Michigan Football: Recapping the Biggest 2015 Offseason News so Far

Michigan Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh went shirtless in Alabama and traveled part of the country, picking up a few commits for his 2016 class via the “Swarm Tour,” and his staff somehow managed to send one of the most “them is fighting words”-y kind of letters of its kind to a recruit.

Or, in other words: It was a good, “shake things up” kind of weekend for Harbaugh’s program, which has upcoming camps in Dallas and Ohio. In all likelihood, more of the same will be in store throughout the summer.

Since taking over on Dec. 30, 2014, Harbaugh has catapulted Michigan back into the national spotlight. A one-time giant of college football, the team in Ann Arbor has once again captured widespread interest from pundits, fans and media members alike, and its coach can’t make a move without making headlines.

Thoughts of a 5-7 finish in 2014 remain heavy, but the past six months have made one thing clear: Michigan is all about progress.

Evidently, Harbaugh is willing to literally remove the shirt from his back in order to make it all happen.

A lot of things have transpired during the offseason, but only the biggest, most noteworthy events made it into this slideshow. As always, feel free to debate the selections/reasoning in the comments section.

Recruiting Hard

It’s June, so recruiting rules the day, night and everything in between.

With three known commitments from this past weekend alone, Michigan has been cleaning up on the trail in impressive fashion. Starting at the “Swarm Tour” stop in Indianapolis, the Wolverines gained pledges from Hoosier State stars Kiante Enis of Winchester and Chris Evans of Ben Davis in Indianapolis.

Despite being classified as running backs, Enis, a 3-star prospect, and Evans, a 4-star, may end up manning new spots once they land in college. Evans, who was recruited by passing coordinator Jedd Fisch, could fit as a slot receiver, while Enis, a 6’1”, 200-pounder, could end up as a defensive back for secondary coaches Greg Jackson and Mike Zordich.

Striking while the iron is hot never goes out of style, and Harbaugh has the start of something good in Prattville, Ala—the second stop of the “Swarm Tour” and the home of Dytarious Johnson, an unrated linebacker who just promised himself to Harbaugh in 2016.

According to 247Sports, the 6’1”, 200-pounder has just one offer, and that’s the one he received from Michigan.

Meet. Evaluate. Offer. Gain commitment.

The courtship wasn’t all that lengthy, but it produced desired results for Harbaugh, who certainly has something brewing in Prattville. Don’t be surprised to see the first-year Wolverines coach often revisit that well.

Not to be forgotten, Michael Onwenu, a 4-star offensive guard/defensive tackle out of Detroit Cass Tech also gave Harbaugh a "yes." Right now, the in-state trails belong to Michigan State Mark Dantonio, but snagging Onwenu, who was also a Spartans target, was a subtle but stern way of showing that Michigan hasn’t and won’t put Cass Tech on the backburner. 

As of Sunday evening, Michigan had 10 commits for its 2016 class, per 247Sports. With that said, it’s probably wise to pay attention to the 2017 cycle, too (95 offers already).

Just a Little Fun, Right?

As you have probably heard by now, the Wolverines stirred the rivalry pot with a letter to an unidentified recruit. Instead of saying the “Hey, we like your game, come play for us,” Michigan took the unbecoming and childish route by needlessly bagging on Buckeyes' wide receivers coach Zach Smith.

"

Shot fired: U-M flyer compares Michigan/OSU coaches http://t.co/ULWPlkNf5Z via @freep

— Mark Snyder (@Mark__Snyder) June 7, 2015"

The Wolverines would have been off by letting their past success and promises for better days do the talking. Instead, they opted for the low-blow routine. Rivalries such as Michigan versus Ohio State always have a shade of bad blood; that’s just how it goes. But don’t forget: Coaches are competitive people, too. They like to talk a little trash, just like the players.

But in a case such as this, it would have been better for the Wolverines to cite school versus school records (or maybe not) or find another way to express their value to the targeted prospects.

Plus, the whole move completely backfired, which adds insult to injury.

Per Jordan Greer of the Sporting News, Smith took to Twitter in order to set the record straight—and oh did he ever. The Buckeyes' position coach flashed a few rings while hash-tagging his way to a social media victory over his competitor in Ann Arbor.

The quarterback situation has also been a noteworthy topic of discussion. However, not much has changed since April 4, the date of the Wolverines' spring game. As of now, Shane Morris, a junior, is the No. 1 starter. Watch the above video with Fisch, who spent more than four minutes talking about the Wolverines' stock of quarterbacks prior to the spring game. 

Harbaugh in the Headlines

Whether he’s taking off his shirt in Alabama, organizing a viewing of the film American Sniper for his football team (and then tweeting about it), saving lives on Interstate 94 near Ann Arbor, tweeting about and with Judge Judy or helping the Oakland A’s in spring training, Harbaugh’s every move is chronicled in full detail by those in the media.

For many, Harbaugh coverage has become a perk of covering the Wolverines. The non-stop action provides plenty to write about.

At his core, Harbaugh appears to be a tactful, intelligent, strategic—and whatever other words you want to use to describe keen and/or sharp—football coach, who lives, eats and breathes the game. He’s gung-ho and focused on results. His methods, at times, are a bit unorthodox—sometimes even weird.

But he’s also a family man and mentor, so there is definitely a softer side to his khakis.

Have fun with Media Jim. Writers have and will. Crack jokes about pouring Gatorade on cereal, going all-out versus children in laser tag and even applying a player’s blood as war paint to the face. That’s good stuff.

Crazy in some ways, but good stuff, nonetheless.

However, don’t lose track of the serious, success-driven Jim Harbaugh—he’s the man with the necessary passion and means to rekindle the fire at the Big House.

Hungry for Jabrill Peppers

The long-awaited debut of Jabrill Peppers—the real debut, that is—is just months away. Starting on Sept. 3 at Utah, the redshirt freshman safety should begin to fulfill his destiny as Michigan’s next superstar do-all.

Due to a lower body/ankle injury in 2014, the 6’0”, 205-pounder out of New Jersey didn’t get a chance to unleash the “Breezy,” but that should change this fall. During spring availability, everyone, from coaches to players, complimented “Pep’s” competitive nature, skill, determination and work ethic.

Peppers’ return isn’t only Michigan’s biggest storyline, but it’s one of the biggest in all of college football. Remember, Peppers was once heralded as the next Charles Woodson.

Two years ago, Peppers could have probably sold his bath water, socks and old T-shirts on Ebay or Amazon—he was deified and adored by Michigan fans, and remains so today. 

And really, the media hasn't done much to halt the hype train, either. Most people agree that Peppers has the goods. That’s no secret. However, everyone is waiting for the show, which should begin in roughly 90 days.

As noted by the video above, Peppers recently tweeted about being hungry. That was a big deal, especially in Michigan, so much that local radio personality Mike Valenti of 97.1 The Ticket (CBS Detroit) took the time to, well, discuss and digest "J-Real's" social media message. 

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines football writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and references were obtained firsthand by the writer via press conference, press release or other media availability.

Recruiting information was obtained from 247Sports. Roster info came from MGoBlue.