Jim Harbaugh explains 'third base' comment toward Ryan Day before Ohio State vs. Michigan
Last season, after Michigan football has secured a 42-27 victory against Ohio State, Jim Harbaugh called for the Wolverines to "move on with humble hearts," while saying there were things that spurred his team on over the course of 2021.
With it came a comment that spurred Ohio State on for the past season.
"Sometimes people are standing on third base, think they hit a triple, but they didn't," Harbaugh said, a comment that seemed to target Ohio State coach Ryan Day about taking over the program from Urban Meyer.
What did Jim Harbaugh's 'third base' comment about Ryan Day actually mean?
The Michigan coach explained himself on the "Stoney and Jansen" radio show on Detroit radio station WXYT-FM 97.1 The Ticket Tuesday morning.
"It was definitely a counter punch by me to the comment of 'They're going to hang 100 on us,' et cetera," Harbaugh said. "Kind of like a Sugar Ray Robinson.
"The fact is, I think Ryan Day is a great coach," Harbaugh continues. "I think he is a tremendous football coach. Truth be known, that's how I feel. You can see it week after week with his team. He's as good a coach as there is in football."
When Day was asked about the comment made by Harbaugh in his press conference Tuesday, the Ohio State coach declined.
"Maybe there's another time to hit on that," Day said. "But like I said, there's certain things you listen to, there's certain things you don't. Any time you're in a high-profile game with a lot of stuff going on, there's a lot of things said. But there's a time and a place to talk about that. And it's not now.
In August 2020, it was reported that Day told his team he wanted to "hang 100" on Michigan after getting into a disagreement with Harbaugh on a teleconference with other Big Ten coaches, something Day declined to comment on when asked about it later.
Harbaugh did not care to elaborate when asked about his postgame quote at Big Ten football media days or when he was asked about it during his Ohio State press conference in the context of being "good-hearted rivalry talk."
"I guess," Harbaugh said. "Kind of irrelevant is what I think. I think that's irrelevant."
College football rankings 2022
Here's a look at the College Football Playoff's third ranking of the 2022 season.
Georgia (11-0)
Ohio State (11-0)
Michigan (11-0)
TCU (11-0)
LSU (9-2)
USC (10-1)
Alabama (9-2)
Clemson (10-1)
Oregon (9-2)
Tennessee (9-2)
Penn State (9-2)
Kansas State (8-3)
Washington (9-2)
Utah (8-3)
Notre Dame 8-3)
Florida State (8-3)
North Carolina (9-2)
UCLA (8-3)
Tulane (9-2)
Ole Miss (8-3)
Oregon Satte (8-3)
UCF (8-3)
Texas (7-4)
Cincinnati (9-2)
Louisville (7-4)
Ohio State football's 2022 schedule
Sept. 3: Ohio State 21, Notre Dame 10
Sept. 10: Ohio State 45, Arkansas State 12
Sept. 17: Ohio State 77, Toledo 21
Sept. 24: Ohio State 52, Wisconsin 21
Oct. 1: Ohio State 49, Rutgers 10
Oct. 8: Ohio State 49, Michigan State 20
Oct. 22: Ohio State 54, Iowa 10
Oct. 29: Ohio State 44, Penn State 31
Nov. 5: Ohio State 21, Northwestern 7
Nov. 12: Ohio State 56, Indiana 14
Nov. 19: Ohio State 43, Maryland 30
Michigan football's 2022 schedule
Sept. 3: Michigan 51, Colorado State 7
Sept. 10: Michigan 56, Hawaii 10
Sept. 17: Michigan 59, UConn 0
Sept. 24: Michigan 34, Maryland 27
Oct. 1: Michigan 27, Iowa 14
Oct. 8: Michigan 31, Indiana 10
Oct. 15: Michigan 41, Penn State 17
Oct. 29: Michigan 29, Michigan State 7
Nov. 5: Michigan 52, Rutgers 17
Nov. 12: Michigan 34, Nebraska 3
Nov. 19: Michigan 19, Illinois 17
Nov. 26: Michigan vs. Ohio State, Columbus, Ohio, noon
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Jim Harbaugh explains 'third base' comment toward Ryan Day
