Typically the Monday press conferences are aired live on mgoblue.com, but with today being the holiday and all it is not being aired. Nevertheless, the joys and freedoms of the internets still gives us the general sense of what’s being said from Hoke and the players interviewed.
The order of what was said is by no means reflected below and I’m sure you could dial up some patience and mgoblog will have the transcripts up at some point today.
Brady Hoke
Hoke said they won’t practice at night this week.
Hoke on what Michigan can improve…starts listing stuff: “This could be a marathon.”
Hoke – Denard made good decisions
We need to do better staying on blocks downfield, wrs need to not break off routes.
Hoke: “Rushing for 190 yards in three quarters of the game, that was a good thing.”
Hoke said the defensive packages they played Saturday determined Courtney Avery start at corner. Herron start was defense design/Cam injury
Hoke said Schofield and Barnum will compete at the LG spot this week to start.
Hoke said he anticipates both Cam Gordon and Woolfolk playing Saturday.
Hoke said they’ll have an “honorary senior captain” every game. Van Bergen was for game 1
Hoke: kickoff coverage will be a focus, as well as XP/FG teams
Hoke, on Notre Dame: “This is a great rivalry game.”
Hoke on whether offense tried to keep vanilla for ND: says they’re “going to do what it takes to win.”
Nd is a talented team hoke recruited some of their players at sdsu
Hoke- Re headphones – I like to listen on defense and on offense depending on the situation
Hoke- re countdown clocks – osu and msu are conference games. nd is important.
Hoke asked for his most memorable ND game – cited 1997 game, and the multiple stops in the red zone
Hoke on ND quarterback questions: ” To me it doesn’t change anything in our preparation.” Doesn’t think it changes ND offense at all
Update on Woolfolk’s ankle: “It felt better yesterday..”
Hoke: “I like how Al calls a game.” Likes how he changes things up in the course of the game. … Had a ton of different formations Game 1
Hoke on liking night games: “No. But I have no say, which is okay, too. But I do like 12 o’clock games. And so do you guys.”
Hoke on night games: “It’s a long day.” Has them take walks, etc.
Ryan Van Bergen
people don’t realize how bad it sucks waiting in the hotel all day
Van Bergen is wearing a blue Michigan polo with maize trim. Above the block M it says “senior.” Under it it said “Team 132.”
Van Bergen: Likes night games but doesn’t like waiting all day, watching all every football game
RVB: “One that comes to mind is Iowa. That was a really cool experience. … I don’t know why, but it does seem like it’s more electric.”
Rvb- we as a defense need to get pressure with 3 and 4 men rushes, can’t depend on blitzing
what’s it’s like for the def to score- unexpected and exciting
David Molk
Molk: “It’d be kind of cool where we had no preparation at all. Just go and react.” Yep, that would be fun.
Molk expects the big house to be crazy Saturday night
Man, I seriously could not believe the uncomfortable and comical display put on by Brian Kelly yesterday as Notre Dame waddled their way into a 23-20 loss to South Florida. Kelly straight went grape on his players.
If I was a recruit and I saw this going on, I think it’s safe to say that I’d think twice about wanting to play for a dude like that. And as a Michigan fan, I’d hate to have this kind of guy as the head coach. Check out is introduction speech after he was hired at Notre Dame. Pretty cheeseballish if you ask me.
Then. Grapes on grapes on grapes.
Some funny comments over at SI where you can ask the coach a question…
jendimd asked:
Do you think Crist is playing poorly because he suffered permanent brain damage after you let him return to play despite suffering a concussion during your loss to Michigan last year?
Roger asked:
Just watched your teams poor perfromance against South Florida — surpassed only by your utterly miserable performance as a human being. What excuse do you offer for your wretched behavior, screaming at cursing at your players throughout the game?
Let me acks you a question. Is it just me – or haven’t we seen enough of these Nike Pro Combat uniforms that Ohio State is now wearing for the big game? It’d be different if they were decent, let alone legit, or sweet, but they are not. They have been as ugly as ugly gets. Let’s see…
How about we put these up against the good old eye test. What looks, feels, and is flat-out better?
First, for any of you that get off on some nice views from up above – check out this video from Michiganflyers. Second, Friday Michigan held somewhat of a scrimmage in the Big House. The video is the latest Countdown to Kickoff.
ESPN Gameday Pinpoints Location for September 9th and 10th. From the press release:
The ESPN College GameDay Show, starring former Wolverine and 1991 Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard, will broadcast live from Ingalls Mall on the University of Michigan campus prior to the “Under the Lights” football game with Notre Dame on Saturday, Sept. 10. Ingalls Mall is located between Burton Tower and the Michigan League on Central Campus.
“We are excited that ESPN will bring their award-winning show to Ann Arbor and our campus,” said U-M Athletic Director Dave Brandon. “This is a great way to showcase the University of Michigan to the nation. It will be a memorable day and night in Ann Arbor and to have GameDay here to chronicle the event will be tremendous.”
ESPN will broadcast live from 9 a.m. until noon on Sept. 10. The show begins on ESPNU from 9-10 a.m. and airs on ESPN from 10 a.m. until kickoff of the day’s first game at noon. The game day show is hosted by Chris Fowler with analysis from Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso and Desmond Howard. Erin Andrews contributes to the show on a weekly basis.
In addition to the live broadcast on Saturday, GameDay will be doing hits live from Ingalls Mall throughout the day on Friday.
There are times when it’s worth it to scrape the twitter feed for musings on a current event or recent happening. Dis be one o’ dem times. NO SHIZ Michigan just scheduled App State. It’s like a big massive collective voice saying to all the Michigan fans around the world ….. quiet, shhh. … .. shhhh .. .. SSUURRRPRRIIIIIIIIIIIISSSSEE!
Couple questions then. If Michigan is now voluntarily playing the team that humiliated them, is this worthy of a countdown clock somehwhere? Who wants relive what many now know as The Horror?
Nevertheless, yours truly was entertained with some twitter chatter. Take a gander… In my opinion if you’re looking for some rational and reason – the first one is the best response.
@Ryan_Kartje I guess I see y people don’t like the App State scheduling, but I don’t mind it. They’ll be D-1. Itll get buzz. Michigan will win. Not bad.
@Hoke_A_Mania Best Post: “I hope Hoke just calls them Appalachian and refuses to wear whatever hell their color is” #BigM
This post is part of a little August series on the 20 Most Memorable Michigan players of the past twenty years – basically going back to 1990. Don’t forget my friends, these are my memories…and beef if you must once we start getting down to the wire and you sense an oncoming omission. Previously: (20) Chris Floyd, (19) Marquise Walker, (18) Mercury Hayes, (17) Derrick Alexander, (16) Chris Howard, (15) Steve Breaston, (14) Tripp Welborne.
#29 Marcus Ray
1994-1998
Position: Strong Safety
Hometown: Columbus, OH
Career Stats: 229 total Tackles, 10 Interceptions
Well I learned something new today. Mr. Marcus Ray is from smack dab right in the middle of enemy territory. In fact, he went to the same high school, Eastmoor, as that of Archie Griffin.
Ray was a hard-hitting safety with outstanding football instincts. His best season was by far 1997,where he started all twelve games and was one of many key players on that top-ranked defense. Those were the days when Michigan fans had the luxury of taking players like Ray for granted. Just look at that defensive backfield. Chuck, Marcus, Tommy Hendricks and Andre Weathers.
Ray rolled up the road to Michigan from Columbus and redshirted in 1994. Touch the Banner has a nice little interview with Marcus from this past June where they talk off the field stuff, like his new book release, to his playing days with Charles Woodson. Ray had this to say on why he chose Michigan over Ohio State…
As far as growing up, I’ve never liked the Buckeyes. I told someone I was born in [Ohio State] University hospital – I think I slapped the doctor and told my mom, ‘Let’s get out of here.’ Like, this place is not for me. Everyone down here loves Ohio State so much that my little, small personality at the time was that I wanted to be different…and once Michigan started recruiting me, my dreams started becoming reality.
First Play That Comes to Mind
When David Boston says this before #1 ranked Michigan plays against #4 ranked Ohio State…
“I play against better defensive backs than him [Michigan’s Charles Woodson] in practice every day.”
Ok, that’s probably not something you want to say if you aren’t going to back it up on the field. I mean, you even had precedent to follow in Terry Glenn’s “Michigan is nothing” comment before the game in 1995. How well did that workout for Glenn? So, Boston talks, Michigan did their talking on the field.
First, Charles Woodson tells Boston to GTFO. Then towards the end of the game in the fourth quarter, Marcus Ray tells Boston to STFD. Roll the tape…
Check this stick Ray had against Notre Dame. This came right after Chris Floyd made an ND defensive back look like he was made out of paper.
On Deck?
Who is going to be #12? This wide receiver was one of Chad Henne’s favorite targets and his middle name is Cashmere.
This post is part of a little August series on the 20 Most Memorable Michigan players of the past twenty years – basically going back to 1990. Don’t forget my friends, these are my memories…and beef if you must once we start getting down to the wire and you sense an oncoming omission. Previously: (20) Chris Floyd, (19) Marquise Walker, (18) Mercury Hayes, (17) Derrick Alexander, (16) Chris Howard, (15) Steve Breaston.
#3 Tripp Welborne
1987-1990
Position: Safety / Returner
Hometown: Greensboro, NC
Career Stats: 238 total Tackles, 9 Interceptions
Punt Returns: 70 att., 803 yards
I’m pushing 5 years old when Tripp Welborne became a Wolverine, but I remember. Those were the days when Dad made it a big deal to watch the Michigan game each Saturday. Not many Saturdays went by before I was hooked to the sport and to those maize and blue uniforms.
Sullivan Anthony Welborne, known as Tripp, came to Michigan as a wide receiver and then switched over to the defensive side of the ball after his Freshman season. Tripp set the single season punt return yardage record in 1990 with 455 yards, which was a record that had legs until your man Stevie B broke it in 2003.
Welborne’s career became victim to his bum knee after he never really recovered from the knee injury against Minnesota as a Senior.
First Play That Comes to Mind
With 8:16 left in the 3rd quarter, in the Rose Bowl for an early season match up with the UCLA Bruins, UCLA faced a punting situation with a fourteen to nine lead. Tripp fields the punt at Michigan’s own 31 yard line. He go split, he go fast, but not fast enough to make it for six. Nevertheless, roll the tape…
Tripp busted a long punt return of 53 yards against Illinois in 1990. I put some effort into finding that clip, but had no such luck. That turned out to be the very first Michigan football game I attended.
This post is part of a little August series on the 20 Most Memorable Michigan players of the past twenty years – basically going back to 1990. Don’t forget my friends, these are my memories…and beef if you must once we start getting down to the wire and you sense an oncoming omission. Previously: (20) Chris Floyd, (19) Marquise Walker, (18) Mercury Hayes, (17) Derrick Alexander, (16) Chris Howard.
#15 Steve Breaston
2003-2006
Position: Receiver / Returner
Hometown: North Braddock, PA
Career Stats: 42 rush att., 321 yds, 2 TDs
156 Rec, 1,696 yards, 10 TDs
KO Returns: 81 att., 1,993 yards, 1 TD
Punt Returns: 127 att., 1,599 yards, 4 TD’s
Stevie B did it all. Michigan’s all-time punt returner and kick returner. His career stat line is quite a bit larger than most can manage. From the get go during the man’s freshman year you knew there was something special there. He had a long strides and made confident cuts. And somehow, for a fairly small dude, he was incredibly hard to bring down.
Breaston came up big in some big games. How about putting Michigan near midfield with just over 40 seconds to play against Penn State at home in 2005? The final play of that game is one that Penn State fans and Michigan fans alike will never forget.
Stevie’s biggest game statistically came in the Rose Bowl loss to Texas. My B for even bringing that game up. But Breaston had a monster day amassing 315 total yards.
Don’t you remember how many times Breaston got dragged down near something like that 5 yard line? One or two against Notre Dame seem to stand out. Breaston would bust one for sixty or seventy yards, zig zagging all about, and then some defender would get an angle on him.
First Play That Comes to Mind
This took a second in part because Stevie B put together quite an extensive highlight reel. But after I digested some friendly WolverineHistorian YouTube reminders – it was this return against Illinois that I love. He snags the pill on the bounce along the sideline, gives up ten yards or so crossing the field, then cuts it up field and sets his sights on the end zone. History. Roll the tape…
I always liked the play when Lloyd put the ball in the hands of the former high-school quarterback as a running back against Ohio State in the red-zone in 2005 – scoring a TD.
On Deck?
Who is going to be #14? This two-time consensus All-American’s real name begins with… “Sullivan Anthony”. This defender also wore #3. Someone throw down a bone and guess who this man is!
.jpg)
