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News bullets and other items:

• Devin Gardner fully participated in practice last night and should be ready to start against MSU
• It sounds like Jabrill Peppers may have been a part of that practice
• Hoke really likes Michigan State’s offensive balance [Ed.- they’re ~ 40/60 pass/rush]
• Hoke’s recipe for road success: “Don’t turn the ball over. Get turnovers.”
• Hoke thinks bye weeks are good for healing injuries and not good when coaches tinker with systems too much. He prefers getting back to a team’s identity after self-scouting. He again says the identity they want is as a team that runs the ball.
• He likes how they’ve prepared and how hard they’ve worked
• They had a good practice

Opening remarks:

“Number one, thanks for coming. This is an exciting week. The bye week I think was good for us. I think it's a benefit. Get some guys healthy. There's bumps and bruises. We've been at it since August and we are pretty competitive and pretty physical with what we do, so four weeks of camp and seven straight weeks, I think it came at the right time. You're able to rest some guys and I think that's a big part of it, and at the same time you're able to get some guys who are right on the line that you might depending on how you get beat up or bumped along you may have some other guys that have to get in there and represent.

This is a great rivalry and a great rivalry in a lot of ways. Obviously we have three great rivalries – two great rivalries, but the passion on both sides of either green and white or maize and blue, I think that passion you see, you hear, and you feel. We are playing the defending Big Ten champs who deserve that and have played very good football during the year on both sides of the ball. Going out to Eugene is their only loss and that's a difficult place to play. You’re three times zones different and you're also playing in a pretty hostile stadium that can get pretty loud.

                                                             
I think offensively, I think Michigan State [is] very balanced. I would think knowing Mark [Dantonio] he would feel very good offensively what they're doing from that balance standpoint. I think Connor Cook continues to impress and improve. You look at Langford and how he's improved and Nick Hill I think has emerged too back there in the backfield. Lippett I think has played like the best receiver in this conference I think when you see the big plays in big games that he's made.

Turnover margin; we’re [on] two opposite spectrums. They’re +11, I think we’re -13 and turnover margin in pro football, college football, high school football, Peewee football, whatever football there is out there is a big part of who wins and who loses and we've obviously got to do a better job of creating. The last two weeks we've done a better job of taking care of the football but that's got to continue.

As far as the bye, we got out Tuesday and Wednesday of last week. Had a practice last night which was a Tuesday practice for us and was very good, very physical. It was good to get out there again. Like the timing because that's one thing you always worry about and I thought our timing was sharp. I thought the execution on both sides of the ball was pretty good. We got a long way to go though, so… that's the longest I've ever given you an opening statement. I just hadn't seen you in a long time.”

Is there a downside to a bye week? You hear a lot of talk about upside but I wonder if there’s downside.
“You know, I think they're probably have been. I can try to go back and think over the years as an assistant and then as a head coach. We had a bye one year at Ball State [where] we were playing really good and then we didn't play so good the next time out. One thing that we've always tried to do is the speed that you play with, the efficiency with the sharpness, the quickness and if you can get that… The other part is the communication that your team needs to have. That's the only way I know how to judge it. I was very pleased with what we did last night because we were in full pads and we compete against each other all the time. Obviously you’ve got some things you're working on [for] your opponent but it was more about us competing against each other.”

[After THE JUMP: rivalries, edge, attitude, underdogs, gamblers]

I think last Wednesday you mentioned wanting more big plays out of your offense. You’re pretty low statistically in that category. Did you look at that over the by week and what did you see?
“Yeah, there's no question we’ve got to create more explosive plays and that's one thing either running the football or one thing throwing the ball getting some chunks down the field. There's a lot that goes into it. The line of scrimmage and how you're doing at the line of scrimmage, how you're doing from a standpoint of protection, route running; all those things are a big part of it and going to the right guy.”

Was there something specific you’ve diagnosed to try and change that?
“No. I think we want to get better at it. One thing that happens in bye weeks and I know we did it here when I was here, sometimes you get really smart as a coach during a bye week and sometimes you think, okay, we’re going to change this system to some degree because you do go back and you look at your tendencies, you look at things you've done on first downs, second downs, when you brought pressure, what you're doing in the red zone, all those things. You go through and then at times you say, ‘We need to add this’ and you add too much and then you got a real problem. So for us it's always going back to what we want to be identity-wise and we want to run the football and how can we do that better.”

Yesterday you said you practice in pads with contact? Did Jabrill participate in that full-speed?
“You know, we had a good practice.”

So yes? No? Nothing?

“We had a good practice.”

What about-

“Good practice. He practiced well, too.”

The stat we hear over and over again about last year’s game is –48 rushing yards. What has to be done differently by your team this year to keep that Spartan front seven in check?
“Well, number one, I think you have targeting issues you talk about all the time and I mean legal targeting issues. Doing a good job with that. I think finishing at the line of scrimmage, that's important. I think from a quarterback [not getting] minus plays because a big part of that is sacks, protection, making sure you're not turning a guy loose, making sure everyone's communicating and is on the same page and the quarterback also getting rid of the football.”

I know you’ve mentioned it before and it’s not fair and it is what it is, but having to go back to Spartan Stadium; is that something you talk about at all? Do you gain something from going there and coming back again? Maybe handling the environment differently?
“You know, we've played in some pretty loud stadiums away. You know, Whether it's at Iowa or wherever it is. They do a great job there. They're very supportive of their team. We don't make the schedule and I understand why we do– why we are going back because of some of the different things the Big Ten had to do to accommodate everybody.”

You and Doug [Nussmeier] had both talked about between Rutgers and Penn State trying to change the offense and get Devin out of the pocket and have him run a little bit. We didn’t see a lot of that against Penn State. Was that something Penn State was doing or…?
“Well, I think what we did against Penn State is what we wanted to do. I think when he got dinged up a little bit we weren’t going to run him necessarily then.”

Before that?
“Well, we’d have done a little bit more maybe.”

During the game does the passion of the rivalry seep into the game a little bit or once it’s kicked off is it just another game against another team?
“Well, I don't know if it's another game. I think there's high emotions and high passions on both teams. Look, you're playing for a state championship. I mean, that's what you're doing and so from that standpoint I think it's always an emotional game.”

In the past we’ve seen upsets in this game, and I think part of it is passion from the team with the lesser record that has kind of risen up. Do you feel going into this that your team has that ability to kind of rise up and bring that kind of passion to the game?
“Well, here's what I can tell you: I like how are guys have prepared. I've said that every week. I like how they work. They’ve been a hard-working bunch and they haven't disappointed in any of those things. I know that we’ll be ready to go play on Saturday.”

You talked about where you wanted to be identity-wise. Is it fair to say that you want this program at this point to look more like what Michigan State does now?
“I don't know about that. I want to have the same helmets and everything that we have. I think that's important. [Ed.- He was kidding. That’s a Hoke joke.] But do we want to run the football? Yeah. Do you want to have a good play action game? Yes. There's a lot of teams who do that.”

In the aftermath of last year’s game when there was definitely some manhandling going on, is your team angered by that or motivated by that? How do you think your team responded in the immediate aftermath and then going into this year?
“Well, number one, they're both different teams. I know that and you know that and I think that always is something that when you look at games you look at rivalry games probably a little harder. I think we’re a different team mindset-wise. They're probably a different team mindset-wise, but it would bother me if I played in the game if you're asking me personally, and if I didn't do my job it would bother the hell out of me.”

Once again you are underdogs to the Michigan State Spartans and possible spoilers for their season. Should Wolverines fans get used to this or is this just a temporary period that will change?
“Say that whole question again because it was interesting.”

Once again you’re the underdogs and possible spoilers for the Michigan State Spartans? Should Wolverines fans get used to this? Is this the way it’s going to be for a while? Or is this going to turn around to a possible change for the better?
“Well, I think this when you talk about underdogs: I think that's part of what gamblers put on the line and all that, and that being said we've been the underdogs before and for us it's just going out there and playing football each week and we've obviously got to play our best football Saturday.”

Two questions: position group-wise Michigan State obviously with a good defense but you guys have had a good defense this year at times, too. Just seeing those two collide on the field, and then is this your most important rivalry game with Michigan State?
“Any time you play a rivalry game it's always important. Any time you play the next game it's always important but this is a rivalry game that we’re very passionate about. At the end of the day, about 6 o'clock, 6:15 on Saturday, we’ll know who played well defensively and who didn't.”

Is this weekend the most important one you’ve faced so far?
“I don't think so.”

MGoQuestion: Michigan State’s replacing six starters on defense. When you watch them on film, what similarities and what differences do you see from last year to this year?
“Well, I think when you look at them they play hard. The scheme they know very well. They execute that very well. I think those things are similar and what they've done before.”

You mentioned earlier you want to stick to your identity [and] run the football. We mentioned the –48 yards rushing. How do you balance not just running into their biggest strength and kind of adjusting and going around it? Do you tweak the game plan at all-
“Well, obviously we’re going to prepare to give our guys the best opportunity to win, so whatever that game plan may be we are going to try to get the best plan for our kids kicking game, offense, and defense to be successful and put them in position to be successful.”

We talked earlier about these rivalry games on the road. You guys have struggled in those. I think it was hard to pinpoint at the time for you why that was the case. Having looked at it now what do you have to do to get over some of these humps here and-

“Don’t turn the ball over. Get turnovers.”

You talked about if you played in that game how much it would bother you if you felt like you hadn’t done your job. Do you sense that from the players in relation to this series and last year in particular?

“Well, we’ve had great practices. Great preparation. Last week, Tuesday and Wednesday what we did was very positive. Last night, really positive.”

A couple of weeks ago Mark Dantonio was asked about, from the outside looking in, you and your program and he had a really respectful answer about that. How would you characterize your relationship with Mark Dantonio as a coach and as a fellow coach in this state?

“I think Mark and I have known each other probably twenty-some years. I’ve always respected Mark.”

The rivalry game that you have played maybe the best in was that Ohio State game last year where your team showed a lot more offense than they had the month before. A lot of that came from Devin. Is this a situation where you think Devin needs to play above where he has this year?

“I think we all need to play our best football whether it be Devin or anyone else. We talked about the negative rushing yards a year ago; that’s not just on Devin. When a guy gets sacked and all that kind of stuff you’re turning some people loose and some of it is also he’s got to get rid of the ball. There’s a rhythm to it.”

With his talent do you think he needs to play above some of what he has in these other games?

“You know, I think him going out and playing and playing the way he’s capable of, that’s all he needs to do.”

Speaking of Devin, was he full go in practice? Last time we saw him he had a boot on.

“Yeah. He was full go.”

Took hits? I guess you don’t hit the quarterback, but…

/Hoke smiles and nods

You said earlier it would bother you if you played in that game last year. Michigan State in these last could games, I guess 2012 notwithstanding, has usually had what seems to be an edge. They’ve played with more edge than you guys have in these games and sometimes that’s been part of the result. Is your team close to boiling over a little bit here and getting angry and playing angry like they do?

“I don’t know if that’s what I would…that’s a good question. Playing angry? I think you play with an attitude.”

Do you feel like these guys are-

“I wouldn’t say I liked the way we practiced if I didn’t think we had that.”

Do you get angry about the circumstance and what’s happened up there.

“Well yeah. You don’t like to lose anywhere. I mean, I don’t know a coach who’s not competitive or a player who’s not competitive, so you never want to be on the wrong side of the scoreboard.”

How do you feel about being a 17 point underdog?

“Look, the only people who really care about that are gamblers. I don’t gamble.”