file

News bullets and other items

• We’re not going to talk about injuries.
• Kalis and Glasgow are taking snaps at right guard, and Glasgow is also taking snaps at center.
• Kenny Allen and Matt Wile are competing at kicker.
• The average number of explosive plays [Ed: defined by Doug Nussmeier as a twelve-yard run or sixteen-yard pass] per game should be nine to ten. Michigan had five against Notre Dame.

Opening remarks:

"As a team I think everybody really came back to work Tuesday. We had a really good practice. Very high tempo. I think the leadership throughout the team is a big part of that, how competitive and hard-working everybody is. We are correcting things that we need to do better. Talked a lot about fundamentals and techniques. Talked a lot about and worked on a lot of things that you have to do when you talk about ball security and all those things to be successful, and the guys went at it and we had a very competitive, very good practice, like I said. We’re looking forward to Saturday. Number one, we get to play at home. We get to play at the greatest stadium in this country in front of our fans and that’s something we always look forward to. We have the next three weeks to do that. The energy and support is something that we really embrace."

Brady, you said you made corrections. Were they small corrections or were they glaring things?
"Yeah, there's a lot of things that were small but in the big picture those small things can add up. We thought pad level-wise we played pretty well but we've got to be more demanding on finishing some things from both sides of the ball."

As far as the offensive line, do you anticipate making any changes? Do you see a need for it?
"I think right now, I think we like the group we have. I think you asked the other day, [and] it's still highly competitive. Kyle's playing right guard and so is Graham [Ed: MGoD'ohThereGoesMyQuestion]. Graham's taking some snaps at center so the rest of it's been pretty much how it is but it's been really competitive."

Is it important at this point to keep those guys together and let them grow even if they are making mistakes?
"Well, they're not making many mistakes. That's number one. When you look at the tape, those guys up front did a pretty good job. So to answer your question, yeah, to have them together would be awesome. Now, you still got to have some contingencies if somebody goes down, somebody gets hurt. Mags [Ed: Erik Magnuson, but I’m guessing you knew that] is playing a little bit of left tackle at times so all those things are still part of it."

[After THE JUMP: Miami (NTM) scouting report, countering three-step drops, and Hoke’s opinions on the criticism of players]

So are there holes that the running backs missed?
"I'm not going to blame it on the running backs. Believe me, the guys up front, they weren't perfect but you can't put it all on them."

In terms of the frustration level with your team, once the second field goal was missed it seemed like there were a lot more glaring issues from there, especially in the second half compared to earlier in the game. Is there a mental component there?
"I think there's always a mental side of a football game and how you go about it. The thing I will tell you, and this is from the players, they felt like they were together in it the whole time."

Do you anticipate maybe a change in kicker? You said that Kenny [Allen] and Matt [Wile]…
"They’re competing like heck this week."

The press coverage issues: is part of it just getting hands on a guy at the line of scrimmage?
"Yeah, being more physical there. Sliding your feet a little bit more. Again, fundamentally I think some guys reacted real well, some guys didn't react as well as you'd like them to but you’ve seen them do it so you've got confidence in them."

Not asking specific injury questions, but Peppers, Taylor, Funchess: do you expect they'll play?
"We’re not talking about injuries."

Did Jabrill and Raymon practice this week?
"They were here… on the practice field. We're not talking about injuries."

How would you evaluate the safety play after two games?
"I think from that standpoint Wilson's been very solid, very good. Jeremy [Clark] has shown very good signs in there. Delano getting back, again, kind of puts a little more competition up there and [we] kind of like what Delano's doing."

After a game like Saturday, can you talk about keeping the outside noise on the outside for both the coaching staff and the kids?
"You know, I don't worry about myself or the staff because people are going to have opinions and think what they want. You're going to have opinions, and that's fine but when your quarterback takes some criticism that might be unjust because of things that transpired, I guess that's the way we are in society now but at the same time I don't know if that's called for."

What was unjust in terms of what they were saying?
"Well, what would you think. He's a kid. He's not a professional athlete."

Are there things that people aren’t seeing that he did well in that game?
"I think there's a lot of things he did well. Like I said the other day, he made some great throws in there. He checked us to the right plays. Was he perfect? No. He wasn't 100%. Do we want to be perfect? Yes."
Did he make any progress from the Appalachian State game to that game that you can see?
"Well yeah, I think so. Yeah. I mean, he’s our quarterback. Now, he’s going to prove it every week. He’s proved it [with] how he’s come to practice and how he’s learned.”

You mentioned Devin’s your quarterback and he’s got to continue to prove it. Is Shane [Morris] ready? Is he up to speed with all this?

“Yeah, we’re confident in him. We’re very confident in him.”

So if Devin does slip you’re confident…

“Well, it’s like every other position, right? If Willie Henry doesn’t play great at three [technique] Wormley’s going to be in there or Godin’s going to be in there.”

But you feel like Shane has…

“Progressed?”

Yeah, and grasped this offense?

“Yeah, I think so.”

It was said the other day with Devin why maybe there were some issues was that it was the second game in a new system. How long, generally, do you think it takes for a fifth-year senior to adapt?

“Well, I think the longer you can have a guy within your philosophy, your program, either offensively or defensively I think the more there’s a comfort level. I think there’s more where they feel better and more confident and maybe seeing what he’s seeing on the field.”

Are there things you see with Miami’s [Andrew] Hendrix, and even Notre Dame, [where they] seem to run more and they’re obviously throwing a lot these last couple games?

“They’re certainly throwing the ball a ton and he’s very- I don’t have his percentage in front of me but he’s pretty doggone accurate. You’re going to see a lot of quick throws. They do a good job. It reminds me a little bit more of the offense at Notre Dame with [Tommy] Rees as far as six man protections, trying three man route schemes, getting the ball out of his hands quickly. The running game consists mostly of some zone. He’s not running [all the time]. Will he run it? Yes, but more like Tommy Rees than Everett Golson.”

You talk about him getting it out quick. How are you evaluating the pass rush if you can’t seem to get any off of the drop?

“Well, I think there’s some things that we’ve got to do. When you feel the three-step [drop] you’ve got to be able to get your hands up. We’ve been pretty good, especially in fall camp, of knocking some balls down and that’s one thing you emphasize. You emphasize trying to knock a hole in the line of scrimmage. A lot of slide protection. Obviously when you play man and it’s those third-and-threes and you’re going to play tight man you’ve got to play tight man.”

Some guys are dinged up at corner but elsewhere are looking at other guys this week [and] giving them more of a look after the struggles last week or are you still sticking…

“You talking about every position?

At corner.

“Well, I think with Strib[ling] we’ve always- every week he’s running with the twos sometimes, he’s running with the ones sometimes. I’m talking about practice and what we’re getting done. So if you’ve got Stribling and Terry Richardson, Jourdan Lewis, who played a little more than the other two, I don’t know if that changes what our beliefs are. Again, I’ll go back, it’s competitive at every position.”

Do you give a guy like Terry more of a look this week given that other guys struggled?

“Well, I think he’s played a lot more. He’s had more reps.”

This week?

“I would say so. But look, we’ve only practiced once.”

Doug [Nussmeier] talked a lot about explosive plays. Are there going to be games where you anticipate going downfield a lot more?

“Say that again.”

Are there going to be games where you anticipate more of a longball? Going downfield, taking more shots…

“Well, when we talk about explosive plays that’s part of it. You know, obviously the vertical passing game or a guy making something happen off of a seven yard route but in the running game, too. I think both. I think we had seventeen the first week [and] we had five last week. The number usually you want to average [is] about nine to ten of those, so we’ve got to hit that and again, there’s a lot that goes into it from the passing game: route running, protection, getting off press, getting off bump, the quarterback, the progression, all that. And the same thing in the running game and the receivers down the field and one thing I can tell you is that the receivers that we have here, they enjoy being physical.”

Have you guys emphasized getting off to a fast start this week to kind of put last week behind you?

“I don’t know that we’ve emphasized that. I think what we’ve emphasized is going back to- this has been, and I’m going to say it one more time and I’ll probably say it more, but it’s been an unbelievably hard working group of guys. Coming out to a fast start? Yeah, we’d love to do it. We have an opponent who’s going to have something to say about that, too.”