On his first impressions of the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry

Yeah, you know, I thought it was very unique being in that atmosphere. You know, two fans that, you know, are trying to win a game. Players going at the level of just being so confident in each other as a team. And then seeing them, I think our guys just really enjoy just competing against each other, against that team, right? You know, a lot of people have a lot of respect for Michigan and Michigan football. I think some people don't realize how many kids grow up, whether their families are split. Their families are split, or their families, I mean, not their families, but their family, friends, teachers growing up to split down, you know, straight down the family. Mom, Michigan State. Dad went to Michigan. And I thought our players did a great job of letting all the new coaches understand how important this game was, what it meant to them, the records that they had. You know, we have a lot of people in the building who are alumni, so they talked about it as well. So, it was just a crazy environment. You know, our fans are our best in the country, and I thought they did a really good job in that game. And I think anybody in that stadium would have said that it was really tough, you know, for that offense when our fans went crazy for them, you know, especially on defense.

On a shift to being more aggressive defensively from the DBs

Yeah, I think, you know, our guys are just trying to challenge receivers, do a really good job with the rushing coverage together. I think Coach Wink does a good job of trying to mix it up. You know, I think the thing that you always see when you get to almost the midpoint of the season is what can our guys do really well. The excuse of guys being young is kind of out the water a little bit. Now, there is some guys that are still, you know, continuing to grow, that are playing a little bit more now down the stretch, that haven't maybe as much experience as everybody else. But I just think we just continue, you know, each week is what can our guys do really well, what can our guys play extremely fast, and what can we take away from this team? So I think it's a little bit of both. You know, if a team does this, what can we do to, you know, to make our guys be successful? I think it's a little bit of cat and mouse each week, but I will say our guys try to do a good job of challenging the receivers. I know late in the fourth when it became a little bit of two-minute mode, probably had one or two passes too many for my liking. But I thought up into that third quarter, almost into the fourth, that I thought the guys in the secondary and linebackers did a really good job in coverage.

On the growth as a staff being able to communicate with one another

Yeah, I think Wink asks for a lot of different people's opinion throughout the week, asking you what you think, what you see, explain it to me, you know, kind of go over it with the players. YEach coach kind of presents their area to the players and stuff like that. Of course, Wink's going to call it on game day, but he still might ask your opinions on different things or if it's a certain situation, whoever has that area, hey man, make sure we let everybody know this is what two-minute is. This is the top reminder. So I think we've done a good job with that. You know, I think as a staff, as you know, it's all different coaches from different walks of life all together for the block M. And I think that's kind of unique here that everybody's here for the common cause, just like these players. So I think it's just us just getting to know each other. You know, what can our guys execute? I think that's the key. Every year is different. Each player is different. Even your ones versus your twos, you know, they're really not the same player. You know, you take a guy, I know we're not on players right now, but like Will, Will's skill set might be different than another guy, but the other guy still has to play and he still has to be productive when he gets in there. So I think just the cat and mouse of going back and forth at who's in, who's not in, what can our guys, you know, execute, but also can't, you know, you can't just change the game plan just because one player or two players are not in the game at a certain series or certain down.

On guys being able to fill the role of Will Johnson when he's out

I think Will still does a good job of trying to impact the game. I told him and Josaiah and Colston whenever they were out that one week that you got to remember you still can impact the game whether you play or not. That's what elite leaders do. He's beside us on the sideline asking for the call. He's usually by Jo'ziah Edmond and telling him what the call is and making him tell him what he's doing. Or he's seeing something out there when the guys get to the bench. He's, you know, after I correct him, he pulled him to the side once we have to go to the next series, and he's telling them what he sees. So I still think he's impacting the game by being, but by not playing. But, of course, you know, I think guys with his experience, just route recognition, communication, seeing it, tackling ability, ball skills. You know, there's a reason why, you know, he's one of the top corners in the country, if not the top one or the best. But to me, I think that's kind of – it's kind of hard to replace that aspect of him. But I do think he's still engaged. He's still doing a great job with our young players and our team, still trying to challenge those guys. And everybody still respects him. You know, I think it is hard to challenge guys when you're not in the game, but they also know if he could be in the game, he would be.

On the impact having an older player helping the younger ones

Yeah, I think those guys respect those guys. I think they also know how their story was when they had to earn it. They didn't walk in here and day one, they were the starting corner at Michigan or the starting safety at Michigan. It took a couple games. You might have had a couple bad games. And I think those guys opened up and been honest with those guys and told them the struggles. Like, hey, when I was here my first play at Colorado State, they tried to take it – take the top off of the defense on me. So I just think those guys being able to show how they handled it, you know, how they got to the point that they are now, and giving these guys unbelievable experience. Because, you know, at the end of the day, these guys won't be here forever, right? That's college football. You kind of want to make sure the football program and that room has a great culture whenever you leave. So I think those guys are just, you know, all in, all Michigan guys. They love this place. They do a great job each and every day. You know, there's a lot of player-led meetings, one-on-one meetings when they take guys in there and watch tape after we get done. You know, voluntary meetings that they do. And, you know, after practice, I mean, you might be in your office looking at stuff, and Macari Page, Q, and them are in the meeting room, you know, with young players watching tape. You walk by, hey, I didn't know y'all was in here, and keep walking. You know, I just think those guys have a lot of ownership, and they've seen it. They've seen how it's supposed to be done. They see how you can fall short, and they can see how the small margin of error in college football is, you know, in my opinion.

On what having a player like Will Johnson on the field does for the other players

Yeah, I just think his communication, him being able to see it before it happens. All right, here's the motion. This is what we got. Hey, man, if they go here, this is what we check. I just think the communication that he does at a high level is probably the best I've seen in my coaching career. But I think that's just what allows you another set of eyes and ears on the football field to give suggestions, to know what's going on. I think that's kind of what he adds. You know, I think a lot of times that corner position gets labeled as just a guy that's an athlete, that's just super talented, really not a thinker. But I think when you get Will out there, he's just like a safety. The communication skills he has, the skill set, the talent, I think that's kind of what you gain by him being on the field. You know, I just think you can put a young safety in there with Will Johnson, and he's going to be able to tell and communicate what he has every play. In other places I've been, you would have to tell the safety to make sure you tell the young corner. So I just think here that's kind of what he allows us to do a little bit. It makes everybody around him better.

On Jyaire Hill's growth

Yeah, I think, you know, Jyairw is a very competitive guy. You know, he likes to have fun. He enjoys the game. You know, I think the thing that he has done for the last two games is he's done a better job of just being more consistent. You know, I think you can have a game and then you have a bad game and you can have another good game. I just think the whole key of playing corner at a high level is being consistent. You might have a bad play, too, but those plays can end up being five or six bad plays. So, to me, I think Jair is just trying to step up to that challenge. You know, he's sitting right next to Will in the meeting room trying to ask questions and trying to grow. I just think Jyaire is going to be a special talent. He's just got to continue to grow. He's a redshirt freshman playing at Michigan. Of course, they're going to go after him at times. He just has to continue to stay disciplined, continue to work on his practice habits of just being detailed all the time. And understanding that every rep matters.

On what Aamir Hall has been able to provide

Yeah, I think Amir is a unique player just because he's an older player. You know, he's played a lot of snaps. You know, he's eager. He knows a lot of these guys in the area that he grew up with. I just think that's something where Aamir just brings. I know Josh Wallace is a pro now, and he started in NFL. But just that guy that came in here that's trying to learn about the program. You know, not above anybody. Just trying to work every day. I just think he's exactly what we want as a blue-collar mentality. Just working through some things. You know, he got banged up in the middle of the season a little bit. And every day he just keeps working and working and working. He's the first one out there trying to get ready for practice. And got a lot of respect for Amir and his family.

On the value of the experience with the safeties

Yeah, I just think those guys know the bumps and bruises of how the season goes. I think they understand what you need to do to get your body going. You know, also knowing that maybe on Monday you don't feel that great. But it's not game day yet. And I just think that everybody knows these guys play a lot of reps and they're out there hooking it up on Tuesday. I just think that they're an example that they lead and show people each and every week. It speaks volumes. You know, I think Makari's really hard on himself. You know, any time he messes up during the game, you can guarantee Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, practice after practice, he's going to be out there 10 to 20 minutes working on whatever it is. If it's open-field tackling, he's going to have drills that he's going to do on his own. He has people stay out there. If he didn't get a high point of ball, he's going to do deep ball drills. Whatever the issue that he had that week, I guarantee you in between special teams periods if he's not in or if there's anything after practice for 15 to 20 to 30 minutes, he's going to be out there getting reps. And whether the guys are doing it with him or the guys see him do it, I think that's what leaders do. So I think he leads by example as well. And then, you know, these guys played a lot of football. You know, you look at TCU film, you know, you start watching guys when you first get in. This guy's been playing here for a really, really, really, really long time. So I think that's where it's at. Like, you know, Makari started a little bit more than Q, but Q started some big-time games here and played in some meaningful snaps. First quarter, first series, second series of games, he's been in there. And, you know, he never bats an eye, he never makes excuses, he just always works.

On Zeke Berry's growth

Yeah, I think the nickel position in all of football is very unique, right? It's like hybrid safety, hybrid corner when you've got a slot cover, and hybrid linebacker. You know, I think that's something where, you know, I think Zeke would tell you that that's something where he wants to continue to grow and continue to get better throughout the season with his angles and eyes, just different things. I don't think he's doing a bad job. It's his first year starting at a position where that guy was the best player in college, one of the best football players in college football. He's replacing with Mikey, you know, the ball skills, the awareness and all that. I just think that position is really tough. That's a position I think that you try to mold and develop throughout the program. I think it's hard to, like, get a freshman to come in and just start at that position. I think it's a guy that's been playing two and three different times, two and three different years, and then now it's their time to play that position. But I'm excited to see Zeke these last games when we make this push. I think he's going to continue to get better and better. You know, I think he works every day about that. And it's just a battle of a season, right? You're not used to playing, you know, 30 to 40 snaps a game when maybe the year before you played 60 snaps total for the whole year on defense. I just think those guys are just continuing to work through that. And, you know, the best teacher is experience. These guys got to get experience, you know. It doesn't happen overnight. I think these guys are focused on getting better each and every day.

On Mason Curtis and Jo'Ziah Edmond

Yeah, I think JoJo has done a great job on special teams. You know, I think that's a guy that we're going to continue to work in at corner. I think that's something that's our goal these last couple games to make sure we do a good job with him. You know, you can't just throw him in there all the time. But, you know, I just think us being smart and how we do it. But I do think he's talented. He's been working a lot at practice, getting reps with the twos, threes, and sometimes we mix them into ones just so he can see the speed of everything. I think he's done a great job. I think he's going to be a really good young player. I think his development, we'll kind of see how you would see with Jair in year two in the program where it jumps. And then Jyaire with year three, he should be a really special player. So, I just think JoJo's on that track. I think Mason Curtis is going to be a really good player. You know, he first came here as an outside edge linebacker for a day, and then he went to receiver, and then he went to safety. I think he's kind of settling in. I think these last games this season, while he makes this push, I think he'll be a guy that you'll see more on defense, not just special teams. But, you know, I think this guy's going to be a special talent. I think he has range. I think he's smart. He comes from a great family. I think he's going to be a big-time player, and I think he'll be a fan favorite.

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