[Fuller/MGoBlog]

News bullets and other items:

• Shane Morris is the backup quarterback. Speight took the one end-of-game snap because Harbaugh didn’t want to put Morris, a junior who’s played his first two years, in for that.
• Harbaugh wants further explanation on the roughing the kicker call. He thought the punter had established himself as a runner.
• Harbaugh called the snap over the OSU’s punter’s head a play that goes your team’s way once in a half a century.
• Rudock drew praise for his coolness under pressure, but Harbaugh didn’t like the fumble or interception, particularly because he felt Rudock locked on his receiver on the pick.
• The same play was intercepted in practice, so Harbaugh took the blame and said he’s kicking himself for calling it in the game.
• Wormley, Charlton, Smith, Bunting, and the secondary were singled out for their strong play.
• Hackett gave Harbaugh the maize watch he’s been wearing since Harbagh’s introductory presser.

 

Is there a game ball that went out to DeVeon or the defense? They both played well. Can you comment on that?
"Yeah, I sure can. We haven't given out any game balls yet. We'll do that Monday, but the defense – I'd say DJ Durkin and his staff did a tremendous job preparing the players. Went 3 1/2 quarters without points and tremendous on sudden change, we turned the ball over on our end of the field and coming away with getting a turnover, Joe Bolden plucks one out of the air. I thought that was a huge play in the game.

“There was- one other one was Jake Butt plucking a ball out of the air at the 10 yard line to open up the second half when we fumbled down there deep in our own end zone – end.

“So, great team win. Very pleased. I thought this was won with the week of practice. We had a tremendous practice on Monday, especially Wednesday, and especially Thursday. Everybody contributed. The look team, the scout team, was- had its best week. Guys really challenging made those practices extremely good. But yeah, there was a lot of credit to give out to a lot of people because there was a great team win, but we're going to move on from this one with humble hearts because there's a lot of work to do."
Obviously a turning point in the game – it was still close at 10 to 7 – but the punt that was blocked…or is supposed to be blocked where there was the disputed call, how huge was that given that you disputed the call on the roughing?
"Oh, the roughing? I need an explanation on that one. Their punter caught it behind the guard, bobbled it, looks to me like he took right-left-right-left and punted it. The way I understand the rule is that if he establishes himself as a runner he's afforded the same protection a quarterback is when he is running outside of the pocket, which is if a guy takes two steps, the quarterback, [and] launches into him after he throws the ball then that would be a penalty, but that was a punt-hit. I just need a better explanation as to why that was a penalty, But maybe I stand to be corrected.

“But yeah, the game was tight. It was still in doubt and then we got the very fortuitous play for us, which was them snapping the ball over the punter’s head. I mean, that happens once in a half a century for your team. So that was a heckuva good break for us, but we'll take it. But I thought it was a good, competitive game. I thought our guys got the running game established. We tackled well. Got some pressure on the quarterback; thought that was the difference between the first quarter and a long drive they made and some other drives that they had. Wormley got a big sack that backed them up to the 2 yard line and then we got good field position. Jabrilll did another fine job fielding punts and making cool-handed decisions and we were able to turn that drive into a score and put points on the board. So,…good. Just think we've got a – it's only the second game. It's a long season and we all have a lot of work to do, so that's what we're focused on."

[The rest after THE JUMP]

You obviously challenged – at the Monday press conference we heard you talked about the offensive line quite a bit, the guys getting poor leverage and getting picked up off the ground. What was it like this week challenging those guys, and how do you think they obviously responded with the aggression?
"I think better. You know, it was good to see, But – get the running game going, the backs running hard. And hard when they had to, come loose at times and the interior line really looked like it was [making] more decision[s] and less mental error. And they probably did play with a lower pad level, and we've got to keep playing lower. Move low and quick; that's what you want all 11 doing. But it was better. It was better, and we feel good about it."
It seems like Brian Cole was really close to blocking some punts. Was this something you saw on the summer into a days, and where you feel it's just a matter of time and he's going to nail one?
"He was. He was close. I thought he was going to get one, you know, today. But he got 19 snaps on the special teams last week and he's a major contributor on special teams, and all that helps. Even when you don't get it it's in the mind of somebody that it's close and it can change the trajectory of a punt.

“It can – I don't want to say it leads to a bad snap but I suppose I could say it puts pressure. It puts pressure. Not taking any credit for that. That was a very fortuitous play for us. But yeah, give credit to coach Baxter. I thought he did a fine job having his guys ready to play. Schematically it was good and our guys played harder, played faster, reacted faster so it was good to see the buildup."
Did you at any point allow yourself to enjoy the moment, that you were coaching at Michigan Stadium for the first time?
"Yeah, I did. Like everybody that's there – I don't know if anybody listens to me or not, but it's mainly about the players and the ones that are playing and the coaches and their families. But the guys that are out there playing and their families that are watching, us coaches, us staff, everybody at the University of Michigan- It's great to be a part of that and we enjoy that, but you're a very small part because the greater share is the young men that are out there playing and their families that are watching the game."
On DeVeon: as the game wore on it looked like he got stronger and stronger. Do you feel like you guys eventually broke them?
"I wouldn't– [/mumbles what I think was] I don't think you need a cliché like that. I thought it was a competitively played football game. Oregon State is a good team. Just like us, we've both got work to do. As I said before, I thought the backs did run well. Ran better, ran harder. Saw things… better.

“We can get them to the line of scrimmage as coaches, but they've got to see things. You can get them from 7 yards deep to the line of scrimmage and tell them what they're supposed to do and show them what they're supposed to do, and they've got to see it. They've got to see the holes. The blockers are visible. They've got to make the appropriate cut and then run physically when they have to. Pick the soft shoulder of the defender when it's in tight. I thought our guys did a better job. I think we'll flick on the film and see you that our guys were playing, our backs especially, we're playing more naturally and letting their talents work for them."
You see more than we do, obviously. You're starting to move the ball more consistently in the second half. You didn't last week. Is that more product of your team coming together, learning their assignments, their blocking? What makes the difference going from the first half to the second half?
"All 11 played together. I thought Tim Drevno and Jedd Fisch had a very good game game plan. Called a good game. The players up front – I thought our line did a good job. Was more precise, there was more precision working the double teams together, fitting in. You know, less mistakes. We've had the repeating error; one guy here, one guy there so it's good. We'll build on it.

“Hopefully this shows our team that these games can be won during the week. It's in how you prepare and how you practice. I thought our team really, really dialed it in preparing for this ball game, and it showed and it was a good team effort because, as I said, our look squad was playing inspired. I mean, they were challenging, not just out there. So, now we've seen them do it so we can expect it every single day and therefore we’ll be able to build on those kind of good practices."
Week one to week two, what progress are you happiest with?
"Well, I'm glad that we won the football game but...happiest thing would be that."
I know you said you're a small part of this whole big picture, but for that small part you ran through that tunnel many times as a player and today as a coach. Can you talk about what was in your head going out there as the coach and having one official win as the coach of the Michigan Wolverines next to your name now?
"Yeah, maybe this doesn't resonate but that's just what I feel like. I feel like I'm part of it and you win as a team and everybody does a little and it adds up to a lot. Focused on contributing to the winning, and I like the way our team came back with the attitude over the weekend and especially Monday's practice with ‘Let's make darn sure this doesn't happen again. We have to prepare different, prepare better, and let's strive for that.’ So, that's another thing I feel good about."
Do you think Jake Rudock made progress from game one to game two, and also is Wilton Speight the number two quarterback?
"Well, Shane’s the number two quarterback. It's…there was a kneel-down situation at the end. I'm not going to play Shane in that position because he's in his junior year. You know, he's had two years where he's played in two years so that's the reason. He's the number two quarterback."
Can you evaluate how Rudock's game was?
"Yeah, Jake, game-wise he made some big plays. Ran the game, made appropriate throws. Big fourth-down play. Made a coolheaded decision especially- I can't remember if it was a third-down or fourth-down play- but he stepped up in the pocket and bought time, kept his eyes downfield, and eventually hit Jake Butt over on the side for a first down and picked up a couple fourth downs in there.

“Has to have better ball security in the pocket. We were hot on the protection and he felt the defender near him. He's got to secure the ball. He had it away from his body, and we had the turnover on that particular play. And the interception, didn't like that. He's got to have a wider vision of the area he's throwing. He locks into the receiver there. We had that intercepted in practice too, so I kick myself for calling that play.

“Another guy I really want to talk about is Ian Bunting. Talk about it being a good team win, that was a fabulous play that Ian Bunting made over there on the sideline, so nice to see our tight ends getting into the game and contributing.

“Wormley, Taco Charlton – hopefully they're getting a sense of rushing the passer and getting there, and how good that feels. So, that was another- I thought that was the biggest difference in our defense was pressuring the quarterback.

“You got to hand it to the secondary too. We got quite a few deflections and at least closed on balls when they were in the air, so it was good. That was good. Really good. That's about all I got. Don't have a lot more right now."
What impressed you the most about DeVeon, and talk about how a team can feed off a running back who runs hard like that.
"Yeah, I think that's a great point. The offensive line – I mean, they were seeing it. They commented over on the sidelines and you hear them like, 'Hey, hey, DeVeon's really running hard and making people miss. He's running through contact.' And that inspired them. When you get inspired running from the running back that inspires the interior line to sustain and to strain longer on blocks so that definitely was good."
On the 20-yard pass on fourth and five in the second quarter, how big was that for your offense?
"That was a big play in the game, and a good call. A real good call by coach Fisch, and I thought Jake was extremely cool and collected on that play and threw an accurate pass. Yeah, that was a big play."
--------------

"Last thing I want to do, and then I'm going to go see my family, is I want to thank Jim Hackett for this beautiful watch. He gave me a watch after the game, so… I've never gotten a gift after a game. Or it's been a while. Sometimes you used to do interviews back in the day where you’d do an interview and you’d get a pair of Florsheim shoes, so thanks to Jim Hackett."