Different players prepare for rivalry games in different ways. For fifth-year senior running back Ty Isaac, the approach is ‘same as it ever was.’
It’s similar for many of his teammates, he added.
“Everybody wants to play well, especially in a rivalry game like this,” he said. “But part of the culture we have here is every game matters. I wouldn’t say the level of intensity is any higher in terms of trying to be successful … it’s one game at a time, trying to do my job.
“It is a big game, a trophy game. At the same time, sometimes I feel people can get way too hyped up for a game like this and get out of their element.”
The countdown clock former head coach Brady Hoke had installed on the walls has long since disappeared, and the empty spot in the trophy case where the Paul Bunyan Trophy used to reside almost every year features the trophy once again.
It would have been there for two consecutive years had it not been for a fluke punt fumble return on the game’s last play. Even then, Isaac isn’t’ bitter.
“It’s just a game,” he said of the matchup. “Obviously, Michigan State is a rival, a good opponent. It’s still a football game, and we’ll still install plays we had, run schemes we had, practice the same. It would be a shame if we spent all this time getting all hyped up blowing it up and making more of what it is and losing focus.
“We’re going about it with the same approach we’ve always had.”
That’s to play their game and keep Paul Bunyan home.
“It looks good where it is right now,” Isaac said. “We’ll battle for it, and it’s going to be a good game. Hopefully we can keep it.”
NOTES
• Isaac said he was feeling healthy and ready to go after taking a shot to the ribs a few weeks back. He played at Purdue, but he didn’t shoulder the load for the first time all year.
“I’m good to go,” he said.
“They look like they have a good defense on film … a lot of blitzing, their front seven looks good, physical guys. That’s to be expected from them. That’s the kind of football they play. It’s going to be a good game.”
• Pass blocking was a point of emphasis after a weak effort against Purdue. Isaac bristled when asked if it’s about ‘contact courage.’
“Same as it always is, same expectations,” he said. “They don’t change. If we make mistakes, we come back and fix them, work on them. Improvement week emphasized a lot of things.
“I don’t think anyone on our team is lacking [contact courage]. It’s technical. Those guys are on scholarship for a reason, too. It’s not the easiest thing in the world to do, but we practice it enough where we should be successful at it. This week, especially, we put an emphasis on it.”
• The Spartans do plenty of run blitzing, and U-M is preparing for it.
“They have a really tough front seven, play physical, have big guys up there with a lot of run blitzing,” Isaac said. “That’s stuff we’re watching on film, obviously practicing those looks having a week of preparation. Hopefully we’ll dial stuff up and get the run game going.”
• Isaac has no doubt O’Korn will be confident Saturday night.
“Next man up. That’s what it is,” he said. “This team is based off competition, whether it quarterback, receiver, defensive back, kicker, punter, holder … it doesn't matter. We’re all competing to start every day. One goes down, the next is ready to go.”
---
• Talk about this article inside The Fort
• Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @BSB_Wolverine, @JB_ Wolverine, @AustinFox42, @AndrewVcourt and @Balas_Wolverine
• Like us on Facebook