UM assistant: Spreading Harbaugh rumors hurt rivals

Ann Arbor — Michigan assistant Chris Partridge, the 2017 recruiter of the year, said the programs that were spreading the Jim Harbaugh-to-the-NFL rumors last year hurt themselves, not the Wolverines.

Partridge, who coaches linebackers, special teams and earned the honor from 247 Sports after helping Michigan land 14 of its 30 recruits, said he quickly dispelled any of the recruits’ concerns when they asked about Harbaugh and his future in Ann Arbor.

“You have to make sure you cut that stuff off and explain it’s not true and it’s just other coaches that are trying to pull the wool over your eyes,” Partridge said Friday night after practice. “Honestly, that helps us more than it hurts us. They’re talking about him instead of their school. Really? Why don’t they focus on themselves instead of being scared of who we are. Seventeen year olds take to that — ‘You’re right.’ It turns into a negative against the other schools.”

Partridge, when asked about the roller-coaster recruiting ride with Aubrey Solomon, the nation’s No. 25 overall prospect, shared his approach to recruiting.

He said for him it’s all about building relationships regardless of the recruiting outcome.

“When I start meeting and get in a relationship with players, I try to start mentoring them, because I think the recruiting process is kind of broken,” Partridge said. “All these coaches are selling and trying to sell the kids on the program and be all flashy, and they’ve got all these game rooms and all these flashy things and these great meals, and everything is great — well, where’s the mentorship of being a coach? Where does that come in? That’s kind of lost.

“I’ve kind of flipped the script, because what I did as a high school coach, try to mentor them, that’s what I try to do in recruiting. Instead of just selling all the time, what about mentoring them and helping them because they’re high school kids that are going through this monster process and they have issues and they have things that they have advice they need to get.”

Onwenu shaving weight

Offensive lineman Michael Onwenu, a freshman last fall who weighed close to 380 pounds, is down 15 pounds to 360.

Onwenu, who has been practicing this spring at both guard spots, said he is avoiding fried foods and eating more fruits and vegetables, and is looking at this as a long-term health benefit.

“That’s pretty much how I’m looking at it right now,” Onwenu said Friday after practice. “Because football is going to be football, but I’m trying to live forever, well, not forever, but …”

He said he’s capping his weight loss at 335 — he last weighed in that range as a sophomore or junior — but said he’s not necessarily shooting for that number. Onwenu said he’s feeling the weight loss in football-related activities like running gassers. Last year he would take one set off before running another, but now he keeps going.

Locks are gone

Fullback Henry Poggi has one of the more memorable photos in the Michigan media guide — long hair and a Fu Manchu.

But looks come and go and Poggi has chopped off his hair.

“I just got tired of it, man,” Poggi said Friday. “I said, ‘The dude look’s gone but the dude will always abide.’ It’s always in my soul. I just had to make a change. I grew tired of it. (Former Michigan linebacker) Jake Ryan told me when I first got here he cut his hair, and I was coming in with the long hair. I said, ‘Dude why did you cut it?’ He said, ‘One day you’re going to be in the shower, you’re going to be washing your hair and you’re going to be like, I can’t deal with this anymore.’

Mike Wroblewski: UM’s ‘Self-made’ linebacking upstart

“That’s literally what happened. I was good, I was loving it and then one day in December, I was like, ‘I can’t do another day with long hair, I’m going to lose my mind.’”

In the end, Poggi realized the look wasn’t his best.

“The long hair was not a good look for me,” he said. “It looked good in the helmet, but face-to-face, people were a little scared.”

Dwumfour out?

Bryan Mone said defensive lineman Michael Dwumfour, a freshman last fall, is out for the spring. A Michigan official said Dwumfour didn’t practice Friday but was not certain about his status.

angelique.chengelis@detroitnews.com

twitter.com/chengelis