Last Updated on 08/09/2024 by Arun jain
Defending National Champion Michigan Wolverines Searched for inspiration from an unlikely source this week but walked away with unfortunate results.
Before their biggest game of the early season against No. 3 Texas, Michigan brought in the New York Yankees Hall of Famer. Derek Jeter to give a speech in the locker room the night before Saturday’s game. Jeter, who captained the Yankees for 12 years, was part of five World Series championships, including four titles in five years from 1996-2000. Michigan is looking for a similar run after winning its first national championship since 1997 last season.
Jeter served as the Wolverines’ honorary captain Saturday against Texas native Matthew McConaughey on the other side.
But Jeter, who grew up a lifelong Wolverines fan in Kalamazoo, Michigan, admits he probably didn’t have it when it came to giving football speeches.
“Having absolutely zero experience playing football in my life, I don’t know if anything registered with them,” Jeter said of his speech to the players during an interview on the Big Noon Kickoff Show on Fox.
Jeter said he intended to advise the team that it’s like handling business as the defending champions and wants to be on top. Although Jeter has enjoyed plenty of repeat wins as a member of the Yankees, he admits it’s been a tough thing to maintain.
“I think he’s basically sharing a message, when you’re at the top, when you’re winning and trying to repeat, do it again. I mean, sustainability over time is very challenging, and they hope to do that this year,” Jeter said.
But Jeter wasn’t even sure what impact his pregame speech would have on the team. He said the outcome of the game would reflect how effective his advice was.
“Let’s see how this game goes before you give me any credit,” Jeter said.
Michigan lost 31-12. The loss snapped the program’s 33-game regular-season winning streak and marked its most lopsided regular-season loss since a 49-11 demolition by Wisconsin in the Covid-shortened 2020 season.
McConaughey claimed bragging rights to the former Yankees captain, and exercised the rights the day before the actor landed in Michigan. When McConaughey sent a video message to Jeter from his plane at the Big Noon kickoff, he boasted that he hoped and expected a “long day” for Jeter’s Wolverines.
“Jeter, I hope and believe it’s going to be a long day for your big blue,” McConaughey said.
Jeter was once a student at Michigan, but never played a game there, nor did he graduate from the university.
He took classes at Michigan in the fall semester of 1992 after playing in the minors for the Yankees and re-enrolled the following fall. However, when the Yankees asked Jeter to play in the Instructional League in 1993, he withdrew from classes and did not return to college.
The defending champions defeated top-ranked Fresno State, 30-10, in Week 1, but must now recover from this loss in a season of upsets.
The program is still pending under investigation For alleged illegal sign theft by a former employee Connor Stallions. The investigation began midway through last season and resulted in former head coach Jim Harbaugh being suspended for the final three regular-season games.
After the team won the national championship against Washington, Harbaugh left to take over the Los Angeles Chargers long before the investigation was completed. But the NCAA recently announced a four-year show cause order for Harbaugh as a result of its investigation into Michigan’s unacceptable contact with recruiters and players during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, the head coach Sharon Moorewho was Harbaugh’s top assistant in 2023 and served as interim head coach during Harbaugh’s multiple suspensions, addressed his alleged relationship with the Stallions two weeks ago. Moore is accused of deleting text messages with Stallions.
“I’ll just say this: I’m waiting for them to be released,” Moore said of his text messages with the stallion.
Michigan’s next game is next Saturday against unranked Arkansas, which comes before a big conference matchup against No. 13 USC on Sept. 21 in the first game between the two storied programs as conference rivals.
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