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UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEDIA CONFERENCEOctober 24, 2011Brady HokeCOACH HOKE: (Recording in progress.) Nice job with that. I thought our practices on Tuesday, Thursday and then yesterday were at a high tempo. I think there was a lot of good teaching going on. I think when you look at fundamentals of where we need to improve: blocking, tackling, all those things that go along with football. I think that was good. We've get five guaranteed opportunities left that we need to focus on, and obviously this week is Purdue. Q. Do you have anybody that hasn't been playing that is now in a position to do so because of this time off? COACH HOKE: You know, I wouldn't say hasn't been playing. I think there's some guys that are a little more real fundamental time with. You know, frank Clark being one that comes to mind. I think Blake has been playing, but I think I that helps. Raymon. Taylor. I think when you look at it from that vantage point, I think that's good for them. You know, they got a little more work in. Q. Can you pinpoint the day when you did move on from the last loss? COACH HOKE: Well, we did that Tuesday. You know, week until Tuesday was the first time we met together as a team. Met through the phone, met after the phone, and then went out and practiced and moved forward. Q. You put a lot of emphasis on the offensive and defensive lines coming into this season. A little more than halfway through, where would you say both of those units are in your estimation? COACH HOKE: You know, I would say that we're not where we need to be, you know, with the consistency of how we want to play. From both groups I think there's been times from an offensive standpoint where we've block the line of scrimmage pretty well and created movement and the things that you want to do at the point of attack. Then I think there's times we haven't blocked it as well. Parts of football games, you know. And I would say same thing in defense. I think Mike's been very consistent, and I think he's played better and better every week when you evaluate what he's done in the middle. I thought Will Heininger played a good football game a couple weeks ago, maybe one of his better games. But the consistency we need to have of all for guys, you know, is something that we've got to keep striving for. Q. Greg Brown left the team. Why, and have you had a kid leave a team like this mid-season before? COACH HOKE: Yeah, Greg is no longer part of our team. And, yes. I've had guys leave. Q. And what's Taylor Lewan's health status currently? I know he had a boot and a protective wrap. He was banged up last week. COACH HOKE: He didn't do anything last week, but he was ready -- he did a little bit yesterday. He'll do more Tuesday. Q. What's Ricky Barnum's status? And if he is healthy this week, does he step in and Schofield moves back out, or there competition at right guard? COACH HOKE: There is competition, and he's healthy. Q. You talk about the benefits of having a bye week physically. Does it help you to kind of resharpen the focus with players a little bit midway through the season and kind of just get 'em back to where you want 'em? COACH HOKE: You know, I hope that we're doing a good job of keeping them on edge or whatever. But I think the big thing in establishing what we are going to do weeks before, you know, months before for the week, I think to get them away a little bit I think is important. I think for them to get off their feet and to get of the grind a little bit is important. Now, in saying that, there's a lot of guys who lay around that building. They were looking up Purdue. They were anxious to get back out there and play. So I think you get a little bit of rest that is good both mentally and physically, but it's good to have kids who want to go back and play football. Q. What impresses you about Purdue when you look at them film? COACH HOKE: You know what, I think when you look at how they're playing football, especially last two weeks, I think they go to Happy Valley and play a pretty good Penn State team it looks like and lose that game by five. And then Illinois last week at their homecoming. I think offensively they're doing a nice job with the football. I think they have a lot of skill players and a lot of guys that can make plays from the backfield to wide receivers. I think the quarterback, TerBush, Caleb really did a nice job last week managing the offense. And then defensively, (indiscernible) had a hard time, especially, you know, first three and a half (indiscernible) of the game. So they've been active. Q. Is there anything you can do about the kickoff return game? Obviously that's been one of the weaker points. COACH HOKE: Yeah, I mean, and this is a hard team, because they're I think in the top 4 in the four major categories. Maybe 7-1. You know, when you look at their kicking game, you know, with Purdue, I think they have 19 touchbacks, which really hurts your return a little bit. But we got to block better at the point of attack. (Recording interruption). Worked -- today's Monday, right? Sunday on it and Thursday on it. I mean, we've got do a good job of staying on blocks as much as anything. You know, it's funny, because you can block seven guys pretty good - and we'll just use that number - but you don't get the right angles or you don't finish on a block or you don't see exactly the space that's created. You get an 18-yard average instead of 22 to 24, you know. Q. (No microphone.) COACH HOKE: You know, I don't know if -- I don't see that being the problem right now. I think it's more of what we're doing from kick to catch to, you know, how we're blocking up front. Q. The last four weeks you guys have been able to score on the first offensive drive in the game. Earlier this season, you kind of dug yourself into a hole a little bit there in the first drive, what's the focus there? How do you start a game faster? And what does that kind of do for your team? COACH HOKE: I think number one, I wish I could answer how you start a team faster. That's a hard one, to be honest with you. Does it help? I think it helps with your whole team's mental framework and your psyche if you can take the ball down the field and drive and score points. But I don't know if there's been any magical thing we've done besides the kids are doing a good job of executing and going out there. Q. With the bye week, do you, Coach Mattison, Coach Borges sit down and talk about skiing? Talk about evaluation of the first seven weeks going forward, if you want to change anything? COACH HOKE: Yeah, you know, and we did it some as a staff, too, where you look at what you're doing, you look at your personnel, you know, who's playing the way you expected or the expectations we have. You know, who are the guys who maybe need some more opportunities. You try to figure that in to how you practice a little bit, but you also figure it in that maybe there is a little more playing time for a guy. So, yes. Q. Obviously Denard was probably the center of attention with the offense. What did you practice during the bye week with him? COACH HOKE: You know, we're 6-1, and he's a lot reasons why we're 6-1, I mean, his athleticism and his ability to manage the offense. So we're excited about him; happy with him. We've got to get more from our running game without Denard always being the featured guy. That goes to our backs, it goes to blocking at the line of scrimmage. Q. Without giving your whole game plan, would you say how much you played Devin? Is sprinkling him in how you think it'll go from here on out? (Recording interruption.) COACH HOKE: Well, I think there it's something that people got to look at. You know, some people compare differently than others. Some may not think it's that big a deal; some - because I can't speak for every defensive coordinator in our league - but some guys it will matter more to than others. We'll keep doing some things with Devin obviously. I think we've had some success with it. We'll just see what we do down the road. Q. As a follow up to the Barnum question, does it stand that Barnum might compete with Patrick and not Michael this week? COACH HOKE: I wouldn't say that, but I think all three of those guys, there's always that competition there. Mike has done a pretty good job in there. Rick hasn't been as healthy as he is now. He's more healthier today than he was a week ago. I think we've got kind of what you want. Q. Is this about as healthy of a team as you've had at this point in the season? COACH HOKE: Ever? Is that what you're asking? Q. Sure. COACH HOKE: You know, that's a good question. I would really have to think more about it. We're decently healthy. Q. Is it just luck or is there anything... COACH HOKE: I think it's always part of that. I really do. I think that's part of all of it. Q. You talked about how it was good for the guys to get away, or at least you told them to get away but they still lingerers around. Did you give yourself a day or a half a day to be a husband or dad? COACH HOKE: Yeah. I think you would have to ask Laura that, and Kelly. Q. Were you supposed to stay away from the office? COACH HOKE: No, no. We were where we needed to be. Q. You said you needed to change some light bulbs? COACH HOKE: Yeah, that's always fun. Q. Did you change any light bulbs? COACH HOKE: No. Q. Do you have a honey-do list? COACH HOKE: No. Yes: Coach Michigan football. Q. Al and you and Greg you said evaluated players and where they are and where you want them to be. COACH HOKE: Uh-huh. Q. You said you determined what players might need more opportunities. What players are those? COACH HOKE: I think a guy like Brennen Beyer who has played on special teams, played a little bit from the line of scrimmage. You know, he's - we believe - going to be a pretty good -- he's a young kid. He's going to be potentially a pretty good player. I think Frank Clark fits in that same mold. You know, the guys in the back end, with Ray and Blake, you know, I think there may be more opportunities. Q. Obviously in the middle of a football season you get into a routine. How does that change during a bye week, and how do you maintain a certain rhythm with the practice with the team? COACH HOKE: I think that's what I've liked about what they've done. They practiced fast on Thursday; they practiced with a high tempo and practiced fast yesterday. I think part of that is because we always compete with one another every practice. You know, ones-on-ones and a couple different drills. So I think that always helps. Q. I know you said you were done talking about it and watched the film with Michigan State. But when you're coming off an emotional loss, do you make effort to be more positive around the guys and try to build 'em back up a little bit? COACH HOKE: I don't know. I don't think so, to be honest with you. Really whenever normal week we would meet on Sunday. Win or lose you put that game to bed as soon as you get through the film, the critical analysis evaluations, everything that goes on. Then you come back, and we meet again before we go out. Once we correct, if we correct anything out on the field, you move forward. I mean, you have to. Q. Is there a way to create a sense of urgency with your runningbacks to get more out of them than what you've been getting? COACH HOKE: Yeah, but I don't want put it all on them. I really don't. I don't think it's their -- I think they're trying. I think they're doing a nice job with their effort. I think they're both being -- since two of 'em are playing most of the time, they're competitive, they're tough. You know, I think like anything else, when you talk about your quarterback or you talk about a linebacker maybe not making as many tackles. Well, sometimes that's the front. It's the same thing with the runningback. Sometimes it's the opportunities or what we're doing up front. Q. With having some time off, did you look at any position switches among guys who don't play or maybe aren't going to play this year? COACH HOKE: Not really. Not really, no. Q. Will there be a time you will do that? COACH HOKE: We'll probably look at that more after the season is over. Maybe in that time. You know, again, Mark, you got to look at where we're at depth-wise at a lot of positions. We don't have tremendous depth either up front defensively or offensively. So us being pretty healthy right now is a good thing. Q. With Brennen and Frank, I guess what can their role be? Is it pass rusher? COACH HOKE: Some of it, you know, is both: pass rushing ability, you know, and also just playing the outside linebacker. You know, having a guy -- Brennen is a pretty lengthy guy, so Frank more is a rush, and Brennen is our Sam linebacker. Q. Would you like to rotate more at the linebacker position? COACH HOKE: I think we always want to be fresh on the field. If you have guys that you have a lot confidence in that can get out there, I think that's the important part of it. Q. From Purdue, what names or numbers jump out at you you keep seeing on film? COACH HOKE: From a defensive perspective, I think Kawann Short, you know, I think the defensive tackle is a very good football player. He caused a lot disruptiveness. I think Holland, the linebacker, is a guy who plays -- in fact, all three of the linebackers I think do a good job of flowing to the football. Evans is a guy in the back end who probably is their lead guy. From the offensive perspective, they play a lot of guys. Play a lot of guys in the back end. When you look at the runningbacks, they've played -- I think eight guys caught the ball or touched the ball some time during that game last week. So they've got a lot of good skill position. And the three guys, returning guys up front offensively, you know, Kelly and then the two guards are good football players. Q. Considering what this team has been through over the past couple years before you were here, do you deal with them at all any different coming off of a loss in the middle of October? COACH HOKE: I don't think so. I think there's a consistency that you want to have from week to week, from day to day. We have a very honest office, so whether it's good or bad, we're going to talk about it and we're going to be consistent in that way. Q. Do you feel like the past two weeks were more bad or good than other weeks? COACH HOKE: They were good till through Tuesday, and then we moved forward. Q. Last couple years there has been some unpleasantries between Michigan and Purdue. You pay any attention to any that? COACH HOKE: Nope. Q. With the runningbacks, do you feel like there's a certain amount of production you need to get from them to win a game? COACH HOKE: Well, I think there's -- I would love to get 100 and something yards from 'em. I think that helps. Yeah, I guess. I mean... Q. Is it one of those weird things that you need to get production out of 'em to go to 'em, but maybe that you need to go to 'em to get production? COACH HOKE: It's a little bit of both. You've got to, you know, always look at how people are going to defend you and how they're defending you and what they're gonna let you do. Then you got to make the next move. If you make the next move, they'll make their next move. It's a pretty good game of chess when you look at it. Q. Seen anything out of Big 10 so far that surprises you, jumps out at you? COACH HOKE: Nope. Q. Watch any other games? COACH HOKE: Watched Purdue and Illinois. We play 'em both. Q. Does it change the perspective at all that you guys don't necessarily control your destiny in the division anymore? COACH HOKE: Nope. Q. When you have an off week, I mean, you didn't just focus on preparing for Purdue, right? Did you look ahead at the other games, too? COACH HOKE: Nope. Q. Strictly focused on... COACH HOKE: The next one. Q. And your team? COACH HOKE: Yes. Our team. Because at the end of the day, whatever our team does. Q. Did you practice with Purdue in mind last week? COACH HOKE: Uh-huh, a little bit. A little bit on Thursday. More yesterday. Q. Sounded like you got a chance to watch the Purdue game. COACH HOKE: Yeah. Q. What did you see? You talked about that, but... COACH HOKE: I saw 'em play pretty daggone well. It was homecoming for 'em, too. Q. How different is it watching the TV taped live versus the coach's tape? COACH HOKE: It's a lot different. I mean, obviously coach's tape you -- well, look at different things I'm sure than ya'll do. But the coach's tape is great. The TV copies aren't always what you want as far as what you're looking at. I'm usually looking at the guys up front. Q. Last Tuesday you were correcting mistakes, and you addressed one of as more - and maybe last week - but blocking more a the point of attack, kickoff return. What other key mistakes did you want to get corrected? COACH HOKE: You mean overall team-wise? Q. Yeah. You said you always want to address the mistakes. What are those? COACH HOKE: Well, I think the perimeter of our defense. You know, block protection, getting off blocks. I think that was huge, you know, because that's where we've had problems. It's been there, you know, either from your Sam linebacker, your defensive end, your strong safety, or your corner. Depending on what kind of support system you're in, we've got to do a better job there. Q. (No microphone.) COACH HOKE: Yeah, to some degree. But it's as much as anything getting off blocks, you know, and being aggressive in what you're doing. I think we played a little bit tentative, and you can't play tentative. If you're going to make mistakes, make 'em aggressive. I can handle that. Q. (Question regarding adding $2,000 to scholarship money.) COACH HOKE: I don't really concern myself with that other stuff right now, and I didn't know he said that either. Q. Did you know Troy Woolfolk Tweeted about being involved in a little car accident I guess he said? COACH HOKE: Yeah. Q. Guy has the worst luck. COACH HOKE: He looked fine yesterday. Q. What was Taylor's -- I mean, did he have couple dings that he had... COACH HOKE: He had the ankle. He turned his ankle. Q. But no? Okay. COACH HOKE: Not really. I think he hurt his wrist a little bit. But, again, it's football. Q. Is Troy running better now? COACH HOKE: Yeah, I thought he -- yeah. Of course I thought he looked pretty good. Q. Is the bye better for this team mentally or physically at this point? COACH HOKE: Probably both. Q. Coach, Greg Brown was a guy we heard about in the spring. Can you just talk more about his dismissal? COACH HOKE: No. Q. With the change of scholarship situation, going forward do you have more for this class? COACH HOKE: God, it's hard. Obviously you can replace the one. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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