Comments from Michigan Head Coach Lloyd Carr
12/28/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
How have you seen the progress in practices since being in Orlando... "We have had the two best practices of our preparation these first two days down here. We will lighten up a little bit today and come back with a full practice tomorrow and then taper down for the game."
Do you ever get a read on a team for a game... "I have had enough reads and some of them have been good and some of them have been bad so I don't trust them. I think that the other team has something to do with it. I do think there is an importance in terms of how they prepare and how they are focused, and I really do think that this team is really focused since we've been here."
Do you think it has been harder to focus with all the distractions... "Having a good time is part of the bowl experience, but the real key is that when you are in meetings is everybody on time or are you having problems with guys being awake or not and are they paying attention Those are the fundamental issues, and are they practicing hard or making the mistakes they shouldn't be Are they hustling Are they making progress Those are all signs that you look for, and those are things that I haven't seen thus far."
Is keeping a team fresh hard after five weeks off... "I think there's a fine line there and I think the biggest thing that we needed to do was get accustomed to the weather. All of our practices at home were indoors where you are not stretching the field because you have both teams (offense and defense with demonstration squads) practicing on the same field. So you need to do some running and other things to catch up there. Anytime you are looking at that kind of layoff that both teams had, there are some things that are important. Getting into the type of condition and having the proper timing is as important as anything else."
Is this week different for you with this being your last game... "Yes, it is a little different. I always ask our team after a game, 'Did we win, did I contribute, and who's next' I won't have to ask that third question. It will be the end for these seniors and this team. It will be a new team next year, it won't be this team. This will be the last time that we will be together so we're trying to make every day count and enjoy it and get prepared."
When people invariably retire they feel a sense of relief, is that the way you feel... "I've tried to concentrate on this game. I know that there are going to be a lot of changes in my life. I just don't know what those are going to be."
On linebacker Shawn Crable... "He is the biggest linebacker that we've had in terms of height wise and he has great speed. He is probably the fastest linebacker that we've had since I've been at Michigan. I think he has a great future in the game. He is respected by his teammates, was elected captain, which is a tremendous honor. Shawn has had a very, very good year.
"Anytime that you had that kind of height and that kind of speed, it has enabled him to make some plays. He is a guy that can bend his knees and rush the quarterback and run over you or the quickness to move around you or get his hands up and knock the ball down. There are a lot of advantages to having the physical attributes that he has."
Will this be the quickest team that you've faced this year... "We have played some extremely fast teams this year. I think that they remind me a lot of Oregon (more) than anyone that we've played because they use the quarterback even more than Oregon, so you have a 240-pound quarterback that runs like a tailback. When he gets into the areas where there are a lot of people he runs like a fullback. The biggest improvement that Tim (Tebow) has made this season is that he is throwing the football really well. He has made a lot of great throws down the field, so he's a problem. Percy Harvin I think is one of the great football players that I've seen in my coaching career. He is a tremendous athlete and a guy that creates a lot of problems."
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