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Harbaugh was optimistic after the big loss.
Jim Harbaugh is optimistic about his team's loss against Georgia. It was 0: 43.
12:11 AM
The Capital One Orange Bowl was all but over before the first quarter was over as Georgia beat Michigan 34-11. Jim Harbaugh wanted to talk about new beginnings after the event.
Harbaugh told the team in the locker room that the next step was the most important thing.
"Our ballclub was in a position to do it, but we weren't able to get it done," Harbaugh said. It's always building and attacking at the same time.
The Michigan ground game, which had been the team's best weapon all year, was largely absent, as the team was routed by Georgia in the first round of the playoffs.
The program that finished last year with a 2-4 record and overhauled its coaching staff was represented by the fact that the Wolverines were on this stage. After 2020's struggles, Harbaugh took a pay cut.
Harbaugh's first season at the helm of the UM program saw the team get its first win over Ohio State in six years and win the Big Ten title.
Harbaugh said it was a great season. It's one of the best seasons in Michigan football, and we were trying to make it greater tonight. This is still a beginning for the team. It's where it started last year, and it will start again this year.
Harbaugh's glass-half-full approach was echoed by McNamara, who spent the bulk of the fourth quarter on the sideline.
"It's very disappointing right now," McNamara said. We gave everything we had and were beaten. I think we'll be able to appreciate some of the great things we did this season once we give it a little time.
The backup quarterback connected with Andrel Anthony for a 35-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. The battle for the starting job between McNamara and McCarthy is one of the most debated topics of Michigan's off-season. Harbaugh said that McNamara's struggles were not the reason for the Orange Bowl's finish.
Harbaugh made no apologies for the fact that the team has two great quarterbacks. J.J. gave us more of a chance to escape and run, because the protection wasn't as good as it needed to be. That's the reason we made the switch.
Replacing the pass-rushing tandem of David Ojabo and Aidan Hutchinson will be one of the biggest concerns for the future. Georgia's offensive line did most of the damage in the Orange Bowl. Ojabo was held without a tackle, while Hutchinson recorded four tackles, one for a loss, but no sacks against Bennett.
Hutchinson said he's not worried about the future of the program.
"We climbed mountains that no one thought we could do," Hutchinson said. The standard for the future of Michigan football was set by us. I know that the young guys will bounce back next year and give them hell, because they have got the scar tissue now.
