Buffs' Leavitt, Michigan's Harbaugh Say They Are Ready For Matchup
September 12, 2016 | Football, Neill Woelk
Michigan coach says he's been impressed with CU defense
BOULDER — When asked about Colorado defensive coordinator Jim Leavitt, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh allowed the slightest of grins to cross his face, accompanied by an almost imperceptible nod of his head.
It was an acknowledgement not only of recognition, but of respect.
"Good man," Harbaugh said at his Monday press conference.
But just as quickly as Harbaugh voiced his personal thoughts about his former assistant, the Michigan coach quickly dropped back into analytical mode. The smile disappeared and Harbaugh quickly rattled off what he's seen so far from Leavitt's Buffs this season.
"Very aggressive, opportunistic," Harbaugh said. "They dive on your mistakes, they create turnovers, very sound. It's already showing up. They're already getting turnovers. Playing with a lot of hustle and a lot of instinct and talent. Jim's really brought out a lot of the talent that's on the team. There's some really outstanding players on their defense and he's doing a great job of bringing them together and playing well together, and guys are playing really well individually and as a team."
Leavitt worked for Harbaugh for four years as his linebackers coach when Harbaugh headed the San Francisco 49ers. It's a period of his life Leavitt remembers fondly, especially because it came about soon after Leavitt had been fired at South Florida, where he had literally started a program from scratch.
But the two went separate ways in early 2015 when Harbaugh left the 49ers to take the Michigan job and Leavitt accepted an offer from Mike MacIntyre to become CU's defensive coordinator.
Now, Leavitt's job this week will be to try to derail Harbaugh's high-powered offense when the Buffs and Wolverines meet Saturday at Michigan Stadium in a 1:30 p.m. game (Big Ten Network).
That doesn't, however, mean that Leavitt has forgotten his time with Harbaugh.
"Jim gave me the opportunity to go to the NFL and you never forget that," Leavitt said after Monday morning's CU practice. "He didn't have to. A million people could have hired me at that time, and he did. That means a lot to me. We're good friends — but he's competitive and so am I."
Translation: they may be friends, but the two will spend this week doing their best to figure out how to whip the other on Saturday.
It's what friends in the coaching business do.
Leavitt doesn't believe working with Harbaugh for four years will offer either coach any special insight into how the other will operate on Saturday. For starters, as Leavitt noted, he was a linebackers coach for the 49ers, not the defensive coordinator.
But most of all, Leavitt said, the knowledge will come in the film room as they spend countless hours studying the other's tendencies.
""He doesn't know me as a D-coordinator, he just knows me as a linebackers coach," Leavitt said. "He'll study film like we will. He'll know the things we do, the things we do well and things we don't do well. They're going to go by film and we're not going to worry about me or him. When it's kicked off, all that stuff doesn't matter anyway."
Still, there's no doubt Leavitt's memories of working with the 49ers are some he treasures. The Niners played in three NFC Championship games and one Super Bowl (2012) during his stay there, and he had the chance to coach Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman, two of the league's best linebackers at the time.
"I had a great time, I really did," Leavitt said. "I had a blast."
But when it comes to the world of coaching, a few years ago is ancient history. What Leavitt is concerned with now is Saturday, when his defense will see talented quarterback Wilton Speight, All-American tight end Jake Butt, a bevy of talented wide receivers and a Big Ten-style offensive line.
"I know Jim and what they do," Leavitt said. "They're a good football team, obviously. Our guys will play hard. We'll do what's best for Colorado and get them in the best position to be competitive and try to give our players the best chance to win a game."
And his former boss will obviously be doing the same.
McCARTNEY-MICHIGAN-HARBAUGH CONNECTION: Harbaugh also noted his connection to former CU coach Bill McCartney, who came to Colorado in 1982 after serving as defensive coordinator for Bo Schembechler and the Wolverines.
Harbaugh's father, Jack Harbaugh, was a defensive assistant at Michigan at the same time McCartney was there. Thus, the Harbaugh boys (Jim and John) and the McCartney boys (Mike and Tom) grew up together — even living in the same neighborhood.
"Great memories, great coach," Harbaugh said. "Looking forward to seeing him (McCartney will attend Saturday's game). My official visit when I was going to Michigan, I had a good long talk with Coach McCartney the night before Bo offered me a scholarship. Coach had some really good things to say to me and was very convincing as to why I should come to Michigan. I always appreciated him for that."
Of course, just a few weeks after that McCartney pep talk to Harbaugh, McCartney accepted the job at Colorado.
But that's not what Harbaugh remembers most about the McCartney family. Rather, one of his fondest memories of the McCartneys is their cereal.
That's right, their cereal. Seems young Jim Harbaugh had an insatiable sweet tooth.
"Love the McCartneys," Harbaugh said. "They had the best cereal of anybody in the neighborhood. We had Cheerios, no flavor. We had Wheaties. But you could go to the McCartneys and they had one of the little carousels under the cabinet — Cap'n Crunch and Lucky Charms and Fruit Loops. Wide assortment, 10 or 12 different kinds of really good cereals. Lyndi (McCartney) was great. If you were hungry, you could just come in and get yourself a bowl of cereal. Love 'em for that."
MACINTYRE-HARBAUGH CONNECTION: CU head coach Mike MacIntyre also has a connection to the Harbaugh family. He's known Jim and John for years, and Mike's brother, Matt MacIntyre, played football at Western Kentucky for Jack Harbaugh.
"The coaching tree of fathers and all that, you grow up with it," MacIntyre said. "I know Coach (Jack) Harbaugh is real proud of Jim and John both."
1994 MEMORIES: The Buffs will return to Michigan Stadium for the second time since the history-making 1994 "Catch" that saw Kordell Stewart throw a 64-yard touchdown pass to Michael Westbrook on the last play of the game in a 27-26 CU win.
Scheduled to be on hand for this weekend's game are Stewart, Westbrook and wide receiver Blake Anderson, credited with tipping the ball up in the air, allowing Westbrook to grab it for the winning touchdown.
CU returned to Michigan three years after The Catch and dropped a 27-3 decision in 1997.
STAT CHANGE: In the CU-Idaho State game, the Bengals first play on offense was initially scored as a 6-yard rush; upon video review, it was indeed, a short "flip" pass forward (or even a "baby" shovel pass). Thus for the game, ISU had 13 rushes for 29 yards and was 20-of-42 for 67 passing yards.
PRACTICE NOTES: Both center Alex Kelley and linebacker Derek McCartney practiced Monday after missing Saturday's game vs. Idaho State with minor ankle injuries. Head coach Mike MacIntyre said he expected both to play Saturday. … While Michigan blocked two punts and a field goal in last weekend's win over Central Florida, MacIntyre said he's confident in his special teams' protection plans. "I feel good about our protection," MacIntyre said. "We'll see when we get out there." … As for his players' reaction to playing in front of roughly 110,000 people — what is expected to be the largest crowd ever to see a CU football game — MacIntyre said he's not overly concerned. "They just need to worry about Colorado," MacIntyre said. "They need to worry about them preparing themselves. It doesn't matter the excitement of a place, if you're not prepared mentally to play well, it doesn't matter. You have to prepare all week."
Contact: Neill.Woelk@Colorado.edu
