UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 22, 2004

Lloyd Carr

COACH CARR: We just didn't play the coverage well. That is a good coverage from the standpoint of preventing big plays, but you've got to stay deeper than the deepest receiver. We didn't do that. So when you look back at the game, there's two big plays there. That's 14 points. If we don't give up those two big plays, in the fourth quarterr the game is much different. But, you know, the reality is that you can't go back. And that's why when you give up big plays, you're going to give up, in most cases, a lot of points. 30 points against our defense is too much. That's not a winning performance any way you hack it unless you're turning the football over a lot. And we did not turn the football over the last play of the game obviously. But the other one was at their short end of the field. So we gave up too many points primarily because we gave up too many big plays. Many of those big plays were the result of a quarterback scramble. You know, we've got to do a better job there.

COACH CARR: That's going to happen because we didn't throw the football early enough. And that's a call down there. You know, that's probably a call, if we had to do it again, we might not make. But we had also scored our first touchdown on that same thing, moving the pocket. Any time the play gets strung out like it did, you got to throw the football away. We have not had him in a lot of positions where he's throwing the football on the run. So I don't blame Chad for that. I think it's something he's got to learn from.

COACH CARR: Confidence?

COACH CARR: Confidence?

COACH CARR: I think Chad Henne played extremely well. Chad Henne proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he has great courage, great toughness. I mean, in our offense, when you throw the football 54 times, you're up against it. It's not the way we want to play football. And that was due to the fact that we had trouble running the football, and it had to do in the third quarter with the fact that very quickly we were down three scores. So Chad Henne can come out of this season, he's been to the toughest venues in college football as a freshman, and he's about to go into the greatest venue, with the exception of Michigan Stadium. So where he is from a confidence standpoint, I don't know if a guy could ever go in with more confidence as a freshman than Chad Henne will go into this game. If anybody thinks he had a bad game, I would beg to differ. I think, obviously, it's always a game where it's hard-fought and there's a lot of people pressuring the ball. He had to deal with that. He got knocked down too many times. But that's also part of this game. But, no, I'm not concerned about his confidence at all.

COACH CARR: We met yesterday. We're extremely disappointed in the way we played. And I think that's especially true defensively. But I think the other part of it is that we're extremely proud to be the Big-10 champions. And we're excited about going to the Rose Bowl, the opportunity to go back. I think one of the great stories in the history of the Big-10 conference is this team winning this championship with a freshman quarterback and a freshman tailback. I mean, I don't remember anything like it in my 27 years in this conference, that's for sure. And I think it speaks to the great leadership, the great senior leadership this team has had, that they could defend the championship from a year ago. When you're the defending champion, it's a lot harder, it's a lot harder. And this team was good enough to do that. So, yeah, I'm extremely proud of this team, and I'm extremely proud of everybody in it, the way they've coached, the way they've performed.

COACH CARR: Well, I think it was very subdued because you don't get over a game like that, and yet, you know, Jefferson described the presidency as "splendid misery, splendid misery." As we were riding along and I got the phone call that Iowa had beaten Wisconsin, I was reminded of that quote. And I think that's pretty accurate to the way we all felt. I mean, we were excited about the opportunity. The Rose Bowl, there's nothing like it. There's no place like it - college or pro. Anywhere you want to go, it doesn't get any better than the Rose Bowl. We're assured of playing a great football team. That doesn't mean that -- well, you know, the reality it is that we lost a game that we wanted to win very badly because we didn't play like we wanted to. And give them credit, they played great. But the other reality, when you look at the length of a season, the season is measured on eight games, we won the championship. We defeated the team we tied with. So we don't have anything to apologize for. Now, certainly the other reality is we've got to get ready for an outstanding football team and we've got to play better defensively and in some other areas. We are where we are and we're excited to be the champions of this conference.

COACH CARR: Well, what we will do in our next meeting is look at the film. We didn't do that yesterday. You know, it's not something -- what we want to do now is learn from what happened in that game. That's the next thing. But we're not going to wallow in it. We don't feel sorry for ourselves. The nature of competition is that we all understand you get one opportunity. You don't get to play them again. But you have to learn from the games, you have to learn from the season.

COACH CARR: Well, I think we set goals as a team. I think the first -- obviously, it wasn't the celebration that we wanted to have. But we have another opportunity to try to do something special here. I don't worry about that a lot.

COACH CARR: I hope it will be. I don't know about anger, but I hope that it will be an extremely motivated football team. You know, I think you have a motivation if you have great pride, if you have character. And I think we have that on this football team. If they didn't have character, if they didn't have pride, starting with some of the things that we've had happen here early in the season, losing Matt Gutierrez, I don't think they would have ever been able to do the things they have done. And I think the other factor, in regard to your question, is the polls. The polls are always an indicator. So we've fallen there. But we're going to play a great team. We'll have an opportunity to see what we can do with it.

COACH CARR: Well, I think obviously we'll talk about it. I think hopefully there's some things that we learned. I look back on that trip and where we stayed, I've spent a lot of time in staff meetings when we got back before we started spring practice talking about everything that that trip entailed. It was different than any other trip, beginning with the fact that we were staying at a different type of place, we were right downtown. I think that's the first time we've ever done that. I don't think we had the meeting space. You know, there's a lot of things logistically that I think we learned. We'll have to see what the results are. But I think that when you take a trip like that and you're on the road that length of time, that can be a problem. So we're not going to go out as early. We'll probably leave here the afternoon of the 22nd and practice the 23rd, 24th, then take the 25th off, go back on the 26th.

COACH CARR: We're going to stay in a different hotel, yeah, but we'll still be downtown. But I think our seniors know, they know that there has to be a different type of if they are to be successful.

COACH CARR: I'm beating around the bush?

COACH CARR: I just think the distractions of being downtown. I mean, Los Angeles, there's a few things to do. You know, you could go 24 hours a day and not do all there is to do. I'm sure some of you probably tried to do that, and maybe you didn't write as well as you normally would have written. Well, it's the same thing on a football team. It's the same thing in a football coach. I mean, that was different than any Rose Bowl trip I've been to, and I could sense it. I mean, when you stay at the Beverly Wilshire, I mean, I don't know that it's any better than that. There's just a lot of distractions. I think you have to be able - to be successful in anything - to deal positively with the distractions. You've got to be able to put some of them away because on New Year's Day, you're going to meet somebody that's talented and somebody that is prepared and wants to win. I think the other truth there is that SC in that particular game didn't have to deal with that. They were at home. I mean, there's something to that from the standpoint of routine.

COACH CARR: Well, I think, first of all, there are commitments that the Rose Bowl -- that you have to be a part of that game. That's part of the challenge. I want them to have a good time. I want them to enjoy the experience. But I don't want to go out if we're not going to try to prepare to win. And I think we'll try to do that.

COACH CARR: "Segway," what does that mean?

COACH CARR: I really don't (laughter).

COACH CARR: I asked immediately. I was followed down the sidewalk by the stadium there, some guy was yelling at me. Finally, as I got to the door, the guy tapped me on the shoulder and says, "Coach, we're going to have to check your bag here with this dog." I said, "What is this all about?" He said, "Well, I'm just following orders." So I asked Scott Draper to check with the people of Ohio State and find out what this was all about. Their statement to him was that they're going to do what they want to do at Ohio stadium. But I found it to be -- first of all, I'm extremely proud of our players and our coaches that we didn't have what could potentially have been a very serious confrontation, because there's nobody - I promise you - that wants to stand there with a police officer and a dog and telling you, all of you, to put your bags down so that they can check them. I found it extremely disrespectful at best. Had they had the consideration to notify us before we got to the stadium that they were going to do something like that... Now, after it was over, their media relations guy made the statement that this was done to all the other schools that played this year. My question is, first of all, did they do it to Coach Tressel and the Ohio State team? My guess is, absolutely not. But I know that they did not do it with Wisconsin, with Penn State, and Indiana. At least that's what those schools have indicated to us. So I think at best it was extremely disrespectful. It was an extreme measure from the standpoint that the potential for a serious confrontation, some kind of reaction from our team and our players, it could have been an ugly situation. I think at worst it was a violation of our individual rights. In my 27 years in this conference, I've never seen anything like it. I think it is just something that is absolutely inexcusable. I think this rivalry -- I was told as I walked down to the field prior to the game, I asked the policeman, the police officer from Ohio State to took me down, he said, "Coach, I want you to know that we were only following orders, and it was not the orders given us by our superiors." I said, "Well, who decided it then?" And he said, "The athletic department." So I don't know what their reasoning was. You would have to ask them. But to say publicly that it's been done to all the other schools, I mean, that raises a serious issue of credibility by saying that it was done to everybody else. I resented it. I just don't understand anything about what happened there.

COACH CARR: Well, would you have to ask them, which I think they're probably going to deny based on what the statements have been. But I don't care what it was. I think it's an extremely serious issue. I think the commissioner of this conference, Jim Delaney, needs to look into it. And certainly I think everybody here at Michigan is extremely concerned about the issues of what happened there. To do that to our student athletes and our coaches and our student trainers and student managers, I mean, what are we doing?

COACH CARR: I don't know if they're looking for drugs. I don't know if they're looking -- I don't think I'm a terrorist.

COACH CARR: I don't know. Look, first of all, let me make this clear: It had nothing to do with the outcome of that game - nothing. That is not anything that we're using as an excuse. We're talking about how a University in this conference, how their athletic department chose to try to embarrass us, I guess. Obviously it was right in front of a lot of their fans, it was easy for them to watch. I don't know what the reasoning is. But I certainly would expect something as an explanation because I think that is absolutely -- that's it.

COACH CARR: I don't know.

COACH CARR: You know, I don't remember because I was pretty angry. So I tried to control my temper and my tongue, which I did a wonderful job of.

COACH CARR: Let me ask you this. I've got another question for them. 9/11, two years ago we were down there, there was nothing. Is it so much more serious now? Maybe we should ask Tom Ridge. He resigned, all right. Let's get Rumsfeld (laughter).

COACH CARR: Well, I think that's a major part of the issue. But I guess when I look on it, what really is interesting is that they would say that all these other schools, it's been the same all year long, when it hasn't. I mean, there's an issue of credibility here. Had they told us beforehand, they made the statement that one team didn't bring any bags in. We had people in our traveling party who took bags in, who weren't coaches, that were not even -- they didn't ask them for their bags. They just walked in right behind us with their bags, and nobody said a word to them. You know, it was just the players and the coaches. Now, at one point, John had to take all this equipment in. At one -- and he's got thousands of pounds of equipment, helmets and shoulder pads and jerseys. At first they were going to make him open every bag, which would have taken hours. And all of these people, fans standing around, harassing him as he brought it through the gate. I don't understand it. I mean, to me if it's going to be the greatest rivalry in college athletics, which so many of us believe it is, I don't think it's too much to say, "Let's have great respect for each other. Let's treat each other like we would want to be treated." I guarantee you the athletic director of Ohio State doesn't want his son treated like they treated our players.

COACH CARR: Everybody was agitated because they didn't -- I mean, if you're going to do something to your guests like that, wouldn't it be appropriate to let them know? I mean, I just don't understand that. And honestly, I hate to even talk about it, but I would have discussed this win or lose. I want to emphatically say it had nothing to do with the game. The Ohio State team played great. Give them the credit.

COACH CARR: Well, he asked me -- it was interesting. He asked me if we got in okay, how was everything going. I said, "Well, as a matter of fact, they just had your dogs out there searching our bags, Jim." I said, "I don't know what the hell that was all about." But he said, "Well, I didn't know anything about that. "

COACH CARR: No. Are you kidding?

COACH CARR: You'd have to ask him. If he told me that, I'd have to believe him. But somebody in that department knew.

COACH CARR: Yes, I did. I saw what happened across this country this weekend.

COACH CARR: Well, we've tried to address these issues in college football, college basketball, where it's even I think a more frightening thing. But I think we've improved in college football from the standpoint of the fans. My issue has always been one thing: the institution, the host institution, must guarantee and provide safe entrance and exit prior and following a contest. That's their responsibility. If we can't guarantee that they're going to be protected from people who have all kinds of motivations, then we have no business playing these games. I mean, these are college kids, for goodness sake. And I think the leadership, the NCAA, I think the commissioners, I know this, Jim Delaney has taken a strong stand in this regard. And I think we're trying to be proactive. But if you aren't paying attention, it can really be something that's tragic or something that is damaging to the institutions and to what we're trying to get done in intercollegiate athletics, which is trying to provide a positive educational experience for the people who are competing. That's what we're trying to do.

COACH CARR: I haven't heard any issues. To my knowledge, there's no major issues, no.

COACH CARR: Yeah. You know, it's interesting. I read of an incident that happened in the Oklahoma/Nebraska game, because a student was seriously hurt because they were on the field prior to the game. I don't know any of the circumstances. But I only say that when you're a 300-pound football player, and you have protective equipment and a helmet that is hard, that can be a dangerous weapon, and you have people rushing at you, you have any kind of collision, you have a real chance that somebody can get seriously hurt. I think we have to continue to be on guard. I think we are aware there's a problem, and I think we've taken some steps. I think we've tried to do a good job from a public relations standpoint of sending messages to our fans. And thank goodness -- well, I don't want to get into a comparison of professional sports and college sports, but I think obviously there's a lot more young people, kids, in these college environments, so that's another issue. We've got a great sport. We've got a great thing here in this conference and across the country. We've got to do everything we can to protect it.

COACH CARR: You know, I can't -- I'm concerned about Jeremy. I don't have anything to tell you. I am concerned about it. I expect Roy Manning to be back. Roy Manning, broke his heart that he couldn't play. He had an injury that prevented him from playing. He should be good to go here for the Rose Bowl.

COACH CARR: No, it was a matter of the travel team.

COACH CARR: We're very optimistic Willis will be back.

COACH CARR: Well, first and foremost, we've got academics, we've got final exams to prepare for. From a football standpoint, our coaches will be recruiting today and tomorrow. Next week, following our break for Thanksgiving, we will lift and run, condition the following week. And that weekend, we'll have our first recruiting weekend. We'll also practice for the first time. We'll spread our practices out. We won't get to practice during exams. We don't want to because that's one of the reasons we go out before Christmas. It's the main reason we do. But we do have to spread some practices in. In the old days, which only a couple of you remember, in the old days our season ended the same day that the PAC-10 did. Of course then we'd both have the same amount of time to prepare for the Bowl game. This year, and last year, too, one of the issues we have to try to deal with in terms of setting up our practices, is that Southern Cal will not finish their season until next Saturday, and neither will California. California I think's got two games left. So does USC. So they both got two games after we play our last game. Jim was saying to me today is what we need to do is schedule a game in Florida first week in December so we can, you know... I said, "Jim, I'm glad you're not the AD."

COACH CARR: Well, let me say that. I think one of the -- my major opposition to the BCS, the Big-10 joining the BCS, was the fact that we were going to, more than what I felt was right, give up this match-up. But I do think now that we've been in it, now that Jim Delaney led the fight to in most cases guarantee a Big-10/PAC-10 match-up, which I think is really the best we could have hoped for. So now we have an opportunity in most years in the BCS to get a 1 versus 2 match-up. We still have maintained the Big-10/PAC-10 pact as far as participation in the Rose Bowl. I like where we're at. I think it's as good as we could do.

COACH CARR: Well, I'm disappointed in the way we got off blocks up front. And I don't know if we (inaudible) down, but you have to be able to separate and get off blocks. I think that's been part of our problem. I think we had some opportunities. For example, on the play where Smith scrambled for 42 yards, we hid him. We came off the edge. We had people in position to make a play, to make a tackle, and a play that should have been a six- or seven-yard loss turned into seven points for them. You know, I think we just have to get back to where we were. The first seven, eight, nine games, this defense played extremely well. Our ranking in Big-10, in my opinion, one of the most important statistics in football, the turnover margin, was excellent compared to a year ago, and particularly compared to a team that was starting a freshman quarterback. But we do have to do a better job and we have to look at what we're doing. We have to examine every single thing going back these last three games and see. It's easier to do when a season is over because you have a little bit more time. You don't have the hectic pace that you're dealing with in a game week. So we've got a little bit more time. We can sit back, study, look at our personnel. Sometimes things jump out at you after a season's over as you study film that you didn't see during the season. So that's what we'll try to do as coaches.

COACH CARR: Well, you know, for me, the setting, they always tell us the story, and it's been true every time I've been there, that it's never rained on January the 1st in Pasadena in 60 years or something. The weather, Los Angeles is a great city, there's a lot of things to do. The tradition of it, and I made a statement after the game, somebody asked me a question about the Bowl games, and what I intended there was to talk about the tradition of the Rose Bowl. And that's really the difference, in my opinion, if you're a kid in the Midwest growing up, watching the Rose Bowl every day like I did for 25 years, it's the tradition. I can remember as a kid reading about the teams going to Lowry's steakhouse. In those days, they always weighed the amount of beef that each team ate. They've stopped doing that. But going to Lowry's steakhouse to me, it's a special night. Going to Disneyland, Universal Studios. We used to -- the difference is we used to have a wonderful dinner. Bob Hope performed I think at probably the first -- even in 1999 or '90, he was there, but he always came out for 10 or 15 minutes. Honest to goodness, here's this guy that is one of the greatest entertainers in American history, maybe the best. And they always had great entertainment. It would be an evening, we'd have dinner there at the Palladium. And that was a great time. The first only thing I regret is we used to come in where we would come down. You'd be at the top, I guess, you'd look down, the stadium was way down below and you'd wind your way down. Just to see that stadium. Of course, the day of the game, you come in there and all the colors, on a beautiful sunshiney day. You've got thousands and thousands of Michigan fans there to cheer you on. You go into that stadium, you run out into the stadium. The history of it. It's really an exciting thing to be a part of.

COACH CARR: Well, I think it was our poorest performance. I don't think there's any question about that. You know, a lot of that credit goes to them. But we want to play better, and I don't think -- I mean, it doesn't matter if it's our poorest tackling, but it certainly was our poorest performance defensively. And yet, you know, we can't put all this blame on the defense. This is not a blame thing. This is a deal where you try to learn from what happened. We didn't help ourselves defensively because we didn't run the football very effectively. The punt return put them up two touchdowns. Now, all of a sudden we got to throw the ball the last quarter. I think the last 30 something plays of the game, I don't know if we ran once. So now offensively you're one-dimensional. And that's exactly what you want the -- the situation you want to be defensively. So our quarterback, you know, got hit, got hit a lot. The time didn't come off the clock. But I thought our defense did a good job, great job on the goal line. They did a good job in the fourth quarter, but it was too late because we'd given up so many plays. We got to do a better job as a group of people in every phase, try to get ready for a great team here.