Player Comments from
Weekly U-M Football Media Luncheon
11/1/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
Senior Strong Safety Tommy Hendricks
On blown coverages by the defense ... "It's just mistakes, blown assignments. I really don't have an answer for you. We just have to play better in those situations. Everybody has to know what their assignment is. It only takes a couple of plays. Go back through the whole season. Every game there are at least one or two plays where guys miss an assignment and a big play occurs. If we could take those plays away, that would allow us to play better defense. ... We just have to minimize the mistakes that we make. It's simply blown coverage. That's it."
On freshman defensive back Brandon Williams ... "He's a young guy. I think he's shown great maturity in playing as well as he has been playing at such a young age. A lot of times when you get a freshman in, he's really not expected to play a lot or do certain things. He has really shown great maturity, going in and executing what he has to do. ... He's really done a great job. He listens to the coverage calls and he carries out his assignments. He's playing as well as we want him to be playing right now."
On Northwestern ... "To be honest, I watched film this morning and I am very impressed with their offense. They are really improved from a year ago. They have a very good tailback who is very aggressive and hits it up in there and a very aggressive fullback. Their quarterback works well in the system that they run. Their offense is capable of putting up points."
On playing Illinois and Indiana as opposed to Notre Dame ... "As a team you have to realize what you are trying to accomplish and what goals you are trying to set forward for the season. And you can't allow yourself to think that way. Sure some games are going to look bigger than others on the schedule, but when you get to those games you've got to be ready to come out and play with emotion and give it your best or you will get beaten like we did."
Senior Linebacker James Hall
On the problems of the defense ... "There are a lot of mistakes -- minor mistakes, when you look at it on the film, but they are major mistakes because we are giving up big plays. For the rest of the season for us to be successful, defensively, everybody at every position is going to have to do their job, know their responsibility and where they need to be on the field. It is a team sport. No one man is going to make the difference and it is never one person's fault. Collectively, we have to go out as a team on Tuesday and Wednesday at practice, get the game plan in and execute on Saturday. If you don't execute on Saturday, you are never going to be successful."
On the confidence of the team ... "Any time you lose a game, that affects your confidence a little bit, but you have to get past that. I haven't seen anybody's confidence shaken to the point where they aren't effective as a player. Those were hard losses for us, but we were able to regroup and refocus ourselves for the rest of the season."
On the offense ... "We sit there and root for them, but we also know that whether they score or don't score, we have to go back on the field. For the most part, we are on the sideline getting our minds right, so to speak, so that we know what we have to do. We might have a minute left on the game. We might have to stop them to win the game. You always support your team though."
On the defense ... "The defense as a whole should never concede any point, whether it's an extra point or a field goal. An extra point is part of the game; there is no reason to go out there and stand around. Why let them get the points Up front we've done a good job of getting good push on the line and that has given us an opportunity to get in there and block some kicks."
Senior Fullback Aaron Shea
On the team getting better as the season progresses ... "We're a team here and we will find a way to get things done. We're going to learn from our mistakes and going to go out there and finish the season strong."
On running back Anthony Thomas ... "Anthony's a tough kid. He's a workhorse. He gets the job done, and he doesn't complain."
On playing better when the team is behind ... "When we need to score, we'll score, but if we don't, we don't. I don't why that is, and we got to correct that, because that's not how we should be as an offense."
On the offensive line ... "They're more of a unit. They know what they're doing, and they're confident with one another."
On Northwestern's linebackers ... "They'll move their outside linebackers quite a bit. They'll put them in positions where you usually don't see the outside linebacker. Being a fullback or offensive lineman, you've really got to keep your head up, because a lot of times, you're going to lose them if you put your head down and go. They're pretty sneaky like that."
About having trouble getting up to play every game ... "I don't think so. Coaches did a good job and the senior leaders did too. We know you can't have a letdown against [anyone]. Everyone is shooting to beat us. Everyone's getting up against Michigan. We came into those games ready to go and I don't know what happened. I never will know. I just know we have to finish the season strong and make the best of what's left."
Senior Wide Receiver DiAllo Johnson
On returning punts again ... "I just waited my turn to get the opportunity. [Coach Lloyd Carr] said I was going to get the chance Saturday against Indiana. It just felt good to get a chance to get out there and help the offense get closer to the goal line. Coach Carr just preached 'Get 10 yards if you can' because that's one less first down the offense has to get. That's my goal every time I touch the ball on a punt return."
About the punt return for a touchdown that called back on a penalty ... "After we celebrated, then we looked down and saw a lot of flags on the field. I was tired and disappointed. Coach Carr was saying that we hadn't returned a punt in three years."
About what he was thinking before the punt return for a TD that got called back ... "Coach Carr told me not to fair catch the next one. I told everyone to block because I was going to try and return this one. I made a move and went up the middle. The people blocking were the punter, the center and the fullback. I knew I had enough time to catch the ball without looking down field to see the rush."
About what it took to get Coach Carr let him return punts ... "Every day, I kept bugging him. He said, 'Okay, DiAllo, I'm going to let you do it.' I kept asking him and finally he said, 'Okay, I'm going to give you a chance.'"
About how hard it was not being able to contribute the way he wanted ... "Beginning of the season, I was disappointed I couldn't help the team out. Because of my knee it was hard for me. Right now I'm feeling good, about 100 percent, and I'm ready to contribute. It's not so much starring, just contributing to the team. I want to play for my team and my teammates."
About why Michigan is struggling on the punt returns ... "I couldn't really say. We played some good punters and they have a lot of hang time on the ball. The hang time has a lot to do with it when you're returning punts. It's not like kickoff because you're back there by yourself."
Why do you like returning punts ... "I think it's like helping the team and entertainment. Entertainment for the crowd and parents."
About finding a home at wide receiver ... "I feel really comfortable. I'm learning everyday from Coach (Erik) Campbell and the other receivers. I learn what I do wrong and what I do right."
Contact: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
