In the Trenches 605 - UTEP Preview Transcript
9/17/2026 5:00:00 PM | MGoBlue Podcasts
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Radio Network Stager • 00:00
Coach Wade told us, you know, during the week, do more, just do more. That was our emphasis all week. We definitely did more last week. Fifteen ten. Bryce going for the pylon. Touchdown delivers. And it's picked off. It's picked off. Going the other way is Jyaire Hill inside the five. Handoff. Jordan Marshall running left, fighting for the goal line. And it back to pass. Wolverines bring four. He's in trouble and down he goes. It meant a lot, but at the same time, I mean, like, it's the standard. You don't want to get complacent and get better everywhere. We just got to move on to the next one with the same mentality. We got to do more this week than we did last week. We're us and we're going to bring our best every week.
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Jeff Laurence • 00:35
We're closing in on another Michigan game day. Now let's get you set for Saturday's matchup with our keys to the game edition of in the Trenches, presented by Meijer, presenting sponsor of the twenty twenty six Michigan football season and proud supporter of hundreds of local sports teams across the Midwest. Now here's Jon Jansen.
Jon Jansen • 00:55
This week, Michigan looks to go three zero to start the season. They welcome the UTEP minors and Paydirt Pete to the Big House. Kickoff will be around three thirty. We've got keys to the game in just a few moments. But before we get to the keys, it's a last call from all our friends at Foguth Financial Group, the proud wealth management partner of Michigan athletics. Foguth is inviting those already retired or nearing retirement to attend the annual night out at the Big House on Thursday, September twenty fourth. Learn strategies for managing the risk of retirement and enjoy complimentary dinner door prizes and get exclusive access to Tour Michigan Stadium. All all you have to do is go to MGO blue dot com BIG House to sign up. That's m go blue dot com Big House.
Jeff Laurence • 1:42
Offense.
Jon Jansen • 01:44
For both offense, defense and special teams, it's going to come down to getting back to the basics and offense number one is precision footwork in the run game. You just got done playing one of the best defenses that you're going to see all season long. With Oklahoma. What did we struggle with? Well, we struggled with movement and offensive lines. That's one of the things that they're going to struggle with throughout the course of their career, however long that might be. Anytime you've got a three technique and he slams or he loots, then all of a sudden, hey, what am I doing? How do I set myself up for success? It's the same thing with the nose, with the five technique on a tackle, you've got to take precision footwork so that if that player goes away, something else is returning. If I've got good footwork now, I fit up in the hole and I'm either, I'm either taking that looper that might be coming across from some other direction. But it also puts me in position to take care of the linebacker if I've got a combo block and puts me on a path to success.
Jon Jansen • 02:39
We've got to be better with our footwork in the run game and get the run game going with the running backs. That's something that has yet to develop. Run game has been there with Bryce Underwood and we've seen some of the reverses, we've seen some jet sweeps be successful, the quick passing game. But the one thing Michigan has been able to always hang their hat on is the run game. Jordan Marshall, nearly a thousand yard back last year, we know he's got it. Savion Hiter, we're all dying to see him in, get things going in the run game. So the precision footwork will lead you to success in the run game. Number two, develop a downfield threat. All right, we, you know, for through two games, much like the run game, we just haven't been able to get anything going downfield. We've had some of those quick wide receiver screens, get the ball out to the backs, the tight ends, but we need to develop that threat downfield.
Jon Jansen • 03:31
And it starts with three different things. One, protection. You've got to give Bryce Underwood time to be able to check his reads, get comfortable, go from one to two to three. And it's also being able to win on the outside. Wide receivers, you've got to win at the line of scrimmage and you've got to run precise routes so that you're open and the timing is right for what Bryce is expecting. And number three, that on time delivery. If you've got good protection, you're running precise routes and you're winning on the outside, then it's a matter of trusting your receivers for putting the ball where it's supposed to be and getting it there when it's supposed to be there. And number three, all right, penalties, and this is something I'll touch on for all three phases. But penalties get lined up right. Don't have pre snap penalties. If you're going in motion, you know you can't be on the line of scrimmage.
Jon Jansen • 04:22
Hey, if you're, if there's two wide receivers to one side. You don't have a tight end. One of you has to be on the ball. Like, let's start communicating and making sure that we're lined up right and then communicate the snap count. Make sure your hands, watch your hands, make sure there's. There they are where they're supposed to be. If you get run through linebackers, precision footwork will put you in position for success. But it's also that punch has to be on the numbers. If it's outside or if that player gets to your side, you can't hook them with that arm. We've got to eliminate the penalties. They are drive killers, momentum killers. You got to give yourself the best chance possible for success offensively.
Jeff Laurence • 5:03
Defense.
Jon Jansen • 05:05
As well, we're going to be talking about fine tuning the basics as the defense. Defense has played really good through two games, only allowing one touchdown, four field goals in the first game. This is a defense that has been very effective and now it's a matter of how do we make it better. Well, you keep harassing the quarterback, whether it's a guy that's going to run the football. We heard from Coach Whittingham on, on Monday night that this is another dual threat quarterback. So discipline. All of those things that we have talked about, not going to make them keys because you've done it well. But you've got to harass the quarterback. Anytime he has the ball, you pop him and he, and if, if he's standing in the pocket, discipline on your rush lanes. Don't let him outside the pocket like you did for John Mateer. You did a really nice job on that quarterback. Same holds true. But then you've got to make that pocket collapse. And the defensive tackles, hey, you collapse it. The depth of the pocket and the defensive ends edge corners, safeties, whoever is rushing on the outside, you're going to, you're going to squeeze the width of that pocket, make the world close in on that quarterback.
Jon Jansen • 06:06
And third downs, that's going to be key number two. You've got to get off the field against Oklahoma. Not good enough. Almost fifty percent, you're looking at thirty percent or lower. Then you're starting to think, hey, this is what we're supposed to be and what we're supposed to do. So quarterbacks, one of the things that they're going to, they identify right away, hey, where's the sticks? Where do I have to get? Whether it's my receiver, running backs, myself to pick up a first down. You two on defense have to understand where that third down marker Is and pursuit has been good, but you got to get there faster. You got to prevent those conversions on third down so you can get off the field, get the offense back out there, number three. And you've been really good at this. Stop the run. That has to remain a focus. It has to remain a strength.
Jon Jansen • 06:56
And Jay Hill talked coming out of that Western Michigan game on that long drive. Hey, we got some guys that were really excited getting out of, of maybe their run fits or their gaps trying to do a little bit too much. Made that correction against Oklahoma and it was terrific. You did a great job up front of, hey, where am I supposed to be? What gap do I fit in? Because now you've got linebackers like Staling. You've got all these other linebackers that can fit in and make plays, and that's where this defense is going to be most successful. When, when those front seven guys, you pair it with the safety in the box, everybody understands what gap they have. It doesn't allow a running back or a quarterback any room to breathe in the run game.
Jeff Laurence • 07:42
Special teams,
Jon Jansen • 07:44
We saw the fact that Oklahoma opened up with UTEP and what did they have? They had a punt return for a touchdown, Isaiah Sategna, and a great job limiting him last week and anything that he could do. A lot of that was Cam Brown and the fact that he just didn't, you know, the way he punted the ball and the coverage, Zeke Berry, outstanding standing, but you know, you, you didn't allow them to return it. On the flip side, week before that against UTEP, they were able to take one to the house. We know that UTEP is vulnerable. So whenever a return is called and Coach Combs makes that return, you got to know where you're supposed to be and get there. Set up that wall and make sure that when you are blocking. Because I, I do expect Andrew Marsh to have some big returns in this game. If you see a name on the back of a jersey, the back of a helmet, the side of a jersey, you've got to get your head across the front. We don't want to have one of those big moments taken back because of a lack of discipline in blocking. Get where you're supposed to be, get there early, get lined up because there's some big opportunity in the punt game.
Jon Jansen • 08:47
Number two, operation. What does that mean? Well, it's operation Pat Field goal. Haven't had a lot of opportunity, but it's going to be coming. All right. You had some in the, in the path. Only one field goal so far on the Year you've got to make sure that that snap, hold kick, you get one, the blocking is there, don't allow any, any leakage from the outside. Make sure you're taking good steps. But it's snap, hold, kick, ball off. Give yourself a chance when you're in position to put points on the board that you capitalize on that Butkowski we again, we've seen a forty yarder. We need. I asked Kerry Coombs, what's the, what's the range? Hey, if you are right around that fifty, fifty two yard field goal range, sounds like you got points on the board. So make sure you finish the deal. Number three, always win the field position battle. Coach Whittingham talks about this ad nauseum.
Jon Jansen • 09:40
Like the whole point of special teams is to win the field position battle. Yes, you want to be able to put points on the board. You want to make it a weapon. You want to use it to your advantage. We've talked about some of the ways that you can do that, but this was, this was an opportunity. Against Oklahoma, you gave the team the best chance to win because you won the field position battle. Zeke Barry, you did a great job of being able to get down there and make some plays. Get that ball down and that's going to be the thing. You got to win at the line of scrimmage so that you have free runners at the returner. One, it'll make them fair. Catch it and if he doesn't, you're there to make the play. And three, if he lets the ball bounce, you got to make sure that you get there and in position between your, the ball and the goal line so that you can down it inside the five. Great job against Oklahoma. Let's see it again against UTEP.
Meijer Radio Spot • 10:31
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Jeff Laurence • 11:03
Now it's time for Jon's locker room speech.
Jon Jansen • 11:07
When you take the field against UTEP, this is not a game that I'm worried about anything other than what Michigan does. You need to set a standard that you play up to every single game. It's not about what you did against Western Michigan or against Oklahoma. You can capitalize on some of that but you've got to continue to set a standard. What did you do week one and week two? How can you improve upon that? And whether it's offense, defense, special teams, if it's just individual units, there's plenty to work on. Whether it's the quarterback, it's the offensive line, it's wide receivers, running backs, defensive linemen, the safeties. Like there is plenty to continue to work on and improve upon. So what is the goal for today? Number one, it's win the game. But how do you go about it every single play? It's about execution and it's about putting the best that you could possibly put on film every single opportunity.
Jon Jansen • 12:03
Because you're representing yourself, you're representing the University of Michigan, you're representing your family. Every time you step out there, you got the winged helmet on, you got your name on the back, you got your number on your jersey. This is all about what Michigan wants to be throughout the course of the rest of the year. This is the last tune up before we take on Iowa and the Big Ten schedule. This is the last opportunity to go in the big house and set yourself up for success. Get out there, gain a little bit of confidence in everything that you're doing and dominate every single snap. That's the standard that you got to put out there, is that it doesn't matter if it's first down, second down, third down, if it's special teams, offense, defense. Every time you step on the field, you're stepping out there to kick someone's ass and to get better.
Jon Jansen • 12:46
Because next week things get a little bit tougher. The week after that, they're going to get a little bit tougher and you put yourself in a position. You got away with a win against Western Michigan, you got a good win against Oklahoma. Now you got to continue to put good things on film and make other teams work on everything that you're doing and strike fear into your opponent. Strike fear into UTEP. You've got to be able to strike fear into all those teams that are starting to watch Michigan film and they want to know what type of team are we going to face when we face the Michigan Wolverines. They and the answer better be, hey, that's a road grading offensive line. That's a defensive line that's going to get after our quarterback. That's a secondary that as you come across the middle, they're going to make you pay the price. Now go get out there and and put the best that you can on film so that you can keep getting better.
Jon Jansen • 13:38
Because the Big Ten season starts. Your goals are all in front of you. Win a Big Ten championship. Beat your rivals. Make the college football playoffs. Win a national championship. They're there. Now it's up to you to go. Take them. Go Blue.
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Jeff Laurence • 13:52
Thanks for listening to this edition of in the Trenches with Jon Jansen, presented by Meijer, presenting sponsor of the twenty twenty six Michigan Football season and proud supporter of hundreds of local sports teams across the midwest. In the Trenches is part of our Michigan Athletics Podcast network, M GO Blue Podcasts. The preceding is a Learfield presentation of the Michigan Sports Network.
