How the Wolverines are still working despite the shelter-in-place orders.
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Michigan is in something of a precarious situation with shelter-in-place going on, as it doesn’t have a returning starting quarterback.
While the contenders — fourth-year Dylan McCaffrey, third-year Joe Milton and second-year Cade McNamara — all have had time in Josh Gattis’ system and two of the three have seen playing time in their careers, none has been the out on the field for the first snap.
So how do the Wolverines conduct a true evaluation, considering spring practice was canceled due to the novel coronavirus?
Head coach Jim Harbaugh chimed in on Thursday, speaking with Rich Eisen on his show via telephone, saying that it’s an open competition, and he’s sure that they’ll be ready to duke it out once they all get back to campus.
“We’ve got some guys we really love,” Harbaugh said. “They’ve been champing at the bit. When I say there are guys that are excited to get back to working out at the team and back to practicing, but our quarterbacks in particular, they’re champing at the bit, which is better.”
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They’re not just biding their time, however, according to Harbaugh.
As injured players do, the squad has been getting mental reps, learning the playbook and preparing as much as they can in the interim. Some of that is team-led while Harbaugh has also implored them to get some work in on their own.
We’ve seen Joe Milton, in particular, in videos working with former Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner at his Young Go Getters camps, with wide receiver Ronnie Bell in tow. But what have the others been doing?
Harbaugh elucidated on the subject, noting how the team has been preparing the signal callers in the interim and how they’ve been asked to train while they’re apart from the team.
“Specifically with the quarterbacks, we’ve been having Zoom meetings,” Harbaugh said. “We’ve been installing football and I told the guys, ‘Hey, learn the system the best you can. Be an expert at it when we do get back together. Also, be in the best shape of your life and throw the football. Get out and throw it every day.’ And each guy, going through the quarterbacks in my mind here, each one has done that and taken advantage of that and gotten guys to throw to.
“Dylan McCaffrey has been throwing with his brothers, Christian and Luke in Denver. Joe Milton has been in Orlando and then he came back to Ann Arbor. He’s got a bag of balls and finding guys to throw with. Cade McNamara has got his brother (who’s) gonna be an incoming freshman at wide receiver. They’re champing at the bit, what you can do and getting coached. Ben McDaniels has been coaching them every day, they’re on the installation, been going over footwork, all kinds of stuff. So I know those guys are champing at the bit.”
Perhaps there’s a silver lining here, too, in terms of Harbaugh having had NFL experience.
His first year in San Francisco, the season was in peril due to a lockout, though it was resolved with time to spare. However, much of the typical league offseason activity was a victim of the larger contract dispute.
Harbaugh tells Eisen that he’s learned a bit from that in terms of how to be flexible, while constantly evaluating the quotidian as well as the bigger picture.
“I have been doing a little bit of that, Rich, drawing on a little bit of 2011 when there was the lockout,” Harbaugh said. “So there are some similarities. The things I’ve drawn from it are you gotta really consider everything, day-by-day, week-by-week. Plan for the different scenarios and there’s gonna be a lot of them. You’re gonna learn more as it goes on and you don’t know when exactly when you’re gonna start. But also try to be creative and proactive so you can be as productive as possible.”
While the NCAA opened things back up with an anticipated June 1 date for voluntary workouts, Harbaugh and Michigan have to continue to wait, as the state of Michigan’s safer-at-home order doesn’t expire until June 12.
Massapequa (N.Y.) Plainedge three-star quarterback Dan Villari joined Michigan football in the NCAA early signing period.
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Dan Villari is the lowest-rated Michigan quarterback signee in the Jim Harbaugh era.
And Villari – ranked No. 1,370 overall in his class – is well aware.
“I see it all over Twitter,” Villari said. “I’m going to prove them wrong.”
The Massapequa (N.Y.) Plainedge three-star prospect also understands he wasn’t Michigan’s first or second option.
The 2020 quarterback was supposed to be Phoenix (Ariz.) Pinnacle three-star JD Johnson until he medically retired due to a heart condition linked to a congenital heart defect called coarctation of the aorta.
Johnson, who was ranked No. 446 in the nation, spent three seasons as the backup to Oklahoma quarterback Spencer Rattler before taking over at Pinnacle as a senior.
Michigan countered the situation by turning its focus to Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) 2020 four-star CJ Stroud, who took a two-day official visit from Dec. 6-7. Students at Crisler Center for U-M’s basketball game against Iowa chanted his name while he watched the 103-91 victory over the Hawkeyes.
But the scheme to get the nation’s top uncommitted quarterback didn’t work, as Stroud picked Ohio State over the Wolverines on Dec. 18, the first day of the NCAA early signing period.
After the retirement of Johnson and losing out on Stroud, Villari entered the picture.
“We began looking for another quarterback, and Dan Villari stood out at the time,” Harbaugh said on his “Attack Each Day” podcast. “He does everything offensively – runs and throws, and that’s how he came onto our radar.”
Villari received an offer from Michigan, committed on the spot and signed – all occurring immediately following Stroud’s decision.
“I was in school and on my phone like the whole time,” Villari said. “I don’t think I paid attention to a thing in class.”
Michigan quarterback signee Dan Villari watches the Dec. 14 basketball game against Oregon at Crisler Center in Ann Arbor. (Isaiah Hole / WolverinesWire)
‘If CJ goes to Michigan, I’m out’
Michigan’s No. 1 option at quarterback – following the news of Johnson’s retirement – was Stroud. Led by quarterbacks coach Ben McDaniels, the coaching staff pushed hard for the 6-foot-3, 194-pound pro-style quarterback from California.
Villari was the backup plan.
Without having firm confidence in where Stroud was headed, Michigan told Villari he’d be offered at a different position if Stroud committed to the Wolverines. The coaches liked the 6-foot-4, 215-pound quarterback’s athletic ability but didn’t want to give up on the press for Stroud’s pledge.
That offer wasn’t enticing to Villari, but he still took an official visit from Dec. 13-14 – exactly one week after Stroud’s trip.
The night before the early signing period began, Villari spoke with McDaniels, who told him he would be calling after Stroud made his decision.
“If CJ goes to Michigan, I’m out,” Villari recalled telling McDaniels.
When Harbaugh reached out the morning of Stroud’s signing day festivities, Villari began to feel at peace.
“He said, ‘Inside sources say he’s going to pick Ohio State,'” Villari said of his conversation with Harbaugh. “He asked if I was in if he went (to Ohio State).”
Of course, Villari was all in on the Wolverines if he could commit on scholarship as the No. 1 quarterback option for the 2020 class.
Expecting Stroud to pick the Buckeyes but knowing nothing was etched in stone, Villari struggled to pay attention in school that Wednesday. He spent the entire morning on his phone, patiently waiting for the West Coast prospect to sign his letter of intent.
“I was anxious,” Villari said.
Villari’s phone eventually died, and he asked to use his teacher’s charger during class. While Villari’s phone was charging, Stroud announced his decision to attend Ohio State at 12:36 p.m. ET.
McDaniels, just as promised, called Villari roughly one minute later.
Villari didn’t answer. He wasn’t near his phone and was unaware Stroud had picked the Buckeyes.
“The next period I had off, so I went out to my car and gave (McDaniels) a call,” Villari said. “He offered me over the phone.”
Villari committed, signed and sent his national letter of intent at 9 p.m. that day, solidifying himself as Michigan’s quarterback in the 2020 class.
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If Stroud would’ve picked Michigan, Villari said he was planning to wait until National Signing Day on Feb. 5 to see if three schools – Virginia Tech, Pittsburgh and Syracuse – would give him a scholarship offer.
“That day, while I was waiting to see where CJ committed, Virginia Tech had two coaches hit me up and send me paragraphs about how they liked me and wanted to get started with the recruiting process,” Villari said.
Knowing the impact of Stroud’s impending commitment, Villari waited until after McDaniels delivered the news of his offer to send a text message back to the Hokie coaches.
“I’m locked in with Michigan,” he later said to them, “but I appreciate it.”
Jim Harbaugh smiles before Michigan’s 38-7 victory over Maryland on Nov. 2 at Maryland Stadium in College Park, Maryland. (Isaiah Hole / WolverinesWire)
‘He obviously had no idea who I was’
Plainedge coach Rob Shaver was suspended one game for a 61-13 victory Oct. 25 against South Shore. The reason for his suspension was due to a “lopsided scores policy” set in place by Nassau County. Both teams on Long Island were undefeated entering the contest.
Ultimately, Shaver’s suspension led to Michigan’s interest in Villari, who scored five touchdowns in the win.
“If I had to go through what I went through just for Dan to do this, then I’m in,” Shaver said. “You can run my name through the dirt. Obviously, it’s a ridiculous rule.”
Michigan assistant recruiting coordinator Nate Crutchfield noticed the story on Twitter and got Shaver’s contact information for Harbaugh to call the high school coach.
Harbaugh stuttered in an incorrect attempt to pronounce Villari’s last name on the first reference.
“He obviously had no idea who I was,” Villari said.
Despite the mispronunciation, Harbaugh’s conversation with Shaver led him to Villari’s cell phone a few days later.
“I’m sitting in my room and got a call from a random number from Ann Arbor,” Villari said. “I picked it up thinking it was going to be a recruiting coordinator, but it was him.
“I was like, ‘Woah.'”
Harbaugh brought up a preferred walk-on deal where Villari would spend his first season in Ann Arbor as a walk-on quarterback before taking a scholarship for the 2021 season.
Already with offers from UMass, Fordham, Albany, Buffalo, Central Connecticut State and Kent State, Villari told Harbaugh he would be taking the scholarship route out of high school.
“Kent State came in, saw him make three throws and offered him on the spot,” Shaver said. “UMass watched us in warmups and said, ‘Holy crap. This kid isn’t taken yet?’ They offered him right on the spot.”
As the season continued, Villari continued sending Michigan his game film.
Harbaugh called back to explain the preferred walk-on was the worst-case scenario. Villari didn’t budge.
A week before Villari’s Dec. 13-14 visit, Harbaugh went to Plainedge with McDaniels and offensive coordinator Josh Gattis to see the quarterback.
The three coaches were impressed and named Villari as the second option to Stroud, eventually leading to him being appointed as the top choice.
“In my mind, they were probably thinking, ‘How did anyone miss this guy?'” Shaver said. “When Harbaugh and those guys came here, they were taken aback at how Syracuse, Boston College and those schools missed out.”
‘He looks like an NFL quarterback’
When Villari began working with Long Island area quarterback trainer James Brady as a freshman, a football wasn’t used for four-straight private sessions. Instead, Brady worked with Villari on his confidence, a piece of his character that was severely lacking at the time.
“We had conversations about things that were going on in his life, his approach to the game and his attitude about himself,” Brady said. “He put in a lot of time, like journaling, to help make him realize he can do anything he chooses if he puts in the work.”
As Villari’s confidence grew, he went from a 5-foot-10, 160-pound freshman to a 6-foot-4, 215-pound senior. He worked relentlessly on himself off the field from an internal standpoint, resulting in the creation of the person he always wanted to become.
Villari carried the ball 121 times for 1,522 yards and 23 touchdowns along with completing 67-of-113 passes for 1,306 yards with 13 touchdowns against one interception during his senior season.
The Red Devils finished the 2019 campaign with a 12-0 record.
Shaver said Villari’s size gives him an advantage as a quarterback. His favorite exercises are the squat and deadlift.
“Most kids like curls and bench presses, but he’s not like that,” Shaver said. “He looks like an NFL quarterback.”
How tight the football spins, how straight it flies and his ability to put different tempos on the ball were the most common aspects of Villari’s quarterbacking abilities that impressed college coaches.
Over the past year, he’s made progress in the fundamentals of his footwork, which has helped him with his anticipation.
Brady compared Villari to Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, who threw for 3,273 yards and 41 touchdowns against three interceptions as a sophomore in 2019.
“His size, athleticism, arm talent, confidence, the way he plays the game,” Brady said. “Occasionally, Dan will have a tendency in his mechanics to get a little long, meaning he drops the ball below his elbow as he brings the ball back. Justin Fields does the same exact thing.
“That’s just something guys that have elite talent can sometimes get away with, but it can affect the flight of the ball, and we want to clean that up.”
Villari is locked in as a member of the Wolverines, and he’s prepared to start his journey to discredit the doubters that only view him as Harbaugh’s third option.
As a two-year starter at Plainedge, Villari finished with a 23-1 overall record.
“Everything I do, I have to win,” Villari said. “I’m the ultimate competitor. They’ll see I’m going to do whatever it takes to win games and championships.”
Focusing on his self-esteem with Brady as a 15-year-old has officially paid off. Even when the world seems to doubt him, Villari is as confident as ever in his potential to lead Michigan to new heights.
Shaver – the coach whose suspension helped lead to his quarterback’s offer from the Wolverines – also thinks Villari has a bright future ahead.
“If he prepares himself, which I think he will, and gets an opportunity,” Shaver said, “then I think all the people are going to stop doubting.”
Villari believes at least half of his critics haven’t watched his film, instead only focusing on stars and rankings, so he doesn’t worry about what those people have to say.
He’s only concentrated on his growth as a Wolverine.
“I know coach McDaniels is going to develop me,” Villari said, “so I’m blocking out the noise.”
The second-year Wolverine has converted on two big fake punt plays this season.
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Twice now, Michigan has lined up for a punt, the offense having stalled, and twice it’s managed to move the chains, thanks to second-year player Michael Barrett.
The Valdosta (GA) high school quarterback has now converted on fourth down using both his arm and his legs, with a 25-yard pass in Week Two against Army to freshman phenom Daxton Hill, and a 14-yard scamper in the last game at Maryland, to keep a drive going which ended in a Michigan touchdown.
So, why has he been so effective on that front?
His special teams coordinator Chris Partridge broke down Barrett’s skill set and ability on Wednesday, noting that when the Wolverines find themselves in a particular situation, they’re comfortable putting the ball in Barrett’s hands.
“He’s a former quarterback, Georgia state player of the year at quarterback,” Partridge said. “Recruited to be a P.P. (punter protector) here – I’m just kidding! I tell him that all the time!
“The bottom line, with fakes for us, they have to present it to us and we’ve gotta play complementary football, right? We’re not gonna get all carried away and doing crazy stuff. But if they present the opportunity and our team presents the opportunity, within playing complementary football on offense and defense, we want to be able take advantage of that opportunity. We’ve gotten two opportunities to do that, and Michael Barrett has executed them, because he’s comfortable with the ball in his hands.”
The Barrett-to-Hill play was decided when Army decided to not cover the flank, leaving Hill wide open for a potential pass and an easy first down and more. Two weeks ago, the situation presented itself for him to run up the middle and he took it.
Quarterbacks coach Ben McDaniels doesn’t have a lot of experience working with Barrett, as his offensive presence lasted momentarily when he first arrived on campus in 2018, billed as an ‘offensive weapon.’ But, soon after, he was moved to defense, where he’s become a backup VIPER.
Still, he’s finding a way to make an impact where he can, and the coaching staff feels like he is a capable playmaker in that regard.
“It’s awesome – he’s a great kid,” McDaniels said. “He’s worn a lot of hats in our building. It’s really neat to see him be an integral part of what we’re doing. On special teams, on defense – spent some time on offense early in his career. He’s a great kid that represents us well.”
How the Wolverines are preparing for potentially frigid temperatures on Saturday.
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan already has some experience this season when it comes to dealing with the elements, but on Saturday, it’ll be a different type of game that the Wolverines are dealing with.
Three weeks ago, against Notre Dame, it was a veritable deluge, a monsoon that soaked the field at Michigan Stadium for a solid two-plus quarters, and the maize and blue seemed to relish the opportunity. Despite the offense’s seeming inability to run the ball at will, it did just that, en route to a 45-14 win over the rival Fighting Irish.
With that particular situation, the team embraced the situation. But this weekend, when Michigan hosts another rival in MSU, it’ll be another entirely, as the forecast currently calls for it to be sunny with a potential high of 31-degrees Fahrenheit in Ann Arbor, with lows around 16-degrees.
But, given what the maize and blue have played in already, the team is ready for it, and it’s a credit to the demeanor of the head coach, special teams and safeties coach Chris Partridge says.
“Coach does a really good job of going in and out and going outside,” Partridge said. “It was great yesterday, I don’t think it sucks. I mean, we’re in Michigan, we’re not gonna say, ‘Oh, it’s gonna be warm!’ We’re gonna go out and we’re gonna deal with it. I think that’s important for the players, too. It’s like, ‘Okay, well, it’s cold out. So, we’re gonna stay inside the whole time?’ No, we play in Michigan. This is what it is, so go out there and enjoy it.
“I didn’t hear one complaint, I didn’t hear anything. We were in and out and we rolled and that’s it. Probably could have dressed myself a little warmer!”
The early November blizzard seems to have come and gone, with Monday being Southeast Michigan’s day of reckoning on that front. But with it being likely clear of precipitation, the staff isn’t making any special preparations for the potential cold.
“I don’t think cold weather factors much into a game plan,” quarterbacks coach Ben McDaniels said. “The precipitation does, the rain certainly did a couple weeks ago – there’s no doubt about that. Snow is less of a factor than rain typically is, in my opinion. You just try to pay attention to the forecast, you hope that they’re right as you’re building your plan through the week. If they’re wrong, you adjust as late as you have to adjust. That’s what we get paid to do.”
With the way the Wolverines played against Notre Dame, some would argue that perhaps inclement weather could be a good thing for this Michigan team.
So why was it such a successful outing in what were certainly terrible conditions?
Like Coach Harbaugh, Partridge says, the team barely acknowledged the monsoon as it was happening. Instead, it just focused on what it could control and went from there.
“We just embrace it – they’re gonna follow our lead,” Partridge said. “I said to (Coach Harbaugh after Notre Dame), ‘That’s the best we ever –’ I actually said it to someone before the game, when we came off the field: ‘That’s our best warmup I’ve ever seen.’ They went out there and literally didn’t notice the cold, the rain, nothing. They just warmed up like it was nothing. And it’s probably because we just embraced it, like, ‘Oh, it’s raining out.’ What are we just gonna stay inside all day? No! Go out there and throw the ball around. Go back inside, don’t talk about it, don’t complain about it – just go.
“I think that’s a big factor and that’s really Jim’s personality. He can walk outside and everyone else will be like, ‘Damn, it’s pouring out!’ and he’s coaching his butt off, not even noticing it’s raining. You’re like, ‘Does this guy even know it’s raining and freezing?!’ But the team gains that personality of who coaches it, that’s who they become. So we went out at Notre Dame and I don’t even know if anybody noticed it was raining.
“Besides me – special teams, it’s windy, it’s raining. I never used to have to care about this stuff!”
“I just thought our guys were excited for the game,” McDaniels added. “I thought they were excited for the environment. I thought it showed. I don’t know if any of us cared what the weather was or how bad the rain was. We were excited for that game, and I think that showed, too.”
So, at the moment, the team can expect to be dry on Saturday, but the cold is a different story.
While the team will adjust to the weather accordingly, the primary focus is multiple, but the same as it’s always been: execute the game plan while taking care of the football.
“My experience is cold is cold,” McDaniels said. “It’s gotta get pretty darn cold to factor in, in my opinion. Some guys wear gloves, some guys don’t. That’s a topic of discussion for quarterbacks. My experience coaching guys and some playing experience, once you get running around, you get pretty comfortable and used to the environment. Those frigid, frigid temperatures might affect, at some point, your ability to hold the ball. The feel of the ball is different once it gets colder-colder. But we should be in great shape for this weekend.”
Michigan and Michigan State will kickoff at noon EST on Saturday at The Big House with the game nationally televised on FOX.
