Player Comments from Weekly U-M Football Media Luncheon
12/9/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Shawn Lazarus | John Navarre | Tony Pape | Jon Shaw
Senior Wide Receiver Ronald Bellamy
On his feelings on last year's bowl game ... "Last year hurt because we finished 8-4 and Tennessee beat us pretty badly. The way we finished was horrible. That left a sour taste in our mouth when we were training for winter conditioning and spring ball. This year we lost to Ohio State, but we didn't finish like we did last year. It was one of those games that could have went either way, and we are excited about this bowl game against Florida."
On Florida recruiting him ... "Yeah, coach Buddy Tevens was at Florida and he was recruiting me. It just really didn't appeal to me, though. Nothing against Florida or anything, but if I was going to stay in the SEC it would have been with LSU. But I wanted to get out of the South."
On the speed of the SEC vs. Big Ten ... "I am from the south and the guys from the West and Midwest are just as fast as the guys from the South. It is all about execution and who gets their players in the best positions to make plays. That is what it comes down to, but it isn't about who has the faster players. That helps because speed kills, but I don't think they have an advantage over us as far as speed goes."
On this being a great matchup for his last game ... "Definitely. You always dream of playing a team like Florida. You watch the highlights on TV, and even though Coach (Steve) Spurrier isn't there, his fun-and-gun offense still is seen on highlights. Their defense is always making plays, so it is going to be a challenge for us."
On wanting to play a team from the South up here this time of year instead ... "Those sun room boys really don't like the cold. That would definitely be a challenge for a team like Florida to come up here and play in the cold weather. That would definitely be an advantage for us."
On the offense not making plays in key losses ... "In the Iowa game we didn't make plays and lost. In the Ohio State game we had opportunities, but there might have been one or two things on offense that happened. All we had to do was to score a touchdown earlier in the game and at the end we could have kicked the field goal. It is over with, so now we are looking forward to this Florida game."
On going to a different bowl instead of the Capital One Bowl ... "I felt bad for our fifth-year guys because it would have been their fourth trip to Orlando. That is bad. It is like a home stadium. Some of us have not been to Tampa and that is going to be a great experience for us. In Orlando, we did the same theme parks, restaurants and clubs. Orlando was getting old, so Tampa is going to be a new experience. I heard they have beaches there, so we will be able to kick back and relax a little bit."
On the excitement of being in a new stadium ... "Yeah, we are playing in a new stadium, which is exciting. I like playing in different stadiums that I have never seen before with all the venues and sights. I like playing in neutral sites, so it will be real exciting."
On this being more of a home game for Florida ... "For me, I like playing on the road when everyone is against you. You make plays to quiet the crowd, so playing on the road is fun to me. I also just like taking trips."
Senior/Junior Defensive Tackle Grant Bowman
On his perspective on the season ... "The line between winning and losing in college football, I've learned, is so thin. It's just a matter of the ball bouncing the right way, a luck play here or there. You can always look back and beat yourself up over little things that should have happened but the issue is where we are and where we probably deserve to be. If we were supposed to win those other games, then we would have."
On how the team will look at its season ... "You're always working to play a perfect game, but you're never going to achieve it and play that perfect game. Out on the field you never know which play is going to be that one that can change the complexion of the game. You've just got to play every play to the best of your ability. You should look back, even though you didn't win every game and everything didn't go your way, still have no regrets about how you performed and how hard you worked at it."
On the team's motivation ... "There are several motivating factors. You certainly want to win your last game of the season and send your seniors out with a win for all the work and effort they've put in here. Also just because you want to get the taste out of your mouth after losing the rivalry game and then playing the first game between two programs that have so much prior tradition. Then there's being able to play on New Year's Day."
On how the defensive line can help against Florida ... "The great thing about being a defensive lineman is that you can have an effect on every play. If it is a run or a pass, it doesn't matter what's happening. You can rush the passer or try to stop the run. We feel like no matter if it's a passing team or a running team we can have as much effect as anybody else. If we're able to rush the passer and make him hurry his throws then we can be able to give our secondary as much an advantage as possible."
On winning the Dick Katcher Award as U-M's top defensive lineman ... "You can't really set that as a goal before the season because you can see how many injuries we've had, especially on the defensive side just because of the nature of the position. Just to be able to last through the season and play consistently, I'm very proud of myself because I can look at every game and say that I've played hard."
On maintaining the team's focus on the bowl game ... "It's always hard with all the demands that are there and it's hard to get used to that, but I think this team has a lot of character and a lot of maturity so I don't think it will be an issue. It's nice to be someplace warm and there's a time to relax and a time to focus."
Senior Outside Linebacker Victor Hobson
On playing in the Outback Bowl ... "I am just happy we are playing in a good New Year's Day Bowl against a real good team. This is just another opportunity to show what this team can do and leave Michigan with a win."
On the matchup with Florida ... "You can't ask for a better matchup. Florida is a school with a lot of tradition and great players. I know that they are going to come to play and as with us, so it should be a great game."
On the team's preparation for this game ... "I think you learn something each week about the team that you are preparing for. I mean, of course you are going to make mistakes, but you have to learn from them and not let them happen again. Last year we made some mistakes against Tennessee and we just have to make sure they don't happen again."
On being better prepared than last year for the bowl game ... "I would like to think that we are better prepared to play the bowl game this year, just for the simple fact that our goals for this team were to finish the season strong. For us seniors, we want to leave with a victory and be able to walk out with our heads high."
On Florida ... "We have played Southeastern Conference teams in bowl games since I have been here at Michigan so we are well aware of their team speed. They have a lot of talent and they are a very fast team, but I don't think that is something that will overwhelm us. I think as long as we watch film and prepare it will be a very good game."
On defending the Florida attack ... "They have a lot of good skilled players with a really good quarterback and big offensive line. I am going to have to prepare for a complete game. They like to pass the ball and score, but at the same time they can run the ball and are very capable of running it well. So I have to be ready to defend both the run and the pass, which makes it very difficult as a linebacker."
On the Florida offense ... "Although they don't run the exact offense they ran under Steve Spurrier, it is very similar. They are a team that spreads the ball out coming at you with four or five receivers, but at the same time they can get in there with two tight ends and run the ball. So, we are just going to have to see what the game plan is our coaches will have for us and execute.
On Florida quarterback Rex Grossman ... "I think he is a really good quarterback. From the highlights that you have seen and I have seen, he has the ability to make plays at any time in the game. He is a great decision-maker who can get his team out of trouble and at the same time carry his team to the end zone. He is a great field leader and we are going to have to be ready to execute and limit what he can do on the field."
On the preparation of Florida helping to get over the loss to Ohio State ... "It is not easy to get over that game at all, but it is something that we are going to have to put behind us so we can focus on this game. Florida is a really good team and I think we will be ready to play."
On Iowa going to the Orange Bowl instead of the Rose Bowl ... "I guess it shows a great respect to Iowa that the Orange Bowl would take them with the first pick of any bowls. I don't really get into other team's matchups but I think it will be a good game between them and USC."
On the improvement of the young linebackers ... "They have come real far this season. Linebacker is not a position that you can just walk in and become a superstar. It is a position that you have to learn and grow into. I think they have learned a lot so far and every practice it seems like they are getting better."
On what it means playing in the bowl game as a senior ... "During your last season you tend to savor every game a little bit more because it is the last time you are going to get to do it."
Fifth-Year Senior Tight End Bennie Joppru
On playing in the Outback Bowl ... "Anytime you have two great programs playing each other with the opportunity to make a statement on national television it is something that you want to do. If we lose this game, we are going to be disappointed and it will be an average season, but a 10-win season is a good season, especially with the second toughest schedule in the nation. So that is what we are trying to do. We're going to practice a little harder because that 10-win mark is really motivating us."
On what this game means ... "We all went through losing the last two games of the season last year and it is really tough, especially through the winter when you have to wait for the first game of next year to get that winning feeling back. I know these guys on this team don't want to go through that again this year."
On how the preparation for Florida helps get over the loss to Ohio State ... "Florida is a big-name school and I think that this is going to be a great bowl game. I think this is the best matchup other than the BCS games. It should be a really good game. There are going to be a lot of Florida fans down there and hopefully we will get a good following. I think it will be an exciting game."
On last year's bowl game against Tennessee ... "We went it with the game plan of running the ball but turned the ball over and had to play from behind the whole game, which took us out of our game plan."
On the Florida defensive line ... "They are athletic and aggressive, a typical Florida defense. They are going to hard to block, but we are going to have to keep on top of our game plan to win the ball game."
On the season ... "I think it all comes down to this game. If we lose this game it will be an extremely disappointing season, but if we win it will a season that we can hang our hats on. It will be the year we won 10 games, something we will all be proud of."
On facing Florida in its home state ... "I think it will be fun. I am sure their fans will try to pack the place and make it a little Gainesville. I think it will make the game more interesting."
On not playing in the Capital One Bowl ... "Orlando is a great place and they treat you really nice down there, but we have been there the past three years. If we had gone back there this year, I would have stayed in the same hotel for two months of my life. I think a change of scenery is a good thing for this team."
Fifth-Year Senior Defensive Tackle Shawn Lazarus
On the Ohio State game ... "It just seemed to get out of hand a little bit. Every pass the quarterback threw up there, someone came down with it. It wasn't a good feeling."
On the SEC's speed being overplayed ... "No, I think they have great athletes. I think they do have speed and traditionally they've had speed. I don't think it's overplayed, I think it's true. I'm not saying they're faster than the Big Ten, but traditionally they have fast guys, maybe more depth with fast guys, and they have great receivers."
On if the bowl matchup helps the team get past the loss at Ohio State ... "I think it does. You don't want to go out with the last game of the season, whether it is a bowl game or conference game, and lose. You have another chance to go and win, as everyone says, get the taste out of your mouth. It's not pleasant to lose your last game and think about that all summer long."
On the intensity of this bowl game ... "We are always working hard down there. There should be intensity this year that is greater than what has been there in the past, to go out and win this game because of how we finished last year."
On going to the Outback Bowl ... "Florida is a great football team. The Outback Bowl will be a new city for us. Tampa Bay is a great city, from what I hear, and hopefully they will welcome us with open arms. I think everyone's excited to go there and play Florida. It's basically going to be in their house -- it's Florida and the Gators. We are going to be gator bait."
On increased pressure for the linebackers ... "We haven't really thought about that since we have only had one practice. There are some new faces back there and we are trying to work the guys into different positions that they haven't played. It is going to be interesting to see what happens and what develops. I have no clue what is going on behind me, I just try to take care of the guys in front of me."
On watching Florida over the years ... "I would watch Florida vs. Florida State. The defensive line coach, Brady Hoke's brother, was the defensive coordinator down there with (Steve) Spurrier. So I would watch the game when I could. We have ties down there."
On Florida quarterback Rex Grossman ... "I haven't watched that much film on (Rex) Grossman. I've been focusing in on whom I will be matched up with and I haven't really seen much of them. The guys I'm going against are aggressive, play hard, have great size, and it is going to be a challenge playing against them."
Senior/Junior Quarterback John Navarre
On if Michigan is looking for retribution for its bowl loss last season ... "The question has been brought up before. It's not retribution or that we're going to try to avenge last year, the only way you can tie it in to what happened last year is that we don't want to have that bad taste in our mouths for the entire off season and have to wait around until next season to get a win. Our motivation is to get 10 wins, start 2003 with a win. We're not thinking about last year. We want to go down and get that good feeling for the entire off-season."
On his reaction to playing Florida ... "I was excited. It was like last year, hearing you might play a team like Florida or a team like Tennessee, two big powerhouse teams. A lot of people are going to be watching this game. It might not be a big BCS game on New Year's Day, but it's going to be a bowl game everyone is going to have their eye on. These are two big teams so there's a lot of excitement and a lot of mystique surrounding the game. I was excited and eager to get down there and start working and getting to know those guys."
On if he thinks Michigan has had a good season ... "I think so. We've assessed this much of the season so far and we're obviously not where we wanted to be, but I think we played well and have the chance to end the season in a good way. The difference between a 9-4 season and 10-3 around here is a pretty big difference. I think we really want to end our season with 10 wins and a win in the bowl game against a strong SEC team. We'll be very happy with that and have accomplished a lot of our goals."
On having the experience of last year's bowl loss under his belt ... "It's the experience factor that has come into play a lot. Having gone through certain things has helped and having gone through that bowl game, you know how to prepare and how to get ready against a big team and you know how to assess what you did last year and get better. That's where experience comes in, I get a chance to come back and play better in all aspects and see what I did wrong."
On evaluating his season in preparation for the bowl ... "We evaluate ourselves so intensely on Sundays after the games that it takes care of itself. Proof of that is as a team you want to learn from your mistakes so you don't make them again. After our last game we looked at the Ohio State film and learned from it and that will make us that much better prepared for the bowl game."
On having a championship season ... "The difference between a championship season and a mediocre season is five or six plays. We've played well, but like I said there are a couple of plays that if they went differently we'd have had a different season. That's how a season is. In a championship season you've got to take care of those plays. Ohio State made those plays, they capitalized on their opportunities and took care of them."
On how others might see Michigan in a decline ... "There's two different sides to that. There's the outside world that might see the way things are going and say Michigan is on a decline. Then there's the internal football department where we know where we have to get better, and in what areas, and don't see a decline at all. We played well this year. We did some great things. Maybe we were a few plays from being where we wanted to be, but we know how close we were to being there. There are two different ways to look at it and I can't put myself on the outside. I'm in here every day trying to get better and cap off the season with a win. Ten wins would be a great season for us and would be up there with some of the great seasons here, and we know that. The margin of error is there, though, if we lose this game then it would become an average season. It helps us put some more focus on this game and we know how intense we have to be to go down there and win this game."
On the interception to end the Ohio State game ... "It was just miscommunication. Obviously you're in a two-minute situation, it's loud, things are hectic and you miss a signal. It's hard to communicate. You don't want to make excuses but those are some of the reasons that play didn't work out. We wanted to give ourselves the best chance to get in the end zone to win the game."
Senior/Junior Offensive Tackle Tony Pape
On coming back next year ... "Absolutely. I am 100 percent sure that I will be back next year. I knew that I wanted to come back for my senior season with my friends and play it out."
On improving as a player ... "The coaching change helped me a lot. Not to take anything away from Coach (Terry) Malone at all, but Coach (Andy) Moeller focuses more on personal techniques and skills. He lets you know what you are good at and not good at and what to improve on. Coach Malone focused more on blocking schemes. With the combination of those two guys helped me a lot altogether. I knew who to block with all the schemes, and I got taught how to block them a lot better than I did last year."
On helping his confidence when the team is in short yardage and runs to his side ... "I pride myself on that. I am really excited that they do that. It is just a great feeling knowing that we need a yard and they are going to come to my side. It feels great that they respect me that much to do that."
On his frame of mind this year getting ready for the bowl game ... "I think we ended this season on a lot higher note even though we lost to Ohio State. We finished our season how we wanted to finish it. We played Ohio State like we wanted to play them. Even though the outcome didn't come out our way, we played like we could have won. It changed our point of view going into the bowl game because we have a lot more confidence than we did last year. It is going to be a lot more fun on the line this year, and it is going to be exciting to play Florida in our first matchup with them."
On John Navarre being able to be more relaxed with the offensive line this year ... "Yeah, I think he should be more relaxed than he was last year because he has a little bit less to be worried about. His confidence level has grown a lot. He stands back there in the pocket and he will take a shot to complete a pass. It comes with winning and being able to move the ball on an offense that has confidence in itself. So I think that John is the center of our offense, and when he has confidence all of us do."
On the line getting tougher as a whole this year ... "I think that we have. We have pushed that the whole season at a high rate. After the Iowa game, we were not going to be out-toughed or let that happen again and I don't think that we did. I think we showed up to the rest of our games and gave every team whatever we had, all of it."
On possibly ending the season with a win over Florida ... "I think that it would be a perfect ending to a great season with a win over Florida. People have said before that a 10-win season is a good one and a nine-win season isn't. That is just the way it goes at Michigan because you have to win those 10 games, otherwise you are a mediocre team."
On it being fair for 9-4 to be judged as a mediocre season ... "It is just the Michigan standard. It is how it has been here forever and how it will always be forever. That is just the way the program is with all the tradition and great pride that we have."
On what he have learned about bowl preparation ... "It is long. We go down the 20th (of December) and it is long. We have two-a-days down there and it is hot. But it is fun to go to a new place and practice in a different facility to prepare to play in a stadium that you haven't played in before. Bowl conditioning and practice is fun, but it is stressful."
On it being a matter of pacing oneself ... "I think that you have to get down there and you go as hard as you can in the beginning to get accommodated to the weather and conditions down there. Going your hardest at the beginning will prepare you for that."
On when he starts to really look hard at film of Florida ... "This next week is going to be an intense film study week and we will really get to know those guys."
On juggling finals and practice being the most difficult part of bowl preparation ... "For a lot of guys it is and I have taken that into consideration to work my schedule around finals. That allows me to be able to have that time for the film study. Taking more credits in the winter than in the fall helps that."
On last year's memories of the bowl game ... "I remember not being able to move the ball on offense, not getting embarrassed, but not putting up a good show. That is what we are going to try and do this year, which is not doing what we did last year and go out and putz around like we did."
Senior/Junior Safety Jon Shaw
On his reaction when he heard Michigan was playing Florida ... "I was excited because getting recruited here, I always wondered if I would wind up playing any Florida teams. It definitely feels good to know that I will go and play in my home state."
On if he was recruited by Florida ... "Not too heavily. A little bit."
On if he feels he has maximized his ability this season ... "I think I have pretty good ability. As far as the game, I try to work so hard, not only physically but also mentally. I try to think about every scenario in my head the night before. It is usually hard for me to sleep because I will think about, What if this comes my way or what if this happens I kind of play out the game in my mind and sometimes it just happens to be the right thing for me in the game."
On if he would call himself an overachiever ... "I think so. I am not the fastest guy, I am not the strongest guy, I am not the biggest guy, but I am able to make plays."
On why he switched positions from running back to defensive back ... "It happened to be that at the time our secondary was kind of thin. We had Anthony Thomas in the backfield as well, so it was definitely a better opportunity for me to play early to move to safety."
On if he misses playing running back ... "I think about it. As far as missing it I think I have found a home in the secondary. I think it was a good move."
On if he has heard from anyone from Florida ... "I have not had any recent contact with them. When you go home, you usually get word from this guy or that guy. I have not gone home so maybe I will hear something when I go down there."
On similarities in expectations between the two programs ... "I think so. Both teams come from winning traditions. They both want to win national championships. I think that is going to make for a good game on the first because it is a bowl game. Two powerhouse teams are going against each other."
On the difference between winning 10 games and going 8-4 ... "Ten wins is a great season. You kind of look past an 8-4 team. Ten wins is definitely a goal we are trying to achieve."
On if he will have more time with his family over the holidays ... "I am actually about four and a half hours away from Tampa Bay. I am from Coral Springs. I do not know if I will have more time with family than the other guys, but I will probably have more people at the game."
On being recruited by Michigan ... "I was a little surprised. I had been getting a lot of letters from a lot of schools and then I got the letter from Michigan. I sat down with my parents and went over the letter with my parents. It was exciting."
On if having to get focused for Florida makes getting over the Ohio State game easier ... "After a loss or after any game, we have the mindset of let's get going and get ready for the next game. I think the Ohio State game is over and done with. Now we are ready for Florida.
On facing Rex Grossman ... "We have not really watched enough film for me to tell you what we are going to game plan. I know the coaches will be watching film and we will be watching film. We will have something ready for them."
On playing a traditionally passing team ... I think in the secondary we know that the game may fall on our end where they are going to be passing the ball a lot. We all are going to have to know the game plan and be in position to make plays."
On if he talks to the recruits from Florida ... "I usually talk to a lot of the guys from not only from Florida but the South. A lot of guys are worried about the weather and if it is going to snow early. Once you talk to them and let them know that I am here and I have been here for four years and I made it. It is an adjustment like any other but they will be fine."
On how he adjusted to the changes ... "When I first came here it was a day in September when it was about 50 degrees. I remember I put on my big goose down coat and long johns and everything. That was the year I adjusted to the weather."
On why Florida has so many good high school football players ... "There are a lot of high schools down there and a lot of football teams. A lot of guys who played there before come back and talk to the kids. You see a guy like Michael Irvin come from my high school. As a young kid you want to achieve and get to where they are."
On if he has always spent a lot of time thinking about the games ... "I have been doing it ever since I was a little kid. I started playing football when I was about 11. I always remember that when you play city league football you play against kids you maybe went to camp with or elementary school with. We used to always talk about the game that week in school. I used to fall asleep thinking about, What if I lined up against this guy That is when it started."
On if visualizing the game helps him ... "I like to think so."
On if he was surprised by the impact he had this season ... "I am not sure if the impact surprised me, but I was definitely happy about the impact that I had. As far as why, I think it is because we all prepare the same way, whether it is the first team or the third team. We all watch film together. We all talk about the plays together. We all ask each other questions. After that it was just a matter of getting in rather than being thrust in. When I think about it, our team is like shark's teeth. There is always a row ready to go in there."
On if his interception at Minnesota showed he belonged in the game ... "I think it might have. I think it did for other people. I never second-guessed myself, but for others it might have."
On if there are guys who do not know how good they can be until they get in the game ... "I think so. When you get in the game, your adrenaline is pumping and everything that you worked for all week. You might have made mistakes during the week, but at game time you have already seen it a hundred times and now it is your opportunity to capitalize on that."
On if the position switch was his idea or the coaches' ... "It was on both parts. They came to me and I wanted to get on the field."
Contact: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
