On the respect level for Ryan Day and the OSU staff
It's all about our preparation for Ohio. The days, the minutes, the hours, everything leading up to this game, that's where our focus is. Preparing ourselves and planning. Practice and then execute. Anything else is irrelevant when you get into this kind of big game week.
On how he watched the game last week
Watched the game at my brother's house, great to watch it with him. What I saw was a great and glorious win. Really happy with the team. Good to be around his football mind, too. Accomplished what we went there to do and got the mission done.
On how he prepares the coaches heading into a game of this magnitude
It's really battle-tested team. Empowering people. It's really that. Empowering our coaches, empowering our players and just an amazing job that they've done. Amazing effort. How our players have gone about things, coaches, players, I just think back over the last five, six weeks especially, it's just been a high-pitched siren. A deafening, ear-piercing noise. After a while, they start to tolerate it. Before you know it, just block it out. Stay on course. That's what our team has done. Keep the priorities right and keep the priorities straight with is faith, family and football.
On his reaction to Chris Partridge's firing and elevate Rick Minter
It was my idea to elevate Rick Minter. I think that statement was put out by our university and described the situation. I don't have anything to add to it.
On what changed during the week to not go to hearing
Like I just said, the school put out a statement about that and they addressed the situation. I don't have anything further to add to it.
On Thanksgiving plans with the team
We'll practice Thanksgiving and everybody will have the opportunity to enjoy the day with their families. Most of the time families come to town. Those that don't will go with another family. Invite them to practice, it's always a great day.
On whether dealing with the outside noise will be the biggest challenge this week
It's like the Ted Lasso show. Believe. What comes out of that is believe. I'm just so proud. So proud of our team despite that noise. Our locker room is in one piece. Like Ted, for me, I like locker rooms a lot like my mom's bathing suits, like to see them in once piece. We've got that and it's amazing. There's so many lessons to be learned. Many life lessons that our young guys are learning at this age. It's how the world works. Keeping our priorities straight. Faith, family, football. We're battle-tested and ready to go. It's all Ohio. This week is all about Ohio. Working really hard to get ready for this game. The hours, the minutes, the days to hone our focus, get prepared and practice and go execute the game.
On what the last few weeks have shown him about sustaining success
Stay on course. One thing about the noise, it starts to be tolerated and it just gets blocked out. Staying on course, staying on the high road. Shortens that time to make that happen.
On whether he's confident that he won't have any further staff changes
We are in position to be in position. That's what we know. We're 11-0, they're 11-0. Everything is—all focus and preparation is on this game, as it should be.
On Michigan not being able to defend themselves publicly
Like I said, it's ear-piercing at first and then it becomes tolerable. Then you block it out. Stay on course.
On how they learn to tolerate outside noise
Staying on the high road is one way to shorten that time down. Keeping the priorities right. Faith, family, football. You keep those priorities straight and other things become irrelevant.
On how this investigation will impact the long-term and short-term outlook of the program
Don't have a crystal ball. It's all about this game. That's where our focus is. Getting prepared. Getting ready to execute. I think our team is battle-tested and is going to be tough to beat. Looking forward to it.
On whether he's discussed his future with the administration
All the focus is on Ohio State. Can say that as many times—this is where we're at. That's the focus. That's part of the life lesson, to focus on the task in front of you. When you got a task in front of you and it's a big task, you gotta use every day, every hour, every minute to plan, practice, get yourself right, get yourself in position to go out there and play to the best of our ability.
On Marvin Harrison Jr.
He reminds me a lot of his dad. Great player. You gotta be covering, slowing him down is probably the better word. Do our best to do that and everything works together. Pass rush, the faster and more pressure they can put on the quarterback the better the coverage is going to be. Same with the coverage. The better the coverage then that allows the pass rush to get home. Like any game, any time you play a team, team defense, is going to be critical. It all works together.
---
Discuss this article with our community on our premium message boards
Not a subscriber to Maize & Blue Review? Sign up today to gain access to all the latest Michigan intel M&BR has to offer
Follow our staff on Twitter: @JoshHenschke, @Berry_Seth14, @TrevorMcCue, @DennisFithian, @BrockHeilig, @JimScarcelli, @lucasreimink
Subscribe to our podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify
Check out Maize & Blue Review's video content on YouTube
Follow Maize & Blue Review on social media: Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram
