UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEDIA CONFERENCE

February 2, 2005

Lloyd Carr

COACH CARR: Well, it's always good to have signing dates come and go, and especially so when you think you recruited well and I think we have done that. I think our coaches did a tremendous job. Our players, I always appreciate their efforts because I think when it's all said and done, they have a great deal to do with whether you're successful or whether you are left with disappointment. The faculty and the staff -- inaudible -- well, Kevin Grady, of course, has an uncle named Gene Grady that I've known a long, long time. And so we did have some early introduction to Kevin, I think even when he was a ninth grader. I think the most impressive thing about him is that East Grand Rapids for those of you who have been there is one of the most impressive high schools I've been in across the country. They do a great job academically. And when you look at what they do athletically, after talking with the principle there, his son, BJ, played here at Michigan. They have a young coached named Peter Serma (ph) who has done a great job. But everybody in that community had great things to say about Kevin Grady on and off the field. Of course, he had the opportunity to be the first Michigan football player to go to a Bowl game who did not practice with the team during the season because of the NCAA rules, Kevin was allowed to go to Pasadena with us and he practiced. He probably got five or six practices in out there, and in a short time, I think everybody was impressed with his ability and the things that you look for in a back. He's got a chance I think to really be quite a football player.

COACH CARR: Well, I think if there's one area I'm really excited about because of the area that we need some freshmen to come in and help us, it's in the defensive line. And I think we have three guys that can do that. I think Marques Slocum out of West Catholic in Philadelphia, Bill Sheridan recruited him. Marques has played in the All-American game, the high school All-American game down in San Antonio. But in watching film, he was a guy that we really thought could make a difference here, and I think he will. He's very talented, he's got excellent size and strength right now. So like all of these kids, you know, there's great potential. It remains to be seen whether they will have the work ethic and the commitment and the competitiveness that it takes when they go to the next level, but I think he's certainly one of those guys. Terrance Taylor from Muskegon High School, of course they won the State Championship. On the day that I had an opportunity to go in and see Terrance, I went to a wrestling match and he's a heavyweight wrestler and I had spent -- I had driven in to Grand Rapids from Chicago and I spent the night in Grand Rapids. I got in at about two o'clock in the morning and so the next day, I got over to Muskegon late in the afternoon, spent the afternoon there, went out and had dinner. Because I wasn't allowed to talk to Terrance until after his wrestling match. So I was not too excited when his wrestling match ended in eight or nine seconds and I had told him that I came up there and I wanted to see him out there for a while. But he pinned his opponent in about nine seconds, which made my trip a very short one in terms of watching him. But Terrance Taylor is certainly -- possesses the athletic ability to come in here and help us next fall. James McKinney, who we recruited as an outside linebacker is another guy, that I don't know exactly where he'll end up, I think he's potentially a guy that could play two ways because he's such a great athlete. He made his decision final, we had some indication in the last few days, but he did announce this morning that he was coming to Michigan. We have three guys from the State of Kentucky, all of whom -- Cory Zirbel, Brandon Logan, a linebacker whose brother we recruited a couple of years ago who ended up going to University of Kentucky. But we did have a very good year in the State of Kentucky. I think, you know, that certainly Kenny will have an opportunity.

COACH CARR: Antonio I think is one of the great athletes in recent memory to come out of the state. You know, I think the thing that he brings is his wonderful size, athletic ability. He's smart, he's tough. I mean, any time you have a guy in high school who handles the ball every down and also plays on defense, you know, there's a number of places he could play. I think his greatest upside as is as a receiver, but we'll also give him an opportunity in there to do some things at quarterback because I think that there are some ways we can use him as a guy with the football that can help our football team.

COACH CARR: Well, I think Mario Manningham, from Warren Harding High School, I had an opportunity in my day on my visit -- I didn't really visit his high school. I did back during our off-week during the season, but I saw him play basketball at the Gund Arena (ph) I think on, I think it was the last -- a couple of weeks ago on a Friday afternoon -- no, maybe it was a Wednesday. But it was a three o'clock game. I was extremely impressed. I had seen high school film on him, but he's got tremendous burst, tremendous acceleration. He's a guy I think is going to be a very exciting football player who can make a lot of things happen when he gets the ball. He's a great athlete, an outstanding basketball player. I think a guy that will come in and compete. LaTerryal Savoy is a big guy, probably six four, and one of these guys that I think once he develops some strength -- but in watching his high school film, he was a guy that could go up and take the football away, a playmaker type of guy. I think all of them have great upside. The question will be, with all of the freshmen who come in here, and some of them, you know, we do not have plans for playing time this fall, because certain positions and certain -- they have required more experience than others. But certainly, the biggest question mark is how much they can learn in that very short training camp that we have because you've got to move on, you don't have a lot of time to bring guys along during the season. So we'll see how they develop, what kind of shape they come in, when they get here and how much time they spend here this summer. That's always an important factor.

COACH CARR: Yeah, I think they are all guys -- I don't envision any of them coming in and starting. I think they will have an opportunity to have a backup role. We'll just see, again, who comes in and who picks things up the quickest. I think in the offensive line, you have to have guys that are smart, but most of them from a physical standpoint are not ready to compete as starters in the Big 10. Once in awhile, you'll have an exception. Justin Schifano's brother, he's out of Rochester, Webster High School in Webster, New York, committed very early here. Jim Vocker did a great job getting in on him, and I think Justin is a guy that potentially has a great upside. He's over 300 pounds, and in talking to his high school coach, he feels like he's one of the better linemen to come out of New York. So we'll just have to see there. David Moosman from Libertyville, Illinois, I really like. When I was in his home, I was a little surprised to see that his father, I guess at one time, was a living in New York City and spent some time there. His mother and dad used to take him down to the park and he played chess. They introduced him to the game of chess, and he won the a state championship in chess. And as you know, I don't know if there are any chess players in here, you have to be very smart to be a good chess player. Of course, I play chess, as you know. (Laughing) I didn't win very often, but I love to play. Anyway, it was one of those things that you learn about a guy, because it is a complicated situation with the offensive linemen. Cory Zirbel of Murray, Kentucky, his father is a process for there. His coach, Rick Fisher, took Jim and I out to have a steak dinner the night I got in there, along with his whole staff, which is one of the most enjoyable evenings I've had in the last month. We had a great time. Of course, Corey is quite a basketball player and a guy that, again, I think has the size -- and of course he was in our camp as a number of these guys were. Tim McAvoy is a guy that we think is a wonderful athlete. I coached his father when I was at a short stint at the University of Illinois. I didn't coach his father position-wise, but Tim McAvoy is smart and very, very committed guy and his son, well, he's the same way. Who else do we have? Mark Ortmann from Houston, Texas, who is a guy that has tremendous growth potential. I think down the road, there's a wonderful upside to him, wonderful student. He committed on his visit here. His parents were both with him and they were very excited to have him make that decision to come here. So that's always important.

COACH CARR: Well, Zoltan Mesko, now, this is one special guy. He's 225 pounds they tell me now. But Zoltan came to our camp last summer. We have a kicking camp that goes a couple of days after our regular camp. It's on a weekend. Mike called me up on Saturday morning and said, "You've got to get over here and see this kid kick the ball." He's a left-footer. He kicked in the All-American game in San Antonio. I think he's going to be a real weapon as a punter. And I think as you get to know him and as you meet his family, you'll find it's a truly great American story of family that came to this country from Communist Romania, I think eight years or so ago. It's just an incredible story. When I went down for my day there, it was on a Monday, it was a Martin Luther King Holiday and Mrs. Mesko had the most incredible lunch I've ever had. It was about ten courses, two types of fish, trigger fish -- did you ever eat trigger fish? Wonderful. I recommend it highly. Catfish, chicken cordon bleu, stuffed peppers, potatoes, what else, oh, and sausage. Had a wonderful day, wonderful afternoon. Well, Mister Simpson was in our camp, he is an outstanding football player on a state championship team, and it's the same high school B.J. Opong-Owusu came from. And Mister Simpson is quite a football player. What I liked about him in camp is he catches the ball extremely well. You know, we've gone to a new mold here. If you look at Kevin, and, of course, Michael Hart, none of these guys are particularly tall, but they all possess an ability, I think, that will enable them to be successful. And I think Mister Simpson is a tough guy and very, very comppetitive guy. So I like him. Who else did you want to talk about?

COACH CARR: Brandon Harrison came up for a visit, I don't remember the date he came up, but he committed on his visit at Chaminade High School in Dayton, Ohio, a guy with great speed and very, very smart kid, a guy that I think is going to be able to come in and compete this fall. Chris McLaurin, I really like the kids that we are recruiting from the state of Michigan. And Chris McLaurin is a guy that is going to be -- it's going to be interesting to see where he ends up, but he has great acceleration, a great burst. I mean, he can really run. He plays basketball, is an excellent basketball player. And he could be -- you know, our coaching staff argues a lot about these guys because, you know, and I always tell them for the most part, you should start where you want to, but I think he'll be -- he could be -- an outstanding defensive end, but I think he also has the athleticism to be an excellent tight end. So I think we'll -- he has an interest I think in playing defense, but we'll just have to see how it goes, but he's a wonderful prospect. Carson Butler, I went down to see him, Renaissance played Rogers, and I ran into an old reporter, McCabe, some of you know him. But McCabe was down there covering the game and I walked into the gym -- now I used to teach in Detroit 1968 on the east side and I coached at a small Catholic school at the time called Nativity High School. I walked into Renaissance High School, actually Rogers High School, to see this game and I had never been in that high school before. A guy came up to me and I pointed him in his chest, I stuck my finger in his chest and I said, "Jessie Walker." Now, Jessie Walker, the last time I saw him was 36 years ago in Detroit when I was coaching him, so he was an outstanding basketball player. Actually I didn't coach him but he had just graduated and he played in Highland Park High School. Anyway, this is a great basketball game, and Carson, his team, I think it went into overtime and he was disappointed in the way he played. I sat next to his mother and she says, "Hey, coach, he's nervous." That's okay, he played hard because he's a wonderful athlete and probably we'll start him out at tight end, but in his high school film, he never came off the field and was an excellent defense and outside linebacker. So very athletic guy and great upside.

COACH CARR: Well, I think he'll be able to come in. I think, yeah, his situation -- I'm not exactly -- as I understand it, he will be considered a transfer and not be eligible this fall because he did -- and I don't know exactly what the ruling is. I think the NCAA will be asked to consider a waiver and that's really all I can tell you at this time. But we're excited that he'll be coming to Michigan.

COACH CARR: You know, when we evaluated film, as we got on into the recruiting process, as we looked at our roster, fullback was a position that we had not recruited anybody as, and our fullbacks and tight ends, particularly our moved tight ends, they are very similar positions. Mike DeBord, who of course coached that position when he was at Michigan, and Fred Jackson, continued to look at people because it was apparent there because of an injury situation on our own team that we were going to have another scholarship available, and so as I looked at the film of Andre Criswell, there's no question in my mind that he's going to be a very, very good football player here. The thing that was very impressive about him, his coach, Coach Hill, who passed away after the season, had told Eric Campbell who recruits the area that Andre Criswell is as fine a person as he had ever coached, and he felt like he would be -- was going to be an outstanding college football player. When I looked at that film about ten days ago, because then it was very apparent to me that he had a wonderful upside, so very excited. I think this kid is going to be -- you want to know who may be the so-called sleeper, if there's such a thing, Andre did not get great publicity, but I do think he's a guy that's going to do very well.

COACH CARR: I think I always look at it from the standpoint of what our needs are. You know, the first position I talk about is the defensive line. I think we'll have some great competition. I would not -- I don't think it's out of the realm that some of these guys come in and end up with a lot of playing time. So I think that's -- I think Antonio Bass and Mario Manningham, I think those guys have an opportunity to make a move because of their special abilities. And of course Grady, I think Grady and we'll have to see about Mister Simpson, but Grady is going to have the great benefit of having practiced with us in a Bowl and will be with us this spring. I think there's a number -- and I think if you look across the country, there are more freshmen and I don't really know why, but certainly when you see what Michael Hart and Chad Henne did and some other freshmen across the country, I think we are in an era where maybe kids, because they have been so much exposed to so much football on TV, you know, you have a lot of places now that have -- they are able to play football throughout the summer and there's a lot of things going on I think that help them prepare to play earlier.

COACH CARR: Well, I think Johnny Sears, Mike DeBord feels like he's one of the better players in this class. He is out of Edison High School, and of course Ron English, our secondary coach, recruited him, and Chris Richards. Ron is very good friends with his father who also coached Chris. I think both of those kids -- Chris at one point had thought about coming in in January, but he's decided to come in the fall. So we'll just have to see how that works out. But both are wonderful kids, and of course that is a position where we can have a young guy come in and help us.

COACH CARR: What do you mean, quantify?

COACH CARR: Well, I got to see -- I got to a few homes. The day after the Rose Bowl, I went down to see Jason Forcier, and then I flew home the next morning and that was a Monday. Sunday I flew home. I got up at 4:00 in the morning on Monday and went to Dayton to see Brandon and then I went on to Cincinnati driving in a rain storm to Cincinnati to see Mister Simpson and then on down to Lexington to see Brandon Logan, and then back home that night. Then of course after we went to the National Coaches Convention, I came back and have been gone almost every day. You know, they are long days. But I think I got into every home, with the exception of Mark Ortmann, and I was headed there the day after I was -- I was going to leave San Diego and go to Houston to see him but there was a problem with his schedule, so I was not able to get back there.

COACH CARR: He'll be clear for some drills and he will not have contact. Tim Jamison is also a guy that we're excited about, but he will be -- he will not be cleared for any contact this spring. So we'll see how that goes. Adam Kraus had -- a year ago if you remember, we were very fortunate that we had very few guys miss spring practice. Now it's caught up with us because we're probably going to have more than most years but Adam will miss spring practice and there will be no activity for him, repaired shoulder, but we expect him back to be in ready condition in July. Jake Long, it's been four weeks, he had some shoulder problems and of course with the year he had, I think the experience he had, I don't think it's going to be a problem for Jake. I think he's obviously going to be playing with a lot less discomfort than he had. Pat will compete for a long-snapping job, had a freak injury and a foot injury and spent 14 weeks, but he'll have no activity this spring. Jeremy Van Alstyne, of course, hurt his foot in the last regular-season game, and he won't be cleared at all. There's one other, Lawrence Reid, played the last half of the season with a lot of discomfort, a nerve problem, and the doctors have advised him not to play, so Lawrence will not be competing any longer. He'll stay in school, finish up his degree next fall. I think that's -- is there anybody else? Matt? Well, I think I announced earlier that he will not be cleared to throw the football although, he will be starting to throw some. But as far as throwing to receivers and participating in scrimmage-type situations, he will not be cleared to do that. He will be cleared for drills and some of that.

COACH CARR: No, I'm never surprised when a guy turns pro.

COACH CARR: Well, I don't want to get into that. I mean, that's something that he's free to discuss with you.

COACH CARR: Jason is back ready to go. I mean, I've been over the whole thing. If you've got a name, I'd be happy to respond.

COACH CARR: Will Johnson of course did not play this fall. He did not compete in games and he was coming off of a major knee surgery from the previous year that suffered in his senior year in high school, but I think he's going to be in the mix in the defensive line for us. I thought as the season went on he showed a lot of promise, and I think he's going to play an important role next fall. Roger Allison was extremely impressive early in the first three quarters of the season. He began to have some problems with his shoulder. So we have to see how that responds right now but he's a very talented guy.

COACH CARR: You know, I will have -- I have not talked with Jim. I anticipate having a conversation with him here in the next few weeks, but that's all I have. I can't tell you anymore.

COACH CARR: Not really, because as a staff, we've been gone, but I mean, I've obviously watched a lot of film during the time that I have been here. But as a staff, we will do that starting Monday.

COACH CARR: No. Pierre will be practicing this spring.

COACH CARR: I don't -- I can't -- I think it will depend on how baseball goes, but my guess is, if things go like he wants them to at baseball, because he's a pitcher, that would rule that out. I don't think it would be in his best interests as a pitcher to try to throw a football on Tuesday and a baseball on Wednesday. I think that's a decision that Clayton will have to make. I think, you know, we'll have to see there.

COACH CARR: Absolutely.

COACH CARR: Well, Jason Forcier, his father lived here in Michigan. I think he was born here if I'm not mistaken. But there's a Michigan tie there. Jason is a guy that Scott Loeffler really likes, a guy that is much different from the mold that some of our recent quarterbacks have come from. He's a tremendous athlete, a guy that has great mobility, and he's a guy that we feel like can develop into a fine quarterback. Kevin Grady and Mister Simpson did not seem to be impacted much by Michael Hart's performance. I think they look at it as if a freshman could come in and play, then maybe you know there's some space there. So I think sometimes guys are very much impacted by who is there and that's understandable, and yet there are others who are not impacted at all because they want to do what they want to do and normally the guys that have that mindset that don't worry about the competition are the guys that turn out to be special.

COACH CARR: Well, he's a guy that -- he's out of the Jones, the Ian Gold (ph) mold, the guy that can really run. Brandon was up here with his brother, John, when John was going into junior I think -- going into the senior year, and I could remember Jim saying that in watching film of John, Brandon was on that same team as a freshman, and he said, "We're going to be recruiting him." So, you know, we think he's a wonderful prospect because he's smart and he can run and he's very aggressive.

COACH CARR: Well, I like them all. I think obviously for Tom to have an opportunity to do something that we -- I don't know how many guys have won three, Terry Bradshaw; and so he has an opportunity to make a mark and leave a legacy. I think regardless of what they do in that game, he's established himself as a guy that's going to be in the Hall of Fame some day and that's an unbelievable statement when you consider his very short time in that league. Of course, Jon Runyan, for him to have an opportunity to win the Super Bowl is special. I'll be watching it and I'll be cheering for all of them, but, you know, it's too bad they all can't win that ring.

COACH CARR: I think any time you've coached people and you get to watch an event that everybody in the country is following, it's exciting and you're very proud of what they have been able to do at a higher level. And of course, you know, I think the most important thing, what I always tell them is that if you have an opportunity to do some things for your family, for yourself financially there that, you know, that gives you a pretty good start in life. So I'm happy for them from a financial standpoint because that's really what it is, it's a business and they have all done well.

COACH CARR: I think you were part of our local newspapers -- and so one day, you would write an article supporting one guy and the other guy would write an article which of course didn't make us very happy, but so what? Who cares? (Laughter) It made it very difficult for those kids. Yeah, I remember it well, because it was as well as it turned out, for both of them. I mean, Tom Brady, he's never going to have to worry about anything in life other than maybe his health. Andrew Henson followed his dream. So those guys did extremely well, but it was very difficult while they were here. And I will always have great admiration for those two kids, and that's what they were at that time, handled unbelievable pressure. They not only had to go out there and compete, but they all had people lined up supporting them. So that meant that some people -- that a lot of people chose sides. Well, that made their job extremely difficult, and I think going back to the way Tom Brady, particularly, handled it, is really what has made him who he is. I mean, this guy, there's nothing Brady can't handle or -- and I think he proved that here. I think anybody that's ever been a follower of Michigan football can look back and of course now, they all say they were supporting him. But we all know there was a lot of people choosing upsides.

COACH CARR: Well, I don't think at this point anything will surprise me. Brady, people talk about intangibles. I think what makes Tom Brady special is his ability to handle every situation. First, he's very smart; second, he's very tough. As a quarterback, he is extremely accurate. You know, when he throws balls, most of the time you don't see the receiver have to wait for the ball, have to turn around, have to jump up and have to kneel and bend down. The ball is in his hands and he can run with it. After seeing him in that league because of the speed of the game, it's really I think his greatest asset. And I think last and most of all, I've never been around a greater competitor. He wants to win. I mean, as good a person as he is, as good a guy -- and I think there's a lot of things I admire about him. He's so, what you see is what he is. You know, he's not one guy one day and off the field -- he's always the same. But when he steps in that huddle, when he goes to the line of scrimmage, he'll go after you.

COACH CARR: You know, I think the truth is, the standard answer is accurate. You can't measure a class for three years. But I think here if I had to make an assessment, I would say it's as good and has a chance to be the best class we've had. I think it's got a lot of guys that have all of the things necessary to be successful, but, we've had other classes that had great potential, maybe better potential, and for whatever reason, it didn't happen. So there's always, you know, a reservation there about rating a recruiting class at this date.

COACH CARR: You know, I think we'd have liked to have another defensive back.