🏈 Harbaugh Isn’t Relying On Stars To Win

Michigan coach prefers recruits he can develop rather than top-ranked players. [View in browser]( [FOX SPORTS INSIDER WITH MARTIN ROGERS] In today’s FOX Sports Insider with guest writer Michael Cohen: Jim Harbaugh and the Wolverines are looking to prove you can win without a top-ranked recruiting class … After years together Mike McDaniel and Kyle Shanahan will be manning opposite sidelines this week … and more! ANN ARBOR, Mich. — There are two things Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh remembers about his search for a new director of strength and conditioning after the 2017 season, and both involve Ben Herbert, the man he eventually hired. Harbaugh’s first memory is the initial telephone conversation with Herbert, who spent the previous five seasons at Arkansas. Herbert struck him as "the absolute perfect blend, perfect melding of old school strength coach and cutting-edge in every way, detailed strength coach," and that was enough to become a finalist for the job. The second memory relates to the beginning of Herbert’s in-person interview, at which point he shook Harbaugh’s hand, leaned forward and stared into his future boss’ eyes, "like he’s looking right through your entire soul." Five years later, Herbert has been singled out by players and coaches as an integral figure in the restoration of Michigan’s wing in the blue blood pantheon. It’s Herbert, they say, who deserves credit for the physical and mental transformations so many Wolverines have undergone since arriving in Ann Arbor. And it’s Herbert who brewed the program’s wondrous elixir of physical strength and mental fortitude that’s catalyzed certain members of Harbaugh’s team to outperform their modest recruiting rankings. In doing so, the Wolverines have found a way to make up ground on the recruiting machine at Ohio State, where the Buckeyes featured seven five-star prospects and 11 four-star prospects among their 22 starters in Saturday’s loss at Ohio Stadium. But the sustainability of a recruiting model that prioritizes culture fits over rankings is unclear, and the next few seasons at Michigan will shed some light on the balance of power in college football’s best rivalry. Did Harbaugh’s back-to-back wins over Ohio State unearth a formula for long-term success, or did the Wolverines simply have the ideal collection of players and coaches at exactly the right time? For the rest of the story, [click here.]( [STORY IMAGE 1] [IN OTHER WORDS] - Mike McDaniel worked under Kyle Shanahan for 14 years. This week, the Dolphins and 49ers face each other in a [huge game]( writes Peter Schrager. - The Rams are headed toward the [worst season by a defending champion]( ever. Eric Williams breaks down where they go from here. - The Netherlands is a traditional power with plenty of firepower, but Doug McIntyre sees some [weaknesses the U.S. could exploit]( Saturday. - Defending champion France was stunned 1-0 by Tunisia, while Australia booked a spot in the Round of 16 by ousting Denmark. Martin Rogers has the latest in a [wild day of World Cup action](. - Juwan Howard and his players expressed optimism after Michigan's narrow loss to No. 3 Virginia, but the [trend of late-game collapses]( continued, Michael Cohen writes. For the latest news and updates, [click here.]( [VIEWER'S GUIDE] Japan vs Spain (FOX, 2 p.m. ET) Japan faces off against Spain in the final match of the World Cup group stage for each team, with both teams looking to guarantee advancement to the knockout stage with a win. No. 7 Creighton Blue Jays at No. 2 Texas Longhorns (ESPN, 7 p.m. ET) Creighton heads to Texas to face off against one of the top teams in the country, with both teams hoping to earn a quality non-conference win. Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots (PRIME VIDEO, 8:15 p.m. ET) Josh Allen and the Bills travel to New England to face Bill Belichick and the Patriots in an AFC East showdown. South Korea vs Portugal (Friday, FOX, 10 a.m. ET) Portugal is looking to claim its third straight victory, while South Korea needs to win to have any hope of advancing out of Group H. For all of today's games and scores, [click here](. [BET OF THE DAY] Odds provided by [FOX Bet]( Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots: Bills (-4.5) to win by more than 4.5 points From FOX Sports Gambling Analyst: Sam Panayotovich This is a massive one in the AFC East. New England is still scratching and clawing for playoff hopes, while Buffalo has played down to its competition in four straight games. And while I tend to always give Bill Belichick’s teams a chance at home, this is a very cheap number to lay with the Super Bowl favorite. Josh Allen is the type of quarterback that gives a Belichick defense fits because of his ability to survey the field, then scamper like Bambi for 15 yards. Obviously, you must account for Allen’s rocket arm finding All-Pro receiver Stefon Diggs streaking down the seam, too. The Patriots will hang around for a while before Allen’s offense pushes it out of reach and Mac Jones tosses a costly interception or two down the stretch. I like Buffalo by a touchdown. For the latest betting odds, [click here](. 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