On what he knows about the team heading into conference play

I guess, a lot. A quarter of the season is gone. We've played three of the 12 games. Like you said in the opening, it's been fine. It's been good. So many bright spots and just want to keep building on that. Probably the thing we know now is that the momentum that was built last season, the momentum that continued into the offseason which we felt so good about. The winter cycle, the training that went in. Spring practice, the summer cycle. The training camp was outstanding. Felt like it was good and getting better every day. That's continued into the season.

On the special teams unit

We were back at it today working on all kinds of things. It's been really good. Hard to remember any time we've had a blocked punt and a punt return for a touchdown. Kickoff coverage is really good. You haven't seen it because there's been so many touchbacks. I think we've had 24 touchbacks in the last 25 kicks that Jake Moody's had. That's not stopping the guys from detailing everything. Across the board, more detail, more things to improve on. Everybody attacking it. Special team-wise, such a high number of guys that want to do it. The line is long and getting longer every day. Joe Taylor, is now trying to aspire to be the new Caden Kolesar. Keshaun Harris, doing the same thing. Jake Thaw, Leon Franklin, Danny Hughes, it's such a long list. T.J. Guy is chomping at the bit. Coach, I want to get on more special teams. Hey, it's an all-you-can-eat buffet. Have at it. Just a long list of guys that want to do. It's good. It's fun. Every day you go to practice, watching guys trying to compete and hone their craft at whatever position they're playing and special teams.

On J.J. McCarthy

It's been good. Not just statistically, it's been good. He continues—back out there today like everyone. Blake Corum comes off a five-touchdown day, he's out there learning off the film. Offensive line continues to get better. Can't talk enough about the receiver blocking. The best I've ever seen. A lot of credit to Ron Bellamy.

On whether receiver blocking has been emphasized in camp

An emphasis? Sure. There was a challenge made eight, nine days into camp. The guys just took it. Ronnie Bell, Cornelius Johnson, Roman Wilson, Andrel Anthony who also had a touchdown block for Blake Corum in the game. It was one challenge and then it was, OK, we'll show you, coach. You didn't have to beg or plead. They've taken the challenge and they want to see how good they can get. It's like anything, you see yourself doing good and then you want to do even better. Perimeter blocking has been outstanding. Huge improvement for our team. It's never been like this. You've seen it in the first three games. You pop a ball out there on the bubble screen and watch it go for 50 or 38. What that does to the run defense. They've got it where they want to get an extra guy into the box, they've gotta midpoint it. They have to stay a little wider to protect those screens. When that option is open and the inside run game, those are two things that really complement each other.

On Cade McNamara's return

I don't know. We'll see. I'm sure he'll be a fast healer. Tough as nails type of guy. It's going to be rehab for a little bit here. It's rest and treatment.

On who the backup quarterback will be

It'll be—we've dealt with the quarterback position and talked about that. When it comes to—there's not a quarterback controversy with who the backup quarterback will be. I like the three guys a lot. Davis Warren, Alan Bowman, Alex Orji. They're all getting reps today. All doing good. The team has confidence in all three. Could be a combination. Excited about that group. It's gotta be a Guinness Book of World Records of 7 quarterbacks completing a pass in a game. I think that is a Michigan record. You go back into the 50s, the 40s, when it was the Wing-T and the running backs, four or five running backs are throwing a pass in a game. I think 7 is the most in Michigan history. This could be the first in football history to have seven players complete a pass in a game.

On whether Trevor Keegan will play

Probable. I think he will be.

On Gio El-Hadi

He's done good. He's stepped in each of the ball games. He's a vastly improved player. It's fun to watch, continue to get his pad level lower. He's a strong man and he's doing a hecukva good job. He's been a real bright spot for the offense.

On the offensive line depth

I think it's been good. It'll be better once Karsen Barnhart is back and healthy. We'll see if that is this week or the next. I think, good, and it'll be much better when Kars gets back.

On the message to the team with conference play starting

Win the next game. That's always first and foremost. Secondly, the conference games count towards the conference championship. That's one of our goals. We're excited about that challenge, I don't think there's a guy in the building that's not. Judging by the way everybody was moving around today. They know what time it is.

On having the target on their back

Yeah, we talk about that. There's a big target there. Whenever you're a defending champion, it's going to be there.

On Michael Barrett's growth

Always such a good guy. Always such a focused player. Always does what you ask him to do. Whether that's—we had him at running back for a short time, we had him at safety, we had him at VIPER, now he's really settled in on special teams. He's been a great punt protector. We've picked up some fourth down with him running the ball that way. Core team guy. He's worked his way into the rotation as a starting inside linebacker, doing a really good job at the WILL. He's made some key tackles as he did in this past ballgame. One that could've got out on us and he made the open-field tackle. Like a lot of our guys, they're really tackling well right now. If they're in open space and they're making the tackle, pretty quickly there's other tacklers that are right there to support the one guy. A lot of hats in the picture. Mike is doing a great job. Trusted agent, known friend.

On his expectations for the secondary entering Big Ten play

That they're going to play good. I would just say that the secondary jumps out at you as they're really playing good. Went into the season, gone into these first three games getting what we expected which was, man, we've got three good corners, three starting-type corners in Gemon Green, D.J. Turner and Mike Sainristil. We have three starting-quality safeties in Rod Moore, R.J. Moten and Makari Paige. If there's one that I say, gosh, I'm really so proud of Makari Paige. He has turned into a real hitter back there. He's always been athletic, could always cover ground and be in the right place. That physical presence, he's somebody that you would be head on a swivel if you were a receiver, I would think, watching some of the tape. The play he made this past week was just textbook how to hit a defenseless receiver, legally. Legally, safely and make sure they don't catch the football.

On whether he gets excited for his players to see secondary make hits

I sure do. The hits in the secondary, some of the edge pressure that they've generated, improvements in open-field tackling, I get excited about all that stuff. Gemon Green, he had a whale of a game last week and he's shown that he can cover. D.J. Turner is playing really good and physical, so is R.J. and Rod Moore. All those guys have really lived up to what we thought they would be.

On Braiden McGregor's biggest area of improvement

In being able to get off a block, come to a point, control the block, see the ball carrier, pursue and make the tackle. Our defense, to me, that's what is standing out the most. Getting off blocks and you have guys now that can take on blocks, set the edge and make the tackle. We've seen Jaylen Harrell do that probably the most. We've seen Upshaw do that, Braiden McGregor do that, Eyabi do that. It's been good. 14 guys have gotten TFLs and we've had 18 TFLs. 14 different guys have contributed. Mike Morris has 3, he's definitely got the most. That's what I've seen. What I like about our defense the most? We're getting off blocks and making tackles. Not sticking on a block and watching a guy run by you. Have to be able to come to your point, deliver a blow. Control the block, then find the ball carrier, get off the block and make the tackle. It's gotta come in that succession. You can't come to your point, find the ball, before you've delivered a blow or control the block. It's really gotta come in those steps. Really seeing our defense do that. Doing it in a fundamental way, a talented way. We're going to have to have that this week,. I think everybody understands, including us, that the competition is stepping up dramatically starting this week we're Maryland. They're really talented. Really talented upfront in the offensive line, they're really talented at the receiver position, the running back position, the quarterback position. It's going to be a great challenge for us.

On what the battles have been like in practice between defense and offense

Very competitive. Mazi Smith is somebody that has freakish strength. It's going down, I can tell you. We do those Michigan vs. Michigan, we just get a taste of it on Tuesday. We get it on Wednesday as well. We don't neglect getting that competitive deal going. Does it get combative? Sometimes it does. It's pretty good. They will give it to a guy. That was good, Mazi is a freak. Jaylen Harrell does some freaky stuff. So does Braiden McGregor. So does Olu, he'll go right at it. There's some stalemates. It's good. Just some good stuff. Iron sharpening iron and our guys approach it that way. As long as their angle of approach is to make themselves and the other guy and, in the end, our team better. That's the approach our guys take.

On the Maryland offense

Multiple-front, multiple-coverage. Trying to get tips. Trying to find edges. Very solid. They've put together an extremely solid football team. We're going to have to play good, it's going to come down to that. We're going to have to play good, like any game, especially now. Especially going against a good team like Maryland, especially playing the Big Ten opener. The race is on, gotta play good.

On Donovan Edwards' status

Good. He's just doing him. That's what I always tell Donovan Edwards. You just do you, Donovan. He's working hard at it. No loss of the tremendous energy that the brings. He's in the training room at 8 a.m. and he was bouncing around doing his thing. Hey, Donovan, do you. He's looking for the all the opportunity he can. He's doing good.