On how much pressure is on the offensive line to maintain its performance

Now it's just the standard. Not necessarily winning the award every year but the standard of level of play. We feel like we've raised the standard, raised the bar and kind of brought it back to the Michigan lines of old and the great offensive lines that have been here. That was my number one goal when I took over the position. I told the guys that the standard that we're holding ourselves to is not accountable to the greats that have played here. That's really what we've tried to do and what we've been doing the past few years. That's not going to change.

On the depth of the offensive line

Easily. I think we've had really good lines in the past and the past few years. The 21 year, I thought the line was outstanding. I thought we had our weak points at times, especially at depth. Last year, I thought we were a little bit better and built it and we showed it. This year, I feel like both the first and, potentially, second—we just call it 1a and 1b because we feel lie both groups are ones. Everybody knows if that you step in, you've got to play at the same level. Whether you line up with the first group or the second group, you're all starters and you have to manage your way and attack it like that.

On how he convinces offensive linemen to stay in the program

I think just what we've built. The culture that's in the room, they all want to be part of it. Don't really want to leave. That's credit to the players and what they've done, the standard they're all holding themselves to. The guys see that. They know that if they go somewhere else that they might not be held to that same standard and they won't feel the same way. Everybody loves winning championships, everybody loves beating those teams we know we gotta beat and they love being part of that. More importantly, I think it's really what the guys have done as well as the culture within the room.

On the transfer portal additions to the OL

First of all, experience. All of them have starting experience at high levels. Two of those guys have been captains at other places. For me, I've got more leaders in the room. Natural leaders. Whether it's by vocal or whether it's showing it, I've got true leaders and I've got guys who have played high levels of football. Just excited for them to enter the fray and get going.

On how much he was involved with Zak Zinter and Trevor Keegan returning

I can't share all the details but I am very, very close with those guys. We talked a lot. They leaned on me a lot and I was just open and honest with them. I told them, like coach would've told them, just explore and see what it looks like if they were to do it and understand what the future would look like if you come back. I know the things we have in front of us so I know those guys made decisions that were not only best for them but best for the team.

On Gio El-Hadi

I think it's just continuing to perfect his craft. The biggest emphasis for all these guys is to continue to study the game outside of football. Not just in the building but as much as you can outside. All these guys really buy into that, I get text messages and calls at night about stuff they're watching which is crazy. Sometimes I'm like, dude, it's 11:30 and you're texting me about this. That's what I want and that's what they're doing. For him, I think it's to continue to, one, follow those guys and get to the level that they're at. Two, be patient and understand that your time as the guy will come. Three, continue to perfect the craft and attack every day.

On standouts on the interior offensive line

The guys, first of all, starting at the center position, Greg Crippen and Raheem Anderson had outstanding springs. I thought both of those guys have matured mentally. More important, physically. I've watched both of them walk into spring ball. First of all, you look at their backs, Herb emphasizes that so much. Their shoulders, how wide they are. Also, how mast fast twitch and confident they are. I think both of those guys had really, really good springs inside and very excited about their futures and what they did. Those would be the guys I would highlight, especially in the interior. I thought Gio did a great job. Obviously, Keegan and those guys who participated in spring did outstanding. Really, those guys hit it on the head. The young guy, Amir Herring, has got a bright future. Still figuring it out but he's going to be a really good player for us. Was excited to get Reece Atteberry back at full speed.

On the decision to make on the tackle positions

It's tight but it's going to be fun. Fall camp is going to be super fun. Like last year, it was a battle until the end. Trente started it and he got hurt and Karsen never let go. Right now, it's up in the air of who is going to be the starting tackle. People ask me, I don't know, I'll figure that out. I know we've got four dudes, five dudes, that could start almost anywhere in the country. Just excited to figure out how the pieces fall.

On how offensive line development has impacted recruiting

Huge way. I think the first year I took over there were a lot of questions about whether, first of all, coaching hiring somebody that never coached the O-line. Took some time to build the rapport with the coaches and the players and them understanding that I had the ability to do it. That first year was really tough. In recruiting, people would recruit against us and that is what they would say. I knew that what was going on and knew what it was. Fortunately, you have good players and I just try to work my tail off to coach those guys as hard as I can has helped tremendously in the process. We're at the point now that we're in a great spot with recruiting, it's only going to continue to keep flourishing.

On the tight end position

I'm super excited about that group. That group is special. Colston is an extraordinary talent in all facets. Playmaker, catching the ball, high-pointing it, YAC. Even in the run game, putting his face on people. AJ Barner came in and just worked. He's another guy that was a captain. He's just worked and grinded. He's huge, first of all. He's a giant human being. For being that big and running that fast and being that acrobatic making plays in the air is super special. Matt Hibner, man, we're super proud of him and the spring he had. He took his play to the level we knew he could. Just confident. Playing fast, playing physical, playing to his strengths. He's a fast, fast dude. He's finally showed it and opened it up. Excited about him. Marlin, he's still learning the game and he's kind of a freak athlete. He's probably the freakiest athlete of all those guys. Excited to see him. Bredenson is Steady Eddie who is just going to continue to help us. We've got great depth in that room and I feel like we're in a great position.

On the potential of the wide receiver group

They have the potential to be as good as any group in the country. It's just on them to continue the work habits that they have been doing. CJ had an outstanding spring. Fixed some things that he wanted to fix. Put him in a couple of different positions to see how he would manage. He's just a smart football player. Savvy football player. Roman continues to be Roman. Fast, explosive and doing all the things he's doing. The other guy that showed up in the spring game was Peyton O'Leary, a guy who really, really stood out. He did that all spring. So excited to see him get his chances and roll. Keep rolling with this group. The young receivers are super dynamic and exciting. Excited for the future of this group and what they are.

On whether he thinks the offense needs to be more explosive in the pass game

I think we have areas that we need to fix. Things that we need to be able to exploit defenses more. We have to be more consistent. Whether that's ball placement, catches, all those things. That just gives you more confidence when you're game-planning things. I think in the spring we fixed all those areas which will really help us when we get to the fall.

On the potential with the running back room

Sky is the limit, people say. It's through that. These guys are special in every way. I was just watching some film of this past year and just to watch the little things those guys do that people don't notice. The little cuts, the little moves, making somebody miss on the first, second or third level, they're running over a guy, jumping over somebody, outrunning them. The ball skills that they both have, they're elite. They're elite as a group, a two-tandem group, that I've been around. Even better human beings and workers, guys, and leaders. Everything you want. They're just outstanding individuals and outstanding humans. Just excited that we get to coach them.

On how he manages to distribute carries between Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards

The cool thing is there is a whole bunch of puzzle pieces. You're trying to fit them all together to make this masterpiece of what we want this offense to look like. When you have two dynamic players like that, you have to figure out ways to get them the ball in different ways. Obviously not going to tell you those ways, maybe we can talk about it off the mic. But I think we have some really creative things we're doing with those guys because they are special talents. At the same time, being very smart with how we do it, when we do it and how we're attacking people. Excited to put them in different positions because we'll have a great plan and we're starting that right now.

On other running backs he's excited about

Kalel Mullings obviously stood out. He's big, he's strong, he's physical and he's pretty fast. He's got tremendous ball skills for a guy his size. Very excited about him. CJ Stokes is another guy who was coming along in the spring. This young Benjamin Hall kid, man, he's got some dynamic abilities. Built low to the ground, thick, huge legs. His legs are like Blake's, maybe a little bigger. He's got a great future and excited about him and Cole Cabana both. Cole kind of had some injury stuff he's working through and he's getting better and he's fine now. Excited about those young backs.

On the progression he expects from JJ McCarthy

First thing, his confidence. He was always a quiet confident kid. Now, you can see it exuded in the way he just walks around. The way he approaches the film room, the way he walks on the field. The way he walks out of the huddle or he looks to the sideline for a play, the dude just looks like he's dynamic. Just in the way he approaches everything. He always had the arm talent and the strength and all that. What he's done now with his body, he's started to form his body even more. Mentally, into the game, he knows the playbook like we do. When a quarterback does that, he's always around. If he's not in class, he's here. When a quarterback starts doing that, especially a starter, that really changes the game. From a leadership standpoint, you start to take that ownership. We've got so many good leaders on our team and you don't want too many guys to be talking but I always told him, as a quarterback, you have the trump card to get it how you want it to be done.

On the quarterback room talent

It's crazy talented. Even better, they're all competitors, they all want to win and they all kind of understand—they know obviously that JJ is QB1, he's the number one guy, but they're all fighting for number two. It's not combative, they're all helping each other out. They're a super-talented group. They have the ability to make all the throw. All of them can run which is super awesome. So they're all dual-threat, I guess you could say. They're all extremely talented and excited about that group.

On what he would like to see McCarthy improve on

I think just trusting himself, trusting his progression and trusting all that. I think just go through them just like he did in the spring. You really saw that in the spring carryover from the fall. Sometimes, you felt like we was out there making plays. Now, he's going through the progressions, going through the reads, knowing exactly where the ball is going to go. He's on time with his feet and everything looks so comfortable for him. He looks kind of like he's in a video game. Just excited to watch him do that and continue to do that as he goes through fall.

On how he's evolved as a coach

I think the biggest thing for me because I was never a guy to let other people do work for me is trying to be a delegator a little bit more and allowing guys to do different things and do different jobs and loosen that piece up for me. Which helps when you have an outstanding staff so it's easy for me to say, hey, you do this, you do this and let me look at the whole picture because the staff is phenomenal, it's amazing to be around. Even better coaches. I'll put them up with anybody in the country. Whether its Xs and Os, whether it's hanging out, talking, drinking beers, whatever it is, our group is outstanding and very excited to work with this group.

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