On quarterback heading into the game

Yeah, we'll see as we practice this week.

On whether a starter will be named publicly heading into the game?

Yeah, we'll just see as we go this week.

On Marlin Klein's status

Yeah, working through something. We'll see what the doctors say as we practice this week. I think he'll get back into it tomorrow, Wednesday. But I think he'll be in a good place, but we'll see.

On what stands out the most on film

Yeah, I mean, just execution on offense. Turn the ball over, big thing. There's enough good, but not enough good. So we can't turn the football over. That's really the end of the discussion. If you don't turn the football over, you're going to win the game. It puts you in a position to be in a good place. But we did that, so we have to take care of the football at all costs.

On describing the state of the program right now

I mean, obviously not happy with the record. Not happy with the losses. I really just want our kids to be in a good place mentally and spiritually. So that's where we are. We're 4-3, but our job now is to get better to be 5-3 this week.

On what's been the most disappoint facet of the team this year

I mean, just you want to win every game. So it's not that. We're all in this together. We're not going to point fingers at any position, any people. So for us, just winning those games and taking care of the football as a whole collective unit.

On whether they're protecting the ball better in practice and how to translate it to games

Yeah, I feel like you're protecting it way better in practice, and it's just not translated to the game. So we have to figure out as coaches, as a team, how to translate all that stuff to a game. There's things that you're doing in practice that have to replicate like they have before in the game. And for us as coaches, whether that's simplifying, doing things less, so we can be better at those things, especially on offense. And that's what we'll work toward doing that.

On Will Johnson and Myles Hinton's status

I think we'll see again this weekend. Miles looks like he's trending in a really good direction.

On the quarterback timing and wide receiver running routes

Yeah, that's everything. Timing plus spacing equals completion. So it has to be precise timing. The alignment, the pre-snap alignment has to align with that with the quarterback's footwork. So all those things tie into place and those things have to continue to hone in and get better.

On the punt game and improvements needing to be made

We've just got to be better in the punt game. Just more distance. Tommy, in the past, he's played really, really good. And the averages aren't what they have been. So we've just got to be better there. The opp has been, as far as the snap, the catch has been good. The protection has been good. But we've got to get the ball down as far as we can to change the field position for our defense.

On whether there's been discussions about him taking over the play calling

No, that'll still be Kirk.

On what he's hoping to see from the QBs this week in practice

Just taking care of the ball. That's going to be the number one priority, the biggest thing. You want big plays. You want efficiency. But we have to take care of the football. That would be the number one priority.

On not wanting to turn the ball and balancing it with taking chances

I mean, I think it's just an overemphasis of the ball security, and not just the ball security of holding the ball, but the placement of the ball. And that goes with the receivers. That goes with the timing, the passing game. It goes with the protection. So all those things put together in those little details will help us be better at that.

On the process over the last 8 or 9 months

I just think it's about us taking care of the football. Again, I'll say it. I can say it tirelessly. You look at really what we've done. It's because of the football. And over the last year, just in terms of fumbles, not very many. Not in terms of picks. JJ had three in one game, and after that he only had one. So we have to do that. If we do that, we'll be in a better place.

On areas of growth he's seen from the team

I think defensively the guys have really, you know, offensively haven't put them in great positions all the time, and they've really bounced back and done some really good things for us overall. You know, you go in the first half and end of the half against Washington, block a field goal, and same end of this half, block a field goal. You know, the defensive guys tackle a lot better. I thought Jyaire Hill played a lot better this past game. He got challenged a lot and made some really good plays. So there's definitely progression. So on the defensive side, I can see that. Offensively, we've got to take the steps to go get there.

On having any preferences of night games against MSU

No. It's the next game, but it's a big game. It's the state championship, and our guys are very excited, obviously down about what happened, but excited to go compete against this team that they take a lot of pride in, Paul Bunyan keeping that trophy here. So our guys are excited about the game, and so are the coaches.

On containing Aidan Chiles

Yeah, you've got to do a great job with your rush lanes, and that's something we're going to stress and talk about. You've got to do that with that guy because once he gets outside the pocket, he can be dynamic. He can do some things to hurt you. So you've got to keep him in the pocket and be really disciplined with your lanes, whether it's a four-man rush or a five-man rush, where you're at in the pocket, keeping him compressed. Because if he gets out, he can make things happen with his feet, and he can make things happen with his arms. So we've got to do things there and mix up different looks for him. So it's not easy, so he can just look at his read and throw to his read. So you've got to do a good job of keeping him in his pocket.

On the Michigan and MSU offenses being similar with not taking care of the ball

I mean, as far as not taking care of the football, you'd say so. But I just want us to be good. I want us to take care of the football ourselves and not going to worry about what they're doing. We're going to try to take the football away from them, for sure. But for us, we've got to do everything we can to keep it.

On whether it's a worry keeping the team engaged with three losses

I mean, I think you look at the end of the game and what the score was, and you saw Mason Graham, you saw Kenneth Grant, you saw those guys playing their hearts out at the end of the game. So I think the culture oversees the losses right now. Those guys see what they've done, how they've worked to get to this point, and there's a lot of pride in who they are as people for them, for their village, for this team, for Michigan. So the guys aren't going to stop playing because we're not at the win total we had. We're going to continue to fight regardless of what it is.

On Mason Curtis and Jo'Ziah Edmond playing

Yeah, I mean more of them. Those guys just get better. They've got bright, bright futures. Josiah Edmonds can be as good as anybody. He's got great skill set, great ability, great speed. And then Mason Curtis, you're talking about a 6-3 safety that can run and he'll hit you So it felt like those guys, we had these opportunities. We practiced a lot with another one today. It gives a chance to younger guys to really evolve and get better. And those are chances for those guys to make a move. We always say it's make a move Monday. If you want to go make it, do it. So those guys have a chance to do it, and those guys definitely take advantage of their opportunities.

On balancing turnovers without it becoming a mental thing for the QBs

Yeah, definitely. There's definitely a balance for it. And he's an older guy, obviously, that's done it. So you've got to tell him what you think, but also show him and tell him you need him and show him you love him. But you've got to correct it. It can't continue to be a thing, so it's something we'll just continue to harp on.

On whether Kirk Campbell will continue to coach from the sidelines

We'll see. I think it was good, especially for the quarterback, seeing him face-to-face and being on the field. From my own experience as a plate caller, being on the field, it really helped me. But we'll just go through the week and figure out what we think is best for the crew.

On why the program didn't go to a QB in the portal

There's a lot of different factors and things that we could talk about, but ultimately, for us right now, we've got to focus on today, focus on who we have on the roster and making sure we can do everything we can to win.

On the importance of this game

I think it's huge. It's a huge game. We're playing Michigan State, and it's a rivalry. It's an in-state rivalry, and everything's on the line. We've got to keep Paul Bunyan here, and there's a lot of pride in that trophy. There's a lot of pride in this rivalry, and we're going to do everything we can to win.

On how many QBs are in line to start this week

We'll see as we go through the week.

On the unknown at QB impact installing a gameplan

You have a game plan. You have different things that guys are better at, and that you'll feature for individual people, but we definitely have a process for what we'll go through and how we'll go through installing them.

On whether Jack Tuttle's arm strength is where it was pre-injury

Yeah, I think it is. I think it's pretty. It's around 95%, so it's still there. He tried to drive that last one, and he drove instead of throwing it over, so it's still there, and he made some really good throws. So I think his arm strength is where it needs to be.

On Jadyn Davis and what he needs to become a viable college QB

Yeah, I mean, just continue to learn the system, learn the playbook, which I think he has done a good job of, and continue to improve his strength and his things and his toolbox. So he's definitely continuing to progress.

On the right tackle spot and Andrew Gentry

Yeah, I thought Gentry played well overall. A couple technique falters, but definitely you can see the effort. You can see the strain, and I thought he played pretty well. So I think he'll continue to stay there at that right tackle spot for sure.

On whether the plan is to stick with Crippen at center

Yeah, I think he played well. We'll continue to push the guys, but those guys did a good job.

On where he's seen the most growth from Jadyn Davis

Yeah, just probably progression and knowledge of not only the system, but just football in general. When you're in high school, you do limited things. You're limited in what you do, and he's definitely taken steps to put himself in a good position.

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