On being interim OC

It's obviously been a transition and different than the time I've spent here previously in this past season. Obviously not at this scale, not at a place like this, but it's a job I've done before. So really the biggest difference is about managing your time, making sure you organize structure, what we need to accomplish. So it's been different, for sure, but it's something that I've experienced at other places in the past. Something that I'm comfortable doing and have done. So it's been different, but it's been good. It's been great. It's something that I'm honored to be in the circumstance that I'm in. You know, never the way you would want to be in those shoes, but it's been great.

On his style of offense

Well, Michigan's offense is Michigan's offense. You know, like relative to our roster, the play caller, kind of where we were as a program. The offense, the bones of the offense have been the same for a while now. But, you know, every game, every roster, every group of dudes that are available and planned kind of dictate the approach that you take. And we're really focused. When Coach Moore first met with the team, because we were getting ready for this game, the biggest focus was just getting better at the fundamentals of football. So we've really kind of like been in the weeds focusing on that. But, yeah, like getting ready for a specific defense, getting ready with a specific set of, you know, skill players and offense alignment, all that kind of stuff definitely dictates and determines kind of who you are and what you do. But Michigan's offense is Michigan's offense.

On his conversations with Chip Lindsey

He's awesome. He's a really good man. He's got great spirit about him. Very much like that servant, leader feel. He's very much a compliment. He's been a high school coach and has dealt with the youngest of young people for sure. And then when you talk nuts and bolts football, he's been great. As you guys get to know him, as Michigan's fan base and the media get to know him, you're really going to like him. Really a good guy. He's been great. And he has been super helpful.

On whether opt-outs complicate the gameplan

I think it would complicate things if it happened in the moments leading up to the game. But we've had pretty good sense and pretty good handle of who was going to be available for the game. So I don't know if complicate is the right word, but different than a normal game week. But fortunately, you've got time to get ready. And I've made this comment before. There's always this impression, not just our program, but everywhere, that the guys that play in games are the only ones that practice. We're trained.
We've got a very healthy program. We're in good depth. And we feel good about where we're at.

On players who are due for bigger roles who are seizing the opportunity

Yeah, I'll tell you what. The running back room has been fun to watch. Ben Hall, of course, has played for us. Jordan Marshall. Micah Ka'apana. Bryson Kuzdal. Those guys of all, watching them grow and evolve has been really fun to watch. At tight end, seeing more and more and more of Hogan Hansen and Zack Marshall and Jalen Hoffman. We've played some games where those guys have played in, certainly. And then at receiver, Channing Goodwin and Stu have gotten better throughout this bowl prep. And the guys that have played a lot for us, we've got a lot of experience returning for this game at receiver. But they've honed their craft and have kind of upped their game, too. And then the offensive line is doing good. So we feel good about it. They're doing good. You know, Channing, from the day he's kind of gotten here, he very much fits the mold of what success has looked like here. Serious about football. Football smart. Smart, just has a really good energy about him. And that's just continued to take off. And like anything else, when there's pieces move around, you get more opportunities, more chances to be in there with the older veteran players that have played or the ones, so to speak. And he's really taken off. And then Stu, I think this has been great for Stu. He has really grown and developed and kind of like re-locked in. Because it's hard when you're a young player that's kind of pulling double duty. Maybe being on the scout team and still having to know our offense and so on and so forth. So this has been healthy for Stu to kind of hit the reset button in terms of the execution of the bones of the offense. And then he's just playing faster. He's doing everything faster. And the less you think, you know, the better you play. So both Stu and Channing have excelled in that respect.

On whether he plans to get Alex Orji involved in the offense

Alex is definitely, he's here, he's practicing, he's available for sure. So we'll kind of progress and do whatever we need to do to win the game.

On Marlon Klein ready to take the next step

So Mar actually played the most snaps of anybody in the tight end room this past season. And I love that he said that. And I saw that. I'm glad that he's echoing that and he's living that and breathing it. Mar got so much accomplished this season because it was really the first time he'd ever played. And he was on the field in critical moments. Like I said, he played the most snaps in the room. Biggest congratulations from Marlon. Once you do something really good, like that becomes your new standard. So constantly chasing that and, you know, like limiting the bad plays and the less bad plays you have, negative plays I should say, the more exceptional ones you need to see. But yeah, Mar had a good season and he's committed to getting better.

On plans to play Jadyn Davis in the bowl game

Same thing I would say about Alex and all the quarterbacks that are here, practicing really good, doing a good job. Josh Sinagoga is doing a good job being involved with their development. Jadyn's another guy that I'd be remiss not to mention the leaps and bounds he's taken over the last two weeks or so. He's doing really well.

On how he's handling the quarterback room changes

We made this observation about Jadyn during pregame against Ohio State. He like just, if you had to pick an intangible skill about J.D. too, it would be like he kind of has that like unflappable, like just kind of not phased by much. You wouldn't guess that there's been any kind of like change in that respect. He's been great. Like the emotions of a game and like the vibe of playing the position, like whatever it is, Jadyn's got it.

On how Davis Warren has handled the changes in the QB room

You know, Underwood comes in a lot. Same way. Dave is like laser-focused, as is Alex, as is J.D. too, on doing whatever they need to do to kind of get ready for the game, win the game. They've been great. They've picked up a number of transfer portal teammates over the last couple of weeks.

On whether he expects the program to remain aggressive in the portal

That would be a question probably better for somebody above my pay grade. Like that's the new normal in college football, though. It's a great question. It's a great question. You know, like the recruiting calendar and timeline and like what's relevant and recruiting in our sport. I mean, it seems like it's changing every cycle in terms of like the when, the how, the why, the what. But yeah, I think that's something across every program in the country that like the normal is going to be to be pretty active in the portal and finding the right fit and guys that you really believe kind of like fit what you're looking for, both on the field, off the field. Yeah. I think that's the future of our sport. Whereas the now probably a better way to put it.

On his impression of Bryce Underwood

The biggest thing I would say about him is a great spirit, great energy, committed to learning what we've got going on. He's doing really good. He's great. Great personality. Funny. You know, I watch him dependent on the schedule. You know, he walks by my office in the morning. He's one of the first guys in the building. So he's been awesome.

On whether Underwood's work ethic has surprised him

No, because what I've been exposed to at the University of Michigan, that's how pretty much every guy has entered our program. And he's, he's a great fit and he's he's been great. You would have kind of like, I think I saw Davis say it like you would never know it He fits in with all of our other mid-years in the best way possible. And I mean, that was a big-time compliment. He's been awesome.

On his involvement in the play calling this season

We like, I think getting ready for any game, there's a collaborative effort. Like I think sometimes when you think like, right, like in any organization, in any sport, offense, defense, special teams, of course, there's somebody at all funnels through, but I echoed this before. We always had a very team-oriented mindset that it's never, you know, one person's success, one person's failure. So we are all involved in the, you know, planning of the game and the thought process, but to put a finite answer on that from like snap to snap or game to game, coach Campbell was our play caller for sure, but he had input from us and we were collaborative without a doubt.

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