Press Confererence -- Players on Spring Practice
4/12/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
Press Conference Comments from
Michigan Football Players
Following Final 2003 Spring Practice
Fifth-Year Senior Quarterback John Navarre
What have you worked on this spring ... "Footwork. Mechanics. Knowing our offense and the defenses we face inside and out so that I can go out and feel comfortable playing football."
How excited are you about this offense ... "I am very excited. I think this team has a chance to jell, especially the line. I think they did an outstanding job this spring and I'm excited about the guys we have at the skill positions. They have been around and know the system that has been implemented for a year now. They are getting smarter and better and throw that with the talent they possess it's very exciting."
About finding a replacement for tight end Bennie Joppru ... "I think we have two guys in there, Andy Mignery and Tim Massaquoi, who got stronger and are good run blockers. They have developed in the passing game and have done a nice job so far this spring and I think this summer is going to be big for them. This will give them a chance to step up and be a contributor."
On the questions surrounding him last season compared to this year ... "It's a little bit of a different feeling this spring. The feeling overall is comfortable and relaxed. I think that has entailed a better production scale over the whole spring, so being relaxed and comfortable has done a lot for us as a team as well."
On freshman quarterback Matt Gutierrez ... "He has a ways to go physically but the thing about Matt is that he's a student of the game. He is going to the right places with the ball and is making good decisions. The physical aspect is going to come and develop and he has a lot of time to do that. I think if he keeps his head focused just like he has he's going to be a good player."
About the fullback position ... "Kevin (Dudley) is a tough, hard-nosed guy. He is going to do whatever you ask of him. That is the type of reliable guy that we need at fullback. He has the ability to go out and catch the ball and to do some things with it. He is a tough guy out there. Kevin doesn't open his mouth much or say much but he gets the job done. You know he is going to be there. He has had a great spring."
Has this offensive system become second nature to you ... "Yes. Now that we have a grasp of it we can begin focusing on our areas within it. Leadership is something that I can now work on. Focusing on the defensive schemes a little more and working with our personnel groupings are areas I can do. Really it is getting into the depth of the offense. We know the basics so now it's time to step up. If we don't we're not going to get any better."
Fifth-Year Senior Defensive Tackle Grant Bowman
On a few plays each season determining the Big Ten title and/or national championship for Michigan ... "You can look back at each of the four years that I've been here and change three or four plays in a season and we could have lost one game or none. I could go back through every loss we've had and name a play that would have sent us to the Rose Bowl. The competition is so close and so fierce in the big games that it can really depend on one snap or the way the ball bounces. Preparing is so important. It really is about the little things because competition is so close."
What are some of the intangibles that take a team to a championship level ... "It's tough to say because there's nothing that you can hold on to and say that that is it. It is just something that is out there that is a feeling that you get that comes with a group. Everyone talks about 'team' and if you get everyone, all 11 guys or 100 guys all focused on one thing and focused in one direction you can all become better. It's like the sum of the parts. If you get everyone together then it's hard to stop."
On the Michigan motto defensively about getting to the ball ... "We always look at things defensively that our trademark is going to be how we pursue to the ball and how we gang tackle. Nothing bad is going to happen when you all pursue the ball even if a guy breaks a tackle. Ever since the first day we've always said, 'Pursuit, pursuit, pursuit.' Obviously, it's always one of the top things we stress."
On lining up next to Gabe Watson ... "He is huge. He is a man mountain. That guy is humongous. He is a young guy who needs to continue learning technique but he has a lot of ability. If he works hard he can do a lot of things but it is going to be interesting to see what happens."
Senior Tailback Chris Perry
On repeating his 1,000-yard rushing season and bringing recognition back to U-M tailbacks ... "I hope so. It's about time and I hope that I can be the one to do it. David (Underwood), Duds (Kevin Dudley), all of us want to bring the recognition back to the Michigan running game."
On David Underwood's play this spring ... "He improved drastically. David has always been a good runner, but I don't think he had a grasp of the offense as well as everyone else in the past. He came into his own this spring. He became a real good blocker and a real good runner this spring. He became a real good back this spring and I'm real happy for him. I hope he does well this fall."
On the level of intensity and drive inside him for this season ... "This is the last go-around and we have the team to do great things. It would be a letdown for me personally and us as a team for us not do as well as we should."
Do you want to be a leader on this team ... "Most definitely. I consider myself a leader on this team. I have been put in a position to be a leader. I accept the opportunity."
On his comfort in a one-back or traditional two-back set ... "(laughing) It doesn't matter to me as long as we win and he throws the ball to me. Everything will be great. Just like the bowl game would be great. As long as we are spreading the ball out to everyone and we're winning for 13 games I have no problem with it."
Fifth-Year Senior Safety Jon Shaw
On a defining practice for the defense this spring ... "I think a couple of practices ago we (the defense) had a bad practice and everyone was upset about it. That was probably one of the worst practices we had as a group since I've been here as a defensive player. We sat down individually and as a group. We talked about it and as a group realized through the film that it wasn't one particular player messing up but the entire unit. We just said that everyone needs to do his job and we came together realizing that we need each other. If we're in cover two and I'm not doing my job it's going to be a big play for the offense. Everyone realized that we can make big plays if we all do our assignment."
On Marlin Jackson's move to safety ... "He looks good. He looks natural. He's a quick guy. I think it's a benefit for our team. He is going to be a very good player. Anytime a player moves from corner to safety I think it's good because you've learned to cover and make plays in your own area. He has good speed and a nose for the ball. Marlin learned the position real fast and is a good athlete."
On Marlin Jackson's playing some safety ... "Marlin is a competitor. He doesn't care where he's at, he just wants to play. He'd be a long snapper if he had to be."
On what he sees of the Wolverines offense ... "I don't know how good they can be. The sky is the limit. If you really sit down and think about it, the offensive line has big guys that can move, the backfield is looking great, John (Navarre) has been at the helm for a while and the receiving corps is deep. If they come together -- at this point they are further along than even we thought -- and continue to grow it's tough to say how good they'll be."
On staying healthy ... "That goes for the entire team. We have depth all the way through on offense and defense. I think if we can stay healthy as a team then good things can happen for this group."
On the young receivers ... "Carl Tabb is a burner and will run away from you. He is not afraid to catch a slant or lay his body out for the ball or make a big block downfield. Steve Breaston is a guy who can walk away (separate) from you to. These are guys who redshirted last year, which will benefit them because they could get in the weight room and learn the system even better. Anytime you have a young receiver who can know the system he is going to grow and in time is going to be a great receiver. I also forgot about Jason Avant. He is a scrappy guy who will block you and will lay out for the ball. He has made some of the most athletic catches that I've seen since I've been here. He is a good ballplayer."
Does Breaston have that elusiveness that everyone heard about in high school ... "Yes. He played quarterback in high school. If you ever saw a scrambling quarterback he likes to make people miss, and Steve when he get the ball will get low and fake them and be gone."
How did you prepare yourself for this season being the most experience returning safety ... "I had to realize that there was no older guy around to set the example. I realize guys are looking to me about how to react. As far as preparing, I sat down and spoke with my father about this upcoming season and the importance of it for me to focus and be everything. I will graduate this spring and will take a class or two in the fall but I want to be a student of the game. My master's will in the game of football this fall."
Junior Wide Receiver Braylon Edwards
On his decision to wear jersey No. 1 ... "I have been following Michigan football for a long time and noticed that all the great receivers wore No. 1, like Anthony Carter, David Terrell and Derrick Alexander, and I just wanted to be a part of that tradition always. Coach Carr just gave me the nod."
On the deal with Coach Carr about wearing jersey No. 1 ... "He told me in my freshmen year that they wanted me to prove myself first. Coach Carr came to me after last season and said that I had proved myself and if I still wanted to wear No. 1 I could. I definitely took the opportunity."
Do you think wearing No. 1 puts a target on your back ... "In some aspects yes because No. 1 is a significant number in any team and people will go after that player. We have a great receiving corps so if they do go after me I know our other receivers will step up."
On the depth of this receiving corps ... "The way we run our offense now and the way everyone is developing if you try and double-team any part of our offense someone else will be open. If you double-team me then Jermaine Gonzales, Jason Avant, Calvin Bell or Tyrece Butler will be open. If you double-team the pass then the run will be open or vice versa. We have a lot of weapons offensively coming into this year."
What have you learned heading into your junior year ... "Critiquing aspects of running good routes. Learning how to work a DB (defensive back) one direction and trying to make every play look the same whether it's a block or passing play. I'm working to try and keep the same speed all the time whether it's a block or passing play."
Do you see yourself as a leader on this team ... "I definitely see myself as a leader. Anyone who has some success people look up to them not as a model but as someone to lead the team. I definitely need to lead by example and this summer we're going to go hard. The way we feel about this team is after the Outback Bowl we were ready to practice and play again. We will be ready to go August 30."
Has John Navarre taken his game to another level this spring ... "Definitely. John as a fifth-year senior has endured a lot of struggles and things and has come out on top. He is stronger now. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger and that is definitely the case with John Navarre. I am happy for him."
On freshman Carl Tabb ... "Carl is getting better. Carl and Steve (Breaston) are getting better. He is ready to play and getting faster in terms of running routes. You can be fast but if you don't know the system it's not going to make you fast and you're going to have to think a lot. Carl can definitely play without thinking now. He can definitely help us this season."
What about Steve Breaston ... "He and Carl are about the same. They are learning the offense and how to move without the ball. The main thing for them is to learn how to make blocks and also how to make everything look like a route."
Do you hope to return punts or kicks this season ... "It doesn't matter. I'm always looking to do anything they need me to do. If I'm needed to return some punts that is fine; if not I'll do whatever else is asked of me. We'll just see what happens when the season rolls around."
On the play of the team's other quarterbacks ... "Spencer (Brinton) and Matt (Gutierrez) are both getting better and you can see that every day. You can see how much better Matt is getting from his first day as a freshman until now. He's older and follows John's (Navarre) lead. John is our quarterback and is a great person to learn from. Spencer is getting back into the groove. As you know he went on his Mormon mission but you can see now that he is getting his feel for the game back and is developing a groove. He is definitely getting better."
Contact: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
