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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan football certainly ‘out-physicaled’ Washington on Saturday when it ran the ball repeatedly en route to a 343 yard game on the ground. It turns out, there was an impetus for the Wolverines’ ability to ground and pound and it starts with the 9-on-7 drill.
Jim Harbaugh explained on Monday what that is and why it’s been so helpful, not just for the offensive line, but the defensive front, as well.
“The 9-on-7 drill — it’s an inside run type of drill where you’re not running any trick plays, defenses aren’t. You’re not running any games or twists. It’s who can block a man, who can get off a block,” Harbaugh said. “You’re basically running three types of running plays. Play in one or two defensive fronts. It’s something that our offensive line and defensive line have really embraced.
“When that period comes up, whether it was practice in the spring or fall camp — we did it every day we had pads on, and we do it every Tuesday and we do it Monday during the season — that has become a drill of emphasis. Look forward to it. Excitement. They wanted music, so we play music during that drill. That game felt like a 9-on-7 drill. Both teams were trying to turn it into that type of game and our guys have embraced it and had a lot of practice at it.”
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But there’s an added element to the nature of that drill. It’s not just a regular old 9-on-7 drill starting left guard Trevor Keegan says. It has a particular focus on Michigan’s chief rival, Ohio State.
“Years prior, we’d call it a 9-on-7, which is what the drill is, but this year, we changed it to the ‘Beat Ohio’ drill,” Keegan said. “Now we’re blasting music, smelling salts, everything. It’s a pretty physical period. We love it!”
Starting right guard Andrew Stueber elucidated on how the drill came to be. Named the ‘Beat Ohio’ drill by Harbaugh, Stueber says that it ties into the Wolverines’ renewed focus on the rivalry with the Buckeyes and it’s just another element that helps the team remember what’s truly important this year.
“Yeah, it’s always been a focus on us. It’s always been a period we take a lot of pride in,” Stueber said. “I’m not really sure when it got changed. But it kinda came along with the whole tradition of, ‘What are you doing to beat Ohio State every day?’ Kinda taking that rivalry into focus every day is a big focus for us.
“I’m not sure when it got named, but I’m happy it did and it’s definitely brought a lot of energy and passion into that period.”