I know what you're thinking, but don't worry… this isn't another Conor Stalions story.

The secret weapon that Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy referred to as “a trained assassin” in the aftermath of Michigan's overtime win over Alabama in the Rose Bowl is the Wolverines strength coach Ben Herbert. Herbert, or “Coach Herb,” as his players call him, has been in Ann Arbor for six years, and in that time, he's helped Michigan overwrite what was previously considered fact for the longest time: It used to be that the fastest, most physical, most skilled, and best conditioned teams in the country resided in the SEC. Now, following their victory over the SEC champion, Michigan has officially proven otherwise.

Ben Herbert's profound impact on the Wolverines can be summed up in two plays from their Rose Bowl win. The first, Blake Corum's overtime touchdown run, in which he flashed tremendous vision, lateral quickness, and strength, finishing off the run powering through two Alabama defenders.

 

“The weight room with coach Herb and what he puts us through: balance work, low center of gravity, squats, you name it,” Corum said following the game, per Austin Meek of The Athletic. “All the work we put in, it showed.”

It certainly did, but when Blake Corum scored the go-ahead touchdown in overtime, the game was still not over. Alabama would get the ball with a chance to tie or take the lead, and the game came down to a fourth-and-goal run from Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe that was stuffed at the line of scrimmage. This was the second play that highlights Coach Herb's impact on the Wolverines.

 

“When it all was on the line, our guys did what they were capable of doing and we were able to win the game,” Coach Herb shared. “When it mattered most, they did their best. It was incredible to see.”

The Wolverines dream season continues, and now with the College Football Playoff championship game just a few days away, Michigan has a different sort of challenge they'll be facing on Monday night. The Washington Huskies aerial attack, led by Heisman Trophy runner-up Michael Penix Jr., is unlike anything else Michigan has had to deal with this season. But if recent history tells us anything, it's that Jim Harbaugh, Sherrone Moore, Jesse Minter, and yes, Coach Herb, will have the Wolverines ready.