Everything Jim Harbaugh said after Michigan’s near loss to Illinois

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh declared Jake Moody a legend, updated Blake Corum’s status and more after the win over Illinois.

Saturday’s game against Illinois didn’t have to be pretty. It just had to result in a win.

Michigan managed that just barely, besting the Illini on a late field goal to preserve their undefeated record going into an epic showdown against Ohio State next week.

After the game, head coach Jim Harbaugh did his best to dodge his on-field interview by putting the attention on his quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, and kicker Jake Moody.

Harbaugh had a bit more to say during his postgame press conference.

Jim Harbaugh postgame press conference highlights

The head coach may have been embracing a bit of hyperbole while calling the win the “biggest ever.” Either way, he’s giving himself six hours to enjoy it before looking ahead to the Ohio State game.

Part of enjoying the game seems to involve crowning Moody for his essential contribution at the end.

“I’ve been watching Michigan football since I was a kid, consider myself a historian,” Harbaugh said per Zach Shaw of 247Sports. “I am nominating him for Legendary Status.”

Harbaugh told reporters that the locker room chanted Moody’s name when he entered after the game.

Jim Harbaugh has good news on Blake Corum

With win was certainly one to celebrate but it also came with a major concern. Heisman candidate Black Corum suffered an apparent knee injury in the first half that kept him out of most of the rest of the game.

Harbaugh delivered welcome news to Michigan fans by revealing that Corum’s knee is “structurally good.”

The running back was cleared to go back in but the player and staff ultimately decided to depend on the rest of the running back room because of how the knee was “bothering him.”

Corum will now join the group of injured players going into the game against the Buckeyes who are in a race against the clock to get back in time.

“Anybody’s who’s on the fringe, they’re going to…do everything they can to play,” Harbaugh said.

Jim Harbaugh recognizes Virginia connection for Wolverines

This weekend’s college football action has been tinged with sadness given the tragic events at Virginia earlier this week. Three Cavaliers football players were killed in an on-campus shooting.

Offensive lineman Olu Oluwatimi transferred into Michigan from Virginia, so the tragedy hit him especially close to home.

Harbaugh credited him with showing “the strength of 10 men” this week, processing the deaths of his former teammates while also dealing with his father undergoing a surgery to remove a tumor.

“I’ll forever be proud to call him a friend,” Harbaugh said.

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