[Barron/MGoBlog]

As with yesterday’s Harbaugh presser, the lovely people in Rutgers’ Athletic Communications department provided us with transcribed highlights of the players’ press conference for your perusal.

Michigan linebacker/defensive back Jabrill Peppers

On his performance: “Whenever you get the balls in your hands you just wanted to make something positive happen. Today God had his hand on me today on some of those plays. I just have to give it up to the blocking and the coaching scheme. They set the guys up in positions to excel so we just went out there and handled business today.

On his reaction of the score at the end of the game: “Just wow. I’ve never been part of a victory this massive. But you still have to handle it with class and just keep improving for the next week. You can’t stay on your high horse. Our game against Rutgers is over so we just have to prepare during our bye week for the game after that.”

On Juwann Bushell-Beatty and his performance: “I was really happy for him. I know that he’s battle a lot of injuries and some weight problems. I’ve been playing with him since high school so I’ve seen him grow into who he is today. For him to start in front of the home crowd; I know he went down early but he got back up and was able to finish out the game. I was really excited for him.”

On what keep them going even after going up big: “You know, there are no backups. Every time you’re out there you’re expected to play like you’re a starter. We don’t look at the scoreboard. We just want to impose our will as fast and long as we can. I think the younger guys are starting to adapt to that. It’s up to us the veterans to set up that foundation. I think they’re starting to buy in and trust the coaches. We tell them that you have to play like you want to win the game until you win the game. This is college football and crazy things happen. It’s just our mindset.”

[After THE JUMP: Gedeon, Evans, Magnuson, Hill]

Michigan linebacker Ben Gedeon

On if it felt like a home game: “It’s great to see how well we travel and it’s something that’s been going on since I got here.”

On Jabrill Peppers possibly being a Heisman winner: “Jabrill is such an impressive athlete. To play next to him and to watch him play, it’s just fun to watch.”

On Jabrill Peppers’ speed: “Yeah his half speed is a lot of guy’s full speed. You can tell that in practice and you saw it tonight in some of those routes. He’s got a different speed, a different gear.”

Why they seemed to be playing hungry: “We talked about how important this week is going into a bye. The game before the bye and the game after are two very important games in the season. We wanted some momentum going into the off week.”

On how they were able to keep Rutgers from converting third downs: “It’s just executing on all facets of the game. The defensive line was all over the quarterback. The DBs had great coverage all night. Everything just kind of worked out how we practiced it and drew it up.”

On if Coach Harbaugh’s relentlessness filters down into the team: “He has a certain way of coaching and we just feed off of it. You can see his relentlessness and intensity translate well into what’s going on in the field.”

On the defense’s dominating performance: “That’s what we expect to happen when you are a defense like we are. We want to execute every single play and if we execute then they won’t score any points which is what happened tonight.”

On how they could get better from a performance like today’s: “There’s always things to get better at, details-wise. There are some techniques that you lose throughout the season that you could try and get back.”

On if they fed off their performance against Wisconsin last week: “When we win a big game like this, we always remember

On what it’s like to be on the other side: “We don’t want something like to happen again [referring to game two years ago].”

Michigan running back Chris Evans

On his performance: “Week in and week out I try to improve as much as possible. Recover my body, stay healthy, stretch out. Do everything so I can be ready for the game.”

On how does he know that he’s meant to be great: “People around me always tell me. I’m always second guessing myself in my head and I have my people around me that support me by saying stuff like that.”

On how the team never took its foot off the pedal even after back-ups came in: “We’re just hungry and looking to do better every week. During the game we had a bet going on between running backs on who would get the longest rushing attempt. We just feed off of stuff like that and going back and forth with it. Karan [Higdon] had a 53-yarder and I had a 57-yarder so I won that bet.”

On his rhythm throughout the game: “Mostly it’s all on the steps. Wherever I’m going through I have to make sure that my steps are perfect so that the offensive linemen can block exactly where they need to block. Wherever I’m going through I have to make sure that my steps are perfect so that the offensive linemen can block exactly where they need to block. As long as I do my job then their job will be easier.”

Michigan Offensive Lineman Erik Magnuson

On the offensive line performance: “Any day you have 481 yards rushing and nine rushing TDs is a pretty good day to be an offensive lineman and I’m really proud of that. We set a goal of 300 yards rushing for the game so we had big expectations coming in but we exceeded that by a lot. We set a goal every week after watching film and so after doing so we set the goal of 300.”

On sitting out during the second half: “It’s been a while since I did that but it’s pretty boring. I would much rather be out there playing but at that point in the game it’s nice to see the young guys playing especially those that don’t get that many opportunities to play.”

On the performance of the defense: “It was amazing. I try to watch them as much as I can. It’s amazing to watch the penetration and push that they can get and it’s probably terrible to be an offensive line playing against them.”

On if he expected his running backs to break long yards so often: “It’s kind of our mentality that we’re just going to keep pounding it. We’ll get three or four yards at a time and eventually one is going to break for 40 or 50 yards. We’re getting the good four or five yards gains so it’s only a matter of time until they break through for a big gain.”

Michigan fullback Khalid Hill

On Jabrill Peppers: “It’s amazing to be on the same field with that guy. For him to become an offensive producer like he did just shows how much of a knack he has for football. Today there was that punt return that was called back and he came off a spin move and ducked. How do you come off a spin move, see a guy about to hit you and just duck automatically? You can’t teach that, it’s a god given talent. I would say that he’s a Heisman contender for sure.”

On how good the offense would be if Jabrill Peppers were a full-time player on it: “Words can’t explain what that would be like. Jabrill and his talent is something that’s rare and I’ve never seen before. The stuff that he does is amazing. To be able to produce on both offense and defense at high levels is incredible. He also has a nice arm which he didn’t get to show off today.”

On the performance of the defense: “Our defense is something to watch. We have a great linebacker core and a good front so they make it easier on everyone. It’s a blessing to have them.”