Michigan Super Fan

It’s not unusual for visitors to Marco Beach to plant a team flag in the sand to spark conversations with passersby. But one Michigan super-fan assembled a display that was a real showstopper last Friday, leading up to Saturday’s Michigan-Ohio State football game. While it’s unlikely Jeff Jenkins' beach display had anything to do with the Wolverine’s eye popping 45-23 win over Ohio State, it certainly didn’t hurt.

"We live in Michigan,” Jeff Jenkins said, "but we have a place right here. So we’re either tailgating in Michigan for home games or we’re down here on the beach when they’re on the road."

With the Wolverines traveling to Columbus, Jenkins was busy Friday morning putting together his display, including a large tent and a half-dozen or so large University of Michigan flags.

He was optimistic about his team’s chances heading into the big game. 

"I think it’s all going to come down to the defensive line,” Jenkins speculated. "If we can control the line of scrimmage on both sides, I think we’ll be in good shape. It’ll be a lot of fun. We were in Ann Arbor last year in the snow. It was special.”

Jenkins’ son-in-law was part of the Michigan team that beat Ohio State in 2011. 

He recalled a touching story about his father's meeting with Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh.

Jack Harbaugh, father of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, arranged a phone call between Jenkins’ father, who was battling cancer, and the Wolverines’ coach, prior to a UM game with Brigham Young in 2015.

Jim Harbaugh called Jenkins’ father and they enjoyed a lengthy conversation. At the end of the call, he invited him to meet him on the sidelines at Michigan Stadium, nicknamed the Big House because of its official capacity of 107,601. It’s the biggest stadium in the United States and the Western Hemisphere.

Jim Harbaugh told Jenkins’ father, "If you can make it to the BYU game, I’d like to meet you."

“Sure enough, the BYU game came,” Jenkins said. "Jack’s there and takes my dad out on the field to meet Jim about 45 minutes before the game. It was magical. He’s a good-hearted human being.”

Last season Jenkins appeared on national television when an ESPN camera zoomed in on him during their College Gameday program.

“I’ve got all these screenshots because the Gameday cameras picked me up and I had no idea,” Jenkins laughed.

Jenkins said his wife’s onboard with his fanaticism. 

"My wife is tolerant and just shakes her head,” he said. “She would say that was a very proud moment for me."