Every year, football fans that are clamoring for the fall all tune into HBO to catch the hit series ‘Hard Knocks,’ which takes fans behind the scenes in training camp. Regardless of the team, fans flock to the show, not only getting a glimpse of what it’s like to be in the NFL, but also to learn more about the personalities underneath the helmet.
247Sports had a thought exercise asking if there was a college equivalent, which team out of each conference would be the best to watch on a similar show? No surprise, that when Brandon Marcello got to pick for the Big Ten, he selected Michigan football.
“Jim Harbaugh is one of the more misunderstood and enthralling characters in college sports. He’s also one of the best coaches of the last two decades, regardless of level of competition. I want to see unfiltered, behind-the-scenes access into his daily life and how he handles a program as monstrous as Michigan. The Wolverines have overtaken Ohio State (for now) as the best in the Big Ten. And while success can be fleeting, it certainly seems like Harbaugh has tapped into something that is sustainable.
Harbaugh might just be the Ted Lasso of college football. He’s quirky but he loves those close to him dearly. We learned about what makes Harbaugh a “Michigan Man” in an Amazon series a few years ago, but Harbaugh is in a different place now — off the hot seat and into the Playoff, in back to back years, with the Ohio State monkey finally off his back. Not to mention the fact we’d get to hear more about Blake Corum, J.J. McCarthy and Michigan’s great coaching staff. There are some future head coaches on Harbaugh’s staff. Getting a look at them before they lift off into the CFB Stratosphere would be special.” – Brandon Marcello, 247Sports National Reporter
Now, as he mentioned, the Wolverines were part of a similar program on Amazon Prime in 2017, when the ‘All or Nothing’ show followed Michigan football from the beginning of the season all the way into bowl season. Where Marcello errs is that there were high expectations for that 2017 team, as the 2016 squad was a questionable spot and some interesting calls away from going to the College Football Playoff. That team peaked at No. 2 in the country. 2017’s team, however, was injury-laden, and underperformed expectations.
Additionally, it’s no surprise that Marcello likens Jim Harbaugh to Ted Lasso, as there are reports that the Apple TV+ character took a lot of inspiration from the Michigan Wolverines head coach.
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