Jim Harbaugh’s bold claim about 2023 Michigan football team sends expectations sky high

Jim Harbaugh, Michigan Wolverines. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)
Jim Harbaugh, Michigan Wolverines. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

After the Michigan Wolverines’ spring game on Saturday, head coach Jim Harbaugh revealed the lofty expectations he has for his team for the upcoming season.

The Michigan Wolverines have had an eventful past two seasons. They were able to end both regular seasons with victories over the rival Ohio State Buckeyes, which clinched them spots in the College Football Playoff. However, they were eliminated in the first round by the Georgia Bulldogs and TCU Horned Frogs, respectively.

So, what are the expectations for the Wolverines heading into the upcoming season.

After Michigan held their spring game this past Saturday, head coach Jim Harbaugh hyped up his team, saying, “this is the best version of football that I have seen since I’ve been here in the last eight years.”

"“Bo Schembechler said, ‘You never stay the same. You’re either getting better or you’re getting worse. You never stay the same.’ No team that we play on our schedule is going to be the same that they were last year. Some may be better; some may be worse. This is not the time to regroup or to rest or to take a step back.“Now is the time to attack. I think this team is the best version that we’ve had of ourselves. The phrase, ‘Strike while the iron is hot’ is at the forefront of our minds. We want to keep the ground that we have, plus we want to take some more ground.”"

Jim Harbaugh has high expectations for Wolverines heading into 2023 season

Michigan showed promise this past season, consistently being in the Top Four of the College Football Playoff rankings. But when it came to the big game, i.e. the Fiesta Bowl, they were unable to get ahead of TCU, falling 51-45. The loss had to sting even worse for the Wolverines, especially after watching the Horned Frogs lose 65-7 to the Bulldogs in the CFP national championship game.

But, the Wolverines will have some big stars returning. Running back Blake Corum opted against declaring for the NFL Draft to return to Ann Arbor for another season. The Wolverines will also have J.J. McCarthy at quarterback, who showed promise after taking over for Cade McNamara.

Not to mention that the Wolverines have the 17th-overall recruiting class for 2023, where they brought in 11 four-star prospects, per 247Sports.

Below is what Michigan’s schedule for the 2023 season looks like:

  • Sept. 2: vs. East Carolina
  • Sept. 9: vs. UNLV
  • Sept. 16: vs. Bowling Green
  • Sept. 23: vs. Rutgers
  • Sept. 30: at Nebraska
  • Oct. 7: at Minnesota
  • Oct. 14: vs. Indiana
  • Oct. 21: at Michigan State
  • Nov. 4: vs. Purdue
  • Nov. 11: at Penn State
  • Nov. 18: at Maryland
  • Nov. 25: vs. Ohio State

Harbaugh has high hopes for the Wolverines. Fans will be keeping these quotes as receipts throughout the 2023 season.

dark. Next. Best QB in every Power 5 conference for 2023

For more College Football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.