Michigan Football: Parting Thoughts from Spring Practice in Rome

Here are some final thoughts to wrap up spring practice for Michigan football in Rome.

Few people go to Rome to watch American football. Why would you? Even the Michigan Football team went sight-seeing for a few days, before putting on the pads and getting down to business.

But I did go to see the team at the Olympic Stadium complex in Rome, and I’m glad I went.

I came away impressed with how this Michigan Football team looks in the days following their spring game.

Here are a few, random thoughts from my experience:

Jim Harbaugh is goofy, no doubt about it, but in an endearing, maybe strategic, way. Look, the guy is fun to be around. It seems clear, after a couple of days in the rain (Thursday and Friday), and then one in the sunshine (Saturday), that the players love him. After the practice on Friday, Harbaugh even sang a few bars from the Marriage of Figaro, an Italian opera by Mozart (to demonstrate how much he learned about Italy in a week, I guess). Imagine Urban Myer doing that. On second thought, don’t. The point is, the guy will do just about anything – heck, he’ll take off his shirt at a summer camp and show off his dad bod – if that’s what it takes.

Milton Speight is the starting quarterback next season. I didn’t count his snaps, I didn’t have to. He’s the guy. He acts like the leader of the team. John O’Korn, on the other hand, looks like the reliable backup, and Brandon Peters looks like the impressive kid who’s at least a half season away from being ready for the starting job. I still think that Harbaugh loves competition at every position, but this one is locked up.

This is a young team. Many of the players look as though they’re a few months out of high school because, well, many of them are a few months out of high school. And yet, I must say, they look good, impressive even, as though they have come to play. To give just one example, Donovan Peoples-Jones, the four-star wide receiver from Cass Tech in Detroit, is a confident young man, but not in a cocky way. He’s got the hands, he’s got the heart, and he projects confidence. It’s a quality you can’t teach. And the good news is that he’s not alone among the younger players.
The defensive line is going to be fun to watch. I know I’m not the first person to notice this, but it’s true. These guys are big and fast. And good. When Michigan’s first-string offense runs plays against them, the offense has its hands full. I’m not sure what that says about the offense, but it bodes well for the defense. Rashan Gary is just a marvel to watch.
A trip to Rome is a time to come together as a team. What the players did on the days before the practices – visits to the Vatican, the Coliseum, and more – were just as important as what they did in practice. I’m guessing that a few of these young men didn’t have passports before the trip was announced, but here they were, having the spring break of a lifetime, with teammates and coaches. They already look to me like a cohesive and focused unit, and it’s not even May.
Last but not least, there are Michigan fans all over the world! On Saturday, in the sunshine (finally), there were a lot of excited Michigan fans. Go blue!

Next: Top 10 Michigan Running Backs of All Time

Arrivederci, and see you in Ann Arbor.

Home/Michigan Football