Player Comments from Weekly Press Conference
9/28/1998 12:00:00 AM | Football
U-M Head Football Coach Lloyd Carr
Senior TB Clarence Williams
"I think our coaching staff had a great plan. They mixed things up, we mixed the run and the pass together. I think our offensive line played very well and our backs ran hard. Every back who got a chance to carry the ball ran hard and got tough yardage. I give a lot of credit to the offensive line, they did a great job. The coaches came up with a great scheme."
On his performance against Michigan State ...
"I was just reacting, just having fun. The goal is to get yards any way I could, there didn't have to be a hole there for me to get yards."
On playing at Iowa ...
"I've never played there, but I hear it's a rough place to play. I can imagine what type of fans they have down there. They are excited about their football and with us coming down there they will be very excited and their fans will be pumped.
On winning the Michigan State game ...
It was a big win for a lot of reasons. This is our arch-rival and it was a big game to head into the Big Ten season. This was a must win. You do not want to enter the Big Ten season 0-1. We were fortunate enough (to win). This gives us the confidence going into the rest of the Big Ten season.
Senior PK Jay Feely
"I really have confidence in whatever we kick that I can make it. I know that each time I go out there, regardless of how far it is, I have the same focus in mind. Wherever we kick it from I have confidence that I can make it.
"Every week one of our goals as a team is to win the kicking game. For those of us who kick, that's an important thing to us. We want to win that kicking game. This week it is going to be more important than any other week because they (Iowa) do have such a prolific return game as well as kickers."
On Hayden Epstein handling kickoff duties ...
"I think it's a great thing for our team because he did a great job in there. He put something like seven balls into the end zone. I go up to him every time before he kicks and try to help him however I can. I think he did a great job and I'm happy for him. And whatever opportunities I get I'm going to try and do my best."
Senior DE Juaquin Feazell
"They (Michigan State) got behind and they were forced to pass the ball maybe a little more than being able to establish a running game against us. It allowed us to pin our ears back and go after them."
On the importance of depth ...
"It helps a lot to have a number of people to come in and rest up another guy; to rotate so you'll be fresh throughout the whole game. By having multiple people who can play, it allows you to play as hard as you can when you are in there and then come out and somebody else is going to give that same effort."
On playing at Iowa ...
"The fans are right on top of you. It's real loud and they (the fans) are into the game. It can be imposing if you are not used to all the fans, but we play in front of 100,000 fans ourselves. The thing I remember about last time (Michigan's 1994 trip to Iowa City) was the pink visitors locker rooms and how close the fans are to you on the sidelines."
Junior FB Aaron Shea
On his running style ...
"When the coaches give me the ball, they expect me to get upfield. I prefer to leave the cutting and weaving to guys like Anthony (Thomas), Clarence (Williams) and Justin (Fargas). The coaches expect me square up my shoulders and be a north-south type of runner."
On his switch from tight end to fullback ...
"It originated back in the spring when they asked me to take a couple of snaps due to some injuries we suffered at that position. When we came back in the fall, coach DeBord put me back in that position for a couple of snaps and I'd guess the coaches liked what they saw. Fullback is similar to tight end in terms of catching the football. Because of my experience at tight end, I am real comfortable catching the football."
On Michigan's use of the tight end ...
"Last year, tight end was an integral part of our offense. Brian Griese did an excellent job of utilizing the tight end within our offensive scheme. This year, Tom Brady is trying to get the ball to Jerame Tuman and Mark Campbell also, but teams are trying to take that away. However, Tuman is a playmaker and we definitely need to find ways to get him the ball."
On whose decision it was for him to move to tight end ...
"The decision was made by both the coaches and myself. If I wanted to go back to tight end, that would not be a problem, but I just want to do what is best for this football team. This year I felt I could help this team most at the fullback position."
On what he expects from the Iowa defense ...
"We can expect things similar to what they did last year. They brought a lot of blitzes on third-and-long situations. They are a good team and they like to blitz with their corners, which I will have to be ready to pick up. One of their best players, Eric Thigpen, likes to come off the corner and I have to keep my head up and pick up those types of blitzes."
On the victory over Michigan State ...
"I am just glad to get a big win under our belt, especially after we struggled at the beginning of the season. Coming up with a big win in the Big Ten opener should give us momentum for the rest of the Big Ten season."
Contact: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
