On what he learned from his team from both road games

It was a great team win, start with that. Secondly, to have a big second half, to finish the game and have those second-half moments, that truly tell you about yourself and who you can be, that’s what I took away from it. The journey to the promised land, if there’s going to be a promised land, have those kinds of second-half moments in them. There’s a lot of things in that game that keep us humble, that we have to work on but, at the same time, a glimpse of what we can be when we really play that Michigan football. Tough brand of football, everybody playing together. Kind of a coming-out party for the pass rush. I thought that was outstanding. 34 pressures. I have never seen that in a game. Seven sacks, 10 TFLs. Luke Schoonmaker, coming out party for him. Continues to be—and J.J. had that kind of game. The receivers, Ronnie Bell, Cornelius Johnson, some of the plays they made. Offensive line protection, that's one thing that really hasn't been talked about coming out of that game. That was a heck of a game for the o-line. J.J. got hit one time, we had a miscommunication on the protection. Karsen stepped in, had a heckuva game. The defensive front, Kris Jenkins really played well again. Mazi Smith was getting off blocks and making tackles. Mason Graham had a very good game. Will Johnson is getting very comfortable out there and playing well. D.J. Turner played really good and Gemon Green, I can't remember the last somebody caught a ball on Gemon. Rod Moore, big interception in the game. There's a lot. A lot of guys, Eyabi, a lot of guys—I think each one of those seven sacks was a different guy if I'm not mistaken. Mike Mo, played well enough to be defensive game ball. Also, special teams. Got a block on the field goal. Just spiting, scrapping, that first half was going back and forth. It was a dogfight in there. Be able to have those really good moments in the second half and finish, that was tremendous.

On Mike Hart's status

We talked last night. That's what he said, the same things he said in his statement today. He’s feeling much better. He’s back in Ann Arbor and wants to return soon. Really grateful for the real outpouring of concern, support, prayers, he mentioned that. I’ve gotten so many people in the football world have reach out. Mike has tremendous respect from all in the world of football. Places he's coached, people he's coached against, played against. So many people have reached out or showed concern or please pass a message along to Mike. It would take a long time, put it that way. He’s much loved out there and I know he is by the Michigan fanbase. I think prayers are still needed but he’s a super strong guy and I’ve always had this faith, this feeling that he's going to be back soon and we anticipate that.

On Fred Jackson

It's great. He's been an analyst since June, had been working on the offensive side of the ball. Specifically, been helping Mike with the running backs. So it's real good. Fred, he's an amazing coach and person, been great for me as a head coach because he's seen a lot of balls kicked off (laughs). We can just start there. Great relationships with everybody. Pumped up. Going to be fun to have him out there in that role. I read a statistic that he's worked for every head coach now, me included. It's great. For the last, I don't know how many coaches, back to Lloyd Carr, right? My first high school start at Pioneer High School was against Flint Southwestern and Fred Jackson was the head coach. I believe we lost 28 to nothing. They were so good, it ended up being—it was a moral victory, put it that way.

On J.J. McCarthy

Just been good. He's shown no signs of going out there and being timid. He's playing his game. Which is exactly what we want him to do. Keep being him and his preparation has been right on the mark. He has great concentration and focus in meetings and in practices. In the games, he's been really good. He understands, he's got some real playmakers to get the ball to. He's a playmaker, too. It's just been good. Continue that J.J. I don't feel like there's the big stage is going to frighten him in any way. He'll just go out there and have at it and that's what we want him to do. Just go out, compete, have at it and play his game.

On team captains making plays

What do they say, big time players make big-time plays in big-time games. It's very important. There's so many of them, right? I think that's what you're saying, that's what is resonating with me. On of the offensive side of the ball, the defensive side of the ball and special teams. I said it a couple of weeks ago, I feel like our guys really care about playing and winning for each other and going out there and letting it rip. Giving it everything they have.

On Rod Moore's smarts

I have evidence that he's not one of those, he is the guy when it comes to preparation and studying tape. A year ago in training camp, his freshman year, I was able to look at the guys iPad's through technology to see how many times they've opened an install tape or watch practice tape during that 29-day period during training camp. The amount of hours that Rod and times he had opened up that iPad to either install or tape watching was twice as much then the next guy. It was ridiculous. It was somewhere in the upwards of 550 times. The next guy was around 250. It's a good number, 250 times to have clicked on one of the different periods or drills or install tape, et cetera. Very, very impressive. Soon as he started playing, he didn't play like a freshman. From the time he got into games to the time he started playing in the games. The other thing that stands out, he's a real hitter. He is not timid, shy, unaggressive in any way. He's continued to be that guy that tackles them, gets them on the ground in space. Also, opportunistic, got another interception this past game. Definitely one of my favorite players. Young, too. Young in terms of, he was 17 when he got here on a college campus. He didn't turn 18 until a couple of months into his freshman year. It's pretty cool. In this day and age of guys that can reclass so they can be older, 18 sometimes 19 before they get on a college campus. I've always got this theory too that the young ones are really the better ones because they've still got a year of man growth coming their way. It usually happens around 18-19 years old. That's when they get that man year. He's been a shining star and a great example of that.

On Penn State

Last year's game and every other game we've played, just got to be on point. We’re going to have to play really good because they play really good, they always do, they’re always well prepared. They're always good in run defense, run offense, pass defense, pass offense and in the kicking game. They’re always really, really good. We say it a lot of time this the best unit we are going to play all year in some phases. Each year you kind of say that and they're always winning games. It's a big-time matchup. We don't need any more reminders but, if we did, all anybody has to do is watch the NFL games yesterday. About every time they went to a commercial, it seemed like they were advertising the Michigan-Penn State game at the Big House. We’re super excited about it. We’re fired up to have a great week of preparation and get ourselves ready to play this game.

On handling the emotions of a big game

Mainly by getting prepared. There's no doubt before the ball is kicked off, before you take the first hit in any game, there's butterflies. Especially in a big game, a maize out against a rival opponent, those emotions are going to be sky high. That's great and that's where you want them. Football is played by emotional people. You feel good and the confidence comes, I believe, in the practice and preparation and getting to know your opponent as well as you possibly can.

On Sean Clifford

He’s a strong runner and a strong thrower as well. Very experienced, he’s been in a lot of games. He's seen a lot of balls kicked off as well. He’s just a tough, gritty competitor. We have a ton of respect for him. We played him last year and I don’t know how he was staying upright. I mean Ojabo, Hutchinson, he was really taking some hits and he was making some throws, courage throws where he was just standing in there and threading the needle. We’ve got a ton of respect for Sean Clifford and how he operates and handles his business.

On Penn State's defense

Really good run defense. Maybe the best we're going to play. The secondary is really good, too. Some real big-time players. I think that's a great challenge to our guys. Our receivers are excited about that challenge. That's kind of the vibe I'm getting. Going to have to get prepared and be really on point. Early in the week here, our guys—that's kind of the rallying cry. There's confidence there. They want to test themselves, lets put it that way. Even a great way to say it. They've got some really top-notch guys on all sides of the ball. Their punter, this guy is amazing. He has balls that hit inside the five-yard line and they go backwards, sideways. I think he's like 15-for-15 in punting the ball and having it like a wedge. Just one of those pro golfers that hits one onto the green, it just dies. Spins, goes sideways, sits there. It's really incredible. All of their games have been on grass. We're going to have to see of that's the same on the turf. Right now, it's something to behold.

On whether he notices the environment once a game begins

I got to remind myself to notice it more. Sometimes I get so locked in that I don't. I do remember that maize out from last year against Washington, from the pictures afterward. Great pictures and the blimp shot. There's time that I do. I did it in the Ohio State game last year. I got to remind myself more to take it in a little bit more during the game.

On the dedication of the tunnel to Lloyd Carr

So excited about that. I've said it a few times. It's one of those sacred places here at the Michigan football stadium to me and many others. As a lot of things have changed, the tunnel since 1927 has not. That's like coming out, I'd imagine, what the Coliseum would've been like for 600 years in operation. You come out of a tunnel into the Coliseum, into the biggest stadium anywhere like we do here at the Big House. It's functional, it's gritty, it's tough. It's all ours. It's all Michigan. It hasn't changed, it hasn't been glitzed-up with any advances. Tom Harmon, everybody. To have that named after a coach that is beloved, tough and gritty, is all Michigan. Have that named for Lloyd Carr, that's awesome. That's great. Couldn't have been a better idea. We're going to be super proud. Just great to have Lloyd Carr's name on the Michigan tunnel.