Yours truly attended Saturday's Victor's Club brunch/practice. There were talks by Associate Ath. Director Mike Stevenson, offensive and defensive coordinators Terry Malone and Jim Herrmann, and head coach Lloyd Carr. Then we went to the stadium and watched a light non-pads practice. Here are a few tidbits.

The Talks.

Most of the information has already been reported by TheWolverine.com the past week. Here are a few additions, all stated by Coach Carr.

- Freshmen who will play. (1) Gabe Watson. Carr pointed him out as the one frosh who would contribute on the defensive side of the ball. Carr repeated the fall-practice story of Watson standing on a table at dinner and singing/dancing for the team, and then jumping down chearleader-style and doing the splits. This reminded me of the stories of Watson during his senior season in high school: during pre-game warm-ups he would walk toward mid-field and do the splits, etc. to terrorize the opposing players. (2) One of the wideouts: Carl Tabb, Jason Avant and Steve Breaston. Carr did drop a hint that Avant is "A little bit different kind of receiver." Again this reminded me of Avant turning the tables on defensive backs in high school and being the one dishing out the punishment.

- Bennie Joppru has come full circle, from, as Carr, said, "Embarrasing himself and the team" with off-field problems, to being named captain. Carr indicates Joppru had raised his level of play as well and was on the verge of a breakout season.

- In response to a question, Carr acknowledged the team's struggles coming out of 'bye weeks' and said the coaching staff has altered the practice schedule for these periods.

- Coach Carr also stated that, "The next recruiting class will be the smallest I can remember" at Michigan.

The Facilities

Assistant athletic director Mike Stevenson noted that the following three improvements would be done ASAP.

1. An academic support building. Stevenson said, "The first shovel will be dug within the next twelve months."

2. A new locker room. Most people do not know that the whole team cannot dress in the existing locker room. "Nothing has been done to the locker room for 15 years. There will be a new locker room for the 2003 season."

3. A new indoor football building. "Oosterbaan was the very first indoor practice facility in the country. Unfortunately every indoor facility built since is wider, higher, etc. than ours."

4. And a fourth: a new basketball practice facility, to include new medical/training facilities. Stevenson said, "I promise that before I retire a new facility will be up and running." (Stevenson has been at Michigan for some 30+ years if I recall correctly).

The Practice

"Fall Camp" two-a-days are over, and the team is winding down to recover from bumps and bruises, and to prepare for Washington next week. So the practice we watched was a non-pads 'substitution drill' practice. The main thing to report from this time was that yours truly, while walking back, ran into John Navarre and spoke to him a little bit. Navarre was relaxed, upbeat, fired up -- the impression given was almost like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.