Michigan football has the right focus heading into the season

Michigan football is out to prove that last season wasn’t just a one-time thing and that’s exactly the attitude the Wolverines need to have.

Only three times in the last seven years has Ohio State failed to win the Big Ten East. Obviously, I could go back further, but 2015 is when the Big Ten split into East and West divisions.

Although winning the Big Ten 58% of the time in seven years might not seem like the usual Ohio State, it is still a crazy stat, as that’s over half of the time.

The only other teams to do it were Sparty in 2015, Penn State in 2016, and Michigan in 2021.

What both of those teams had in common though was their fall from grace the following season. After you beat Ohio State once, and win the Big Ten, what’s the next step? Can you make it two in a row?

Unfortunately, Michigan State and Penn State’s answers were no, as Michigan State went 3-9 the following year and Penn State went 11-2, but didn’t beat OSU, and barely missed the Big Ten championship game.

Michigan football’s answer is TBD, because they have a season to play, and can change the narrative.

Michigan’s players seem to have the right mindset

I think the problem with those following year Sparty and Penn State teams were their complacency, and satisfaction with just a one-year showing.

Maybe other circumstances happened as well that lead those teams to those records, like transfers, graduations, players to the NFL, lack of experience from returning players, etc, but the point is, a repeat was not in the cards, and we can safely say that one year of dominance was a blip on the radar.

Michigan’s players seem to have a completely different mindset though, as they take lessons from last year, but want to write their own path, and build on last year and go further.

Harbaugh has bigger goals himself. His goals: beat Michigan State, beat Ohio State, win the Big Ten Championship, make the playoff, and win the National Championship.

The players have the same goals as the coach and realize this is a new season, with new goals and aspirations:

"“Coach Harbaugh really hones in on that — don’t fall in love with your own stuff,” Michigan redshirt sophomore edge Jaylen Harrell said last week. “We had a great year last year but it is a new year. We’re really just working each and every day. We’ve been working hard, just grinding and getting after it getting ready for September 3.”"

Jaylen knows what needs to happen, and Roman Wilson does as well.

"Last year was more, you know, like beating our rivals,” junior receiver Roman Wilson said. “This year is more like we want it all. We want to beat our rivals, go to the playoffs, Big Ten championship — all that. We want to come for it all. We don’t want to be what old Michigan was. We want to set a new standard for us.”"

Roman Wilson said it best. Last year, the focus for Michigan football was just on beating their rivals and finally getting over the hump. They didn’t particularly care about the actual playoff and all of that. That was just a cherry on top of a tremendous season.

This year, the goal is to repeat, but also go further than before. It’s a step-by-step process. They realize this time they can be unblemished heading into the playoff, instead of that one loss to Sparty.

The players aren’t dwelling on the past, but are taking past motivations, and using it as fuel for this season. They don’t just want last year to be a blip.

Only time will tell whether this changed mindset actually pays off, but you have to love the self-awareness of the players and Jim Harbaugh. They are determined to breakthrough and not be Penn State and Michigan State 3.0.

Michigan football fans, what do you think of everyone’s mindset? Do you think it pays off this year? Sound off in the comments below!