Monday Presser Notes (Week 10)

By Sean · Monday, October 27, 2008 · 8:15 PM |  Share | 1 Comment 

Rich Rodriguez:

• Mike Williams and Sam McGuffie got slight concussions against Michigan State and are day-to-day. Neither practiced on Sunday.
• Jonas Mouton has a slight hamstring injury but should be okay.
• Ditto for Perry Dorrestein, who has a slight knee sprain.
• Mike Williams played in the first quarter and was going to get more involved if he hadn’t been injured.
• Having the lead at one time or another in all of the last four losses has been frustrating.
• The biggest gap for some freshmen is all mental.
• Justin Feagin is not even close to being ready at quarterback. He’s closer to playing at slot receiver than he ever was at QB.
• Mike Martin is beyond his years physically.
• “I don’t know if I’ve ever had a true freshman defensive lineman as Division I-ready as Mike Martin has been.”
• Feagin probably won’t burn his redshirt unless he is going to get extensive playing time.
• The program has been “turned around,” even though it isn’t showing on Saturdays.
• You can’t let big plays on third down happen.
• All of the problems that have prevented Michigan from winning have been identified.
• College coaches have two main jobs: recruit quality student-athletes and develop them both on and off the field.
• He met with the whole defense and watched film with them on Sunday.
• Jonas Mouton’s athleticism and John Thompson’s intensity are great to have on defense.
• Mike Shaw is probably going to play more this weekend.
• “We’ve gotta get more athletic on defense.”
• “We’re playing the best guys that give us the best chance of winning.”
• Carson Butler is closer to playing on defense this season. It’s only been two weeks since he switched, but he is getting closer to playing.
• Rodriguez and Joe Tiller have been friends for the last six or so years. The two had a “chuckle” over the snake oil comment at the Big Ten meetings.
• “Recruiting is going well. We’re very excited about recruiting.”
• “Everybody has to earn their job each and every day.” (In reference to the players)
• “The sense of entitlement is no longer… I don’t want to say it was here before, but our guys understand that they have to earn their thing every day.”
• Regarding the incorrect call on Brandon Minor’s touchdown: “It’s too late now.” He later said it doesn’t matter since Michigan still lost.

Donovan Warren:

• “The morale of the team is not down at all.”
• “We’re not getting it done this year.”
• “You can’t put the blame on the coaches.”
• “I haven’t lost 6 games in my whole high school career.”
• “I should’ve let the blocked field goal go.”

Jonas Mouton:

• “I don’t really feel like we’re adjusting to losing.”
• “It is what it is right now.”
• The outside linebacker is more like a safety in this year’s scheme.

David Moosman:

• “Tiny details are going to have to click.”
• “More and more of these details are coming together.”
• The process of improving on offense is evolutionary.
• Purdue has a hard-nosed defense.

Mike Martin:

• “My body has changed drastically [since coming to Michigan].”
• The running the team did in the summer got him lean.
• The defensive line is probably the most experienced group on the team.
• Early on, the difference in speed from high school to college was an adjustment, but he is used to it now.
• “I look up to Terrance [Taylor] a lot.”

Brandon Minor:

• “I’ll take it.” (In reference to his touchdown that wasn’t really a touchdown)
• Not losing focus is important in close games.
• “We’ve gotta get used to holding a lead.”