Michigan running back Mike Hart made waves at Big Ten media day Wednesday, saying he has "no respect" for Stanford coach and former Michigan quarterback Jim Harbaugh after Harbaugh made headlines in May for criticizing his alma matter's admission policies.
"Honestly, that's a guy I have no respect for," Hart said. "You graduate from the University of Michigan and you're going to talk about your school like that, a great institution that we have, to say that we're not true student-athletes? It's coming from a guy that, I don't know, maybe he wants to coach here and he's mad he didn't get a job here. But I have no respect for him."
Harbaugh, who left San Diego for Stanford in December, told the San Francisco Examiner that many schools with good academic reputations make exceptions for borderline students who are promising athletes.
"Michigan is a good school and I got a good education there," he told the paper. "But the athletic department has ways to get borderline guys in, and when they're in, they steer them to courses in sports communications. They're adulated when they're playing, but when they get out, the people who adulated them won't hire them."
Hart said he found it amusing, in light of Harbaugh’s comments, that Stanford accepted former Michigan quarterback Jason Forcier as a transfer earlier this year.
"He obviously wants guys like us at his school," Hart said. "He's mad because he can't get them.
"I don't know if he was doing it from a recruiting standpoint, if he wants to recruit more guys to come to Stanford. I don't know what his take on things are, but you can say what he said and not talk about Michigan. That would have been the smart thing to do, but obviously he doesn't think."
Check The Oakland Press tomorrow for more coverage from media day.