In Ann Arbor, Michigan, the news broke on Thursday that former Michigan football linebackers coach George Helow would be joining Alabama to assist in their preparations for the Rose Bowl.
This move came as a surprise, considering Helow’s past stint with the Wolverines before Chris Partridge, a favored figure, returned at the helm, leaving Helow without a coaching position. Now, aligning with Nick Saban’s team, Helow might provide insights that could potentially hinder his former team’s progress in the College Football Playoff.
While this development caught some of his ex-players off guard, Junior Colson, a junior linebacker, took a gracious stance toward Helow’s decision to join the competition.
“Mike (Barrett) sent it to me, then Ernest (Hausmann). But just different. Just different — it’s like, they might be a little scared. But you never know. But he’s got a job, I’m happy for him. So, I’m excited for him. I’m happy — I’ll probably say what’s up to him after the game. So just you just gotta go out there and play ball.”
As for whether this move gives Alabama an unbeatable edge, Colson doesn’t think so. He believes success on the field relies more on player execution than any perceived advantage.
“You can’t really have an advantage in football,” Colson said. “It doesn’t matter if you know somebody’s whole playbook, you’ve still gotta stop it. So you can’t really have an advantage in football. You’ve gotta go out there, play ball, and let the dice roll how it rolls.”
The Rose Bowl Game, a College Football Playoff semifinal, is scheduled for January 1 at 5 p.m. EST, pitting Michigan against Alabama.
