Press Conference Comments from Michigan Football Players (Defense)
11/15/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Defensive Player Comments from
Weekly U-M Football Media Luncheon
Previewing Ohio State (Nov. 20); Reviewing Northwestern (Nov. 13)
Senior Cornerback Marlin Jackson
On his experiences at Ohio Stadium ... "It was probably my sophomore year when we were going out to warm up, the profanity, the getting the finger from the fans, you can really sense and feel how much the fans down there really hate Michigan."
On his reaction to the Ohio State fans ... "I just laugh, I mean, that is all you can do. You cannot focus on those things, those are outside things. You have to focus on what is going on the field."
On being one win from the Rose Bowl ... "That is how every team wants it. You want to control your own destiny. You want to have your own future in your own hands. It is nice to know that we have that in our hands, but we still have to take care of business all week and then on Saturday."
On the winning at least a share of the Big Ten title ... "You can't let yourself think about it until that week comes because if you don't win the games prior to Ohio State then the game doesn't mean as much. If the championship wasn't on the line Saturday it would be different. It would still be Ohio State vs. Michigan, but we wouldn't be playing to go to the Rose Bowl, we wouldn't be playing to go to the championship. It would be Michigan vs. Ohio State, which is great, but no championship would be on the line."
About this finally being Ohio State week ... "You always have that on the back of your mind because that is THE game. In your head you really cannot say that until this week. You know all season you cannot say that we will wait for Ohio State. You have to wait until this week comes. Everyone knows we are thinking that, but we cannot say that, but now we can. This is the game. This is the biggest game of the season for us as well as Ohio State."
On the younger player's learning about this rivalry ..."They'll learn that quickly, especially going down there. Everyone is against you. It's a fight. It's a heavyweight championship fight. The guys have to be prepared for that. You do that by mentally getting ready all week, telling yourself it's going to be a rough place to play but I'm going to be ready for it by getting my mind right and getting the sleep I need and watching the film so that you're prepared to play well."
On the desperation Ohio State will be playing with to save their season ..."I don't want say they'll be desperate but they're going to play hard. You know that just because it's Michigan. This can make their season so much better just by beating us. If the tables were turned it would be the same for us. If we were having the season they're having and we beat them it would be great. Whoever wins the game it will be great for their program."
On if the current situation validates coming back for his senior season ... "Being in this situation is what seniors come back to school for, to have your own destiny in your hands, to be able to win and go to the Rose Bowl and win a Big Ten championship outright. All those things are great to know that you control them."
On defensive coordinator Jim Herrmann ... "He always does a great job but really this year he's been a special coach by getting guys pumped up and getting the young guys ready. He knows the things that he needs to say to get these guys and the team ready. He's done a great job, as usual, coaching this year."
On stopping Ted Ginn Jr. ... "I haven't gotten the game plan yet. I don't know what the coaches will do. It's not just Ted Ginn if you watch the games. It's Ted Ginn, Santonio Holmes, Troy Smith and the running backs. It's not just one guy. Santonio Holmes can beat you just as quickly as Ted Ginn can. So whatever the coaches choose to do I'll be happy with and I'll try to go out there and play my best and do my job."
On if U-M players chuckled when they saw Ohio State struggle ..."We don't chuckle because we respect Ohio State. We know they have a program that's rich with tradition just like ours. They have a lot of pride down there as well as we do. You don't want to see a team that you feel is on the same level as you struggle. There are no chuckles. It's more surprising than anything."
Fifth-Year Senior Linebacker Roy Manning
On the upcoming game against Ohio State ... "I wouldn't want it any other way. I'm looking forward to the game this weekend and playing in the greatest rivalry in college football. I'm looking forward to it."
On the Michigan State-Wisconsin game ... "I was at my house watching the game, and I was going crazy. It was probably one of the only times I have ever rooted for Michigan State in my life, and they pulled it out. We have our own business to take care of this weekend."
On Michigan being able to control their destiny ... "It means a lot. If we just win all our games, everything will take care of itself in the end."
On his expectations of Ohio State ... "I don't expect to see the team they started with this year or the team they are now. They're going to be a completely different team on Saturday. They'll be better than they've ever been and they'll play their hardest."
On Ohio State's quarterback Troy Smith ... "The quarterback, Troy Smith, can throw. He has a great arm and he's doing a great job with that offense right now. He can also hurt you with his legs and that's one concern I have right now."
On Ohio State freshman Ted Ginn ... "He's like our Steve Breaston; he's fast. He can probably outrun anybody on that field on Saturday. We're going to have to do a good job of keeping him inside the defense. Also, on special teams, I know he's a punt returner, so we have to get down field. We're going to have a challenge Saturday."
On the basics of the Michigan defense ... "This means that every man does his assignment. I think I can tackle a little better and stop the big plays. That's the main thing we need to work on -- controlling the opponent's big plays in the game."
On Michigan's struggle with the delay counter play ... "I don't know exactly why we've struggled with it. It's a good play, but I think the main reason is that the play gets the defense running in one direction. When the running back stops and goes back in the opposite direction, you have to get off blocks and retrace and re-track your steps. Then you have to follow the course of the football. Another reason is that the running backs that are making these plays are great backs so they're making the right cuts."
On if he expects teams to keep running the delay counter against Michigan ... "They have to know as a team, that that's a big play against our defense, so the next team is definitely going to try to run the same play. That's going to be in their game plan. Our plan is to just keep guys inside our defense."
On his memories of the 2002 game in Ohio State ... "I was actually injured that year, but I was down there standing on the sideline. It was louder than any other stadium I had heard in my life, and all I could see was a sea of red everywhere. They were going to the national championship so it was pretty hectic down there."
On what you see in Columbus on game day ... "There are signs that say beat Michigan and a couple other things in front of Michigan. Columbus is great college town, and the fans and the city get behind them. They'll be excited and ready to play us Saturday."
On what it means to play at Ohio State this week ... "It means the world to me. I've never played at Ohio State. This is my first year and my last year so I'm looking forward to it. I just want to help my team out anyway I can."
On the highlight of his season ... "I just love being out there on defense with Ernest (Shazor), Marlin (Jackson), Gabe (Watson) and all those guys. Every play I'm in with those guys is great, because I know they're going to do everything they can for me and I know I'm expected to do the same. Just playing on this 125th Michigan defense has been one big highlight for me."
On if this week's preparation will be different than other weeks ... "We want to go in there prepared. But this is a little bit different because this is our rival, Ohio State. Guys are expected to go a little harder. Everyone's going to come with their best week of preparation and film study. You definitely want to put everything you have into it because it's the last game of the season."
On the impact of the game this week ... "This is it; this is everything in my eyes. This is being able to say I beat Ohio State my last year at Michigan. Whatever happens at the end of this year happens. But I want to focus on beating Ohio State first."
Senior Defensive End Pat Massey
On how he chose to attend Michigan ... "It came down to Ohio State and Michigan, and there wasn't anything bad about Ohio State, but it was more about what Michigan offered me. I thought Michigan was a great school. I really liked the guys up here, and felt it was a good fit overall. I told Jim (Massey) that I was leaning towards Michigan from day one. He made it clear to me that it was my decision, and he wasn't going to pressure me either way. He answered all my questions about Ohio State. He was one of the first persons I called once I made my decision, and he was all for it. He's a great brother and has always been there for me."
On whether it was tough to attend Michigan after his brother went to Ohio State ... "It wasn't that bad because I knew that I had his support, I knew that he was going to be there and he'd be cool about it. He made it real easy on me."
On the atmosphere of Ohio Stadium ... "It's a great place to play. The fans are so into it, Ohio State is a great program, a great team, and it's tough to go in there, but it's a great place to play. It's a lot of fun. Other than Michigan Stadium, it's one of my favorite places to play just because of the atmosphere, because you know going into it that, this is why you play the game, for big games like this."
On family discussions of the game ... "We talk about the magnitude of it. How much is on the line. It's kind of understood what a big deal this game is, what an intense game it is, and what a big rivalry it is. "
On ability to win outright Big Ten championship ... "It's a big deal. Anytime you have the opportunity to win an outright Big Ten Conference championship is huge. That is why the players came here, and that's our goal. That'd just be a huge accomplishment, especially if we beat a team like Ohio State."
On differences now that Wisconsin has lost ... "I don't think it has changed much. There's still only one thing we have control over, how we play on Saturday. We can't do anything about Wisconsin, and we knew that going into it. We were hoping that something like this might happen, but there was only one thing we had control over, so we just concentrated on that."
On the Ohio State offense ... "We've been watching film on them, and I think they are a completely different offense from when they started out at the beginning of the year. Their last four games, it has been a completely different ball team. They've got great athletes all around. They are all guys we've recruited. They've got great talent, and they are starting to come together on offense."
On the change in Ohio State quarterback ... "I think a lot of it has to do with the different quarterback in there. They are two different guys, and the offense is really starting to come together, and the offense is starting to play really well. I think we have a huge challenge in front of us. (Troy Smith) has a terrific arm, he can run, he can make the big throws. He can really do anything, so it's going to be a tough challenge."
Senior Inside Linebacker Lawrence Reid
On how big this game is for him and his family, being from Ohio ... "As far as the Reid family, we've never really big a big athletics family. It is obviously a big week since I'm the only one in my family to go to a Division I school and play football. It's also a big week because we're on the verge of hopefully winning the Big Ten championship if we can come out of this game with a victory."
On playing in Ohio Stadium ... "Ohio Stadium is a great stadium. The fans there are die-hard Buckeye fans and I've known that growing up there. Just going into that environment, it is tough playing there. If you're a championship team, you look forward to atmospheres like that and trying to play against a crowd that wants you to lose."
On being guaranteed at least a share of the Big Ten title ... "I didn't know until our meeting on Sunday that we were guaranteed at least a share of the title. It's nice, but we'd also like to go out and win it outright. That all depends on what happens this week."
On Ohio State's struggles on the ground ... "I'm expecting them to come out and run at us some more. Ohio State is a great team despite what has happened to them so far this season. They're still a great team and this is such a great game. We're expecting a great game."
On what the coaches have said to the team this week ... "We just talked about how we want to go down there and get a victory. That's what it comes down to. We feel like we have to finish the season. We can't call ourselves champions if the season isn't even over yet."
On the atmosphere playing down in Columbus ... "The atmosphere is hostile. It's pretty much a bitter rivalry between Ohio State and Michigan. Going down there, they just want to see us lose. I've always known that growing up."
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