CFP NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP: WASHINGTON VS MICHIGAN

January 6, 2024

Mason Graham

NRG Stadium

Michigan Wolverines

Press Conference

Q. How big of a challenge is Michael Penix and this offense?

MASON GRAHAM: Obviously he's an explosive player, he has some offensive weapons as well, so it will be a great challenge for us. He really makes their offense go, so it will be a good job containing him, just playing good defense overall.

Q. How do big guys like yourself chase him down?

MASON GRAHAM: Obviously we've been practicing all this stuff for so long, it's kind of just muscle memory at this point. I feel like the biggest thing is is kind of all of us working together. We help each other, so I feel like that's a big part of what we do.

Q. How confident is this defense right now?

MASON GRAHAM: Yeah, we're pretty confident. Obviously we know the players we have, we know the coaches we have, so feel like we have a good game plan, we just need to execute.

Q. (No microphone.)

MASON GRAHAM: What do you mean by that?

Q. (No microphone.)

MASON GRAHAM: Not really. We probably will after the game, but we're just kind of just focused on this next game. Obviously, we'll all talk and make little jokes and stuff like that, but nothing crazy, for real.

Q. (No microphone.)

MASON GRAHAM: I just think this O-line we're about to face kind of really works well together. You could obviously tell on film that they're coached really well also. I feel like they work together. They have gotten better throughout the season too. Obviously, they haven't given up much sacks or pressures and stuff like that, so it will be a good challenge for us.

Q. How did USC and UCLA let you get out of their backyard and how much better have you gotten as player?

MASON GRAHAM: I feel like that's kind of out of my control. I don't control what they see or what they think, so I'm just happy to be where I'm at now. I feel like team 144 from Michigan is a great team and we have a great opportunity come Monday.

Q. Do you feel like you have shown people back home like maybe anything they could evaluate?

MASON GRAHAM: I mean, I guess so. You could say that.

Q. I'm curious how you feel about -- you know, the Big Ten obviously stepped in this year and suspended your coach and conference office didn't exactly help, so to speak. How do you feel now that the conference gets to kind claim Michigan's success and saying, oh, look, Michigan beat the SEC?

MASON GRAHAM: I mean, really all of that stuff's out of our control. We can't control what the Big Ten does, even to Coach Harbaugh and stuff like that. We just know whatever happens, that everyone's got each other's back and stuff like that. Even when he was out, we had Coach Moore. All the guys just kind of came together, and I feel like it made us a better team.

Q. Courtney Morgan obviously had a big impact. Can you talk about his impact on you and on the Michigan team from the year he was there?

MASON GRAHAM: Yeah, I wasn't here, necessarily. He left like right when I got there. But I know he was a big part of my recruitment. He's kind of the one that kick-started everything. He's the one that got my film out there to all the coaches and for me able to get this opportunity to be playing at the University of Michigan, so it's pretty cool. I always hear good stuff about him. I always hear he's saying good stuff about me, so it's always cool. I'm sure I'll say something to him after the game or something like that.

Q. (No microphone.)

MASON GRAHAM: Yeah, it was just like -- it's a business. I understand why he did what he did, but I'm happy for him. Obviously, it's a great opportunity for us.

Q. After you watched the Washington offensive line on film, what's the biggest challenge?

MASON GRAHAM: It's just, like I said before, all of us working together, you know, the great rush plan that we have. Obviously, they're well coached, they don't give up sacks and pressures and stuff like that. They pass the ball a lot, so they have always been used to pass blocking and they're really good at it, so I feel like it's a good challenge for us up front and I think we're ready for it.

Q. A lot of people are pointing to a Michigan game from three years ago with Michael Penix. So much has changed, but what do you see in his game that makes him so difficult to defend?

MASON GRAHAM: I just feel like he's kind of like a game wrecker. You know, kind of like how our preparation was last week, he can still escape the pocket and make plays happen and stuff like that, so we all need to work together and just execute our game plan.

Q. You guys have the fewest penalties per game (no microphone.)

MASON GRAHAM: We kind of pride ourself on that. Penalties can set us back and get us off our game plan and stuff like that. We just always have meetings and stuff like that about the little things about the game that can make the difference in the long run. We try not to get penalties, especially the dumb ones that you can control.

Q. You guys have been in high-stakes games before. Close game against Maryland, close game against Ohio State, and winning in overtime against Alabama. Is there any concern over burnout, whether that's mental or physical, coming into those games?

MASON GRAHAM: I don't think so. I feel like we're all ready for this challenge. We're all ready, feel good, everyone feels good, so I think we're ready to go. We only got 60 more minutes left with this team, so we're going to make the most out of it.

Q. In the last few years all programs have had to navigate the newness of NIL. I'm curious, what do you think about the way Michigan utilizes it that has helped maintain the culture or unity in the locker room, despite a bunch of money coming into the locker room?

MASON GRAHAM: I feel like our players and our team really don't really focus on NIL. We're kind of just focused on how we play, really. We feel like if we play good, maybe the NIL will come. Just kind of not worrying about that kind of stuff and worrying more about winning games and stuff like that.

Q. This team has gone through a lot of adversity this season. How would you describe your fight?

MASON GRAHAM: I feel like kind of all the adversity we've been through this year with Coach Harbaugh and all the allegations and stuff like that, I feel like it's brought us closer together and made us a better team. Even when he was out, we all kind of came together in some of the biggest games of our season, so I feel like that was a big part of our season and our success.

Q. What would winning a national title mean to you?

MASON GRAHAM: I mean, it would mean everything. We worked so hard to get to this point, and just kind of winning it all will be a fulfillment of all the work that we put in this season, last season, everything, just kind of all coming together.

Q. Who is your favorite artist?

MASON GRAHAM: I don't know. NoCap.

Q. Being from Cali, how is it like playing in Michigan?

MASON GRAHAM: Obviously it's a big change from what I'm used to, but Michigan has all the resources for me to succeed out here and I've kind of gotten used to it over time.

Q. Playing at the Rose Bowl, was that, like, a life-long dream as a child? Cali is kind of big, so I don't know if you even knew about the Rose Bowl like that. But talk about the Rose Bowl experience and being a Cali guy playing in that game.

MASON GRAHAM: Yeah, obviously, growing up in California, that's obviously in my backyard, so I've always seen the game and stuff like that, but I wasn't really, like, in tune with all the stuff going on, but it was obviously a cool experience to be playing in that game, you know, great outcome and great game overall.

Q. Being a younger Wolverine do you know the magnitude of your stardom, how good you are as a Wolverine guy?

MASON GRAHAM: Not quite. I try not to think about it like that but, no, just winning the next game.

Q. That's a humble answer. I want a non-humble answer. After the season, what do you look for getting the most out of your stardom?

MASON GRAHAM: Bringing a Natty back after this year too.

Q. (No microphone.)

MASON GRAHAM: I kind of get like the question, obviously team 144 is going to be completely different from team 145. Players potentially leaving, coaches potentially leaving, stuff like that. We're kind of just focused on this game and we'll see how the off-season unfolds.

Q. (No microphone.)

MASON GRAHAM: I feel like it will obviously be the exclamation mark on our season. We've been through a lot with all the stuff, all the allegations, Coach Harbaugh, all the stuff with that. I feel like it's brought us closer together, like I told a lot of people, obviously made us a better team in the long run, so...

Q. (No microphone.)

MASON GRAHAM: I feel like the class I'm in is pretty special. We have a lot of great players, especially coming back. Feel like we'll just get better in the off-season and just continue to stack games, stack days. We'll all be in it together this off-season, so we'll all be grinding it out together, so happy to see what comes in the future.

Q. (No microphone.)

MASON GRAHAM: This season we played in some of the biggest games of our lives, so I feel like that's a big thing that I'll be bringing back next year, just having that experience of playing in these big games and stuff like that.

Q. Who is your favorite teammate?

MASON GRAHAM: I wouldn't say I have a favorite teammate. Feel like our class is pretty tight.

Q. (No microphone.)

MASON GRAHAM: Maybe.

Q. Favorite coach?

MASON GRAHAM: Coach Elston, obviously he's my position coach, but, yeah obviously Coach Harbaugh, but I spent more time with Coach Elston and stuff like that, so I would say him.

Q. Favorite freshman that came in this year?

MASON GRAHAM: Probably like Semaj maybe, Semaj is a cool little guy. Cool to hang out with, be around, always brings energy to the room.

Q. What is your favorite play personally from this season?

MASON GRAHAM: Probably one of the Alex Orji runs.