Ex-Gopher Najarian on Michigan: ‘A bunch of arrogant jerks’

Want to know what former Gophers linebacker Pete Najaran thinks about the Michigan Wolverines football program? Just ask him.

"They’re a bunch of arrogant jerks."

Most Gopher football fans would consider the Iowa Hawkeyes or Wisconsin Badgers as the team they like least, but not Najarian.

"I’m fine with (Iowa & Wisconsin). They’re kinda like us," Najarian told KSTP’s Darren Wolfson. "The arrogance of of Michigan is why I can’t stand them."

Najarian admits that some of his angst towards Michigan comes from never beating them during his years as an All-Big Ten linebacker for the Gophers between 1983-1985.

"I respect Jim Harbaugh, but there is nothing about Michigan that is okay in my book. I never got to carry the (Little Brown Jug), but I think these guys will."

Najarian had a lot of college options coming out of high school and remembers one conversation with then Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler.

"Bo tried to recruit me and when I told him I didn’t want to go on a recruting trip there because if I was going to stay in the Big Ten, I was going to Minnesota," Najarian light-heartedly laughs "He said some things to me that were very inappropriate."

The Gophers host Michigan Saturday night at 6:30 PM at TCF Bank Stadium. Minnesota carries some momentum into the new season after beating perennial powerhouse Auburn in the 2020 Outback Bowl.

"We walked into that game and we weren’t intimidated," Najarian said about the Gophers’ win on New Year’s Day. "We took them on and we beat them at their own game. I don’t think anybody could walk out of that game and say the Gophers just got lucky. We didn’t get lucky. We beat them."

***CLICK VIDEO BOX FOR EXTENDED INTERVIEW WITH NAJARIAN***