Captains Quotes -- David Baas and Marlin Jackson
8/25/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Quotes from 2004 Michigan Football Captains
Senior Cornerback Marlin Jackson
On reaction to news of being named captain ... "I was very excited that my teammates chose me to be one of the leaders on the team, and I was very happy to be voted and looked upon as one of the guys who can be a leader on this team."
On team goals ... "We're going to go out and try to defend the Big Ten title, and contend for a national championship. That's what we are going to do, defend and contend. If we do that all other goals that we want to accomplish will be accomplished."
On any personal meaning to being selected captain ... "It's a step that shows the type of person I am, to know that my teammates look at me in that way as a leader and a person to look up too."
On whether he was natural choice for captain ... "Everybody wants to be captain, especially if you're a senior. You want to be captain, but you don't know if you're going to get it. It's a nice feeling to know people look at you that way."
On his style of leadership ... "My style of leadership is to lead by example. If there is something that needs to be said, then I'll say it, but more so lead by example, and be someone the guys can look up to and look to this is the way you should do things, this is the way you should practice, this is how you should be in meetings."
On previous captains ... "They've all been great captains since I've been here. That is just the type of people that Michigan recruits. They recruit guys that can in the future be leaders on the team."
On David Baas ... "He'll be a great captain. He's kind of like me. He does not say too much, we are both more lead by example type of guys. He's going to be a great leader for the offensive side of the team."
Comparing to last year's captains ... "Those guys were also not the most vocal guys on the team. They led more by example when they were on the field and off the field."
Comparing this year's quarterbacks to John Navarre ... "John was in the battles, he has so much more knowledge than these guys have. They will have it in due time, but they just need to learn some things and gain experience. Everybody has to realize that there is going to be a new quarterback starting. I don't know who it is going to be, but whoever it is, they are going to make mistakes. They won't be on the same level as John Navarre was as a fifth-year senior. But whoever starts is going to be a great quarterback."
On senior leadership ... "Being voted captain doesn't mean that just these two guys are going to lead the team. There are more than just two leaders, every senior has a role to play, its not just Baas and I. Everybody speaks up when things need to be said."
On toughest job as captain ... "Just being someone the guys can look to for consistency, on and off the field. Paying attention in the meeting room, being focused and practicing hard everyday, that is one of the key things being a senior, guys look towards you for leadership, see how you're doing things, see how you're practicing and how you are in meetings."
On defensive line ... "I think they're going to be real good. I don't know how everyone is looking at those guys in the media, but we see them everyday in practice, and that is a talented bunch of guys right there. They're going to be really good."
On the defense ... "We know what we can do. We've been real disciplined, trying to come out at the same level everyday in practice. We are just working to achieve a level of consistency that we may have not had last year. We stumbled in a couple of games last season, especially in the secondary, we don't want that to happen one time this year, we want to be consistent every week in and out. Coach always says, belief is an action word, if we believe we are going to win we have to go out everyday and practice hard, because we know if we practice hard we are going to win."
Fifth-Year Senior Offensive Guard David Baas
On his reaction to being named captain ... "It was overwhelming, it's a great honor. There is a lot of pride, a lot of tradition in being a captain. Gerald Ford was a captain. It's amazing when you think about all the captains that have been here. But it is a lot of responsibility, which is something you remember all the time."
On his style of leadership ... "I think the captains are the voice of the team. Not necessarily do they have to be yelling or telling people this and that all the time, but you always speak whether it is through your mouth or through your play on the field. I think Marlin and I have set a good example on the field, and a lot of people respect that, and that is how we speak a lot of the time."
On willingness to be vocal leader ... "If there are things that need to be stressed, it is our job, and it is the job of the seniors on this team also to address that issue, because that is only going to help our team."
On previous captains ... "I don't think there have been any bad captains. I believe that the teams that have voted, entrusted in those captains that were selected. You grab from all of them, not one particular one. See how they influenced the team, the good and the bad."
On the season ... "I think the possibilities are endless. I think we can do whatever we want to do whenever we wanted to do it. Basically we are the defending Big Ten champs, and we need to defend the Big Ten championship. That is one of our main goals, but defending is going to be a lot tougher than just trying to win it. So if we do that, a lot of things will take care of themselves. As a captain you wouldn't want anything less than a Big Ten championship."
On the offense ... "We're growing and developing, and starting to play as a unit. I believe it doesn't matter which position is going to be better than the other or whatnot. I believe everything is coming together and by the time (the Miami game) rolls around, we're going to be a team."
On the extra week of practice ... "Extra preparation is great, with some young guys, they need more time to develop. It's helped our competitiveness and our emotions. It has helped us build as a team and there was nobody that didn't want to do it when we were asked. "
On the quarterback battle ... "I think all the quarterbacks are doing great. Everybody is working hard. There are some mistakes from time to time, but the confidence level is rising. I think they are getting better everyday, and that is what we need. We need someone that's a leader, confident, and that is going to help us win. Whoever that may be, we'll have all the confidence in the world in him."
On the run blocking ... "I've seen improvement. I've seen running backs running hard behind us. I think the line is getting better, run blocking, pass blocking, we're doing things on our technique to get better to help create holes for that back. All I've seen is people running hard and that is what we need, people to block and people to run hard."
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