A Look at Why These Wolverines Display a Knack for Seizing the Moment

Jim Brandstatter, the voice of Michigan football for 43 seasons, discusses what he likes about this national semi-final team and what makes them tick

Jim Brandstatter says the “closeness” of these Wolverines, seen huddled here before beating Ohio State, has made all the difference for a team that came together to accomplish so much.

Photo Courtesy of U-M Photography, U-M Athletics

By Steve Kornacki

What does Michigan football radio play-by-play man Jim Brandstatter love most about this 12-1 Wolverine team?

“I guess it’s the fact that they are such a team,” he said. “You know, when they jumped up and down at the ‘Jump Around’ at Wisconsin, to me that was one of those moments where they took over that stadium. They didn’t care what anyone thought: ‘I’m sorry, but we’re just enjoying the moment. We’re gonna do what we damn well please in the middle of your stadium. And we’re gonna win the game, too. So, go ahead and jump around, and we’ll beat you.’

“The Wisconsin players were looking across the field: ‘What are they doing that for?’ And at that point at end of the third quarter, (the Wolverines) may well have won the game. Notre Dame had just barely beaten (the Badgers) the week before, and shouldn’t have. And Wisconsin was favored to beat us. We took it to ‘em, and we out-physicalled them, too.”

The final score at Camp Randall Stadium: Michigan 38, Wisconsin 17.

The Wolverines got on a roll that culminated with the 42-27 win over Ohio State in Ann Arbor, and advanced to beat Iowa, 42-3, in the Big Ten Championship game in Indianapolis.

Those victories punched Michigan’s ticket for next Saturday’s (Dec. 31) national championship semi-final game with Georgia in the Orange Bowl, and the Wolverines have been loving every minute of it and the Christmas season as well.

Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara (@Cademac_12) Thursday tweeted a photo of his offensive linemen wearing new, customized Carhartt jackets in school colors with this message: “Had to make sure the best O-line in the country can stay warm over the holidays. Love these boys.”

Brandstatter noted: “There’s a closeness and a joy that this team takes in each other’s success. There was this picture of J.J. McCarthy coming in and throwing a pass to Roman Wilson against Ohio State, and they got Cade McNamara coming back into the game and looking at McCarthy and pointing at him.

“That to me epitomizes how they revel in each other’s success. And that team last year, that 2-4 team, literally had a bunch of guys playing for themselves.”

Brandstatter credits Coach Jim Harbaugh with bringing in new players and new coaches that “knew what it was all about,” and bonded in a major way.

He recalled defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, the Heisman Trophy runner-up and Big Ten MVP, unable to play in spring practices while recovering from a broken ankle. But Hutch was “slapping ‘em on the back and on the helmet,” and doing so with both the offensive and defensive players.

“Everybody got the energy from that,” said Brandstatter. “And that’s where this team creation thing started in the spring, and the (safeties coach Ron) Bellamy add, the (running backs coach) Mike Hart add, the (defensive coordinator) Mike Macdonald add, all those other guys.

“But it was a guy like Aidan who created the closeness that this team has, and I couldn’t be happier. And (tailback) Hassan Haskins has really been a man in that regard, too. Dan (Dierdorf) says he couldn’t be more proud of a group of coaches and a team than he was of this one, and his heart was bursting with pride. I couldn’t agree more. Harbaugh says the thing he likes best about this team is that they won’t quit.”

Georgia coach Kirby Smart shared his thoughts on Hutchinson with reporters earlier this week.

“I don’t think we’ve faced anybody like him,” Smart said. “He’s different. His length. His desire and want to is freaky. He’s a tremendous athlete. He’s powerful. He’s long, but he plays so hard. You don’t measure a man just by his measurement, his 40 time and his testing. You measure him by how he strikes and the physicality, toughness and want to he has.

“We’ve talked repeatedly to our players about strain. There’s not going to be anything casual about this game. It’s going to be about strain and physicality, which (Hutchinson) prides himself on and does a tremendous job. It’s an incredible opportunity for our offense to go against the likes of their defense, but it’s also going to take a lot of hard work and toughness to persevere through the game and match that entire intensity through the game.”

The No. 2 Wolverines battle No. 3 Georgia at 7:30 p.m., in Miami Lakes, Fla. The victor advances to play the winner of the Cotton Bowl pitting No. 1 Alabama versus No. 4 Cincinnati Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

The Bulldogs feature the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense (9.5 points per game) and No. 2 total defense (254.4 yards allowed per game).

“Defensively they’re athletic and all over the place,” said Brandstatter. “That’s the difference between them and Ohio State – which had some liabilities on defense. Their running backs are extremely hard to bring down. They’ve got a freshman tight end (Brock Bowers). How did he get that good? He’s 19 and making plays that are Travis Kelce stuff.

“They look as good as anybody. But, again, I would not sell this Michigan team short because I truly believe in them. But Georgia is the real deal. They’ve got one of the best interior linemen in the game (in Outland Trophy and Bednarik Award winner Jordan Davis) and all their linebackers can run sideline to sideline. Our offensive line is going to have to be great.”

Brandstatter and radio analyst Dierdorf, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, played offensive tackle together for Michigan, and have teamed up in the booth the last eight seasons.

This could be their last hurrah as broadcasters, and for more on that check out The Kornacki Wolverine Report’s in-depth piece Monday.