Jim Harbaugh tells Colin Cowherd why Chargers QB Justin Herbert is ELITE | THE HERD NFL

Jim Harbaugh tells Colin Cowherd why Chargers QB Justin Herbert is ELITE | THE HERD NFL

Welcome to the Herds official YouTube channel. Make sure to like and subscribe. Don’t forget to check out the Colin Coward podcast, all of our NFL instant reactions and more football content. Well, I said yesterday on the show, I don’t know how the NerS are doing it with all their injuries. And I also said yesterday on the show, you know, Mike Vrabel may win coach of the year, right? Number one seed. I said what what Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman are doing with that offense. When you lose your two offensive tackles, usually it’s over. But the Chargers now, Justin Herbert had surgery, not going to miss time. Here comes Amari and Hampton back. They have the number two pass defense in the NFL, number three total defense. The good news is Herbert Hampton, Philadelphia’s wobbly a little bit. Jim Harbaugh is now joining us live. You know, it is interesting, Jim, because you are one of these coaches that you create a toughness and a resilience. I don’t care if it’s Stanford, I don’t care if San Diego, San Francisco, Michigan, Chargers, first week of practice, it feels different. I thought when you lost both tackles, I said, “It’s over. It’s in pro football. Can’t win.” And you’re still running the football. What is it? G give me the secret. So, how do you run the football when your offensive lineman, your offensive line’s missing two Pro Bowlers? How do you do it? Well, good players, good players up front. Uh, you know, uh, and I thought our our offensive line really, uh, you know, had one of its, uh, one of its best games this past week. Yeah. Uh, Jamari Saw really did a heck of a job at left tackle. Zion Johnson played one of his best games. Brad Boseman had one of his best games. Kai Beckton uh graded out over all line all of our linemen graded out over 90%. Trey Pipkins had had a bunch of key blocks. Um our running backs really uh you know did a phenomenal job. Kamani Bedell uh Jared Patterson really uh you know played some of our best football. I just uh and it’s those guys. They’re the they’re the tough tough men plus faith. Uh, and number 10, uh, let’s never forget, uh, uh, Justin Herbert. He is, uh, uh, he’s he’s he’s a he’s a lead. He’s a beast. He’s, uh, he’s one of the best in in my opinion, playing in the game now and ever. Yeah. Max Crosby and him, Max Crosby, uh, you know, pushes him over, shoved him. I love Max. He my favorite. I love him. Okay. And Justin probably did a little trash talk. I’m okay with that. Yeah. I mean, did you did you trash talk a little in your day? A little I, you know, I was I I was uh I’m a lot like Justin. I’m more of a counter puncher, you know. I mean, I wasn’t going to get the the first one in. I can promise you that Max Max was Max gets uh you know, he’s he’s he’s quite good at trash talkinging himself. But uh Justin was kind of counter punching like a like a Floyd Mayweather, like a Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard. And uh yeah, that uh he and those two, they have they have nothing but respect for each other. And uh yeah, I like I’m like you. I I I uh I really like I really like Max Crosby. I love Justin, but uh yeah, and I like I like they’re they’re two greats. They’re two of the the greats and the two of the best in the game. When you when you did um when you did have losses to injuries, um do you have to coach differently psychologically? Do you have to be more upbeat? I mean, you’re very very optimistic guy. You love football like nobody I’ve ever seen. But when you have all these injuries, Jim, players can have self-doubt. Players are all it’s cold. It’s it’s the weather changes. Do you have to coach differently almost psychologically the speeches, the motivation, the tactics when you are injury depleted, which you really have been this year? It’s it’s a it’s a you know next man up mentality. Um you know it it it’s emotional. It hurts. Um you know Rashan Slater for example, I mean that like I mean it’s just gut-wrenching. you know, how much he poured into uh this entire off season. I mean, him and Joe Alt, I mean, they’re elite guys when it comes to training and and their preparation. And then, you know, when that u when that unfortunate long-term, you know, six-month type injury, you know, hits, you just um I mean, you feel sick. I mean, physically physically sick. But um and then uh you know then uh you know uh I mean but then there’s a you know there’s uh yeah what’s what’s next? Who’s the next man up and uh and you got a guy you know sitting there on a spring who’s also been training and and preparing and you know how much they’ve poured into it that um you know that’s that’s their opportunity. So, I guess uh yeah, there’s two ways you two ways you feel about it. And um you know, when you kind of get your breath back, you got to kind of get your footing back. I you know, here we go. Let’s let’s attack it and uh next man up mentality. You know, it’s this I a couple weeks ago Green Bay’s offense was broken and they solved it. Right now, Philadelphia’s offense a little they can’t quite figure it out. It happens. It’s a long long season, Jim. Um, when you when you look at a team like Philadelphia, you’re pouring over the film and they just can’t quite get the running game right. Have you ever been in those situations? I mean, have you ever had even this year, you have a twoame stretch and it’s just not it’s just not working. How do you get because Matt Laflur had that about three weeks ago and then I watched them last week and I’m like, okay, they solved their problem. When you do have these two game skids, when you’re not quite right, how do you get out of it? What do you do? Is it usually schematics? players health. How do you get out of it? Because Philly’s in one right now. Well, it’s uh you want to get better at something, you know, you you just work a little bit harder at it. So, uh this it’s really it’s really that that’s the formula. You know, improvement uh better today than yesterday, better tomorrow than today. That that theory that uh improvement will lead to success is is how I see everybody uh you know, everybody attacking uh what whatever issue that that they have. And I see that with the uh the Eagles and let’s remember they’re they’re they’re leading their division. They’re they’re nine and three. They’re the world champions. And uh you know, it’s um uh you know, big challenge big challenge for us. And uh so we’re working we’re working hard uh um you know, trying to improve our strengths, trying to improve our weaknesses. you know, a lot of a lot of things that uh that it’s a that there’s emphasis on and uh I know the Eagles are doing the exact same thing. You know, Jim, when you came out of Michigan, you had a little bit of an advantage because you had recruited so many of the players you were going to draft. You you I mean, a lot of those guys. So, you guys have hit on a lot of your draft picks. And I and I said this, there is an advantage for a college coach to go pro is, you know, um you know the players. You were recruiting them in high school. you know their odometer. You know their strengths and weaknesses. Nobody’s going to fool you. You have had some of your young players, I mean Lad McConi, some of your young players have been I mean really hit early. Do did you think during your first couple drafts here? Did you kind of sense, you know what, I know these guys better than these other teams know these guys. Because it looks like you did. It may look that way, but no, that’s that’s not the case. That’s uh that’s Joe Hortiz. That’s our our personnel staff. I mean, and it’s what they do every day, you know, it’s uh um they uh you know, I try to I I chip in there, you know, where I can. Um but uh no, I mean, we all see the good players. I mean, you really you can you watch the tape and uh everybody can see the good players and and then you realize, you know what, they’re going to be playing for somebody else. Uh because we only get one pick, you know, every every 32 picks. But um yeah, our you do you do the best you can when when it’s your time to pick uh you know, you pick the best best player available. That’s the that’s the Joe Hortiz and uh you know, his his strategy and it’s uh you know, I have learned so much uh just being in those meetings and listening to uh our scouts, our personnel. Chad Alexander is phenomenal. He’ll be a general manager uh you know soon for a for a smart team that’s looking for uh you know a guy that’s that’s great. Um and uh and Lou Lou Clark all the guys uh you know in our in our personnel room to to go through that board to watch Joe Ortiz uh you know lead that process that’s that’s uh you know years in the making and then um you know culminates at the at the NFL draft. Uh, you know, it’s it’s uh it’s inspiring. I’ I’ve learned a ton. So, so last night I saw Jackson Dart was scrambling around. He got a little cute in the sidelines and he just got smoked. It was bad. He got smoked. And I said if it was a Super Bowl, you’re going for the winning drive. Okay. Um, you know, Justin takes a lot of hits. I think his first year sometimes he tried to stand up a linebacker and that I didn’t like that at all. Have you ever said, because he’s taken some hits, do you ever have to say to Justin, “Listen, I love that you’re a tough guy. Could you be a little less tough? Could you slide?” Do you ever have to just sit him down as a former quarterback, say, “Justin, I know you’re 65 and 250. The these guys want to hurt you.” Do you ever have those conversations with him? Uh, you know, I not not too many, you know, not not really. Um Justin is just he’s at a level that at that I just let Justin be Justin and uh and he knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s doing it u you know at at the highest level a person possibly can. But I would I would tell all quarterbacks because I remember those days of trying to be cute on the sideline too. You know you just you kind of get to the sideline, you slow up a little bit. you know, you look like you’re stepping out of bounds and and you’re trying to get them to to hit you so you can kind of, you know, uh get the get the penalty, but um you know, those that’s a that’s an emphasis right now in the NFL that and they even send it up for review like if both those feet aren’t out of bounds, uh you know, you can you can be hit. So, yeah, you know, piece of advice to to all NFL quarterbacks is clearly get out of bounds. you know, you can’t play that you can’t play for that that penalty anymore because uh you know, that’s that’s gonna be uh that’s going to be reviewed, right? So, yeah, I think all quarterbacks need to need to know that. Okay. Now, Justin, just myself. I used to I used to try to get a couple of those those penalties. Uh well, it’s different now. I mean, they’re they’re reviewing that if both both those feet aren’t in the white, you can be hit. the U. Now, Justin had surgery on his hand. He’s the kind of kid he’ll fight through it. I know you’d have to he is he going to play Monday against Philly? Do we know that today right now? Oh, if there’s any possible way, uh yeah, Justin will uh will do anything and everything in his power to uh to play in the game. Okay. What if he’s the kind of he’s the kind of guy you you have to pull back. You can never you can never uh you could never uh you never have to talk him into playing football. That’s for sure. You saw that uh saw that in our game against the the Raiders. You know, one minute he’s he just he just went in. He just went in. Yeah. I mean, Justin’s the kind of guy It all comes down to the doctors. I mean, I got a lot of lot of things hanging on the wall here, but a medical degree is not one of them. So, that is funny. Hey, you get Amari in Hampton back. That’s got to feel great, does it not? Yeah, he’s uh he’s he’s been trending great. He’s uh you know, another guy that’s just done any everything and anything to uh to to get back and um you know, and it’s just it’s the same same course action. uh you know the the doctors um you know cleared him to have limited participation last week and uh see where the week takes us this week but uh uh you know he’s says he’s you know says he’s looking good, feeling good. So uh he’s looking good. He says he’s feeling good and uh you know we’ll see where the week takes us. You know uh finally I I spent a lot of time in Chicago. I saw 24 degrees the other day. Do you have any hints? I mean you know the Midwest well. Any secrets to staying warm out here? It’s my first winter out here, Jim. Oh, yeah. Just enjoy it, Kyle. You know, the changing of the seasons. Uh only piece of advice is uh enjoy the snow, you know, crunching under your feet. Just make sure you have the proper footwear. Okay. All right. I’ll wear boot nice winter jacket. Yeah. I’m not sure. I’m not sure I was built for it, but we’ll see. Spending too much time in Manhattan Beach. I got a little soft, Jim. I’m going to be honest with you. I got a little soft. I’m not buying it. I’m not buying that. They’re tough as they’re tough as they come. Tough as a $2 stick. All right, here we go. Monday Night Football Eagles. Good luck, Jim Harbaugh. Appreciate it, Colin. Thanks for having me on. You bet. Um, yeah, Thursday with a high of 19 degrees. That’s what it’s going to be this Thursday. Listen, they get Hampton back. Herbert’s going to play Monday. The Eagles are wobbling. The problem with the Chargers now, they got here’s their schedule coming up all above 500. Chiefs, Cowboys, Texans, Broncos. And three of those teams, I mean, Eagles, Chiefs, Cowboys, Texans, Broncos, and Kansas City’s desperate. Dallas is desperate. Texans, I mean, in most of these situations, Philly doesn’t have to win. Everybody else on that list, I mean, Denver’s got to win because Denver wants that number one seed and a buy for Shawn Payeyton. So, their schedule is brutal, but they’ve quietly they’ve quietly become eight and four and now they get their star running back back. So, uh we’ll take a break. Jmack around the corner. It’s the herd. This holiday season, Fox Sports and Purple Heart Homes are teaming up to provide housing solutions for our nation’s aging and disabled veterans through the Hearts for the Holidays campaign. To learn how you can help, scan the QR code or visit go.fox/purplehearts. Yeah, I I I you know, it’s really interesting about Lane Keifin. So, I I’ve always said this, not every relationship I get involved with is long-term. Not all of them end well, but I made the choice. I knowingly made the choice with any relationship I’m in. I vet everybody. So, Old Miss is either dumb or naive if they thought hiring Lane Kein couldn’t end this way. You knew his track record. Sabin’s like, “Get out of here.” USC fired him on a tarmac. Tennessee, he bolts after a year. So, you’re either totally naive or childish running to airports screaming. I mean, I get it. They’re kids. Couple hot toddies in. But you got to give me a break here. It’s a better job. Lane Keifin is a coach for hire. Have resume, have film, have recruiting talent, and that’s what he does. So, I I don’t have a lot of sympathy. you knowingly either didn’t do your homework on him and I I I know Lane, I like him, but I I don’t think he’s for everybody and you know, right now I think LSU is paying three different coaches. Do your homework. They did LSU is comfortable with it. LSU is saying we know we we we got some paperwork here if if we fire him. LSU is kind of desperate. Lane Kein I think actually wanted to go to Florida. his I mean I really do I I think his wife is from there but Florida’s athletic director who by the way I recommended for the USC job five years ago I think he was in Northwestern um Florida’s AD doesn’t really like Kein so Florida could have had Kein and Florida could have had Kein and a better resume than who they hired but Florida said we’re not comfortable with LaneU said we are comfortable with Lane Old Miss said we are comfortable with Lane. Don’t tell me you don’t know what you’re getting. Florida’s AD who’s probably the best first or second guy at Bama’s great first or second best AD in the SEC. So is the guy at Texas. Okay, it’s a good AD conference. Florida could have Kein. Kein I think would have preferred Florida. They’re like he’s not our we don’t want that drama. Miss and LSU signed up for it. No sympathy. Lane Keifin yesterday on if money was a factor going to LSU. I’m never going to make a decision on money. And I’m telling you right now, I don’t know what my contract is here. That’s not very financially responsible. Okay? I’m sure it’s really good. Okay? I don’t know what it is. Nor did I know at the other places what the numbers were because I said in the beginning I told Jimmy Ston, “Don’t tell me the numbers.” Okay? I want to make a decision that has nothing to do with money. Now, tell me the numbers in the plan for what the money is for the players because that’s everything in that area to me. Yeah, he’s right. By the way, he’s saying all the right stuff. But you know, don’t marry the rock star and then be upset when he goes, “Yeah, honey, I gotta go on the road for a tour for six months. You knew what you were marrying. So did Old Miss. So does LSU. Um, and Florida could have had Keifin.” And their AD who’s really sharp like, “I don’t want the drama.” Because you do get drama with him. I think he’s going to succeed. I think it’s going to be a home run. I can’t wait. I love college football. It won’t take long. Um, in fact, he’ll do it quicker than Brian Kelly did at Notre Dame and quicker than Harbaugh did at Michigan. Not because he’s a better coach, because LSU is just in this geographical footprint. Louisiana, Bama, Georgia, Florida, they’re going to sign. I mean, there is so much unbelievable high school football talent in that area. And and and the other thing Keifin said, he goes, “This is the best job in college football.” I will tell you a lot of people think that. I have talked to multiple coaches. Brian Kelly knew he didn’t want to go down to Baton Rouge. That’s not where he’s from. Brian Kelly knew he wanted to golf and not recruit. Brian Kelly went down there because he thought he could put in 45hour weeks and win a natty and you can’t. You just can’t. But Brian Kelly knew it wasn’t a great fit. Brian Kelly’s like, “It’s a lot of money.” Lane Kev is a great recruiter. Brian Kelly at this point isn’t. Lane Keifin I think is a better offensive coach than Brian Kelly. Um I I think he’s going to crush and I I like he’s fun to be around. He’s got great stories, good sense of humor. I know his wife. Don’t know his kids. Uh he’s smart enough to say all the right stuff. And he is right. It’s all about what kind of roster can you build. But I I don’t have a lot of sympathy for people who marry people with a very clear track record. I mean, one thing, you know, you marry the pastor and it goes sideways, you know. I mean, you know, you marry you marry somebody that has a track record of just uh, you know, oh, this is the nicest guy in the neighborhood and then, you know, he’s out philandering around. That you, you know, some of these coaches, we all know the game. We all know the G. I love Sabin. Sabin said, “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you I’m not taking the Alabama job.” That was his quote. All right, Jim Harbaugh’s around the corner. That’s always fun. Next.

Colin Cowherd is joined by head coach of the Los Angeles Chargers Jim Harbaugh to discuss Justin Herbert, Omarion Hampton, and react to the latest NFL news. Next, Colin discusses Lane Kiffin and whether he left Ole Miss “too early” for LSU football.

0:00 Jim Harbaugh
14:51 Lane Kiffin

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