TheWolverine.com - Rodriguez talks quarterbacks, Utah, Victor's Walk

August 25, 2008

John Borton & Michael Spath

Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez conducted his first game-week press conference as U-M's man-in-charge Monday. Among his remarks, Rodriguez spoke about the quarterback battle, the freshmen that will play and the Wolverines' new 'Victor's Walk' ?

Opening statement: "We're obviously excited to play a game. I think our players have a little bounce in their step, hopefully, at practice today because we're in game week and they put a lot of work in. I think we still have a lot of work to do, and I will still have a lot of question marks heading into the game Saturday for obvious reasons, particularly because we will have so many guys playing for the first time, but the guys have put in a lot of work. Everybody in the program is ready to go against another opponent. We know what the challenges are in front of us and hopefully we'll be ready.

"I'm also excited about having our honorary captains in Bob Chappius, Ron Kramer and Dan Dierdorf. I think that's something I'm really excited about. Each home game we'll have a few honorary captains ? some of our past greats that will come and the fans will have a chance to see them, and they'll have an opportunity to be in the locker room with our team prior to the game."

On redshirt sophomore quarterback Nick Sheridan listed first on the depth chart ahead of redshirt freshman Steve Three: "It should be 'Or.' When it says 'Or' it means 'Or.' Now, hopefully by the end of the week we're going to have somebody on all these 'Ors' go out with the first group, but it's still a wide-open competition. It will remain so at a lot of positions.

"Right now, Nick and Steve are still battling and -- I don't want to say hopefully someone separates himself but I just hope that both of them are ready to play and win with by the weekend, and that they've made great steps. Like the tailback position, the receiver position and quarterback position this week will probably determine who starts on Saturday."

On Saturday's scrimmage: "I'm glad we did it. I'm accustomed to doing it and most teams will do that ? some sort of situation like we did. There is substitution from the sidelines, guys knowing where to sit when they come off the field, the organization, using the headphones, and with no coaches on the field, which is the first time for that to happen. I thought it was very, very beneficial for us.

"We'll do something again, on a smaller scale, this Thursday just because we, particularly, found out with our freshmen ? not that they got all wide-eyed but it was a little bit different when a coach wasn't standing right behind him telling him what to do. So that was good work for us. And having been in the stadium for the first time -- because we didn't even have a spring game ? even to get our upperclassmen back into the feel, getting them excited to be back in The Big House."

On having so many freshmen on the two-deep: "In the transition to the spread scheme, the skill guys on offense all had a chance and that has played out to be true. The fact that we want to play so many tailbacks, and can play so many in our system, tends to lead to more guys having opportunities and that leads to [Sam] McGuffie and [Michael] Shaw having a chance. And they've taken advantage of that.

"Martavious Odoms has had a terrific camp and we thought he had an opportunity, but you didn't know how quickly. He's going to make mistakes. All of them are, but he has shown enough playmaking ability that we have to get him in the game.

"Obviously, at the receiver position, where we lost some guys, that's where Darryl Stonum and even Roy Roundtree [could play]. There are five or six on offense and even a few guys on defense. Mike Martin is going to play. Boubacar [Cissoko] is going to play. J.B. Fitzgerald is going to play. So we have eight, nine, maybe 10 true freshmen that will play for the first time this weekend. That's why we're a little nervous, but I'm excited for them."

On freshman tight end Kevin Koger potentially starting: "Yeah. That's still ? I've been really pleased with the tight end play for the most part. Kevin has shown us enough. He's a very, very quick learner, a very intelligent guy and obviously has some ability. We think Kevin will be right there in the mix. Mike Massey is a veteran. Carson Butler has played a good bit, but Kevin has showed us quite a bit. He's caught our eye and will have an opportunity to play."

On the 'Victor's Walk' they will introduce Saturday: "I think talking to Scott Draper, our Assistant AD, I think that was already in the works even before I got hired, talking about doing something like that. A lot of schools have that type of thing when they go to the stadium on game day. When he talked to me about it I thought it would be a great idea, talked to a few of the players about it and they're real excited about it.

"It's going to be new and hopefully it will grow when the word gets out. Hopefully, there will be a bunch of our fans lined up on either side, getting the guys fired up. Not that they needed it, but it's fun.

"I tell the team, you work like crazy for seven or eight months of the year to play 12 games and hope to play in a 13th and those 12 games ought to be very, very exciting for them all the time. I think that adds a little bit to it. I'm excited about it."

On the 'Victor's Walk' route: "Right outside here [the Junge Center]. We'll drop off two parking lots down. It will be a 200-yard walk just down here. The band will lead the way when we get off the bus and then the players will walk a few hundred yards right into our locker room. We tried that a little bit last Thursday and the guys got a smile on their face. I think it's pretty neat."

On the improvement of Sheridan and Threet: "The biggest improvement with them was the obvious, learning the system. There are so many variables you can do in any offense, but particularly with the spread, so many decisions a quarterback has to make and so many things he has to see on pass plays and run plays, as far as seeing the field. I think, as they become more and more familiar with the offense, they're going to get more and more comfortable. And every player will tell you, the more comfortable you are the faster they can play and the better they can use their abilities.

"And that's the thing for the coaches. In order to run an effective offense and defense, you have to have enough in there to have answers to the problems you'll face but you can't confuse your players. That's the dynamic we're dealing with now.

"Basically in a sense, because of the new schemes, everyone is a freshman mentally. Now the guys that have some experience or are used to picking up different things offensively and defensively learned it very quickly. Nick and Steve have both probably picked up more things than we could have anticipated. Now we haven't done it in a game, but as far as what they've shown in practice, and even their improvement from the spring to now, is the grasp of the offense. But it will still get better."

On both quarterbacks playing Saturday: "I would think both have gotten to the point where we feel comfortable we could win with both of them."

On freshman receiver Darryl Stonum potentially starting Saturday: "One of his advantages was he was able to come here in the spring semester and go through spring practice and get in the weight program. So even though he's in the same class as the other true freshmen, he's had a few more months. That's helped. He's a fast guy. He has good skills. He's a pretty quick learner.

"We're having all of our receivers lean both sides, what we call the 'X' and the 'Z' receiver. Those are different positions and yet they're very, very similar. Normally, by your second or third year, they all have it, but we had them all learn it now. Darryl was a pretty quick learner. Again, a lot of these guys will make mistakes. Hopefully, we'll keep them to a minimum. Darryl has skills, but he's also a very, very competitive guy. He's going to play quite a bit."

On anyone else that could play both receiver spots: "All of them ? [LaTerryal] Savoy, [Greg] Mathews. Junior Hemingway is another guy that is probably not even listed because he's banged up. As Junior gets healthy, we'll see this week. He could be another guy in there. Toney Clemons may play outside some as well. I mention Roy Roundtree is a true freshman that will have an opportunity to play as well."

On what to expect from this team this season: "A little bit. I can understand why the fans and the media wouldn't know what to expect because in some respects the coaches don't either. We would know a lot more because we've been around practice. I don't want to say we're going into this thing totally blind because we're not. We've been practicing for several weeks now but until you put in them in a game situation you're not certain how guys are going to react, particularly the guys that have not played ? not just the freshmen, but there are some sophomores and upperclassmen that are just now getting their first opportunity to play significant amounts.

"With that, there are going to be some few anxious moments before we get out there and perform. But we try to do is put pressure on them in practice, put them in some situations we have, at least, know in our mind that this guy is going to be ready to play or not. That's why you say there are so many 'Ors' -- we have another week to put pressure on them in practice and in a game we want to play a lot of people anyway. But I think we're going to be in a situation where we're going to and we can see who responds well in a game."

On whether he has reflected on his first game at Michigan: "Not really. I've never been ? I'm not that nostalgic type. Not that it won't be exciting because it will be very exciting, but I think it's probably different. Every place you go to and coach at is always a neat experience the first time, but I think the very first time you run out as a head coach is what you remember a lot. Having done this for a few years, you get excited for the games, but all the hoopla doesn't particularly make me feel one way or another. I'm just happy to play, and see how we compete. The other stuff is not a big deal for me."

On any game-week rituals he has: "Superstitions, no. We have the same routine practice-wise, travel to the hotel. But nothing in particular that I am superstitious about. Most of the time I'll come out, watch our team warm up about an hour before, sometimes an hour and 10 minutes, sometimes 50 minutes before. I don't have a particular ? I look at the game plan, talk to the coaches.

"Most of the time, you think about coaches being nervous. You get a little bit. If you're not getting butterflies as a coach or a player you shouldn't be playing or coaching, but you usually have a little more fun Fridays and Saturdays because most of the work is already done as far as the preparation. The preparation is when you have to have a sense of urgency. I have a greater sense of urgency now than I will come Friday or Saturday."

On any Friday-night traditions: "We do that. Everybody does. Everybody takes their travel squad and puts them in a hotel, has a nice meal, a nice meeting. We'll let them watch a movie. Something to relax Friday night. It's very similar. I think just about every team does the same thing."

On the return game in the most recent scrimmage: "We didn't go live in the Beanie Bowl, so that's why it's hard for us. Obviously in the punt returns, we're going to use both [Donovan] Warren and [Martavious] Odoms. Donovan Warren will be the first guy, he's the most experienced guy.

"Any time you put a true freshman on the returns, it makes you a little nervous. You also want to put your most explosive players there. So [Michael] Shaw may be back there on kick returns. But we'll definitely have Brandon Harrison and Morgan Trent and those guys ready as well."

On the offensive line: "The most damaging part, injury-wise, in camp was to our O-line, which was an area we couldn't afford. Cory Zirbel went out with a knee and his backup, Mark Huyge, went out with an ankle. Now all of a sudden, we're really scrambling, with already inexperienced players.

"That was the biggest concern we had. Moving John Ferrara helped. John is still learning it, but he's certainly going to help there. David Moosman being able to play both center and guard has helped us as well.

"We're very, very thin there. We knew that coming in. We're obviously thin there on experience. You're going to have four new starters, regardless. But those guys have worked pretty hard. They've gotten a little bit better each day?

"We're going to see a whole lot of pressure from Utah. They're going to bring a lot of blitzes. They're a very aggressive defense and give you a lot of different looks ? some odd fronts, some even fronts, bringing guys from off the edges and up the middle. We've got to do a lot of work this week in making sure they can pick up the blitzes and be ready for the pressure."

On Sam McGuffie and Michael Shaw apparently being listed ahead of Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown on Michigan's game-week depth chart: "There are 'ors' on all of those. I've got four tailbacks right there.

"McGuffie, Shaw, Minor and Brown are all right there competing. We may start two at one time. In our offense, we can play two tailbacks at the same time.

"Again, I know it's important, maybe, who takes the first snap to a lot of people. To me, it's more important to us to play the guys we feel we're ready to win with."

On who might get more carries: "I don't ever go into it. It's more of a feel thing. If a guy is playing well, making plays, not making big mistakes, and he's not getting tired, we'll keep feeding him the ball. But we don't ever go into it saying 'This guy is going to get eight carries, this guy is going to get seven carries.' We just kind of let it happen."

On Kevin Grady's status for Utah: "Kevin will not play. He's suspended for this Saturday. He knows that."

On whether it's a one-game suspension: "For now."

On any other players who will not be available: "Not for team rules. Obviously the guys who are [injured] ? Cory, Mark Huyge. Terrance Robison is another. Terrance is a guy that would have played as a true freshman this week. He has a knee situation and he'll be out a few weeks. He's a freshman that would have been playing this weekend."

On how he'll determine the length of Grady's suspension: "Oh, as long as I deem necessary. He's got certain things he's got to do, and he's been doing them daily. With Kevin, I know he's learned his lesson and he's working hard to get back in the good graces. He's done everything that we've asked of him on the field and off the field. If he continues to do that, we'll lift the suspension in due time."

On the biggest problems Utah presents: "The experience they have is one thing. That's a team that's going to come in very confident, very aggressive defensively. I've said it before ? they think this may be their best team since Urban's [Meyer] team went to the BCS.

"They've got a very athletic quarterback that runs the spread, which we've had problems against in the past. They've got some explosive players. They've got some of the fastest corners we will play against. They're pretty solid, and they've got a great punter/kicker in Louis Sakoda.

"There are really no weak spots, and it's a veteran team. So it's not like we're opening up against somebody that we can mess around and play awful and win. We've got to play well to win this one."

On Utah running back Darrell Mack: "He's an explosive guy. Then they've got the other big tailback, [Matt] Asiata. Those guys can play for anybody. Mack had a great year last year. He's a perfect spread back, in that he can catch the ball, he's got quick hips.

"We've done some live, like everybody else, but it's different at game speed. Our defense is going to have to be prepared. We're going to have to tackle well. That's a key, playing in a spread. Any coach will tell you, when you're playing a spread team, one of the keys to the defense playing well is tackling in space.

"Because you don't do a lot of live tackling in practices, the games are really where you've got to judge it. We've done some in practice, obviously, against each other, but the big concern is can we tackle these guys in space?"

On Moosman being assured of starting at either center or right guard: "Yeah, it looks like it, that way. Don't put a whole lot into it, because we tell our players not to. We've got a few more practices. I could tell you more definitively if this was about one o'clock on Saturday.

"We're just trying to get them ready to win with, and put the best guys out there to start the game."

On whether he has a gut feeling about the starting quarterback: "I've got a gut feeling, yeah. Can you keep a secret?"

On whether he'll reveal the quarterback choice on Wednesday: "Wednesday? Maybe. Yeah, I might. Maybe not. I've got a gut feeling."

On whether it would help Utah if he announce the choice: "Yeah, but I think that's overrated. They're going to prepare for either one, and neither one of them are on film. It's not like you can watch either guy and say, 'He does this, and that guy does that.'

"They're both similar players, anyway. I think if you had two totally different types of players, one strictly a runner and one strictly a thrower, then you maybe would keep an advantage by not saying something. But they're very similar in what they do, and neither one of them have played. So I don't think it gives an advantage one way or the other."

On when the quarterbacks will be informed: "Oh, later in the week. To their credit, they know they just have to keep working every day. People say, if you tell them, they get their nerves out. They're going to be nervous no matter when you tell them ? Saturday before the game, or Wednesday or Thursday. Today, whatever.

"I'll talk with both of them, and have my little conversations with them as far as both of them getting ready. But they're great young men. They'll understand the situation and go out there and compete. Hopefully, they'll have some fun."

On Marcus Witherspoon: "He's still taking a class. He's not on the team right now, until he gets through the [NCAA] clearinghouse."

On comparing McGuffie and Shaw to talented backs he's had in the past: "I don't think it's fair to compare players with other teams. But I've been fortunate to have a lot of explosive players the last several years. That certainly helps your dynamics of your offense, if you have guys who are great in space or who can run away from people.

"Shaw and McGuffie are both explosive players. What you don't know until you get them in this environment is how quickly they can learn. They're making mistakes, but they learn very quickly. And, how competitive they'll be as far as getting in there and pass blocking, mixing it up. Both of those guys, from the first rep they've taken, have practiced at a level sometimes you hope your upperclassmen will get to.

"I always tell them , I'd rather tell you 'Whoa' than 'Sick 'em.' Those guys came out from the first practice going full speed, and have not missed a rep. This weekend, hopefully they've got their legs back under them. I'm excited for them. They're going to have great careers here, both of them. We'll get a little more depth, which we need at that position. They'll play a lot of football."

On whether he has in mind the type of game Michigan can win this year: "No, not really. I understand the question, but for us to win, Michigan can't beat Michigan. We can't turn the ball over. We can't make a lot of mental mistakes, even though we're going to make some, especially the young guys. We can't do the dumb things to beat ourselves.

"If you're more talented than everybody you play and all that, you can screw around and do those things and still win. We're not there right now. We're not to the point where we can mess around and screw up and win the game.

"We're going to have to execute, keep the mistakes to a minimum. Whatever score that is, that is."

On going live this week: "No, you can't. I don't want to lose any more players this week, getting ready to play. Now we will bang on Tuesday. Tuesday will be a physical practice. We'll be in full pads and get after it pretty good. We won't tackle to the ground, but guys will fall on the ground.

"Tuesday, we'll get after it pretty good. The other days, the execution part will be full speed, but we won't be hitting."

On the defensive front saying it wants to be the best front four in the country: "I'm glad they want to be that, but I've got to see it. We've got to prove it. I do think we've got a lot more experience defensively, a lot more guys that have played. They've worked very hard and they're in pretty good shape.

"I still think we have some things to work on defensively, as well as offensively. But there's no question we expect and hope we get a high level of play, particularly against a team like Utah, that is talented and runs a spread scheme. They're going to have to give great effort and be in great shape.

"Our guys have to be in great shape. When you're playing in open space and you're running a whole lot, there are going to be a lot of guys that get winded at times."

On Utah quarterback Brian Johnson: "He's kind of like Shaun King. He's a little faster than Shaun, I think ? Shaun wouldn't tell you that. But he's very, very competitive.

"He ran more before he dinged his shoulder up, and then he didn't run as much, for obvious reasons. He can run, and they have all that part of their offense. We've got to be ready for that."

On the keys to slowing Utah down: "Knowing your assignment, doing your job ? whatever your job is on that particular scheme, you've got to do that job. Again, tackle well in space against spread teams.

"Whether it's a running back or quarterback or wide receiver, you've got to get guys to the ball. If one guy does miss, you've got to have two or three and the rest of the troops coming on."

On whether he expects to see Utah huddle or run a no-huddle: "We're prepared for both. They've done both. They've run no-huddle, and we'll prepare for them to run it and run it fast. It's easy to prepare for a team that's not, but you've got to prepare for a team to do the no-huddle fast. Our defense has seen it a good bit in practice, but every team runs it at a different pace.

"We've got to be prepared for that against Utah. We will be ? I hope."

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