(Audio for transcription courtesy of WolverineNation)

Fitz Toussaint

vs. EMU / I don't think this was a very good day for Fitz.

How is the spring going, and how are the running backs competing?

“It’s just like last year. We’re all trying to get the No. 1 spot. We all do a pretty good job of learning things equally, and I think the coaches are doing a good job teaching it.”

Have you approached it differently this spring considering all the experience you got last year?

“A little more aggressive in doing what I have to do and everything.”

What did last year teach you about competing for that No. 1 job?

“Just to keep competing because somebody could be right behind you trying to take your spot.”

Have you been able to see any of the young guys a little more since the coaches have said they’re going to give them more snaps?

“Yeah, those guys are doing good. I feed off them and they feed off me. I think that’s really where the competition comes from, and we’re able to work off that.”

Which of them has impressed you the most?

“They’re all different, but equal. They all have different styles. Rawls is a little speedster, and Hayes has a little power. It’s kind of like the opposite.”

Opposite of what we think of them?

“Yeah. Rawls has a little more power, but I think both of them are equal.”

What did Saturday show about yourself personally and your team?

“That I’m willing to do anything for my team. I can be put in any position and handle it well.”

What do you mean by that?

“Just in terms of pressure things like that. Able to work out, just play my position, play my role.”

Borges said that you needed to work on certain things to stay on the field for every down. What have you done to work towards that goal?

“Just off the field things -- working on blocking right, proper techniques. Coach J does a good job of teaching us that.”

What are you doing to work on your blocking?

“Just things like bags, blocking with the other fellas, just working on proper technique. Sometimes we look at the linemen and see how they do it and try to translate that and do our thing with it.”

Do you watch film on Vincent Smith at all?

“Oh definitely Vincent. I think Michael Shaw did a pretty good job of picking [up] stuff like that, so I kind of watch film from last year and see how those guys [did] it.”

Can you explain why an effective and experienced offensive line is key?

“They’re feeding off what those guys did last year, and the expectation for the position -- I think those guys can handle it well.”

Where do you think you have made the most improvement?

“I’d say my blocking skills. Working on that -- I think that’s really heavy in this offense. You really have to pick up pass protection. I think that’s key.”

We saw a bunch of big runs from you on the Saturday scrimmage highlights. Can you describe some of those plays?

“It’s more the offensive line doing their job. I was able to go off of that and make big plays.”

Have you been making more of those plays this spring than last spring?

“I think it’s kind of the same.”

Borges talks about your vision having improved over last season. Do you feel like it’s still improving?

“Definitely. I think it’s just coming off of being more comfortable, not trying to hold pressure on myself. Just comfortoable, laid back, and doing my job.”

Do you feel yourself recognizing the play and anticipating where to go much quicker?

“Definitely. I can analyze more and just be patient.”

How much are you working on catching balls out of the backfield?

“I think I work on that equally as I do with anything else.”

How’s that going?
“Pretty good. I think I have pretty good hands and catch the ball well.”

Have you noticed that being a greater emphasis in the offense this spring, i.e. running backs catching ball out of backfield?

“I think that’s pretty important. We have to come out of the backfield and catch the ball pretty [fluid? fluent?]. I think coach really put the emphasis on that this spring, and we work with that well.”

You’re getting fewer reps this spring. Do you have to do anything to stay sharp?

“Just take advantage of the plays I do have … just do my job.”

Would you rather have more reps?

“I think that’s good for the young guys to be able to get in and do what they have to do to show the coaches something.”

Is it hard for you, though?

“Not really, because I can coach those guys up. I feel that my experience will go higher with that.”

Have any of the young linebackers impressed you?

“Desmond Morgan. But I mean we saw that last year.”

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Brandon Moore

No. 89

How has it been different this spring vs. previous springs when you had veterans ahead of you?

“It’s a lot different, but of course just like every spring, we’re working towards that goal, working towards getting better in every aspect of the game, so in a way it’s different because I’m expected to step up in my position. It’s also just the same because I’m just working towards getting better each and every day.”

How much further along do you feel compared with a year ago? Do you feel more responsibility on your shoulders?

“Of course there’s more responsibilty on my shoulders because I’m a veteran. I’m a senior, and this is our team, so of course there’s pressure right there. As far as my development, I feel like I’m getting a lot better and playing with a lot more speed because I’m more used to the offense. It’s not so much thinking within the offense. It’s just playing rather than thinking about what my assignments are.”

What part of your game has grown the most in spring camp so far?

“I would have to say my blocking. I’m thinking a lot less now, and I’m able to go out and make the blocks rather than thinking [I have to] make sure this guy doesn’t get over me and stuff like that. Definitely my blocking and thinking less and just playing.”

What do you feel like you need to improve most September 1^st?

“Every part. I want to get better at catching the ball, I want to get better at blocking, I want to get better at running routes. There’s not a part that I don’t want to get better at.”

What do you mean when you say you’re thinking less?

“As far as just knowing how the offense works. Knowing where the play’s going. Knowing where the running back’s going. Not really worrying about the defensive lineman’s getting inside of me or outside of me. Just worry about knowing where I have to block.”

Borges emphasizes the tight end position. How confident are you that the current personnel on the roster can get the job done?

“I’m definitely confident with [the guys in] our room. We have a lot of great players in there. We have Ricardo Miller, Mike Kwiatkowski, and we have a couple freshmen coming in. I’m really excited about our offense and the tight ends. All of us are making progress every day.”

Last year there was open competition at running back. Do you see the tight end position similar to that situation?

“Of course, there’s competition at every position. There’s no position that’s set with a player. I don’t really see a difference between my position and any other position on the field.”

Do you feel more comfortable at the U or the Y position?

“I feel I can play either. Anywhere I can help the team out.”

What have Miller and Kwiatkowski done so far in spring practice? What kind of personality do they bring on the field?

“Ricardo, he’s a really good athlete. He moved from wide receiver, so he has the wide reciever skills at the tight end position. He runs fast. He runs really great routes. He has great hands. There’s a lot of things Ricardo brings. Mike is a big, strong guy, and he moves guys on the line of scrimmage, so he does a great job blocking, and he does a great job running routes, also.”

How hard has it been to wait your whole career to have this chance?

“Um, man … how difficult has it been … I want to say it’s been difficult because I’ve been working to this chance my entire career. Of course it’s been difficult to be behind great players like Kevin Koger and Martell Webb and Steve Watson, but I’m ready to have my chance.”

Can you talk about some of the guys who have switched to tight end recently, like Jordan Paskorz and Chris Eddins?

“They’re definitely adjusting to the position. They’re trying to learn the plays, understand the playbook and things such as that. Of course there’s a little learning curve as far as learning the position, but they’re working hard to get better each and every day.”

How is the chemistry between the tight ends and the quarterbacks?

“We have great chemistry. We’ve been coming in here on our own like throwing passes with the quarterbacks. There’s a good chemistry. He knows where we’re going to be at when we’re in our position, and stuff like that.”

What did you learn from guys like Kevin Koger?

“I was behind Kevin my entire career, and he’s a great player, but he’s an even better person. He’s a great leader, he knows how to get the team motivated. He kept a set of the playbook year round, and what I learned from him was just play like a professional. Just going out there each and every day and get better each and every day. Just doing everything to your greatest abilities.”

Kevin had to wait to be featured, too. Does some of his patience rub off on you, too?

“Oh yeah. Of course it did. Just being with him -- we’ve been together a long time. I knew him before we got here. Our personalities rubbed off on each other a little bit.”

He’s kind of a loud guy, right?

“Yeah, he’s a loud guy. I’m more of a quiet guy. I’m probably one of the more quiet guys on the team.”

As the team comes to understand the offense more, has the tight end role been changing at all?

“Yes, of course, because once everyone learns the offense they can play multiple positions. A tight end can move out to wide receiver, or a wide receiver can move to tight end. Just learning the playbook and knowing what everyone does on the field, you have a chance to play different positions.”

Does it help to have someone on the team that you went to high school with?

“Yes, of course. Coming here with Roy and Shaw, those were my two best friends. Those were my brothers. Having them here as support was one of the best things that could happen for me.”

Has Roy walked you through anything this spring now that you’re in this elevated role?

“I don’t want to say he really walked me through, but we’ve been going through this together for a long time. It’s not necessarily him walking me through it or me walking him through it. We’re just walking through this together.”

Do you think this offense will be more explosive than a year ago, and why?

“More explosive? Well yeah, we can be more explosive. Of course we want to be more explosive, and we have a chance of doing that because we understand the offense a lot better and we’ve been in this offense for another year now.