Player Comments from Weekly Press Conference
10/26/1998 12:00:00 AM | Football
Weekly U-M Football Media Luncheon
Offensive Lineman Jon Jansen
On playing football for Michigan ...
"When I came to the University of Michigan, I just wanted to see the field and contribute in any way possible."
On why he made the switch from tight end to tackle ...
"They (Michigan) didn't have a lot of tight ends, but they didn't have a lot of offensive linemen either. With the narrowing of scholarships, a lot of areas have been thinned out in college football and you see a lot of younger guys playing and I think that is maybe what happened in my situation."
On the Minnesota defense ...
"I haven't had a chance to see them a whole lot. I did see some of their game against Michigan State, and I can tell you they have a very good defense and they attack the ball very well. They are a big blitzing team and there are a lot of things we have to do differently."
On the difference between the Jim Wacker-coached Minnesota teams and the Glen Mason-coached team ...
"As a player, I don't see that much of a difference. The coaches may see a difference, but I don't see any real drastic changes, just little changes here and there."
On becoming the all-time leader in consecutive starts at Michigan ...
"I've been lucky. I've been blessed by the lord that I haven't been injured because this (playing offensive line) is a position where you get banged up and you just have to play through those things."
On what improvements need to be made for the remaining portion of the Big Ten schedule ...
"Different people approach the season in different ways, but I have to say, I haven't really looked past Minnesota to the other games. The only thing I can say is that every week, we have to keep improving, we have to become a better offense and become more consistent. The defense is playing extremely well right now but to do the things we want to do in the Big Ten, the offense has to become more consistent. We can't have one week where we have lots of penalties and the next week have none."
Defensive Lineman Juaquin Feazell
On the play of the defense ...
"We know we are given the opportunity to go out on the field and get field position for the offense or get a turnover. We have to think about the other side. We just have to go out and have fun and get better."
On safety Tommy Hendricks ...
"Tommy is a very enthusiastic player. He loves the game and he shows it in practice and that carries over to the game. He is definitely not the quiet guy you all think he is. He is a very vocal leader."
On Minnesota ...
"We need to have a great week of practice. The most important game is this game. They are going to come out and give us a great game. Right now, any team can beat you at any time."
On playing inside ...
"Nothing really changes. The only difference is you don't really have to worry about the weather or field conditions."
On the Minnesota offense ...
"I haven't really seen much film on them yet. I know they have a couple of players on their offense that make things difficult. They are well coached and they play to win."
Wide Receiver Tai Streets
On what goes though his mind during a play ...
"You just want to go out and try to make a play. As a receiver, you just want to go out and get the jump ball. I have to use my size and leaping ability to get position and go up and get the ball."
On Minnesota ...
"They are going to be a hungry team. They are going to be ready for us and we need to be ready for them."
On the Minnesota man to man pass coverage ...
"I think there will be some big one on one battles between us (receivers) and their defensive backs. When they try to stack up against the run, the receivers need to come up big and make a play."
On Tom Brady ...
"I think Tom is doing fine. He is improving each game and I think he will keep getting better as will the rest of us. He is not making the mistakes that he may have made earlier in the year."
On the number of catches he is getting ...
"I don't really think about that. I just want to go out there and do whatever it takes to make this team win. If they want me to go out there and make a block, I will make a block. If I need to go out and make a catch, I will try to make the catch. We have a lot of improving to do on offense. We are improving a little each week, but we need to go out there and put together a complete game. Hopefully it will be this week."
Linebacker Ian Gold
On the change from playing running back to outside linebacker ...
"I didn't fight it at all. They recruited me as an athlete. When it happened, it brought curiosity and excitement. By nature, I have a defensive mindset and a I have total confidence in the decisions coach Carr has made."
On his character ...
"When I am out on the field, I want everyone to feel the excitement I am feeling. God has blessed me with many characteristics, and enthusiasm is one of the greatest characteristics I have."
On being injured ...
"Being out four games didn't help my confidence at all, but I had a lot of encouragement. My two brothers play football for Central Michigan and they were always calling me every night and encouraging me, my mother would encourage me and my coaches and teammates were encouraging me, letting me know they needed me and I think those things helped a lot."
On the defensive improvement ...
Right now, we are having fun. At the beginning of the season, we came out a little nervous and hesitant. The last two games we flew around and enjoyed each other. That is one thing I think we have gotten back."
On Tommy Hendricks ...
"I think Tommy Hendricks is the best defensive player on our team right now. He is having a really good season for us and we needed that with Marcus Ray out. He is a leader back there in the secondary. He is a fun guy to be around and he has a wild side you guys probably never seen before."
On the Minnesota running back Thomas Hamner ...
"He is a great running back. I remember playing against him last year. I heard he is playing well this year. Hopefully we can go to Minnesota and give him a challenge and get after him a little bit."
Contact: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
