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UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEDIA CONFERENCEAugust 25, 2008Obinna EzehBrandon GrahamGreg MatthewsStephen SchillingQ. Inaudible? OBI EZEH: A little bit of both, you kind of get that going in your first game. We isn't seen anybody but ourselves all summer, so kind of anxious would be a better word to get out there and battle against another team. Q. Inaudible? OBI EZEH: I think you feel a little bit more comfortable. You kind of get a sense of what they are going to throw at you. We kind of deal with that every day, so just feel a little bit more comfortable going out there. We've been watching a lot of film. Since they are our first game we started watching u that before the summer even started just by ourselves, some players get together and watch a little film, so seeing what they can do, they are both pretty talented athletes and hopefully we will be prepared for them. Q. Inaudible? OBI EZEH: Definitely it's an advantage practicing against the spread, no-huddle spread with our offense around. So we feel like we'll be ready for an up-tempo place and basically any spread that a team wants to throw at us. Q. Inaudible? OBI EZEH: We put a lot of focus on really flying to the ball and getting to the ball. When you play a spread team like our offense, you want to just be really disciplined in your assignments and tackle really well, but also you want to fly to the ball in case somebody does miss a tackle. Q. Inaudible? OBI EZEH: I think both of them really have gotten really focused on what they need to do to contribute to the team. I can see it in their eyes and see it when they practice; they are both great competitors. So when we go out there and practice every day, I can see that they are trying to do the best at whatever they can be and put themselves in position to really contribute to our team. Q. Inaudible? OBI EZEH: Yeah, you're right, I am still kind of young, but I feel like I do have that advantage with the experience. So I feel like I just give them the knowledge that I have and try to help them out as much as possible. If they have a question, they can come to me and I'll give them the best answer that I can give them. If I don't have that insight, I'll send them to my coach and he'll definitely have the answer for them. Q. Inaudible? OBI EZEH: The Florida game -- oh, the first time, what do I feel about that game right now? You know, I try not to think about it. It was in the past and what's in the past is in the past. You just try and learn from it. I think what we took from that game, you can't take anybody lightly. I think most teams kind of go about their season taking it one game at a time. I think you really have to think about taking it one game at a time after that. Q. Inaudible? OBI EZEH: Schematically, how we're approaching this team I guess is we know that they have a very explosive offense, a lot of great athletes that can hit the home run from pretty much anywhere on the field. So we are just approaching it that way that we know that we have to be sure tacklers and very disciplined in our schemes. Q. Inaudible? OBI EZEH: I think with our defense, it's actually played to spill a lot of the run to the linebackers and to the safeties. But I think in our position, we have very talented defensive linemen that we just take control of themselves. It kind of makes my job easier, but at the same time I know that I still have to do my job, because in the whole scheme of things, I'm supposed to be where I'm supposed to be. Q. Inaudible? OBI EZEH: Maybe, but I'm not so worried about that. I feel like we might be a little bit under the radar so to speak but I feel like we're still Michigan, and Michigan football is always going to be Michigan football. So I feel like we still have that element, call it an element of surprise if you want to, but I feel like everybody knows what kind of football we want to play here and that's what we are going to try to do,. Q. Inaudible? STEPHEN SCHILLING: Kind of actually, yeah, a lot of new guys both, offensively and everything. But definitely feel a little bit more comfortable this week than I did last year, so definitely the experience is helping me. Q. Inaudible? STEPHEN SCHILLING: I'm excited. I can't wait. We've been here now, what, eight months, nine months or so and we've been working out and can't wait to finally put it to the field and see what we can really do. We've been working hard all fall and all spring and all summer, so can't wait to get out there. Q. Inaudible? STEPHEN SCHILLING: No, I'm going to wait till Saturday. Q. Inaudible? STEPHEN SCHILLING: John's progressing well. He's a natural athlete. He has a lot of talent and he's a very smart player, too. He's been picking up on the offense fast and he's had to ask me and Perry and some of the other tackles sometimes on the plays but he's picking up fast and he's doing really well. Q. Inaudible? STEPHEN SCHILLING: For us, not really, no. Play calls are still the same for us and the blocking schemes are still the same. We block the defense so we don't worry too much about the quarterback. Q. Inaudible? STEPHEN SCHILLING: I would almost rather not talk about the quarterback. It's going to be Coach Rod's decision and things like that, and I'm just more worried about the offensive line. Q. Inaudible? STEPHEN SCHILLING: I think definitely last year, beating Florida and winning the Capital One Bowl like we did gives us confidence. It was a big win for us and sent Coach Carr out the right way. This is new now with the new coach and now offense and everything, but I think we are confident that we worked hard all year and that we'll be able to play well this season. Q. Inaudible? STEPHEN SCHILLING: I don't think so. I think we expect for them to be right there as we have been every year. Coach Rod always says, we don't want to expect to win; we want to deserve to win. All of the off-season work we've done all year and things like that; we put in all that work so that we deserved to win. We did all the work and come out Saturday and put in the work. Q. Inaudible? STEPHEN SCHILLING: I think the chemistry has gotten a lot stronger from last year to this year, bringing in the new guys and playing with the new guys, it takes time to get used to playing next to them. I think all of us are good friends, we go get meals together and things like that. Outside of football we developed good relationships, and I think it translated on to the field. Q. Inaudible? STEPHEN SCHILLING: I think with any changes like we've had and a lot of guys leaving, especially on offense, you're going to have a lot of new faces and things like that. But I think all of the freshmen came in with the mind-set that they are going to work hard and they are going play. They knew there was a lot of opportunities. They worked really hard over the summer. I think a lot of guys impressed me, guys like Shaw and McGuffie, guys like that, make one move and go score a touchdown; an 80-yard touchdown would be nice, get off the field. But no, it's fun to watch. It's fun to watch those guys run around. Q. Inaudible? STEPHEN SCHILLING: I think they are really good. With all of them back, I think Brandon Graham and Tim Jamison are two of the best defensive ends I've gone against and going against them every day helps me and helps out rest of the line, being young guys and getting to go against guys like them and Will Johnson and Terrance Taylor every day is going to help a lot. Q. Inaudible? STEPHEN SCHILLING: It's going to be different than last year. So if you're expecting something like last year, you'll be surprised. We're going to run the offensive, the spread, all that stuff. I don't think you'll be too surprised. Q. Inaudible? BRANDON GRAHAM: You talking about the last game? Hold on, repeat the question. I didn't understand. Say it again. Q. Inaudible? BRANDON GRAHAM: No, not really. Just looking forward to Utah. Q. Inaudible? BRANDON GRAHAM: Well, they are pretty fast, pretty fast tempo. You know, no-huddle, Coach Rod really prepared us for this game and we still have this week to prepare, but I think we're going be to be okay. They are going to try to play fast against the defense, because last year, no huddle -- they think last year -- I don't think our shape was as good as we are now. I think they will come to try to come no huddle, fast tempo and so I think we're going to be ready. Q. Inaudible? BRANDON GRAHAM: Yes, pretty well. I like what Coach Rod is doing right now on defense and on offense. It's like he controls both. He likes what we're doing on defense and I think the offense, too. Q. Inaudible? BRANDON GRAHAM: I think they like to run a little bit more than we do. A lot of power. Pretty much they are going to try to power the ball but I don't see it happening. Q. Inaudible? BRANDON GRAHAM: Yeah, I can't wait to see the energy that they bring, the new coaches, because in game time, we don't see who is really there and who is really prepared. I felt like our coaches do a good job on preparing from what I've seen and what they are trying to teach us. Q. Inaudible? BRANDON GRAHAM: Yeah, it felt like a game, our warm ups, everything. You know, I was kind of pumped because we was in the hotel before; we had a little speech. We seen the highlight tape, everything. So it felt like a game. I felt like I was game and I wasn't as tired as I would be and I felt good. Everybody on the team felt good and we talked afterwards, because especially when you have practice -- or a meeting afterwards. So it was kind of nice. Q. Inaudible? BRANDON GRAHAM: Oh, he's going to be a good player, real good player. He came in right away. So it seem like he's been working out, like the last year, high school, seemed like he's been working out the whole spring because he came in in shape and he gets out there in practices, so I have real high expectations on him. Q. Inaudible? BRANDON GRAHAM: Oh, they could be great. Yeah, they could be great. You know, I feel like Coach Rod has prepared us to be great. So all we've got to do now is go out there and run the game plan that he's presented to us. Q. Inaudible? BRANDON GRAHAM: We'll see this Saturday. You know, I could talk about it all the time but we don't really see Saturday, but I think we are going to be ready. I think we are going to shock a lot of people this year. Q. Inaudible? BRANDON GRAHAM: Yeah, you know, it's a lot of people that stepped up on the D-Line that's more vocal now, especially me. Jamison has always been one and Terrance has always been one, but we're balancing and trying to lead the team by being vocal. So I feel like a lot of stuff has changed. A lot of people are starting to buy in for real that we can really shock the world this year. We're going to need our seniors to lead us, and that's what they have been doing, so we'll see. Q. Inaudible? BRANDON GRAHAM: Oh, because the game plan, the schemes, everything, being people don't really know what we really are going to do right now, so a lot of people are going to be shocked. A lot of people don't think we have as much talent as we usually have in the past, but I see it. I see it even better here because a lot of people have bought into what Coach is saying. Not saying that we wasn't about family, but it's more people hanging together on the team than it used to be; put it like that. So I feel like everybody is going to do what they have to do and everybody want to fight for everybody. Q. Inaudible? BRANDON GRAHAM: Just firing off and using our hands, because I've seen a lot of teams that they have played against, they don't use their hands well. So we have just been stressing, shoot your hands, because as I've seen their tackles and the way that the teams try to attack them, shoot your hands. A lot of teams didn't do that, so they let them get in their chest. Just don't let them get in your chest and we'll have a good day. Q. Inaudible? GREG MATTHEWS: It's going to be exciting because we've worked for eight months starting in January, a long time to prepare for this game and this day, so it's going to be exciting. I don't really think about it much. It was last year. I don't really think about last year. It's a new year so I'm just moving on and looking forward to things that are going to happen this year. Q. Inaudible? GREG MATTHEWS: Yes, it is, we'll see how practice goes. I guess it let's us know as players that everybody is interchangeable, so you have to practice hard all the time. So depth chart means nothing. Q. Inaudible? GREG MATTHEWS: No. We know practicing with the ones and twos in practice. But the coaches do a good job of integrating everybody with the ones and twos. You never know. I think they do a good job of doing that because somebody could always get hurt. Hopefully nobody does, but just have to be prepared for the worst going into the game. Q. Inaudible? GREG MATTHEWS: Yes, it's it could be an explosive offense. If we go out there and what we need to do, the sky is the limit with the offense. Definitely the scheme and the pace and everything the coach has done with us, we definitely could be an explosive offense. Q. Inaudible? GREG MATTHEWS: I mean, personally, I'm not concerned about shocking in this case. I just want to win games, and shock, I don't know what to say. I just want to win games and win the BCS championship. Q. Inaudible? GREG MATTHEWS: My role has definitely changed. Last year with Mario and Adrian, I was just kind of that quiet guy sitting in the meeting room and laughing and joking. But this year I have to be more of a vocal leader and lead by example in practice and on and off the feed. I just try to be a leader because the young guys, I just try to lead by example, because I don't really like to talk much. So I just try to lead by example. Q. Inaudible? GREG MATTHEWS: No, I'm happy with the way my career has gone so far. I wouldn't say it's anything, but I'm definitely excited for the freshmen with this new weight program and everything Coach Barwis is going to do with them the next four to five years here. So I'm excited for them. I'm happy for them. Me personally, I don't want to be a freshmen again. I had a great experience so far and I would like to see that end soon. Q. Inaudible? GREG MATTHEWS: Yes, if we go out there and execute our assignments to the best of our ability which I know we can do, 40, 50 points is nothing really. I'm not predicting anything but I know what this offense is capable of and the players that we have on this offense. Q. Inaudible? GREG MATTHEWS: Just how hard we've worked over the summer and the winter and in spring balls. It felt good to look over and see my teammates throwing up and sweating and everything just like me, so it just feels good. I know what they are capable of and they all bought in. So I feel like this could be an explosive day for all of us. Q. Inaudible? GREG MATTHEWS: Maratavious, he's funny. We like to joke about him and call him "Little Wayne" because he kind of looks like little Wayne a little bit. He's quiet. He's cool. He doesn't really say much, but it's a good thing, because sometimes when the coach get on him and has a rough day, I just smiles and shakes it off. He has a good attitude and he's very fast and explosive and very elusive. I just would love to look down there and see him in the slot, because I know that I don't have to make a crushing block to get him open on a ball where he can just make one man miss on a scheme, so it's fun playing with him. Q. Inaudible? GREG MATTHEWS: He's cool, we like to joke with him and call him "Greg Old" because he looks so old. He's a really cool kid from Ohio. He has a really nice personality. We joke with him a lot. I got to know him in camp. He has good hands as well. He catches everything that comes his way. He's cool. I like his personality. Q. Inaudible? GREG MATTHEWS: The team is handling it well. Today Coach Rod got here, he has taught us you have to have thick skin. You see with everything that's he's been through, he hasn't changed a bit, with everything that's happened with him and his family, and you have to have thick skin. Coach Barwis teaches us mental toughness in the weight room. We are handling it well I think. We are all excited to play August 30th and come out of the tunnel. Q. Inaudible? GREG MATTHEWS: No, I mean, I can't really think of any right now, but we have a couple nicknames for some freshmen. I think Sam's nickname is Vanilla Ice I think. I'm not sure. I think we call in Nick Sheridan, he kind of looks like a mix between Tony Romo and Adam Sandler, so we like to joke with him a lot. That's pretty much it. I can't really think of any off the top of my head right now. Q. Inaudible? GREG MATTHEWS: They are both vocal leaders in the huddle. We don't huddle much, but I always have questions and they answer them. So they are both vocal leaders in practice, and they just kind of sit back and watch what one is doing and try to correct him and help him out. So I think that helps both of them in the wrong run because they know the mistakes that they are making, and one is tunneling the other. They are good friends, which I think makes the quarterback battle rather interesting. Q. Inaudible? GREG MATTHEWS: Sheridan, he's a comedian I guess and Stevie, he likes to take a lot of things more seriously. But I think they are both great. End of FastScripts |
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