In his first public comments since the COVID-19 outbreak began, Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh discussed the potential resumption of sports during a Saturday podcast interview with Jay Nordlinger, a childhood friend and senior editor of the National Review.

Harbaugh led off by discussing the effect of the coronavirus on sports, saying “it’s good to hope” that sports will return. But near the end of the interview, Harbaugh went from talking about sports to sharing his views on abortion.

“Even now, as we all go through what we’re going through with COVID-19, I see people more concerned about others,” Harbaugh said. “More prayerful. As I said, God has virtually stopped the world from spinning. I don’t think it’s coincidence — my personal feeling, living a faith-based life, this is a message or this is something that should be a time where we grow on our faith for reverence and respect for God. You see people taking more of a view of sanctity of life. And I hope that can continue. I hope that continues and not just in this time of crisis or pandemic.

“And lastly, abortion, we talk about sanctity of life, yet we live in a society that aborts babies. There can’t be anything more horrendous.”

Harbaugh’s players are scattered across the country during the COVID-19 shutdown. Some returned home and others remain on campus in isolation, following Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s shelter-in-place orders that were recently extended through April 30.

Players have been taking online classes and working out on their own; there have been no organized football activities.

Contact Orion Sang at osang@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @orion_sang.