Press Conference Comments from Michigan Football Players
11/14/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
Player Comments from
Weekly U-M Football Media Luncheon
Previewing Ohio State (Nov. 19); Reviewing Indiana (Nov. 12)
Pat Massey | Adam Stenavich | Carl Tabb | Brian Thompson
Senior Safety Willis Barringer
On becoming a Michigan fan ... "I was an Ohio State fan, but as I went along, I kind of leaned towards Michigan. I mean, we get recruited and everything and things change as we go along."
On the rivalry ... "I'm just going to go out there and play football. I wouldn't say it's just another game because it's not another game. It's an intense rivalry, but we just want to go out there and play defense."
On whether he's approaching this game in a different way ... "I'm going to fight every game. This is a rivalry, so there's going to be a little bit more fire, a little bit more excited, a little bit more emotional."
On the seniors leading the team ... "The seniors, we just came together and told the team, we've just got to go out there and play football the best way we know how."
On Troy Smith and the receivers ... "They've got some great receivers. They've been making plays all season. He works well in conjunction with them. He is a great running quarterback and a great throwing quarterback, so we've got to go out there and try to stop them."
On forgetting what happened last year ... "Last year was last year. This year we just go out there and play faster. We keep an eye on the quarterback and try to get to the ball as quick as we can."
On the changes in the teams over the years ... "Although it changes coaches and changes players, it's still maize and blue versus red and gray."
On whether Coach Jim Herrmann has changed his approach from last season ... "I wouldn't say he was different, but I think he was more detail-oriented. I would say he took it upon himself to take all the blame, when really, the players, we didn't go out there and execute."
Senior Inside Linebacker David Harris
On Coach Stripling ... "He's a great coach. It's the little things, the fundamentals. He's a great motivator, and our defensive line has really taken to him."
On Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith ... "No doubt he's the fastest quarterback we'll play against this year. He's a great scrambler, he's capable of making any play, strong arm, he's a great leader. He's their man."
On Ohio State's offense ... "They have a real explosive offense. They have tremendous defense. Again, (Santonio) Holmes, he's underrated. I think not a lot of people pay attention to (Antonio) Pittman, but he's a pretty good running back. He's capable of taking it any time he gets the ball, so you've got to play defense."
On the importance of the seniors leading up to the game ... "The seniors have been to the game before. All the younger players look up to the seniors. We just try and teach them and tell them what the game is all about, try to do a good job leading."
On how the team turned the season around ... "We knew that we weren't playing up to Michigan level, so we just knew that wasn't acceptable. We had to come out and play a lot harder, a lot better."
On playing Ohio State ... "It's a challenge. It's a game that measures your team, like Ohio State and Michigan. It's what you work for."
On Coach Carr ..."He's a great coach, like a father figure. We joke around with him sometimes, but most times he's pretty serious."
On the rivalry with Ohio State ... "No matter if you're playing or not playing, it's Michigan-Ohio State. You've watched the games since you were little, growing up, all the great players, the great teams. The rivalry itself is the biggest in college football."
On improvements they've made ... "We've made improvements the last couple weeks in every area of our team, so hopefully we'll keep improving and come home with a victory."
Fifth-Year Senior Cornerback Grant Mason
On his career ... "It has gone by real fast. This is my third year here. But the time has flown. I can remember being in Coach Carr's offices like it was earlier in the summer or something. Time really goes by, but I really enjoyed my opportunity here and I'm glad that I came back."
On Troy Smith ... "Just make sure that you stay square and try to knock them back. He's a real big guy, but he's a quarterback. If a defensive player has got an opportunity to go against a quarterback and you don't do well, your teammates will get at you."
On being emotionally prepared ... "Just go out and don't overthink it because when you overthink it you tend to try to overcompensate and you give off another thing. You just go out and do what you were coached to do all year, and hopefully that's good enough."
On the emotions behind the rivalry ... "You grow up looking at Michigan and Ohio State rivalry, it's the biggest one in college football in my opinion. I think that the emotions will be there. It's really just making sure everybody stays focused on what their job is and make sure that they do that and don't get overemotional. You need that edge, but at the same time you need to be able to control it, and I think that the biggest thing will be control because everybody will be real emotional and real pumped up to play."
On what a victory would mean to him ... "It would mean a lot to me, an awful lot. Last year we didn't play as well as we should have and ended up taking a loss. For me, this is my last game as a senior and at home here at Michigan Stadium, and I've talked to a lot of guys, Sam Sword, he's one of our coaches now, his last game as a senior he lost, and he always tells us that you don't want to have that feeling about your last game against Ohio State. He won all the games previous to that, but he lost the last one. I don't want my last one to be a loss."
On how he feels about his season ... "I'm pleased, more so with how my season has went well, but I'm pleased more so about how the secondary in general has played. I think that the way we play, we go out and I think that we've done -- having something that I'm proud of. I like to say that I'm part of each and every one of the guys and represent our coach, everyone out there. This whole team has been nothing but a joy, and I can say that I really like this team and I like everybody on the team and I like the way everybody goes out and plays."
On Ohio State's talent ... "Athletically, definitely, these guys are real good. It'll be a big chance for everybody when we can't get caught up in how the receivers are. Also their quarterback is very good. If we go out and do what we're coached to do, I think we'll have success."
On the importance of the game ... "It's big because we want to put ourselves in position to actually have a chance, not so much to ruin their season. They're having a good year and they should because they're a great football team. But I think that this game means a lot to us and it would mean a lot to our season, and being a senior, I think it would mean the world to me to beat Ohio State in this game, give ourselves an opportunity to maybe even win the Big Ten."
On the Cal-Stanford rivalry, vs. the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry ..."It's a big difference. In each one's area they're big rivalries, but I think on a national scale, the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry beats all other rivalries. The attention to both schools and the programs -- not to take anything away from University of Cal or Stanford, but I think that Ohio State and Michigan football-wise have greater tradition."
On whether Michigan is the best three-loss team in the country ... "I think that we're a real good team. I think that our record -- I wish that we hadn't lost three games, I can say that. But we have lost three games. There are some other teams out there with losses that are good, and it all comes down to how you play on that day. There are teams that have one loss and no losses that can be beat if they don't play their best on that day. I think we have a good team, and I can't say who the other teams are, but I think we're better than most teams are three losses."
On how they would feel if they lose this weekend ... "Honestly, in a way it would hurt if we did. I think we've done a great job and we've been improving throughout the season. We were up and down early but we've been getting better and better I think that all the work we've put in and stuff throughout the year, considering how we played last year sense Ohio State, I think it would be a huge disappointment to me if we don't come out and play our best. I think if we play our best we'll have a good opportunity to win."
Fifth-Year Senior Tight End Tim Massaquoi
On when the intensity rivalry hit him ... "I would say freshman year is right up there, going in there and them greeting us the way they did with open arms and all that, I would say that's when it really set in."
On Chad Henne ... "I feel like Chad, he experienced a lot of great things last year as a college football player, character and how you respond to stuff and the person that you are. I think seeing the way he responded, played well, this is going to help him in the long run."
On how the team felt when they were 3-3 ... "There is definitely an urgency to improve and try to turn it around. The outside people didn't give us much hope. They really cast our season away. We just want to continue to keep on playing. We just want to come out every Saturday and continue to play, and things worked out."
On turning the season around ... "You experience three losses that early in the season, it's not something you're used to as a player. It's just the character our team showed in turning it around and winning those close games, it was a fight. I think the team can be proud of that even though we were down we never gave up."
On his favorite memory of Ohio State ... "I just remember clinching the Rose Bowl berth against Ohio State one year, everybody had roses on the field. That was a great moment in your life. Going back to that moment, I try to think of what helped us win that game, and hopefully you try to go out there this week and try to instill some of that in our team."
On what Michigan means to him ... "I mean, I love this place. I love playing here. I couldn't think of anything better in my life. It's just how it is, and I'm just going to play this game as hard as I can for this team and try to win."
On his team's attitude ... "It would thrill me very much to win. We can't control what happens. But we can be proud of ourselves about how we responded to adversity early in the season. I think that's the main thing that I look forward to, that my team looks forward to, just winning this game and just playing with character and just never giving up."
On the rivalry ... "Naturally people respect each other. Not saying we don't have quality players, but it's just a rivalry because of the tradition. You're just not going to feel real good about the guys on the other side of the ball. You just want to give them a little extra push or something. You just have to keep your composure and not let things escalate and let things hurt your team. This is our biggest rivalry, and it's something you really can't explain. I've tried to put it in words many times, but I really can't. This is a game you're on a mission to play."
On being the underdogs ... "I mean, the way I feel, we're not underdogs. There's no underdog when you come to college football. Anybody can beat anybody on any day. It's just like people outside, they look at this and that and they say this team is going to win because of that. If you go in thinking you're an underdog, it's not the confidence that you should have on your team."
On Coach Carr ... "At the beginning of the week he lectured on the rivalry to let you know that this is a huge game, but at the same time he prepares every game the same way. He prepares with the same emotion, same intensity, the same attention to detail and that's the way he wants us to see it. He takes every game the same way, it's a must-win game, and that's how we've got to take this game."
On whether he expects to block more or catch more this week ... "This is a week where tight ends protecting might be a little bit more important. They come alive they send their linebackers a lot because they're play-makers so they want to do some things. This season I haven't been catching many balls. It's helped me in a way just to become a complete player, being able to block a little bit more, to fine-tune parts of my game. But at the same time catch balls and make plays, that is what we have to do to win this game."
On Jake Long ... "He's 300 pounds, and he has attitude. The first play he got in there, he knocked somebody down, and you feel that intensity and that fire that I think carried along to the rest of the team."
On protecting the ball ... "I think we just can't give them the ball. We can't turn the ball over. If we start turning the ball over, we put ourselves in a bad position. We can't turn the ball over and we have to execute and make plays. We have to play a solid game. We can't kill ourselves. We can't put ourselves in bad field position. We just have to play a solid game."
On having Mike Hart back ... "It's huge. He's a great player, our star running back. For a game like this you need your best weapons. You need everything that you have in your arsenal to try to go win this game."
On his running backs ... "At the same time Jerome Jackson, Kevin Grady, they did a tremendous job. They played well. I think personally they made a name for themselves. They're backup guys but they can still play ball. I credit them the way they handled themselves, the way they prepared, the way they played."
On the Big Ten ... "The Big Ten is just a great conference right now. The competition is there. The Big Ten can play with anybody in the country, and it's just a competition that lets you know a team can still win the championship. It doesn't take away from the conference it just shows how much the conference is getting better each year."
Fifth-Year Senior Defensive Tackle and Co-Captain Pat Massey
On whether Coach Carr's demeanor changes for the Ohio State game ... "You know what, I think Coach Carr is pretty consistent throughout the season. I mean, I think if you just look at him, you can kind of tell there's something different from the look in his eyes. But throughout the season, Coach Carr does a great job of keeping a level head, which is good when you're playing teams that you're favored over, and then it's real good when you're playing a big rival like Ohio State."
On whether the teams' records matter in the game ... "I'm telling you, I mean, I told someone earlier, Ohio State, you can throw all the records out. We could be undefeated and they could have five losses and it doesn't matter. So it's about throwing out all the records. None of that makes a difference on Saturday."
On how he viewed the rivalry as a child growing up in Cleveland ... "I've always been a Michigan fan growing up. My neighborhood at home, drive down the street and there's always this -- this weekend you would have an Ohio State or a Michigan flag hanging off your front porch. Growing up, to me it was always the epitome of college football."
On how he's treated by fellow Ohioans ... "Well, the biggest thing, when I committed to Michigan there really wasn't too much backlash because Ohio State wasn't playing to people's expectations, and so now it seems like when I go home, there's more backlash than when I first committed."
On the intensity of the game ... "Yeah, it's great. I mean, it adds to the game. That's what makes it so great is the intensity on and off the field. It's intense in the crowd, too. I've been there for it. But it's all in good fun. I still think that the fans have respect for each other just like the players who are on the field."
On Ohio State's running game ... "They do it the traditional way of lining up and trying to ram it down your throats, and then, also, Troy Smith, if he doesn't like what he sees in the secondary, he pulls down a run, and that's where they get most of their rushing yards, so they can do it both ways. It creates a huge challenge for us."
On Troy Smith ... "He's a great athlete. He's not going to go down just from arm tackles. You've got to wrap up and have all 11 guys getting to the ball. He's not going to go down easy."
On Smith, compared to other quarterbacks in the Big Ten ... "He's similar, but out of all of them, I think he's the best athlete and he's going to be the one who wants to run it the most. He's definitely going to pull it down. I think he's going to be the most active out of all of them."
On how he feels about his senior year winding down ... "Every game that goes by you kind of think, it's one down, one down. It serves as motivation to keep working hard. But at the same time it's exciting because this is what I've been working for. That is what -- my whole career has come down to this game."
On concentrating on the game this weekend ... "Right now we're not looking to pat ourselves on the back for winning a couple games in a row. We're thinking about Ohio State. After the season, we can look back and take time to reflect. But right now we're thinking about Ohio State and we're not thinking about beating Indiana, beating Northwestern. We're thinking about Ohio State."
On thinking about Ohio State during the season ... "Hey, when you're 3-3 you're thinking about winning that next game, you know. I heard some people asking Carl the question about is Ohio State always in your minds. Yeah, they're always in our minds. Like he said, he'll go home and watch SportsCenter and see highlights. They're always in your mind. When you're 3-3 you're thinking about winning the next game."
On Michigan's defense ... "Last year at this point, if you look at our defense, it kind of seemed like we were on the decline. This year I think it's a little different because up to this point, I think we've gotten better from week to week. So hopefully we can continue to do that. If you look at Ohio State, you know they're not like any other team we play, so this is a huge challenge for us. We'll continue to get better this week and practice and improve on areas we need to improve on. I think if you look at the season so far, I think we've continued to get better."
On "flying under the radar" coming into this game ... "It's hard to say because who's to say that you're flying under the radar It's the Ohio State-Michigan game. You can look at it as being favored or being an underdog, but I think when it comes down to it, like I was saying before, we're throwing out the records and it doesn't really matter. Both teams are in the spotlight."
On what separates this game from other rivalries ... "It's hard to put into words. It's hard for me to determine what separates it. It's just the tradition of it. You look at the great players on both sides of the ball who have played in this game. You look at the actual games themselves. I mean, it's some of the greatest games in Michigan history and Ohio State history. It's really hard to put into words."
On whether he thinks about the loss last year at Ohio State ... "It's important to move on and realize, you know, this is a whole different defense. But all of us on that defense last year, the majority of us, are back so yeah, we're not going to forget losing to Ohio State that badly last year. We're not going to forget that, our defensive performance last year. At the same time we do realize this is a whole new defense. We've got a new identity, there's a lot new about us."
On assistant coach Steve Stripling ... "Coach, he's brought so much to our defense, whether it was just confidence to us -- not just the defensive line. I think if you ask the linebackers and the secondary, they'll say the same thing, that he's part of the whole defense. The basics, techniques he's taught us or just little advice he's given us on the field, lots of credit has to go to Coach."
On playing tough against Ohio State ... "I don't consider them a dirty team whatsoever. What I do know is that they're going to go to the whistle, and that's the way it should be because we're going to do the same thing. But Ohio State, especially in this game, they're not going to be dirty but they're going to play hard, and that means playing to the whistle. There are definitely some things that go on, but I think there's a great amount of respect amongst the players, and guys will go to the whistle."
On having fun with Coach Carr ... "You know, I wouldn't say it's a different person, but Coach Carr definitely -- we have a lot of fun with him, absolutely. We absolutely have a lot of fun with him. I mean, even in weeks like this, he does do a good job of keeping us loose, of joking around a little bit. I'm sure that's a side of him that not too many people see. We're kind of fortunate because we have a great time, throughout the whole year, not just during the season."
On Coach Carr's critics ... "I would like to sit down with some of those people and just talk to them. That is unbelievable. I don't know any stats or anything like that, but I know the coaches right now (in college football), and Coach Carr has got to be up there. Coach Carr is what Michigan is all about and I think there shouldn't be any question about it."
Fifth-Year Senior Left Tackle Adam Stenavich
On whether they've managed to turn the season around ... "Well, I think a lot of times, a lot of years the Michigan vs. Ohio State game determines that. We've got a big challenge ahead of us, but we're looking forward to it."
On what happened the last three years against Ohio State ... "I think the two losses we've had in Columbus, that I've been a part of, our offense didn't really allow us to capitalize on the chances we were given. I know three years ago, we had a problem scoring in the red zone and things like that. Their defense played great. We just need an overall complete game. I think that when we played them here last time, that's what we did. We've just got to do that again."
On whether the offense is feeling the pressure ... "I definitely think so, and Ohio State's defense. They've got a great defense. Like I said, we've got a very big challenge ahead of us, but we're looking forward to it."
On whether playing at home affects the game ... "It's a big difference. I wouldn't say anything game plan-wise. But always when you played on the road, you have to compete with the crowd noise, and especially in Columbus it's very loud. It's just like any other place."
On getting the running game going ... "It's very important. Ohio State's got a great offense, and if we're able to run the ball and keep their offense off the field, that's basically it. We need to just control the ball."
On how difficult it will be to win without the run game ... "It's always hard to win if you can't run the ball. It would be very hard if we couldn't get the run game going, so that's one thing we've got to work on and study. They've got a great defense and it'll be a challenge."
On Ohio State's linebackers ... "They just make plays. They're fast and they're smart. They're very good linebackers. They all have a lot of experience and they move around a lot. So, they've got a great group of linebackers."
On how much attention the offensive line pays to the linebackers ... "I think we've just got to make sure we get a hand on somebody all the time. Guys like that, you're not going to be able to block them for a long time, but we've just got to make sure that they're accounted for, every single guy. You can't let them free because they'll make plays. That's just one thing we have to do."
On Mike Hart's contribution to the team ... "I'd say Mike adds another dimension to our offense, the way he runs and the things that he does. You can see in every game that he's there, he makes an impact you can feel. He makes people miss, gets extra yards and everything like that. If he's playing, that's great. Hopefully he will be [back], but if he's not, then we'll just have to deal."
On Mike Hart's leadership ... "Yeah, he's definitely an emotional leader on the team. He gets excited and gets everyone else excited and pumped up. That's one thing he adds."
On the change since the Penn State game ... "That game turned it around. I guess if you look at it even just in terms of wins and losses, it put us back in the Big Ten Championship race and everything like that. I'd have to say that definitely changed our season. If we wouldn't have won that game, if we wouldn't have made that play, then we wouldn't be in the position that we are right now."
On his best memory of his career ... "Hopefully this Saturday, but so far I'd have to say Penn State was up there this year. When we won our 2003 Big Ten Championship and beat Ohio State two years ago, that was a special moment too."
On the game ... "Obviously we want to win so bad. We want to beat Ohio State. Every guy who came through whoever played will tell you that this is the biggest game every year that we play in. We always want to win this game."
On the intensity of the rivalry ... "I would say the first time we played four years ago in Columbus, it was pretty intense. I found out real fast what it was all about. Just the whole game was really intense, the most intense game that I had ever been a part of up to that point, so you learn quick. "
On why the game matters ... "I'm sure it matters just as much to any Ohio State guy. It's a rivalry, and it's a big game. I'd say in most big games, like against Penn State and Notre Dame, the intensity is high, but in this game, it's a lot higher."
On what makes this such a great rivalry ... "This being the last game of the year, where both teams are potentially playing for the Big Ten Championship, this is what makes it the best rivalry in college football."
On if Coach Carr's attitude is different this week ... "Not really. He's a little more excited and everything like that. You can tell he's excited about the game by the way he talks, like only seniors are allowed to come talk to the media, everything like that. He wants to be sure that everything's in line."
Senior Wide Receiver Carl Tabb
On when he began to understand the intensity of the rivalry ... "The moment for me when I began to understand the intensity of this rivalry firsthand, I'd say was my sophomore year when I was first able to play, and Jason (Avant) got hurt and I had to fill in. To be honest with you, I had already filled in once, and that was just a big game, but there was just something different about filling in for Jason that game. That was actually the first time in my life when I've ever had to step in and play, and I was completely nervous."
On his sophomore year performance ... "There's a lot of things that I definitely did wrong that day, so I'm not going to say that that was a highlight of my career, but I am certainly proud of the things I did that helped the team to win, and I didn't do anything that hurt the team's chances of winning. "
On Ohio State's special teams ... "What I have seen of Ohio State's special teams, Ohio State has explosive returners and Ohio State has a very good special teams unit. With that being said, our special teams unit has done a pretty good job this year in maintaining and trying to minimize the game that that special teams unit is going to have. Like I said before, they have a lot of great players, and they have their best players on special teams, which enables that team to have, like I said, a formidable special teams unit, which creates problems for other teams."
On how he expects to play against Ohio State ... "Knowing that I'm going to have a special teams unit that's going to be good -- let me not even say good. Knowing that I'm going to have a great special teams unit that I'm going to be facing that week is a challenge to me means that I have to bring my 'A' game. I have to bring my "A" game every week on a week when I know that their special teams unit is of that caliber, I know I have to be on my 'A-plus' game because I can't make any mistakes because my mistakes may cost my team a touchdown or the game, and that is not something that I'm willing to put on my shoulders. So when it comes to practicing this week, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure I'm not the one that makes a crucial mistake at a critical time."
On the importance of special teams in college football ... "When I was watching the game growing up as a young player you have no idea what special teams does for a game of this magnitude. In high school I remember Coach asked me do you want to play special teams, and I'm like, 'Yeah, I'll play special teams, no big deal.' Special teams was four or five extra plays a game, no big deal, and it didn't really change anything in the game. If you just look at the dynamics of college football, every special teams blunder or mistake, it ends up hurting the team dramatically. You can have a fumbled punt, mishandled snap, you can have a missed field goal or extra point and each of those cases can cost you a game, whereas in high school those things may not necessarily be that important because special teams didn't determine that much in a game. But now they've become so much more important that we actually have to put a lot more of our focus into playing special teams."
On the confidence of his team ... "It's interesting that you asked that question because being on this team, I've never felt like we were not a confident team. We've always been a confident team. We've always believed in ourselves, even when no one else believed in us. I think it is that very confidence that has gotten us where we are today, and it's that very confidence that kept us from quitting. I think this team has great resolve; I think this team has shown that no matter the situation, we're not going to stop playing, we're not going to stop fighting. Even when the situation doesn't look that good, we are committed to trying to make a way for ourselves, and I think it's that drive that's allowed this team to achieve all the things it's achieved. And in terms of your question on confidence, in order to build on that confidence, to have a situation where your belief in that confidence has helped you, only makes you more confident. If anything I'd say we were more confident today than we were before, but we were always confident."
On Ohio State's Ted Ginn ... "He has speed, which creates problems for the kickoff team, the punt team. One man doesn't make or break a unit. If you look at the kickoff return team that Ohio State has or the punt return team that Ohio State has and ask does Ted Ginn make that team, you are neglecting the other 10 people on that team because without those 10 people Ted Ginn would not be a name that you would know. With that being said, we have to focus not only on Ted but on the actual unit because if we overlook any one person on any team, that could be detrimental to our team."
On whether one game could make or break the season ..."Can one game make or break a season One game can make or break a season just like one play can make or break a game. I say that to say that every game is important, and any time that you have a situation where you fall short, you can make or break the thoughts that people have of a season in terms of -- from a player standpoint, one game, one play, one day doesn't make or break a season, just like one thing that I do in my life doesn't make or break me."
On the team's relationship with the media this time of year ... "To be honest with you, I don't think Coach Carr's decision to only bring seniors to this press conference has anything to do with his trust in our team because all the guys on our team are more than capable to do this. I don't think there is any one guy on the team that would have said anything that would have cost our team later or would be used as material for Ohio State. With that being said, there's something definitely to being a senior and there's something definitely to being the role of being a leader on the team. And when you've been here three, four, five years you tend to learn the things that you can and can't do, and you tend to not fall for some of the things that get thrown your way. With that being said, the people who are capable may fall short or fall victim to some bait that was thrown out that a senior might fall for. I think that's the answer to that question. "
On Ohio State's secondary ... "What I've seen so far, I see a very athletic secondary. I see a secondary that is capable of covering anyone. I see a secondary that is not undermanned and does not have depth problems. I see a secondary that if all of us are not on our 'A-plus' game, we're going to have problems. I see a secondary also that in combination with their front seven can make it so that a receiver will never see the ball. When you have a team that can get a rush like Ohio State can get and you have receivers that -- DBs that can run with the receivers, that's what defense is. If you are forced to do nothing more than pass the ball and they're getting a great rush and great coverage, then you're going to lose. If you're forced to do nothing more than run and you can't run, then you're going to lose. So this secondary has the ability to try to minimize the team's ability to do one of two things in an offensive game plan, and that is our major problem this week in trying to stay balanced and trying to do what we at Michigan believe we can do and should do, and not getting away from our game plan because that's what this defense is capable of doing."
On how the team has played against Ohio State in recent years ... "I've seen this question come up before with other games. Having it being said that we've beaten teams so many times and we have this winning streak against another team, like I said before, that is all for the media and for the people outside of the team. I can't look at a game and say, Jim Tressel has beaten -- his teams have beaten us four times and we've only beaten them once, or we've beaten a team 16 times or this 17th game is guaranteed because to be honest with you, every game is dynamic, every game is its own game. Every game has no bearing or does not even -- look at the previous game. So with that being said, I couldn't care less how many times we have lost to Ohio State before today. What I care about is what we're going to do on Saturday."
More on the team's recent record against Ohio State ... "I'm not thinking about being 1-3 at all because, like I said before, I'm not looking at the overall record for my team against other teams. What I'm looking at is winning on Saturday, and whatever it's going to take to win on Saturday, and in doing so, I'm setting myself up to have a chance to be successful; whereas if I say my team is right now 1-2 against this team with their new coach, I'm now thinking about things that I don't have any control over anymore because I can't change what's happened. I can only change what the future brings and what is going to happen on Saturday."
On whether he thinks about Ohio State leading up to the game ... "We don't actually start looking at Ohio State or any opponent until the week we're gearing up to play them. I would be demoralizing and demeaning another team to say that I'm looking at Ohio State and saying, well, we need to do this to win this game or they're really looking good in this area. I'd also be lying if I told you that I don't go home like everyone else here and look at SportsCenter and find out what the teams in the Big Ten are doing. In some degree I'm looking at the competition I'm facing but not necessarily looking at the opponent and thinking about what I have to do to beat that opponent because all I'm doing each given week is thinking about the team that is on my schedule for that week."
On Mike Hart's potential contribution ... "Mike Hart will bring nothing more than what he brought the last couple weeks because Jerome Jackson and Kevin Grady and Max Martin have done a great job in uplifting the team and providing a spark along with Alijah Bradley. With that being said, having Mike back is certainly a plus to our team because it gives us one more person to do that job. When you have many people that can do the same job effectively, you then don't have to worry about the team and you then don't have to worry about someone not being able to go because you have more than one person that's more than capable."
On whether he hopes Penn State loses on Saturday ... "That's the last thing on my mind. I will worry about whether Penn State lost after we get to our game on Saturday. If I worry about what's going to happen elsewhere before I worry about what's going to happen here, I'm not taking care of home."
On the pressure going into the game ... "Actually this program was under no more pressure than we were after our first loss. A loss is a loss is a loss, when you're 3-3, when you're 4-1, when you're 5-2. I mean, the way that things work is you're going to be criticized. So after we lost our first game we were criticized. After our second game we were criticized, after our third game we were still criticized. Having lost three games had no bearing on our team standing with the public so much as it just made us look in the mirror and determine what kind of team we wanted to be because we have a choice; we can either go in the tank and throw the year away or we can do what you have seen us do, which is come back fighting and swinging and fighting our way out of the corner that we have dug ourselves and put ourselves into."
Senior Fullback Brian Thompson
On the rivalry ... "This is definitely one that you grow up your entire life, heard about your entire life playing. It's a special game. Hopefully the seniors will have a victory against Ohio State."
On playing against Ohio State ... "It's a pretty amazing feeling. My freshman year I didn't travel a lot with the team, and then my sophomore year was when we beat Ohio State and we went to the Rose Bowl, and I'll tell you what, that game was as unbelievable as can be. At the end of that game it was just special, a special feeling and one that you'll never forget."
On being the spoilers ... "I wouldn't say it's ruining their season. But it's going to be a great game. They're a great football team and great defense, great offense. They've got some play-makers. It's going to be special."
On facing adversity ... "We came out 3-3. It was not the way we wanted to start. We had some disappointing losses. It's great to be part of a team who whenever their back is against the wall comes back and has fought like this one has. It's really made this a special team."
On Jake Long ... "He is a crucial part of our offensive line. At the beginning of the year we knew it was going to be a big loss, but we had guys step in and we knew what we needed. Having Jake Long is definitely a plus. He's a great player, a strong player."
On Ohio State's defense ... "You have to be aware of them. They've got great players that have been starting there for three, four years. A.J. Hawk is an excellent player, (Bobby) Carpenter, there are some great linebackers."
On Mike Hart ... "Mike is such a smart player. He's focused on the game, he just knows it's almost like he knows what's going to happen before it does happen, and that's a huge part. But he's done a great job in helping the other guys out, letting them know what's going on and stuff like that. I think they've done a great job stepping up. I felt like last game and the games before, they've really stepped up."
Looking back on the 2003 victory ... "It was amazing. The fans are amazing. That's the thing, with a rivalry like this, you have nothing to worry about with the fans, is specially the Michigan fans. They're going to come out and support us. He's a huge advantage when you have fans that are loud. In a third down situation it's huge. It was great, an unbelievable feeling."
On playing in Michigan Stadium versus on the road ... "Yeah, there's a difference. I mean, between all of us. It's a rivalry for us, it's a rivalry for the fans it's a rivalry for everybody. I know it's going to be maximum packed this week, maybe a couple thousand more people this week than there was last week. It's going to be crazy."
On Chad Henne ... "You know, I feel like Chad is going to play his game every week. Yeah, he did have a great game last week, and that just adds to confidence, and I feel like he's been confident all year. Yeah, it's great for them, a great game. He's going to come out with his game ready no matter what."
On being an Ohio native ... "I feel any time a player is from a home state that we're playing, it's going to be a little bit probably more of a rivalry for them. When you're playing Ohio State, it doesn't matter where you're from. You know what's there. You know what it's going to be like. It's a rivalry for everybody."
Media Contacts: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
