NBC Bay Area

Programming note: For complete 49ers coverage, watch SportsNet Central tonight at 6 p.m., 10:30 and midnight on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area

The University of Michigan is looking for someone to bring tenacity back to their program, which is why they are pursuing 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh.

A story coming out of The Michigan Daily might be a perfect example of what the Wolverines are looking for.

According to a profile of Harbaugh published on Tuesday, during Harbaugh's first season as Stanford's head coach, he wanted to be out on the field with his players so badly, he told them that he any of them bled during an upcoming game, he'd smear their blood on his face.

His players didn't believe their first-year coach was serious, but Harbaugh made good on his pledge.

Here's The Michigan Daily's account of the story:

It was 2007, his first year as Stanford’s football coach, and during what was meant to be a motivational speech, Harbaugh told his players that he wanted to play in the game alongside them. He wanted this so badly that he informed his players that he wanted their blood on him if they bled during that week’s game.

Offensive lineman Chase Beeler and many of his teammates thought nothing of it. There was no way Harbaugh could’ve been serious. It was a maniacal request, at best. More likely, it was insane.

But in the game, right tackle Chris Marinelli ran off the field with the rest of his offense after a touchdown drive, his arm bloodied. He went straight to Harbaugh to show him.

Harbaugh looked at the blood and did exactly what he said he would. He took his hand and wiped it on Marinelli’s arm. The player’s blood was on the coach’s hands.

Then, Harbaugh took it a step further. He smeared Marinelli’s blood all over his own face like war paint.

“(Harbaugh is) standing on the sideline with the offensive line, really jacked up, screaming, yelling, jumping around with blood smeared on his face,” said Chase Beeler, one of the team’s offensive linemen.