7/24/2018 football Edit

Michigan Football: Big Ten Players Talk All Things U-M At Media Days

Austin Fox • Maize&BlueReview

Staff Writer

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Penn State fifth-year senior cornerback Amani Oruwariye. (AP Images)

Eighteen Big Ten football players (not including Michigan's) spoke on Day 1 of Big Ten Media Days yesterday, and most of them had plenty to say about the Wolverines.

Some chose to remain anonymous while discussing U-M's offense and defense, while others had no problem speaking on the record.

Here are the best quotes we've rounded up regarding past matchups with the Maize and Blue, their personnel, and much more.

• Penn State fifth-year senior cornerback Amani Oruwariye, on the best group of receivers he faced last season: "I thought Ohio State had a pretty good receiving core. Michigan had a couple guys, and Nebraska had some good ones too.

"Michigan had some young guys who were eager to get better — they were fast, twitchy guys who will take that next step this year. They were good competition.”

• Penn State fifth-year senior safety Nick Scott, on the best cornerbacks in the conference: “Our cornerbacks are at the top. Michigan’s also stand out — they have a couple guys. Michigan State has a few guys too. Michigan’s guys compete and play at a high level, and they’re obviously doing something right over there.”

• Scott, on Michigan's offense: “They have a real talented offense. They’re always a team who recruits top talent, and always have guys who are ready and willing to play in this conference.

"Any time you go up against them, you have to bring your A-game. We were very well-coached against them, and we had a plan going in. Their receivers had some good speed, I do remember that about them.”

• Scott: “I was talking to one of the Michigan guys here [fifth-year senior defensive end Chase Winovich] with long hair, and we were chatting it up — he’s a great guy. We were saying how funny it was the way our teams exchanged blows the last two years.

"We wished each other luck this season, and I can’t wait to compete against him again and decide who will get the last laugh. He’s a standup guy, and I’m glad I was able to meet him.”

• Nebraska fifth-year senior defensive tackle Mick Stoltenberg, on how excited he is to face Michigan for the first time in his career: "It’s been since 2011 or 2012 since we last played them, so it’s exciting. They have one of the most passionate fan bases in the country, similar to what we have at Nebraska.

"Playing in a stadium like theirs will be exciting. It’s on my bucket list of places to play. They’re well-coached and super physical, so it’ll be a fun matchup."

• Northwestern senior cornerback Montre Hartage, on his excitement for the Michigan game: “It’ll be an opportunity to showcase our talent against them — I’m looking forward to playing them in our place under the lights, and it’ll be a great chance to show off our program.

"I remember playing them in 2015, and they were fast, physical and aggressive. They had Jabrill [Peppers] and Jake Butt and some other good players too."

• Northwestern fifth-year senior linebacker Nate Hall, on the 2015 Michigan game and the Wolverines in general: “Michigan is a tough, tough team who plays hard and physical. They also run the ball very well, so it’ll be a great test for us.

"The thing that I remember most from that 2015 game was giving up a kick return on the first play of the game [to Jehu Chesson]. We also couldn’t establish anything offensively, and made several mental mistakes defensively that opened the door for them. We got ourselves in a hole and couldn’t recover. When you’re in the Big House and give up a kick return on the first play of the game, it’s tough to bounce back.

"The atmosphere there definitely lived up to the hype that day. I actually grew up 45 minutes from Ann Arbor, so I knew what the atmosphere was going to be like.

"Any time you pack 114,000 people in a place like that, it’s going to be loud. We’re looking forward to getting them in our house this year, though.

“Any time you play a team of their caliber, it’s something you never forget. I just hope we come out on top. I was an Ohio State guy through and through growing up — my aunts and uncles were big-time Michigan fans, though.”

• Purdue redshirt junior linebacker Markus Bailey, on Wilton Speight getting hurt in last year's matchup: “We obviously didn’t try to intentionally hurt him, but when he went down, you’d think their team morale would go down too.

"John O’Korn came in and balled out against us, though, and we just couldn’t stop them — that’s credit to their coaching.

“Both No. 22 and No. 12 [Karan Higdon and Chris Evans, respectively] were great players for them too. Michigan has great players all across the board.

"If you’re a Michigan running back and they’re putting you on the field, you’re probably going to be tough to stop. I can’t say if No. 12 or No. 22 was better.”

• Northwestern fifth-year senior quarterback Clayton Thorson, on whether or not Michigan's 2015 defense was the best he's ever faced in college: "I don’t know about that. They were very talented though. I remember Jourdan Lewis taking the ball away from one of our receivers and running it back for a touchdown. That was actually my first loss as a college football player.

"They also had Mo Hurst on that team. I have so much respect for their program and for Coach Harbaugh. I know they’ll bounce back this year."

• Minnesota fifth-year senior running back Rodney Smith, on what he remembers from the weather delay at Michigan Stadium this past year: “It was weird just sitting around in the locker room waiting for the game to start. I just remember tons of guys watching TV, listening to music and eating candy.”

• Smith, on Ed Warinner's one year at Minnesota: “[How well I knew him was] iffy. He talked to me a little bit though.

"I know he pushed our offensive linemen a lot. He willed them through injuries — we had some problems with injuries in the spring, but he took care of them.

"We were also a zone scheme team, so I think that’s the system he implemented here.

"I’m happy for him, because he’s moved on and is doing great things."