Michigan's Jim Harbaugh on Wolverine roster: 'It's a work in progress'

New Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh has become a rock star in college football since making the move to Ann Arbor.

But as he said in his opening press conference at Big Ten Media Days on Friday, Harbaugh isn't interested in the celebrity that comes with his position.

"I'm not striving to be creating any buzz. Just striving to coach the football team," Harbaugh told media members gathered at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place in Chicago. "Not trying to be popular or anything. Anyone who's popular's bound to be disliked. Just coaching football."

Harbaugh also spoke about some of the people that have influenced him as a coach, and that list included his former coach, Mike Ditka, from his time with the Chicago Bears.

"When you're a player, your coach is like family," Harbaugh said.

He also mentioned that he took advantage of his time in Chicago by dining at Ditka's restaurant with the coach himself.

"It was really, really special to be with my coach," Harbaugh said, showing off a Ditka jersey he acquired.

(Image courtesy: Big Ten Network)

As for turning around the program in Michigan, which has endured some lean years of late, Harbaugh seemed optimistic when asked about the team's roster.

"It's a work in progress. Every single season. Every single year. That's what we're enjoying doing, and it's coming along. You go through the winter conditioning, then spring ball, then the summer conditioning. And now it starts. This is the beginning. The training camp. The rebirth of football. The rebirth of the season.

"And then you watch, and you watch and observe. You can observe a lot by just watching. And I feel like we've been doing that. And I feel like our team is getting better every day. I really do."