Michigan leans from setbacks, mistakes

Coach Herb likes to talk about it like it’s a hidden blessing,” receiver Roman Wilson said. “Without adversity, you’re not really going to grow. You’re not going to become something special. My opinion, I feel like all these problems, the things going on, it’s really a blessing for us. It really has helped this team grow a lot into what we are now.”

Receiver-turned-cornerback Mike Sainristil sees the stoic attitudes in Herbert’s overall philosophy as the backbone of the Wolverines’ perseverance.

“He always tells us that there are a whole bunch of things that you can’t control, but what you can do is show up and do what’s being asked of you,” Sainristil said. “Don’t fall victim to why-me, or other things that allow you to have a setback.”

The distractions haven’t stopped flying, even during the quiet weeks of December: Ten days ago, Michigan received a notice of allegations from the NCAA about the potential recruiting violations during the COVID-19 dead period and coaching activities that led to Harbaugh’s first, pre-emptive suspension.

However, even the most recent Wolverines have teamed up with their more seasoned colleagues to confront the chaos with toughness and unity.

Star center Drake Nugent, who transferred to Michigan for this season after spending four years at Stanford, described his experience as “very surreal.”

“Clearly a significant change in culture, both within and outside the program,” Nugent continued. “The head coach receives all of the attention that the program does. Coach Harbaugh is always appearing in the media. It was pleasant, though, to be a part of a program where everyone else had the same idea, since I’ve always had a winning mentality.