Monday Player Presser Notes 11-1-10 Comment Count

Tim

[Ed-M: Added the video provided by Boyz n da Pahokee]

David Molk

"It's an attitude adjustment... it can't just be some half-assed work ethic." Guys need to fight every game, every down. "We're gonna realize that shortly, and we'll get it done."

"Losing isn't good. Losing looks bad, and we don't deserve it. We've worked too hard, gone too far, and done too much, and this shouldn't be the outcome. It's going to change. I'm going to do whatever I can do, as much as I can do."

Every young football player coming in needs to make an adjustment to the next level. It comes with the experience of playing in college. "It's coming. It just needs to show."

The team has ability, and is showing effort. "It's just the mental apect, we need to improve our technique, we need to improve our reading skills. It's something that will come and I'm hoping it comes fast." The mental game is an acquired talent, you don't just wake up one day and know how to play football. Guys need to work at it, and they are learning it. "We're moving towards the place we need to be. We're just not there yet."

How to avoid pointing fingers at D? "We're a team for a reason. We're not an offense and a defense. We're a team. And when you point things at one side, it just kills it. There's a chemistry that we have as a team, and will build on for years to come."

Illinois is a good defense with a strong defensive line, and a good linebacker in Martez Wilson. "They're a solid defense, a very solid defense, but I think we should do well against them."

What was it like to miss last year's game? "I mean I've answered this question probably 300,000 times at every media event I've ever been to. Obviously it's not good. I don't like sitting at home watching it with my leg up."

Mike Martin's ankle injury - the only thing that hurts him is the physical injury. It's hard to come off that, but you adapt to the pain. No football player has ever been 100% healthy the entire season.

Rich Rod doesn't need his players to play psychiatrist with him. "He's his own man and he can handle himself. He doesn't need one of his players to mediate him and make sure he's calm."

What does the team think about media criticism of Rodriguez? "I could care less. I don't think I've ever read or listened to a single media thing that you guys have ever put out. So, I mean I could care less."

Greg Banks

"We haven't had a team meeting yet, but from what I've seen from lifting today, our spirits are still pretty high."

The expectations on DL aren't on the player, but the position. Adam Patterson and Renaldo Sagesse have to step in for MIke Martin's production if he goes down.

The defense: "We spoke to each other after the game. We're all on the same bus... we told the young guys 'you're not a freshman no more. You're all a year into what, your sixth or seventh game.'"

RR's fourth quarter speech was about reminding players that the big stage is why they came to Michigan. They need to play together as a unit and step up, making the plays when available.

Scheelhasse can run and pass, and his teammates have been supporting his production very well. "He did it both with his arm and his legs." Have to prepare for dual-threat QBs every week practicing against Denard. A few of the guys Michigan has faced prefer to stay in the pocket, but seize the opportunity to run if they get it.

"Where we need to improve is our tackling and our third-down efficiency. We all take the responsibility for that. Me as a defensive lineman, I take a heavy burden on third down, because we need to get more pressure on the quarterback."

"The onus is on us. I mean the coaches, they can only do so much. The rest of it falls into the players' hands." Greg Robinson is a great coach, the players' execution in tackling, etc. is letting them down. "He's putting us in the positions, we're just not executing."

Nobody's gotten the Michigan defense's best shot this year. They haven't had 100% effort, execution, and responsibility in any game yet.

Jordan Kovacs

The team is excited every Monday to get back to work. They're disappointed with Saturday's performance, but can't dwell on it, need to try improving.

Not sure how the defense can force more turnovers: "If I had that answer, I'd be a coach right now." There's a necessary mentality that the team needs to improve. Same story on 3rd and long: "Those are key parts of the game that we definitely need to improve on. I don't know what it is, why we've struggled with it, but I'm sure the coaches know and we'll get into that this week."

Hasn't heard the rumors about Greg Robinson being demoted.

Players beat themselves up after the game about individual mistakes, not the play of the other guys on the defense. "What could I have done to help the defense play a better football game, and stuff like that sticks with you a little bit."

Ray Vinopal had a great week of practice, with a few picks. "He came in a little wide-eyed... for the most part, I definitely thought he played very well." He made some plays, didn't allow anything big.

They work on 3rd and long defense every day. "I guess that's not something you can improve on just in practice. It comes with game reps." They'll continue to improve with experience.

"Guys are still hungry. It's not gonna be like last year; We're gonna turn it around. We're just gonna continue to fight, and that's what this team's about... This group fights, they're hungry, these guys want to win. I guess that's just different than last year." They are different years, and there's no purpose i dwelling on similarities.

"We've been playing a lot of freshmen." Jibreel Black, Ray Vinopal, Terrence Talbott, and Courtney Avery have improved over 8 games, and will continue to do so.

Illinois has a versatile offense with a good running back, multiple offensive formations.

Comments

Ziff72

November 1st, 2010 at 3:40 PM ^

I love D. Molk.  

It only could have been better if he said "I don't read what you fucking whiny pussies write because you don't know shit about football and if you have a problem with it come on over and I'll skull fuck you.

This dude is what I'm looking for.   Our Senior leaders next year.....Molk, Martin, RVB, TWolf...........I'd like to see whose misses a workout next year.

MinorRage

November 1st, 2010 at 3:49 PM ^

some of the O guys are pretty nasty and pissed off. I hope that attitude translates to the D. This ILL game would be great to get some redemption after last years fiasco.

Don

November 1st, 2010 at 4:00 PM ^

I think he has recruited, with just very few exceptions, great kids. If there's any reason to attend Saturday's game, it's to cheer them on, regardless what you feel about the coaches.

MadMonkey

November 1st, 2010 at 5:30 PM ^

regarding RR on this board in a long time.  

I live and die Michigan football like the rest of you.  But, when my sanity returns after watching repeat versions of the Horror-lite, I realize that my love for Michigan football goes far deeper than a win-loss record.

I want us to have great kids playing football in our colors.  Kids who want to matriculate at Michigan and participate in an amazing education -- not just play football.  I want us to win -- and infrequently, lose -- with class.   RR clearly attracts these kinds of athletes.

Support the team, support the coach, support the AD.   The winning will come.

jackw8542

November 1st, 2010 at 8:33 PM ^

I love it when we win, but RR has brought great kids to our program and seems to care about them and our true traditions very much, and that is even more important to me and, I suspect, to most of the alumni, than just winning.  I also think RR is a great coach and will get it done if we just have a little more patience.  It's one thing to criticize when a coach has the players and can't get it done, but I have never seen a major college team with as many underclassmen and untouted upperclassmen playing defense at the same time as we have put on the field every Saturday, especially now that Martin is out or at least largely incapacitated.  We need to chill, support RR and GR and give it another year.  I don't think anyone could get it done with what GR is working with.  And, it is important to remember that the defense has an impact on the offense, because our offensive players must think there is tremendous pressure on them to score every single time they get the ball.  Let's sit back, appreciate the effort and - as hard as it is to stomach - root for them this year, hope for the best, accept whatever happens and wait until next year when we really will have the players.

Gulo Gulo Luscus

November 1st, 2010 at 4:33 PM ^

"Those are key parts of the game that we definitely need to improve on. I don't know what it is, why we've struggled with it, but I'm sure the coaches know and we'll get into that this week."

Glad Kovacs thinks so.  The fan base isn't so sure anymore.

Truth be told I don't think anyone can effectively explain this defense.

mgolf4

November 1st, 2010 at 4:42 PM ^

I really think this team just needs to find a way to play loose. I'm not there on the sideline or in lockerroom, but they seem to be trying to avoid the mistake instead of trying to make the play. I believe it was maizeandbluewahoo who said something similar to, "they just need to get over the hump." One INT return without fumbling, one defnensive 3 & out followed by a TD - even something like when the coach at Georgia encouraged the team to get an excessive celebration penalty... or like Miami under Jimmy Johnson when they danced every time they scored. In suggesting this I do not mean we need to be permanently classless but we need that intangible that Demar Dorsey was going to bring - hard to describe but easy to identify. I understand we don't need to give up even more field position than we already do on kick-offs but something, anything, that just let's these kids play football instead of chess.

Honestly, it could be as stupid as RR walking into the lockerroom for pre-game and turning on teach me how to dougie and then doing his version. To me this is just like trying to hit a fairway under pressure. Trying to hit it straight almost never works.. Instead committing to an aggressive swing almost always turns out better than the guided attempt. This applied to Jack Nicklaus as much as it does to the weekend warrior just as it applies to Alabama as much as UofM. Just that difference in mindset can completely change the outcome. In our case, free and loose athletes have to be better than hesitant, afraid-to-make-mistakes athletes.

It is not an easy task, especially with the pressure they must feel but I, for one, believe in them.

cjpops

November 1st, 2010 at 5:48 PM ^

Gotta love these players.  Insane rootability factor!

One quibble, but, it's couldn't care less.  As in, you care so little that you could not care less about the media. 

Well said!  Go Blue!

BigCat14

November 1st, 2010 at 9:06 PM ^

awesome when the product on the field is as good as the product of men/students being produced by this coaching staff!  David Molk almost had a Tebow moment in his statement and i believe Him!  it seems as though he will, with his leadership and others that there will be most definitely be some improvements in the mental department.  i have to believe there is atleast average to good physical talent that needs to mesh with the mental to slow the game down a bit for the D!  GO BLUE beat illinois!

markusr2007

November 1st, 2010 at 11:16 PM ^

by the time 2025 rolls around I think this will become an accepted part of American public discourse and language use.  I predict that the President of the United States will use the f-bomb and hyperbole on a regular basis as effective weapons of persuasiveness.

jml969

November 2nd, 2010 at 8:10 AM ^

See the video of Molk in this pressor. It sounds like he's ready to tear someone's head off and beat him to death with it. Sorry I've been watching too many horror movies for Halloween.