you tend to listen, absorb and ask questions when you're side by side guys like offensive coordinator Tim Drevno, a noted running guru, and running backs coach Tyrone Wheatley, who needs no intro.
Harbaugh is taking notes. Like his dad, he's all about attention to detail.
“It's a really good group to be a part of—guys came from all over and they're all tremendous teachers and tremendous leaders,” he said of Michigan's coaching ensemble. “So being able to see different ways of answering the same questions is really what I've enjoyed.
"Because you get very set in your ways, in terms of ‘this is how to answer that problem,’ or ‘this is the adjustment that you make,’ and you realize there's a lot more than one way to go about doing things.”
Adapting, exploring options, troubleshooting—regardless of what it's called—comes down to “finding new ways to do things,” he said. That sounds a lot like his father's mantra.
For now, Harbaugh wants to fulfill his job duties. That's it.
“No, I don't know,” he said when asked if he felt like a “big brother” type to players. “I just feel like their coach.
"Last year [with the Ravens], I was with guys who were much older than me, and I didn't feel like I was their little brother. So … I don’t know. They're fun to be around, though. I think we have a good professional relationship in terms of coach and player, and there's a good respect there. … I hope. I really like being around them. “
He said the right thing. He's 25, and they're 19, 20 and 21. Everyone knows that. Eventually, Harbaugh will probably cave in and become a big brother, uncle or mentor figure to them. It's natural in coaching. Even his dad and his uncle have evolved into such coaches.
But to take a firm stance and publicly set the line—similar to what Mattison did in regards to defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin—was a smart move.
He's a kid, but he's not a kid. Yet, he's living the dream life; that much is clear. He's coaching with his dad, a program legend, at the place Bo built. Someone pinch Harbaugh!
But here's the thing: He's not overzealous. Minus the nervousness Thursday, he appears to be settling into his role. The novelty part is cool and all, but hey, he's part of the staff and should be viewed as such.
He's not just not "Jim's kid."
He's part of a fresh approach that can help restore familiar tradition at Michigan.
Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines football writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81.
Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and references were obtained firsthand by the writer via press conference, press release or other media availability.
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