Wednesday Presser Transcript 10-17-12: Brady Hoke Comment Count

Heiko

Bullets:

  • Elliott Mealer mentioned that the scout team does something "extra" for motivation. Hoke, unsurprisingly, does not reveal what that is. 
  • UPDATE: It is THIS. [h/t indyeagle]
  • Drake Johnson is playing running back for the scout team. So is Norfleet.
  • This was the shortest presser ever, so there is no jump.

Brady Hoke

file

Opening remarks:

“Good practice yesterday I think on both sides of the ball. I liked how we competed with each other. Thought that, you know, when you put in the plan and sometimes Tuesday’s a little more thinking, I thought we reacted well and I thought we had a good tempo and were playing fast.”

You’ve practiced well in previous weeks, but is the focus more intense during a rivalry week?

“Well I think it’s been a continuation, but I also would agree that when you play in a rivalry game, there’s always a little more intensity to it.”

Did you do anything different in practice?

“Not really. I mean, uh … no.”

On the scout team?

“They … know their role, so they practice hard.”

How has the scout team been this year?

“I think, you know, it probably would have been a little better if we didn’t have some of those guys dinged up, like Wormley or Chris Bryant. Whether they’d be up or down, just your ability with depth and those things. But I think they’ve worked hard. We give an award out every week to guys on each side of the ball, and who in the kicking game does a great job, giving looks, so. I think they’re doing a good job. I think they’re motivated. Our young coaches, our GA’s do a good job of prepping them each week with watching film and mechanics and all that stuff.”

Do you have them wearing green during the week?

“Uh, you know, sometimes you do.”

With the way Le’Veon Bell is size-wise, do you have a particular guy on the scout team mimic him?

“No. You know, Drake Johnson gets most of the heavy lifting. Fleet gets down there to run some, but we don’t have anybody that size that you would use for that.”

Would you say Taylor Lewan has lived up to the expectations for him this season?

“I think he’s played pretty solid.”

The secondary is ranked third in the nation in pass defense. Is that because they’re playing that well or have they just not been tested enough?

“Well, I don’t know if we’ve been tested, you know. We haven’t had balls thrown down the field vertically in the pass game. I think this will -- since early in the year …”

You mentioned how --

“… really Alabama, to be honest with you. So I think that’s all part of it, where we’re playing a lot of spread teams that want to use the bubbles and want to use those things. I think that’s a fair assessment. I think we haven’t been tested yet.”

Are you interested in seeing how they stack up against a downfield passing team?

“Oh sure. Sure. I mean, I don’t know. I like the bubble screens and stuff like that.”

Does it speak at least a little bit to how your safeties have been playing?

“That’s a big deal. It’s made all the time. We want to be inside and in front. It’s a big part of whether you’re playing two-deep or playing single high, you have to do a good job of if you’re the guy, you have to keep your depth and be the last one to the party. I think those two guys have been a catalyst, and I think J.T. has improved every week.”

Are any of the ACL injury guys close to practicing?

“No.”

Are they in rehab?

“Rehab. They’re doing fine. Some of them are at different levels.”

Do you think any of those guys will be able to practice by the end of the year?

“Probably not.”

Assessment of Michigan State’s defensive line without Jerel Worthy?

“Well I think they’ve filled it in pretty well. I think they’re very aggressive. I think Ted Gill, their D-line coach, who was one of my coaches at Ball State in college, has done a nice job of developing that group. That style defense is such that it’s an aggressive defense.”

You mentioned you have some guys wearing green…

“At times there is green out there … We have grass. Field turf.”

Comments

ChopBlock

October 17th, 2012 at 2:58 PM ^

I always have the worst time trying to figure out what to put in the subject line.

Sometimes it's just awkward when I have nothing to add. For some reason I'm always opposed for letting it auto-fill with the first few words of my post.

go16blue

October 17th, 2012 at 3:41 PM ^

I've always hated it. Some people use it as an actual subject, some people use it as the first few words of their comment (why they do this I don't know), and some people just don't use it at all. Unless it has a consistent purpose, it is completely useless. I've wanted to do away with it for a while, actually.

DonAZ

October 17th, 2012 at 2:06 PM ^

The news here is this -- Hoke is wearing a long sleeve shirt under his short sleeve windbreaker!  That sneaky dude ... come game day, back to just short sleeves.  :-)

saveferris

October 17th, 2012 at 2:34 PM ^

What could it be?  In my dreams this game on Saturday unfolds much the same way the 97 game against Penn State does.  I swear to god if Jake Ryan buries Andrew Maxwell on Sparty's first play from scrimmage, Michgan Stadium is going to explode.

Sopwith

October 17th, 2012 at 2:45 PM ^

There's a name we don't hear every presser.   He's too fast to be a good scout Le'Veon Bell.

On a completely unrelated note, as I'm in the process of scanning Stubhub and need a frame of reference on the rows, can someone remind me what row you're in when you first enter the sections through the tunnels? (assume endzone or other sections with only one entrance)

jsquigg

October 17th, 2012 at 7:36 PM ^

If Michigan wins, I hope no gatorade is dumped on the coach and the students don't rush the field.  We're supposed to beat State!  We're Michigan fergodsakes!

UMFanFtWayne

October 17th, 2012 at 9:12 PM ^

It's alrIght to storm and Gatorade the Ohio game because it's "the game" and it's the end of the year, but MSU is little brother and should be treated as such... You wouldn't run around the driveway if you beat your little bro in basketball so therefore...the whole 4years thang is only because of the wcimfh doing his damage to this rivalry! If you take away the 3 years of his rein you get a year or maybe two where MSU had a good team... I believe that this year Hoke and company get things back in the normal order they should be and the solar system can go back to its normal rotation!

UMFanFtWayne

October 17th, 2012 at 7:41 PM ^

I hope the Scout team can do what I think they can which is resemble a completely mediocre MSU team!! My only worry is the snap count jumping, but I think Al will fix this from a schematic standpoint... Really what needs to happen is Denard needs to get savy with his cadence!