Michigan football's Jim Harbaugh reveals Ben Mason's 'passionate' speech before Minnesota win
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Michigan football's running game was so dynamic in Saturday's win at Minnesota that one player of the week award just wouldn't suffice.
The Wolverines' four running backs combined for 176 yards and four touchdowns on 20 carries against the Golden Gophers, earning player of the week awards, along with Ben Mason, who helped spark the victory in more ways than one.
[ How Michigan football unlocked a punishing run game vs. Minnesota ]
Mason, who is back full time on offense after a brief spell on defense in 2019, made impactful blocks and also caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Joe Milton. Harbaugh said he knocked over "five to eight" defenders in Saturday's game, and also said he wasn't frustrated by Mason's unsportsmanlike conduct penalty at the start of the game.
"You talk about the first block, they made a movie about that called 'The Blind Side.' Ben was penalized," Harbaugh said. "And probably rightfully so. But it was a tremendous block. Tremendous block on a tremendous player."
Mason also delivered a pregame speech to his team that Harbaugh said helped will the Wolverines to victory.
"I would say this: Ben Mason, I called up the team pre game, and Ben asked if he could say something to the term, and he said something to the team, and what he said was, ‘Joe, this is your night. We’re going to block. We’re going to catch. We’re going to do everything in our power to make you successful.’
"It was a very passionate speech. The point to me is there’s a lot of guys that have made speeches in the history of football. He’s going to make the speech, but maybe there’s a dozen or so that I can think of that actually went out and did what they said they were going to do in the speech. And he did that and then some."
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Jim Harbaugh reveals Ben Mason's 'passionate' Michigan football speech
