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BIG TEN CONFERENCE MEDIA CONFERENCE

April 12, 2011

THE MODERATOR: We have Michigan's Brady Hoke. We'll start with an opening statement and then take questions.
COACH HOKE: First and foremost, I can tell you we're very humbled and excited to be here at Michigan. We're excited to get going this spring and get with our players. We obviously are going through a transition. Obviously when you do that, you have an offensive and defensive philosophy that you want to try and install.
I'm very excited about how our players have responded to what we're trying to get done on both sides of the ball and the kicking game and overall in our identity as a football team.
THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up for questions.

Q. Is too much made of trying to work with a quarterback in converting him from one system to another system?
COACH HOKE: Well, you know, I think it can be. I think in our case with Denard, with what he brings to the table, his skill sets, I think Al Borges says it perfectly, he's a guy who is obviously very dangerous with the ball in his hands, but he can do a tremendous job of throwing the football.
So it really has been a real smooth transition. He played under center during his entire high school career. Those are some of the mechanics you always worry about. Doing this at San Diego State, where we had a guy who had never been under center, Denard was ahead of the game as far as the ball mechanics, taking the snap, seating the ball, all those things.

Q. How important in spring ball is it to develop interior line play on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball?
COACH HOKE: The game's played up front on both sides of the ball. We've got a group of guys on both sides that are learning a little differently. When you look at it offensively, the power game, the combination blocks, some of the things that we believe in in how we want to run the football, downhill runningbacks, then defensively going from a three-man front to a four-man front, trying to work some guys. Will Campbell played on both sides of the ball since he's been here. Quinton Washington the same. Trying to get all those guys fundamentally, the techniques, how you want to play the game up front with a mentality I think on both sides of the ball is important.

Q. How has the transition for you personally gone? How is the relationship with the team and maybe reporters in the Michigan area?
COACH HOKE: Well, I think it's going great. I'll be very honest with you. There's so many great people here at the university. When you come back to Michigan, there's a lot of familiarity obviously. I think our players have done a tremendous job of maybe changing gears a little bit with just how you lay out your practice, the things you do, what you do in the strength and conditioning part of it. They've been eager to learn and eager to really dive into the fundamentals and the techniques of specific positions.

Q. What is the biggest challenge for you as a coach taking over a program like Michigan coming from where you've been? What is it like entering a new conference and a new team?
COACH HOKE: Well, I think the biggest challenge is always - doing this two other times - those relationships, building those relationships, the trust factor that everyone has to have in each other, the accountability.
It's no different whether it's Michigan, San Diego State, there's 115 guys that are on your team and 115 guys that you're going to be accountable for, and they're going to be accountable for each other, from an academic, social, how you play the game, how you prepare, those things are really are what are important.

Q. Brady, what has been your impression of Will Campbell so far? Can he make an impact in the fall?
COACH HOKE: I don't think there's any doubt that Will can do that. You see signs of that. We have to have a little more consistency. I like how Will has come to work every day. I like how he's thirsting for some knowledge. When I say that, I'm talking about the fundamentals of playing the position, being a tackle in there on defense. I've liked the progression. I think we've got a ways to go in all areas.
But I think Will's done a really good job.

Q. Brady, back in '07, you brought Ball State into Nebraska and just about knocked them off. As Nebraska enters the Big Ten, comment on what that adds to it, maybe how far they've come since that '07 team?
COACH HOKE: I don't think there's any doubt about the tradition, the reputation, how they play the game. Obviously I think it's made our league, the Big Ten Conference, much stronger.
Bo has done a tremendous job there. Obviously his records, the things they've accomplished, speak for themselves, the physicalness they're going to play football with. I think it's a big plus for our conference to have them in.

Q. What about what you remember from that afternoon back in '07 when you had Ball State and Nebraska was on the ropes?
COACH HOKE: That was a long time ago, as you know. Our guys played their hearts out. We quite couldn't get it done. It was an exciting game.
It's like anything else: when you lose, you haven't done what you set out to do, so there's always the consequences that go along with it.

Q. I know you talked a lot about toughness before the spring. How have you enforced that throughout practice so far?
COACH HOKE: I just think in a way our coaches and what we do in the winter conditioning, the strength program, the competition side of it, I think that's part of it. We like to compete in everything we do, whether it be in the weight room, how we work with each other, how we push each other, what we do in winter conditioning, that's a part of it.
Obviously, when you get a chance to get out and play football, I think the different situations we try and get ourselves into game-like and just compete all the time, watch guys who have the mental toughness to persevere or bounce back from adversity.

Q. How have the guys responded to that so far with the practice element of that?
COACH HOKE: I think they've responded real positively. I think that's something that has always been a staple of Michigan football and will be in the future. I think our seniors have done a great job in their leadership. They've done a great job when we talk about toughness of being the example for the rest of the team.

Q. Brady, I wanted to ask you about your strength and conditioning coordinator. How much is he your eyes and ears between the end of spring practice and the start of the fall?
COACH HOKE: I don't think there's any doubt. I think every coach who gets on the line will tell you that that guy's invaluable. The trust that you have in what he does in developing your players, the trust that you have in his communication and all those things that are a part of it.
That really becomes your right hand as a head coach, the attitude of the team, the work ethic, how all those things are going.

Q. How much do you rely on him to be your messenger during the summer?
COACH HOKE: We'll speak with one voice. Everyone knows what direction and where we're trying to move Michigan football to. I think that's a big part of it, what he communicates to them every day. I think our seniors are a big part of it. Senior leadership, the influence that those guys have, is as crucial as anything.

Q. Just wanted to know your thoughts on the Big Ten preserving the Ohio State-Michigan game and keeping it as the last game?
COACH HOKE: I think that's exactly what we should do. My thoughts are there's no tradition, there's no bigger rival in sport than that football game. It's always played there in the last Saturday in November. That's where it should be. I know the excitement that it generates, that great rivalry, the respect that the two schools have for each other. I think the Big Ten hopefully keeps it exactly where it is.

Q. And what are your expectations for the game for you?
COACH HOKE: Well, they're always high. Just like every year, I mean, that's an important game on both teams' schedule because of that rivalry, because of the states, the proximity, all those things.
One thing at Michigan, you're fortunate. We have a great in-state rival up the road. The ability that we have to play Notre Dame. Then obviously the rivalry with Ohio is always important.

Q. I know this was kind of your dream job. Now that you've settled in after a few months, what is it about the job that really kind of hits home for you?
COACH HOKE: Well, we're getting ready to play the 132nd year of football at Michigan in the 2011 season. When you have all of that legacy that is there, all the tradition that is there, we're going to be accountable to it. We're going to play for the guys who have won that winged helmet before, understand that the expectations are high - and they should be high.
For us, it's something that we need to uphold and we're going to embrace and, like I said, be accountable to.

Q. Has there ever been a thought, Man, I'm here?
COACH HOKE: Not really, to be honest with you. It gets back to why you get into coaching, and that's for those 115 kids that you get to be with, get to influence from a life-lesson standpoint. I know maybe that's not what everybody does, but that's how we do it.
THE MODERATOR: Coach, we appreciate you taking the time and look forward to seeing you in the fall.
COACH HOKE: Thank you.
THE MODERATOR: Next we have Ryan Van Bergen. Ryan, thanks for joining us.
RYAN VAN BERGEN: Thanks for having me.
THE MODERATOR: Make an opening statement and we'll take a few questions.
RYAN VAN BERGEN: Happy to be here and happy to be representing the program as a senior this year.
THE MODERATOR: Let's go to questions.

Q. What has been the biggest difference this spring versus other springs of your career?
RYAN VAN BERGEN: I just think there's been a big sense of urgency to get better by everybody, including the staff and all the players. We had some disappointing seasons. We've slowly been getting better over the past couple years. We just want to continue on that and get better and have the best year we've had here in my class and any class that has been here in this upcoming season.

Q. Is there a specific moment where it resonated with you during spring practice where you said, This is different?
RYAN VAN BERGEN: I wouldn't say it's been a particular moment. There's definitely been different instances where I felt how urgent we have to be about getting to where we want to be come camp. We need to be prepared to the level we haven't been prepared yet and we need to do it with a new regime, new playbook and everything like that. We have to get better faster than everybody getting better in the Big Ten.

Q. What improvement have you seen in Will Campbell?
RYAN VAN BERGEN: I think Will's main improvement has been in his work ethic and his attitude towards the game. I think he is one of the people I would be talking about getting a sense of urgency. He's really come into his own as far as putting in extra time, paying attention to smaller details. He's been really coaching recently with Coach Mattison and Coach Montgomery and even Coach Hoke. He takes criticism well. His day-to-day improvement is probably the best on the team.

Q. What has the change in defensive style been like for you?
RYAN VAN BERGEN: I think I'm a little bit more comfortable. I'm in a position where originally I was going to come to Michigan under Coach Carr and Coach English, I was going to play a strong side defensive end five technique. Right now that's where they have me slotted. I'm very comfortable. I'm not learning anything particularly new as far as schemes or anything like that. I've played a lot of schemes since I've been here. I feel like this is the position I was slotted to play as far as my body type and my physical capabilities. I'm comfortable and getting to know the position even more.

Q. Ryan, just how different is it under Brady than it was under Rich Rod?
RYAN VAN BERGEN: You know there are always going to be some similarities between coaches. I think Coach Hoke is more of a defensive emphasis kind of coach. He seems to put more pressure on us in practice situations. He's been with the D-line specifically through different drills and stuff in spring ball. Coach Rod was more of an offensive guy. He was with the offensive players and staff a little bit more.
For me personally that's a big difference. It's been something that I definitely noticed and recognized.

Q. Is there something that's really radically different about their personalities and approach?
RYAN VAN BERGEN: I wouldn't say 'radically different,' no. I mean, every coach is going to have their moments where they have differences and stuff like that. But I would say one of the differences would probably be maybe style as far as there's a little bit more laid back as far as when you come to the classroom, you're learning. I think they've been a little bit slower with some of the young guys instead of, you know, getting them into it right away, they've kind of just eased them in and, you know, really taught them the fundamentals and stuff that you need to be successful.
I think that's been positive for some of the younger guys that we need to contribute this year.

Q. Are you the only one that feels that way about feeling more comfortable with this scheme? Are there other guys up front that feel that way?
RYAN VAN BERGEN: I think there's definitely guys that are feeling that way. I mean, I think there's been more people slowly starting to feel that way as we progress through spring ball. I think our linebackers are more comfortable. When you talk about the defensive line we've been playing with in spring ball, you have me, Mike, Will Campbell, Craig Roh. Those are bigger bodies and a lot more weight up front than there was last year. The linebackers are having an easier time navigating, coming downhill to make plays. They're getting more comfortable with it.
I think the safeties and corners, their jobs haven't changed a whole lot. I feel like defensively everybody is pretty comfortable with it. Offensively I can't speak knowledgeably because I'm not on that side. But I feel like everybody is slowly starting to come into the scheme on both sides.

Q. You mentioned Coach Hoke. How much time does he spend with the defensive line? Is Coach Mattison down there a lot?
RYAN VAN BERGEN: Well, I mean, yeah, they spread their time around obviously. Coach Hoke and Coach Mattison, pretty much the whole staff, has committed to the fact that our team needs to have its strength lying in the offensive and defensive line. Coach Hoke particularly says all the time that our defensive line will be the most tested, they will have to be the toughest group if we're going to be successful as a team. I enjoy that pressure. I think my position group enjoys that pressure. We're just pressing forward with him and Coach Mattison and Coach Montgomery all watching over us.

Q. Ryan, it seems obvious at practice that we've been able to see the differences on offense going from the spread to the pro style. How would you describe for fans what they might see differently when you line up Saturday, whether it's a scrimmage or drills, how will the defense look different?
RYAN VAN BERGEN: I would say the defense will be slightly more aggressive. I think that we put more people in the box. We are more inclined to bring pressure on third-and-longs than we might have been in the past.
I think, you know, there are some similarities. But there are differences as far as how we attack the line of scrimmage and stuff like that. It will be subtle differences. You have to know football to see it I think.
But I think that there is definitely a change of attitude in that we're going to get after people and take our shots when we get a chance.

Q. Ryan, what can you tell me about Greg Mattison, what kind of influence he's put on the defense right now?
RYAN VAN BERGEN: Greg Mattison came to us with such a high reputation. When you're thinking of defenses, the first defense that comes to mind for me was the Raven's defense, when you want to see who you want to model yourself after. When you come in with a reputation like, that everything the guy says is gold to everybody on the team. We all bought in completely because of where he's come from and what he's done successful-wise.
I think that his impression on the defense, his attitude gets reflected in how we play. He's a no-nonsense kind of guy, do-your-job kind of guy, it's going to be perfect or it's not good enough. That's the standard we're starting to hold ourselves to and it's starting to show up.
THE MODERATOR: Best of luck, Ryan.
RYAN VAN BERGEN: Thank you.

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