Twenty-one Big Ten football players spoke yesterday during the final segment of Big Ten Media Days, and most of them had plenty to say about the Wolverines.
Some chose to remain anonymous (we released Part 1 on Monday, and will soon be releasing Part 2) while discussing U-M's offense and defense, while others had no problem speaking on the record.
Here are the best quotes we've rounded up from Day 2 regarding past matchups with the Maize and Blue, their personnel, and much more.
• Wisconsin fifth-year senior left tackle Michael Deiter, on whether or not there was a 'revenge factor' last season against Michigan: “Whenever you lose to a team one year and play them again the next, you don’t forget it. You remember what happened and they do too — you definitely want to get one back though.
"It’s cool that we'll be able to play at their place again — I actually have a lot of family who always goes to that game. It’s a historic venue to play in.”
• Iowa fifth-year senior defensive lineman Matt Nelson, on what he remembers from Iowa's 2016 upset win over No. 2 Michigan: “The thing I remember most about that game was how our defense as a whole played so tough. It was a matchup where we knew that, if we were going to be in it, it was going to be tight.
"Rushing the field afterward was the most memorable thing about it. I’d put that game in the top three of my entire career here — Ohio State last year and Wisconsin in 2015 are the other two.”
• Maryland senior safety Darnell Savage, on his impressions of Michigan's offense last year: “I remember preparing extra for them because they do a lot of shifts and motions on that side of the ball.
"We knew they were going to stick with what they do best, but they also mixed it up well too. We had to stay on our toes against them, because they used so many tight ends, and they came out in some crazy looks.
"They even used four tight ends at times. I remember they had a pretty good group of receivers too. The young guy — No. 9 [then-freshman Donovan Peoples-Jones] — really stood out to me.”
• Michigan State senior safety Khari Willis, on how he would describe the U-M/MSU rivalry: “I would tell someone who isn't familiar with it that the Michigan/Michigan State game is vicious. It’s also very traditional.
"It’s about two teams who love to play smash-mouth football, and it’s very personal. If you’ve never experienced it, turn on your TV sometime and you’ll see what I’m talking about.
"It doesn’t take guys who aren’t from Michigan long to understand the rivalry. The mindset might take a little longer, but once you step on our campus, you adapt. They [Michigan] can probably say the same thing.”
• Michigan State redshirt junior quarterback Brian Lewerke, on how he would describe the U-M/MSU rivalry: “It’s very intense, whether you’re an alumni or still a player.
"You’ll feel the intensity, and you’ll sense something in the air come Michigan week. We all look forward to winning that game.”
• Ohio State senior right tackle Isaiah Prince, on Ed Warinner: “Ed Warinner was a great guy and a great coach. I didn’t know him too well, because he was the offensive line coach for only my first year here, and then became offensive coordinator.
"From what I remember, though, he was a great guy to me.”
More of TheWolverine's Coverage of Big Ten Media Days:
• Roundtable: TheWolverine.com Staff at Media Day
• Big Ten Players Discuss Michigan Football During Final Media Day Session
• Rival Report: Michigan State RB L.J. Scott Calls Michigan 'Little Sister'
• OSU Writers, Others Intrigued by Ed Warinner Addition to Michigan Football
• Chuck Long Breaks Down Patterson, Gives Take on Harbaugh
• Addition of Patterson Helped Keep Chase Winovich at U-M
• Michigan Football Podcast: Chris Balas and Angelique Chengelis
• Big Ten Media Days, Tuesday Thoughts: On the Offensive Line
• Big Ten Players Talk all Things U-M at Media Days
• Big Ten Media Days Live Thread
• Anonymous Big Ten Players Share Their True Thoughts on Michigan's Defense
• Anonymous Big Ten Players Share True Thoughts About Michigan's Offense
• ITF Extra: Big Ten Media Day Takeaways
• Winovich, Higdon and Kinnel Pick 2018 Breakout Players
• Wolverine Watch: Jim Harbaugh Draws a Different Line
• Media Day Video: Higdon, Kinnel and Winovich
• News and Views: Jim Harbaugh at Big Ten Media Days
• Jim Harbaugh Talks QBs, More in Chicago
• Live Video: Jim Harbaugh on Michigan Football at Big Ten Media Day
• Media Days Roundtable Gets Blunt on U-M
• Big Ten Media Days Live Thread
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