ANGELES – Michigan’s starting centre, Drake Nugent, had a chuckle on his face.
He was discussing how the Michigan football team was “constantly” the subject of negative media criticism as the Wolverines continued to roll to a 13-0 regular season.
Nugent remarked on Friday, “It’s funny to look at that stuff and still be able to win games while it’s going on.” “To be honest, it’s kind of like a big middle finger to everyone.”
Nugent mocked media coverage of a team embroiled in a sign-stealing issue as his Wolverines prepared to play Alabama at the Rose Bowl in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals on Monday.
Nugent remarked, “It’s almost laughable how much has happened this year, in the media and other places. “I laugh a little, like, what the heck? There is a tonne of garbage in the world.It’s fantastic to have so much positive comments about you and yet be able to succeed.
Sayings of other Wolverines?
There was no time for a scientific study of the Michigan players’ opinions regarding the outcry from the public over the sign-stealing issue that resulted in coach Jim Harbaugh’s suspension of three games. Or about Harbaugh’s three-game suspension that began this season because he reportedly gave the NCAA incorrect or deceptive information when it was looking into potential recruiting infractions.
Nugent’s opinions appeared to align with those of several Wolverines. Roman Wilson, for example, was questioned about Alabama players’ claims that they were forbidden from watching practice tape on their iPads, which were first interpreted as a reaction to Michigan’s purported sign-stealing.
Wilson remarked, “You know, I wasn’t really shocked when I saw that.” “I think there will be comments made about every team we play.
We simply kind of joke about it from a distance. We are always enjoying ourselves. We feel as though we must constantly disprove those who believe this to be a significant accomplishment, which kind of puts a chip on our shoulder.”
The Wolverines don’t harbour resentment, according to Michigan linebacker Junior Colson, but he also stated, “We remember everything that’s happened, everything the media has said, anything anybody has ever said, anything anybody’s ever done.”
Is Jim Harbaugh influencing the players’ behaviour?
The Michigan players who spoke with the media on Thursday and Friday said Harbaugh is unaffected by criticism from the outside that results from problems off the pitch.
Trevor Keegan, an offensive lineman, really stated that he believes Harbaugh enjoys the criticism.
“I believe he does because, despite all the criticism he receives from our team, he always shows up the following day smiling. If he gets suspended, he always cracks jokes about Coach Harbaugh like, ‘How are you doing right now, dude?'” said Keegan. As if he’d just received a three-game suspension. He’ll enter with a smile on his face and a joke.
Roman, a wide receiver for Michigan, said, “Deep down, he definitely kind of likes being the bad guy.”
The Michigan centre, Nugent, concurred. Indeed, he has accepted it, particularly in the latter part of the year when everything has changed. works its way down to us, naturally, and when he gets the boys excited during team meetings, we’re like, sure. It’s a terrific method to unite the boys behind him and put everyone on the same page.
Not every Wolverine ignores the criticism.
Prior to the season, Nugent, a PhD student, transferred from Stanford. Furthermore, he is astute enough to recognise that some of his colleagues have struggled more to cope with the negativity that the Wolverines have occasionally been surrounded by.
