The Michigan football program is putting in a big effort to reconnect with the student body.
It's a process that began late last season and has continued as U-M interim athletic director Jim Hackett connected with Central Student Government president Cooper Charlton.
The latest move was to open Saturday's practice at Michigan Stadium from 7-10 p.m., only to students, excluding the general public and the media.
Hackett's change from former athletic director Dave Brandon's philosophy is to try to be proactive with students, using the business approach called "design thinking."
"I'm trying to twist the meetings from 'You tell us everything that's wrong with athletics and we respond' to let's work together on the problem, let's work together on the design," Hackett said at the recent Big Ten meetings in Chicago.