Opening Statement

Want to make some comments about where things stand with the ongoing circumstances because we have a hearing on Friday. The support of President Ono, the Board of Regents, Warde Manuel, is greatly appreciated. The support of our alumni, fanbase towards our incredible football team. There is already so much to be thankful for. Who's got it better than us? That's what I like to say. Nobody. Very proud of our players. Sherrone, Coach Herb, the entire staff. The way that they handled the situation with flying colors, man. Players just played their hearts out. It's a team full of leaders. A team that's connected, committed and as we've talked about many times, plays for each other. Very unselfish. Finally, the whole world is seeing what I get to see every single day. Players playing their hearts out, talented, resilient, great guys and they play their hearts out together. Undefeated this season. 10-0. They've won 26 regular season games (in a row), 10 straight road wins, best in program history since 1945 and 1948. No one cares who gets the credit. They're always happy for the other guys success. Did a great job blocking out the noise both outside the stadium and inside. Means so much. The incredible things our team has accomplished. Giving it their very best. Competing, enjoying and triumphant. The things that they all said. Personally, Coach Moore, the players said and my daughter Grace, what she wrote, just so special. I'm going to remember that until the day they throw dirt on top of me. The program. Sitting at 999 wins, chance for 1,000 this Saturday. In our wildest dreams, that what we hoped for, that's what we worked for was that we'd have a chance to play in our 11th game this season, a chance to get that 1,000. Just really want to shoutout the Green Bay Packers, most wins in NFL history, 793. Most wins in high school football, Valdosta, Georgia. 951. Michigan Wolverines, 999. No one has won more. Nobody. I want to thank, especially, everyone who has put on the winged helmet. All those who have contributed and those who have imported their efforts and the current supporters, as I mentioned before, it's monumental. It motivates us to find extra work. To keep a one-track mind and get keener, finer and more alert. Get the job done. Very proud of our football team.

On Kenneth Grant's tackle and Rayshaun Benny

Kenneth Grant running down the running back in that game, I was up off my feet. One of the best plays of the season, that play by Kenneth Grant. Maybe one of the best plays ever. Compare it to the play Justin Smith made against the Eagles my first year coaching at the 49ers. It was a guardian of victory type of play. Kenneth was dominant in the game. He was the real tone-setter right from the first series. He's playing great. Only a sophomore. Tremendous. Rayshaun Benny, played 14 snaps in the game but had a great effect on the game. Tackle for a loss, big and the caused fumble that Makari Paige jumped on. It was a great job by our football team. Capitalized on their mistakes, jumped on them and it was another game where we don't turn the ball over. I don't know what our record is now since 2015 where we don't turn the ball over, it's undefeated and probably close to 50-0 when we don't turn the ball over. Great job. There's so many opportunities but just holding onto the ball. Blake Corum, incredible game. Jake Thaw, there were punts where he made every right decision back there as a punt returner. Returned some, fair caught some, over the shoulder, I was really happy with the way the guys were so locked in and took care of the football like guardians of victory that they are.

On his emotions after the win

Just really proud. I know I said it first team meeting, I know I talked about it here. Moses had 90 leaders, how many do we need? Answer was we need more than 90. We've got that. We've got a team full of leaders. Future leaders that have already been galvanized. They were already on a mission, the mission last year was a happy mission. This year has been even more than the wins. It's a mission of faith, it's a mission of speaking truth to power, it's a mission of playing for each other as a band of brothers. It's a mission, I see our guys and they're strong, they're walking upright and innocent. Just taking care of business. The one-track mind. I'm so thankful for that. Our team has been—that's resonated so much. Wake up, take care of business, go to sleep, wake up the next day, take care of business again.

On where he watched the game and the level of frustration (and his raspy voice)

I don't know what I have, some kind of virus or something, trainer told me. Not sick. Feel great. Got a tremendous workout in today, thank you coach Sean Lockwood for that. I'm the iron wall that viruses bash against and shatter. Something is going on there. Just working out, get it worked out. Work it out of the system. Do some more push-ups. Eat an apple.

On who the acting head coach will be

Sherrone Moore. As I said, got a lot of leaders, some people scoff at a lot of the things I've said, I think I said way back in April, I had 10 coaches who will be future head coaches. Think I made the statement that I think four would be coaches after this year. Sherrone is, yeah, he's the best of the best. His toughness, mental toughness, physical toughness. There's nobody that doubts Sherrone Moore and his dedication, his connections, his commitment to the team. That's my pick.

On his range of emotions on Saturday

The kind of game that, put up there with all the games. The top ones. Every single one, every single win. It's like one of our own children, you love them all. I guess there's some that you're just so proud of. That's one of the top five, at least. Felt so good about that. Watching it from where I was watching it, how could you not see this? These players. Blake Corum with the nose bloodied and the emotion of the team. The perseverance and the stalwartness of these guys. Watching, I would have to say, it's gotta be America's team. Gotta be America's team. America loves a team that beats the odds, beats the adversity. Overcomes what the naysayers and critics, so-called experts, think. That's my favorite kind of team. Watching it from that view of the television, finally, people get to see what I see every day with these players and these coaches.

On what he felt about being informed by the Big Ten on a Friday afternoon

I'm going to talk on Friday. Just looking for that opportunity. Due process. Not looking for special treatment, not looking for a popularity contest. Looking for the merit of what the case is. Senior year in high school had a civics class and talk about government, justice and what I took away from that class was you're innocent until proven guilty. That was 40 years ago. I'd like that opportunity.

On whether he's worried about the long-term impact of the relationship with the conference

I'm going to save all my comments for in court. Like I said, I'm not going to talk much about what's going on. Have an opportunity on Friday to do that.

On the defense and PSU firing its offensive coordinator

I don't know about that. Not something—fellow coach, that's something we don't take any pleasure in. Our team, it's all galvanized team that took the field. Blocked out noise outside the stadium, inside the stadium and played for each other and played a great game. Decisive game both offensively, defensively and on special teams. Showed their mettle. Stuff I knew, I knew they were stalwarts. They'd been questioned. This that or the other thing or they hadn't played anybody. Watch them go do it, so proud of every leader. So proud of the way they prepared and so proud of the way that they played.

On plans once the program gets to 1,000 wins

You don't really get me too much, I don't think anybody does. Whatever the emotion is, whether it's name an emotion. Frustration, anger, happiness. Whatever it is, I just go find work to do. Go to work. I find something extra to do and when I do that, I find that it clears my mind, cleanses my soul and a lot of times the perfect thing comes to you. What to do, how to do it. Not every time but a lot of the time. When you're done, you've accomplished something. You've got something done. Maybe made money, saved money and avoid making the problem worse. Dress, work and keep on rolling. I always use the analogy with others to try to put it in a frame of reference, Sarah doesn't like when I talk about her. She doesn't like this so I apologize to Sarah before I say this, she'll get mad at me and get after me. Sometimes I get angry. I got two options. I can come back and fire back and I'll show her who's boss or I can turn right around, go out and feed the chickens, clean the coop, cut the lawn, edge it. Work for hours until that—it always is the better resolution. That's how I treat things since I was real young. It's beem productive. Been highly, highly productive the things I get accomplished from that work.

On whether he has chickens

I do have chickens. We have chickens. That was COVID year, 2020. Easter. Went to Tractor Supply and that was before, I think, they shut things down. Went to Tractor Supply, got the chickens and brought them home for Easter and just little chicks. They're kids. They love those chickens for about a week, the chicks. Then the chicks became teenager chickens and became adult chickens all hens, egg layers. I'm the one who takes care of them. The respect I have for chickens. I know there was a time that I said chicken is a nervous bird, I don't eat chicken I only eat meat. I was dead wrong, I stand corrected. These chickens are low-maintenance and high-production. They lay an egg every 26, 27 hours and they need water, they need food and I play with them, too. I let them out in the yard and they run around. They're happy to see me. There's time where I'm doing good things for other people and they're not as happy to see me as my chickens are. It's good. Good for my mental health, as well. I get fresh eggs every day. Highly productive.

On the team

All those things, it's the connectivity of the team. It's the commitment from the guys. This goes back to every winter workout cycle where the guys are lifting the weights and running the wind sprints. Moves into spring practice and the summer cycle. Our guys are so connected and committed, pushing each other. Into training camp, the team is forged, really forged there. Captains are picked and then we go play the game. That connection, that commitment, is already been forged. Even before that, what they've seen older players do that they were trying to watch and emulate and then try to go make them proud. Even before that, it's what their parents instilled into them. Poured into them. The discipline, the work ethic. You can get James Corum poured that into Blake Corum when Blake was out working in the yard and tending to some of their animals. No coincidence he's up at what time the great ones are up. He's up around 4:30-5 in the morning and he's working by 6. Still doing that to this day. All those things. All part of the stew.

On how he's speaking on Friday

I don't know exactly, I don't know exactly how it's going to go. I'm going to be able to go, though. I don't know if I'll be—that's not my dancefloor. I'm not an attorney. Always wanted to be, I watched a lot of shows. Judge Judy, a lot. Always kind of felt like it would be cool to get up there and thunder away at a jury like Tom Cruise in A Few Good Men. Or be a judge like Judge Judy. Alas, I did not go to law school. This will be the first time I've ever really been in this situation. Was a court report for KB one time, first time kind of being in there, right there, instead of just watching.

On how he balances preparing for Friday and getting the team ready

It'll be a one-track mind getting ready for Saturday. Getting ready for the game, coaching the team, getting them prepared up. Haven't given it any thought. Let the judge decide.

On Sherrone Moore's postgame interview

Yeah, I was like five inches from the TV to watch that. It was beautiful. I'll remember that, too. I know I said I'll remember Grace's letter until they throw dirt over top of me but I'll remember what Sherrone said, too. And Blake and all the players. I already know. I know how he feels, I know how the players feel. I know how I feel. It meant a lot. Means a lot. Much appreciated.

On his reaction to running the ball 30 straight times

I think it was necessary. Really, in all of our wins against Penn State, whether it was in 21 where Hassan Haskins carried the load, last year we rushed for over 400 yards and then this year, 230 and some change. Just what we felt necessary, offsets what Penn State really wants to do offensively. Makes them play not the kind of game they really desire to play, what's best for us.

On how he was informed on Friday

Somebody showed me their phone. Via social media. Just social media. Warde was pretty upset, he was on the phone, too. He was pretty upset that he heard through social media and not through the Big Ten office.

On Warde Manuel's statement

Tremendous support. Warde has been ten toes down. He's standing right here with us. His support, President Ono's support, the Board of Regents. Our team is already galvanized, they're connected and they're together, but I'm feeling a galvanized Michigan. University, alumni network. All the alums. Largest living alumni body in the world for any school. And the fanbase, which goes coast to coast and worldwide really being galvanized. That's a tremendous thing. That's a monumental thing when you think about it. Everybody fighting like the team we're supposed to be. That's going to be tough to beat.

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