On getting to play Alabama again

Yeah, excited for the opportunity to play, I mean, again, a rematch of last year and I know that was probably part of the bowl matchup but, you know, just excited for a great program that we get to play and an opportunity to play football again. So, our guys are excited and all the guys that'll be there will be ready to play, you know, we're just locked and ready to go. We've had two really good days already, kind of gave them a week off to just kind of get their minds right, their vibes right, and finals and stuff and study and got back into it yesterday and it's been great, so just excited.

On whether the focus is to close the chapter on the season or looking ahead to the future

I just want to win. We're gonna do everything we can with all the guys that we have there to go win. That's the number one goal, to go win and we talked about recommitting just like we did two weeks ago in the bi-week, so recommitting to your wives, recommitting to each other and doing everything we can to be successful and I think we're in a really good place right now mentally, physically, spiritually and just want to do everything we can to win.

On Mason Graham declaring for the draft and the conversations he has with NFL hopefus

Yeah, a lot of factors. You know, Mason and I already kind of knew that was going to happen, so I support them. I support those guys. They've done a lot for this program in their three years, four years here and I support them in any way, you know. I want to be there for them, love them, care about them, anything that they need from me, I want to support them. Obviously, I want them to play in the game, but support their decisions and their family decisions and the guys that are here, ready to play, we're going to be ready to play the game.

On empathizing with guys entering the portal and the discussions

Yeah, the portal is part of college football now, right? So you got to deal with it. You got to have those conversations. So there's decisions that we have to make, you know, with the 105 and roster and how we're reshaping the roster and what we're doing from a depth standpoint to make sure we have the right guys. So the conversations are fluid. It depends on the person and they change from person to person. So, well, you know, very transparent and direct with those conversations when we have them. There's no beating around the bush, no barrier and we just, you know, we have them and we'll keep those conversations private and internal.

On the difficulties of operating in the current environment as the head coach

Yeah, I think the biggest piece that's different from this point last year, and obviously we're in the playoffs and all that, but even like when I first got the job, the transfer portal was closed. So it was just people trying to take our guys and it was constant defense. Now we get to play with offense and we get to go out the portal and get the right guys and the right fit for us. So that's where it's advantageous for us now, where we feel we can build the right people and get the right people. And it's still all about fit, right? You got to get the right fit and the right type of guy that wants to be here, that wants to support the block M and be a part of Michigan and, you know, not be selfish in their endeavors of what they want. But, you know, ultimately, you got to want to help the team. It's got to be team over me. And those are the type of guys we want here.

On the sense of rewarding players for their loyalty to the program

Yeah, definitely. All the guys that have been here been through the fire, been through the adversity and, you know, had success and been through this adversity. They should absolutely want to take care of that first, better priority first, and then adding to the roster, adding to the depth of the next piece. And then, you know, continuing the recruiting the high school phase. So that's huge. As you guys see, we got to continue to do that too.

On adding Chase Herbstreit to the program

This is a guy we've had our eye on for a while, had a really good career at St. X and obviously know Kirk pretty well. But more so had to do with Chase and his abilities and what he can do to help us as a team, you know, down the line in the future. So it's just been something we've been, a relationship we've developed with him and feel like he'll help us in some way on the team.

On how much he interacted with Kirk Herbstreit during the recruiting proces

I mean, yeah, you always interact with the parents, so pretty much as much as I would any other parent. So there's definitely an interaction there.

On whether there will be room for walk-ons with the new roster limits

I think that's some of the conversations we have to have, you know, because all the 105 stuff's not completely done yet. So all those things are going to be ironed out.

On why Mason Graham should be drafted highly

He's a complete player. He's a game wrecker. He's an outstanding worker. I mean, just turn on the film, like you can't block him with one guy and it takes, he can wreck a game as he's done in many games throughout his career. I mean, vividly remember spring ball, his first spring, Trevor Keegan saying he was the best defensive tackle he faced all year. I was like, bro, it's spring. Like, what are you talking about? He's like, Coach, he's the best one. And he was like one of the top overall picks in the spring game draft that year. And he just continued to get better and better and better and better and just, you know, is who he is right now. Impacted every game in a huge way. You go back to the Rose Bowl last year, the big tackle for loss. You go to this last game Ohio State, just unbelievable. So, I mean, he's a generational talent inside. He's a guy that can stop the running and rush the passer, which is very hard to find with those guys inside. Plays with great leverage, great hands, great effort, practices, great effort. So, an extremely smart football player. So, yeah, wouldn't be surprised if he's the first pick in the draft.

On the OC search

So, I think in the next day or so I'll have answers.

On whether he has an idea of the roster for the bowl game

Still having that conversation, still fluid. We got a good nucleus of guys that are there. So, I feel good about the guys that we have getting ready for the game.

On Davis Warren and his fifth year

Yeah, those conversations are ongoing. He's in practice. He was just in practice there today. So, he's ready to go for the bowl game. So, we'll just go from there.

On the message to Jadyn Davis

Yeah, just compete, man, and nothing's given. You got to go earn it. So, just compete and that's what he wants to do. So, he's always wanted to do that since he's been here. So, that's just a message to him.

On the OL depth for the bowl game

I think we'll be good. I think we'll be in good shape. I know some guys left and those guys are guys that are in their last years and feel like they have a better chance to go play somewhere else in their last year. So, you know, support them, excited for them, but I think we'll be ready for the bowl game.

On the urgency in the OC search with the transfer portal open

Yeah, you got to have urgency in everything you do. So, I always have that urgency all the time in whatever I'm doing, but we want to make sure we find the right fit, the right person that not only scheme-wise, football-wise, development-wise, like I talked about, but also love, you know, had a love for this place that when they walked into this building, you could feel the love that I have injected in that. You know, I want that type of person to lead our offense and I think we're in that place.

On practicing for the bowl game

So, we don't, what we won't do is just practice back to back to back to back to back. So, we have set up where it's a different format where we'll get some maybe walk-through skill practice stuff type and then we'll have a practice and then we'll get some in between then we'll have a practice and then as we get closer, you get more practices in a row and then you get to that game before you're hitting it. So, that's really the biggest thing, but try to get everybody as good as football as possible and get the best guys playing and get ready to go.

On Will Johnson's status and the four main draft hopefuls

Uh, I think Will is, you know, kind of in the same place where he was from an injury standpoint. Getting better, definitely getting better. So, we'll see and then those guys, you know, those conversations are fluid.

On the importance of playing younger players in the bowl to get them experience

It's great. It's going to be great for practice, you know, just watching guys out right now running practice is awesome. So, yeah, we're just, the number one goal is to win. So, whoever's going to give us the best chance to win, that's who we're going to play.

On the QB depth chart right now and whether he expects multiple to play

Yeah, I think so. I think we'll get probably two at least. Some of what we've been doing the last, you know, a couple games with Davis and Orji and then we'll see from there.

On watching the playoff selection unfolding and the 12-team playoff

I love the 12-team playoff. I can see it expanding to 14 and, you know, I think our conference is as good, if not better than any other conference. It's competitive from top to bottom and it's physical. It's fun to watch. So, I appreciate our conference and the teams we have in our conference, the competitive nature of our conference and what it is. So, I think it's a great, I think it's great for college football. I think it's going to continue. It'll probably grow, but as far as the selections and all that, I don't have much opinion on it. You just got to win. So, all that stuff takes care of itself.

On adding a QB via the portal and other positions being targeted

Yeah, I mean, we're going to, there's a lot of positions that we're going to add in-depth and add spots to help fill. So, the specifics of that, I guess you guys will have to see, but we're definitely looking for a quarterback in the portal and we'll go from there.

On what he looks for in a QB

Yeah, experience, a guy that's going to be a great leader, great teammate, obviously have the ability to play and yeah, got to be a great fit. That's going to be that one piece.

On whether there needs to be an OC first before adding a QB in the portal

They are, but they trust me. So, we'll be in good shape.

On the importance of having an OC with play-calling experience

Yeah, I mean, I think like, I mean, you can go back to that question. People didn't believe that I could call plays. Jesse didn't call plays. Look at Jesse now. So, I don't think that's necessarily the piece, but the guy that, you know, the guys that have been looking to have that experience call plays.

[Speaker 5]

Got time for a few more. We're starting the right, Aaron?

On Dominic Zvada returning and others returning

Oh, yeah, it was a great conversation. Obviously, an elite, elite player at the kicking position. Should have won the Groza, but he didn't. No, he wasn't even a finalist, so he'll be looking out for that one next year. But, yeah, conversations are ongoing and so we're having really good conversations with our guys.

On ways he wants to improve as a coach

Oh, man, that's a good question. I just want to get better. Like, I just want to continue to get better and like I told the team, like, want to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Like, not just them, but me. I put myself in uncomfortable situations to continue to get better and that's all I want to do. I just want to get better. I want to make our team better in however way I can from a practice standpoint, from a roster standpoint and just make us the best team we can be as we go into the bowl game.

On areas he wants to emphasize getting better in the offseason

Yeah, I mean, just kind of like you saw in that game, the physicality, I want to turn that up to another level. The toughness, the strain that we had in that game was outstanding, but I want to get bigger. I want to get faster. I want to get stronger, more explosive on offense because I thought defensively we played as good as a game as you could against that team and so I want to do that and just continue to build as a team because that's what it's really all about and there's a lot of talented individuals on our team, but being the best team possible is the only way you win, so I just want to continue to build our team and be the strongest team that we can be and be the best team for Michigan.

On looking for a QB and conversations with Davis Warren

Yeah, very transparent with all our guys. I don't ever say one thing and one day the other, so he's aware of it and he's okay with it and we've talked about it, so he's very aware of it.

On when the early enrollees can show up

Well, Bryce, yeah, Bryce, he can't practice or do anything, but he's around because he's doing stuff, so he can do that through compliance, but he can't practice or be in meetings, and then those guys, they're not here until the 20th or the 19th, so when finals are done, then they can all be here.

On when the EEs can practice

Yeah, but they've got to go through a whole protocol, they've got to do physicals, they've got to do baseline testing that we have with the strength staff, they've got to get cleared, and then they can start to practice. Then they've got to go through a protocol of helmet, two days in helmet, two days in shoulder, and then they can go for full pads, so that'll be fun. It's awesome.

On the goals for the EEs in practice

Yeah, I mean, one, that they can see, like, yeah, I can do this, yeah, I can play here, because I think there's always that little bit of doubt, you know, you're a high school kid, you're coming in, and I remember last year, Blake Frazier and Jake Veniero, what is going on, and it's just like heads were spinning, but I think that the vote of confidence of themselves to see that they can do it is huge, but also them just getting around the team, getting acclimated with the team, how we practice, the speed of practice, and then, yeah, when they get full pads on, we have a little young guy scrimmage and let them get after it, so you can see who can make plays, you keep it pretty simple, see what they can do with the ball in their hands, it's the receiver, see what the quarterback can do, see who guys run the football, what it looks like, so it'll be awesome.

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