Dave Birkett

Detroit Free Press

MOBILE, Ala. -- Jim Harbaugh's penchant for thinking outside the box has a way of angering some of his fellow college football coaches.

The latest to find fault with one of Harbaugh's moves? Clemson coach Dabo Swinney.

Swinney said Tuesday between practices at the Senior Bowl that he has no interest in following Harbaugh's footsteps and taking part of his spring practice overseas.

"Taking my kids’ spring break? Heck no," Swinney said. "My guys deserve their time off. They work hard enough for me to take their spring break from them."

Michigan will spend a week of spring football practice in Italy later this year, a trip that Harbaugh said Tuesday took nine months of planning.

Related:

Senior Bowl notes: Michigan's Italy trip another good 'Harbaugh antic'

In addition to three practices at the home of the Italian soccer team AC Roma, Harbaugh told WMVP-AM (1000)'s "Waddle and Silvy" show that players will visit the Vatican, a Syrian refugee camp and go to the opera, among other excursions.

The trip will not coincide with Michigan's spring break, and is instead expected to happen after final exams.

Swinney's interview was interrupted by Senior Bowl officials trying to clear the field for a second practice before he was corrected on his timeline. But the Clemson coach, two weeks removed from beating Alabama in the national championship game, indicated he wasn't even aware of Michigan's trip until a reporter brought it to his attention.

"I may go with them," Swinney said. "I may go with them. Wow, never been to Italy."

Like Mike?: Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson declined an invitation to play in this year’s Senior Bowl even though the week would have served as a hands-on audition for the Cleveland Browns, who own the No. 1 pick and whose coaching staff is coaching the south team.

Still, Swinney said today that it would be a mistake for the Browns to pass on Watkins in the draft.

“If they pass on Deshaun Watson, they’re passing on Michael Jordan,” Swinney said. “I’m just telling you. I don’t know what the heck I’m talking about, I’m just an old college coach. Deshaun Watson is the best, by a long shot.”

Shoulder scare: Amara Darboh sat out part of Tuesday’s practice after he suffered a shoulder injury, but the Michigan wide receiver said he doesn’t expect to miss any more time with the injury.

“It happened (when we were working on) releases over there and then it was kind of like, I don’t know, it wasn’t the same,” Darboh said. “I use my hands a lot in releases, so that was tough and it kind of popped out a little bit. But I’ll be alright.”

Darboh caught a team-high 57 passes for 862 yards and seven touchdowns for the Wolverines this year.

Briefly: Senior Bowl executive director Phil Savage told NFL teams at today’s morning weigh-in that Western Michigan wide receiver Corey Davis declined an invitation because of a shoulder injury.

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett. Download our Lions Xtra app for free on Apple and Android!