Lloyd Carr Press Conference Comments
9/14/1998 12:00:00 AM | Football
U-M Head Football Coach Lloyd Carr
Coach, you said after the game that you felt the team was poorly coached. Do you still feel that way
"I think a team reflects its coaching. I'm not changing my mind."
Jon Jansen said that he felt the team played better against Syracuse than Notre Dame, so there must be some positive aspect
"Well, I don't think there is any question that we have some things to build on. I thought we did a tremendous job against the best special teams unit that I have seen in the past two years. We made one mistake and had a punt blocked, and that was a veteran guy who opened up and made a mistake. Other than that, our special teams did an outstanding job.
"We punted the ball much better, and that is a critical part of any game. The thing that alarms me more than anything else after two games is our inability to run the football. The bright spot in that game was a young man, Walter Cross, who came in and did a good job. He has had a good fall."
"There's no quit in this team. This team will fight. I am convinced of that because they are good kids. We have our backs to the wall, and we will fight back."
In your 20 years at Michigan, where do you rank Donovan McNabb's performance in Michigan Stadium
"Well, I think it's the best performance by a quarterback since I have been at Michigan. He's a great quarterback and a great athlete. He was sensational. There are a lot of guys who are fast and can run the option, but there are not many guys who can run the option and throw the ball like he does. He is truly a great football player."
Are you still trying to get a grasp of how you want to handle the quarterbacks
"I know how I want to handle the quarterbacks. I made up my mind as we got through the latter stages of training camp. I did not want to get caught later in this season with a quarterback that does not have any experience.
"I made up my mind that I would play Drew Henson in the second quarter of the Syracuse game, and I will continue to do that because I think he'll learn from the mistakes he made in the second quarter of the game. The only way to learn is by playing. Every young kid that played for us vs. Syracuse made mistakes. We need to correct those errors."
"One of the things I feel strongly about is developing those guys so later in the season, if and when they are called on, they are ready to go."
Coach, we haven't seen Jerame Tuman catch many passes. Is that an aberration
"Well, with Jerame, we have to find a better way to get him the football because when he does, he punishes tacklers. He's a great receiver. The teams we have played have tried to bracket him because they realize they are dealing with a great receiver. The tight end is a lethal weapon if you can find a way to get them the ball, and that is something we must do a better job of."
Is this a group that is trying to find team chemistry
"I think that each team has to create its own identity. We have charted a course, and we know what we want to do. I think we know how to do it; we just have to do a better job of executing the things that go into being successful. When you can't run the football, you can't beat good teams. That is fundamental."
Can you talk about Eastern Michigan, as far as their personnel
"I have watched two tapes of Eastern, and I am very impressed with how hard they play. Defensively, they are not very big, but they hustle. They blitz every down, and both games they have played lights out."
"I really like Walt Church as a quarterback. I think he's smart, makes good decisions and has a good arm. He is just what you want."
Are you concerned about rhythm when switching quarterbacks
"Right now, we have no rhythm. We are struggling, so that is something that can be a problem. However, I think what offsets that is developing a young player so he is ready to step in, if and when the call comes."
Where is Drew Henson mentally
"Well, I think that he learned a lot on Saturday afternoon. He made some mistakes. He made three mistakes in a row, and Drew Henson is not used to making mistakes, but this is a different level. I don't care who you are, you've got things to learn. I think he is a fast learner, and I think he will be better next time because he will learn from those mistakes.
"He is a young guy who understands he is in a very competitive situation. I think he understands that he has some things to learn, but he is also a confident guy. He is not intimidated. He is making progress. There is nothing like playing in a game to help you learn. You have to fail to learn."
What do you want the team to accomplish on Saturday to get ready for the Big Ten
"Well, offensively, we have to be able to run the football. That is the number one thing we have to do a much better job of. Defensively, we have to continue to become a more aggressive team. I think we were a much better team against Syracuse than Notre Dame. I thought we tackled much harder, and we were must more aggressive.
"We have to stop making mistakes which beat us. If the other team beats us, that is one thing. We do not want to be a team that beats ourselves, and that is what penalties and mistakes do."
I know you are surprised to be 0-2. How has this affected you
"I am not down, I am mad. I don't like the way we played or the way I coached. I do like the attitude, and I like a lot of the things about the kids that make up this team.
"We don't want sympathy. We are going to fight back like Michigan teams always do, and we we'll do that."
Contact: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
