file, but he did have the same polo on today

News bullets and other items:

• There’s a plan for the offensive line. It’s a good plan.
• We are not going to talk about any injuries.

Opening remarks:

“You ready? Thanks for coming. We had a very good practice yesterday which sometimes that's unusual with the first day of school because they're in classes and they've been in the fall camp where they had a little bit more time but from that standpoint I thought we compete and they challenged. It's a big mental day. Tuesdays always are because of the game plan. We were pretty sharp in that respect. Got to be sharper today because of the improvement every day, Because that's going to be important to our team. We're excited about the opportunity Saturday. It's one of the great rivalries and it'll be fun and it'll be a great atmosphere and we look forward to it."

Will Desmond Morgan play?
”Well, you know, we are not going to talk about any injuries.”

So he is injured?
“I didn't say that, you did.”

Jake Butt it looks like was running around on the film and some of those clips they released. Is there a chance…
“We are not talking about injuries. That's a good job though. Appreciate it.”

In terms of that, you said earlier that his timetable was...
“He's done a nice job.”

Greg Mattison has talked about preparing for Everett Golson. Is there something you do differently on the scout team here to prepare for a guy who is a dual threat?
“Yeah. We've used wide receivers in the past. Joe Reynolds was great to use because he was a quarterback in high school, so we've done that with some of the guys. Brian Cleary runs very well and he's done a good job with it and Wilton [Speight], as big as he is and as tall as he is is really a good athlete so those two have given us good  looks. We've, because of the first opponent, worked really hard on the zone read aspect of it. Again, you're going to play a really good athlete. We have to have 11 guys getting to the football.”

Do you feel like maybe a construction foreman now because you've laid a pretty good foundation so far? Talk about building this week on top of what you've laid.
“When we got done with the game on Saturday, graded the game on Saturday, looked at it, dissected it, there's so many areas where we want to play more flawless. I know the linebackers felt that they didn't play as well as they need to. I know up front defensively, the inside guys, as far as getting off blocks a little better, holding the point a little better. The precision in the passing game. We had a quarterback who was 13 of 14 but from a mechanical standpoint, a route running standpoint, protection was pretty good but we are going to see a lot of different things this week from Notre Dame. You got to just react, communicate, and play a lot better.”

What about accountability like that [Ed.- this is referencing a microphone going out and the A/V guy taking responsibility for it]? I'm sure it extends to your players as well.
“Well, there's no question. The commitment level and the accountability to each other and what this group has done since last January, you know, has really been at a high level and we want to make sure it stays that way. The intensity in the stress that we can continue to put on our players so that when you do go to a great venue and play a game, a place where it's going to be loud – they pipe in their own music, as we all know. It's right in back of us. It's a place where we've got to play with a lot of focus. Got to be locked into everything we are doing.”

[More fun after THE JUMP]

Looking at Matt Wile’s kick, was that an aberration? Has he been better than that in camp?
“He's been a lot better in camp. He just left it out there to the right. I think it was really – I was a little concerned because there was some wind out of the south end zone and I was concerned that it might be a little further, too far back and then when I saw where it hit on the pole, I mean, he had all the leg for it. He just left it a little bit out. I don't have any concern with Matt.”

Is it his job?
“It's his job right now. Kenny [Allen] has done a nice job. Kenny was a great addition a couple of years ago. He's a guy you really can lean on and feel real comfortable using.”

I'm pretty sure you have a plan for your offensive line…
“We do.”

Should we expect to see some changes in the starting lineup?
“Well, we have a plan for the offensive line. It's a good plan.”

Only because you talked about it, will Peppers be available Saturday?
“We're not going to discuss injuries.”

I mean, you had mentioned it Monday that you thought that he would be available.

/taps on podium
/A reporter asks for the mike then says, ‘never mind.’ The room laughs

“Had enough, right?”

Other than the four true freshman that played, are there any that you think could still get in the lineup?
“Yeah, I think there's some possibilities with some guys. We are traveling and just – Moe Ways, he's a guy down the road you never know what's going to happen that we may be able to play.

What does Freddy Canteen have to do to get…
“He's just got to be more consistent. Like I said earlier, he came into camp and would have liked to have had a better camp but he's making progress. Had a pretty good day yesterday.”

Michigan's rivalry and history with Ohio State you take as a given, but I'm curious for your perspective of at what point the tradition and history against Notre Dame takes hold for players, coaches coming here, and when that starts to be impressed upon them.
“Well, I think that once you’re getting recruited here. I think that as a coach it depends on your awareness and growing up, you know, what you know of the legacies and traditions we have at Michigan and that's just one of them.”

You said he had his best practice…
“Freddie.”

No, Moe Ways. It was the scrimmage if I'm not mistaken. Has he continued to build on that?
“Yeah, I think he is. I think he's learning a lot and I think that's really important.”

In what ways have you seen him grow?
“Well, he's a big receiver. He runs really well. I think uses his body well. I think his consistency in catching the football is all an improvement. Most things that happen with receivers, it's spacing and route running, you know, pressing a guy as far as your releases and doing those things and that's what takes some time to learn.”

Has Drake Harris been able to do anything?
“He has not.”

As far as running backs, you’ve got Drake [Ed.- they meant Derrick] and DeVeon I assume as No. 1 and No. 1a. Is Drake Johnson, is he a part of this mix? Can we expect to see him at some point getting involved?
“I would think so. I would think that whole group of four. Obviously Derrick and DeVeon were the guys who got most of the carries and Justice came in and did a good job for us, carried the ball. Drake got in and I think as we continue to grow from the standpoint of the competition, they compete and challenge there every day.”

So it's not completely settled there?
“Well, I think you see more Drake and more Justice in the third down situations even though the other two are making great strides.”

How much of that running game energy bleeds over into the offensive line, because when you see a guy like Kalis blocking 15 yards down the line obviously guys are pumped.
“Well, there's no question. I think the finishing that you have to do upfront offensively– I think they've got to notice when a wide receiver is working real hard for a leverage position and finishing up blocks. I think for your whole offense, your whole team. Our guys on defense like to watch our offense run the football. They compete every day against each other and knock each other around so there's a lot of respect and there is a lot that they like to see.”

Devin Gardner said that he thinks Funchess could be the best receiver to ever play at Michigan. Is that setting the bar too high or is that realistic?
“You know, I don't know. There's been some great receivers here. I guess we'll just see how it plays out.”

Do you think he has the capability?
“He's got a lot of ability.”

Given the three new coordinators between the two teams, how much can be gleaned from last year's game versus how much newness is there?
“I don't know if there is a whole lot, especially on the defensive side of the ball, that you would think will be the same. Offensively, Brian's going to run his offense. I guess we've got the other new coordinator so he'll do his thing.”

With all that newness do you think, I mean, you have the one game of tape from last week but otherwise do you just have to run your own stuff?
“You look at that game, you look at coach VanGorder's stops at the different places and believe me, we've broken down just about everything you can. I'm sure they've watched our spring. We've watched their spring. So are there things I'm sure they haven't showed yet? No question about it.”