Postgame Quotes: Michigan 48, Purdue 21
10/13/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Michigan Head Coach Lloyd Carr
Courtesy of the Michigan Football Network postgame show
On if he thinks this was the best U-M has played both offensively and defensively... "Yes, I do. I think it is the first time in three weeks at least that we played a full game. We had an excellent second half at Northwestern. A week ago (against EMU) we played half the game in terms of all out intensity. So we talked all week about getting out to a fast start because Purdue is the type of team that if they get ahead of you it makes it hard. We came out ready to play and I think it showed."
On holding Purdue's offense in check... "We talked during the week about how if we could stop the Purdue running game, or at least really stymie it, and make it hard for them to run the football and really get them into long yardage situations we could force them to have to pass. We felt if we could do that we could put enough pressure on them to have an impact. So, I think up front we played really well defensively."
On Michigan's balanced offensive attack against Purdue... "Offensively, we were very successful throwing the ball on first down. Then, of course, we did hit some big plays, which make a big difference. I thought Adrian (Arrington) did a good job. I thought Greg Matthews did a good job. So, to be able to have all those guys healthy and playing well they can stretch the field. It makes the running game effective as well."
On the status of Mike Hart... "I really don't know much. We'll know a lot more Monday or Tuesday. It is the type of injury where dependent on how much swelling and how he feels in these next couple of days will really be the determining factor on what it looks like in terms of him coming back to play. He's a tough guy, a quick healer and we'll just have to see."
On having a game like this to prepare for a hard stretch run... "When you look at our season, we needed a game that we played our best game. I think we did that. We came out here today and we won the turnover battle. We didn't have a lot of penalties. We were better in the kicking game. We gave up a few yards on their kickoff returns, but Purdue is the No. 1 kick return team in the Big Ten. There are a lot of really positives that we can build on. Any time you get a chance to play some of those young guys it helps their morale, it helps their experience. It helps your team later on down the road. It is a long season. Five weeks doesn't sound like much, but when you are playing this type of competition each week you know you are going to get some guys nicked up. So, if you can get them better prepared it makes a difference."
U-M Senior Quarterback Chad Henne
On the fast start... "Definitely. We came out with enthusiasm and intensity. We came out and started fast and that's what we needed to do."
On what they did differently... "We had a great week of practice. Just a lot of enthusiasm and the guys were really ready for this game."
On the balance of the offense... "(Mike) DeBord and (Scot) Loeffler did a great job of calling the plays."
On what was the difference in the game... "We understood what they were going to give us. We executed plays to a 'T.' We got the cut off blocks on the backside for the running game. They were giving us one-on-one coverage and we beat them in man coverage."
On being successful with the long ball... "(Mario) Manningham came back and definitely showed his speed."
On the next week's game at Illinois... "We saw that they lost to Iowa. They are not going to be the same team we saw today. They are out there to fight, because they have one loss and they are still in it for the championship."
U-M Junior Defensive Tackle Terrance Taylor
On the first drive... "We had a great week of practice and it showed that we had fun out there."
On covering a spread team... "If you see it enough you'll get good at it. A lot of teams try to do what Appalachian State did to us, but we are used to it now. We are just going after them."
On the defense being aggressive... "Against Oregon and Appalachian we were tentative. We wanted to come out blitzing with a two-, three-, four-man rush."
On next week's game at Illinois... "I have not been there before, but I heard from some of the older guys that it is a rough place to play. The crowd really gets into it. They are real rowdy."
U-M Senior Linebacker Chris Graham
On the game... "I'm really glad I got the opportunity to contribute. That's why I wanted to be out there. We were just having fun today."
On being aggressive... "The thing we wanted to do today was go out there and be aggressive, try to control the run game and just execute."
On covering the spread offense... "We had our problems, but we worked on it. For right now we feel good, but we have a big challenge next week. We just came out today and played hard."
On playing at Illinois... "My first year there it was loud and crazy. The wind was blowing and it felt like 10 below. It is going to be a tough place to play. We have to go out there and play like we did today."
U-M Senior Safety Jamar Adams
On the game... "We were expecting them to go deep after studying their game this week. They came out and they ran the deep routes. The defensive line did a great job of getting pressure on the quarterback. Brandon Harrison did a great job of getting underneath the receivers. It forced them to throw it high. It was a team effort. We got good pressure on the quarterback and the underneath guys."
On getting turnovers... "Turnovers make the whole team feel better. The offense had a short field to play with, so that is always something you work for as a defense."
On the defense improving... "We've been practicing harder and trying to do a great job in practice. We're doing a great job of getting reps in. We feel like we're executing better. The guys are getting more experience. The front four, the linebackers and defensive backs are getting more experience playing together."
Purdue Head Coach Joe Tiller
On the game... "I thought the fact that we had three turnovers in the first half and dug a deep whole certainly didn't help us at all. Effort-wise, I thought there were moments out there during the game when we tried. I didn't see lack of effort as much as getting behind early and not being able to catch up. If you're going to turn the ball over twice on our side of the 50, that's going to make it hard to come back from that situation. But we really wanted to do was go out in the second half and play toe-to-toe with them, and we didn't do that. We gave up some fumbles and dropped some critical balls."
On Michigan's offense... "I made the comment last Tuesday that we might be playing against the best offensive line in the league. I think theyre athletic, and I think that they're a great line and, of course, [Mike] Hart is an outstanding back. The problem with him going out of the game is that they might find another one waiting to get a chance. I just thought they were a physically stronger and superior team."
On his attitude about big games... "I look forward to going in and seeing how we match up against people. Sometimes I don't like what I find out, but I like the challenge. I tell the guys that the better the opponent, the margin of error shrinks. If it shrinks, you're got to be at the top of your game. We can't have any miscues along the way, and, if you do, you're not giving yourself the chance to be successful."
On his attitude after the last two weeks... "I'm not happy about it. I knew we were going to play a good football team today. It's an improving team. If you watch Michigan -- and I've watched them for years -- you'll know that if you play them, you want to play them really early, because, as the season goes on, they get better. So, I knew this would be a struggle for us and that would have to play picture-perfect football. I didn't think we competed the way that we are capable today. That upsets me. I'm trying to keep them positive, because I think we can win our next five games. So, that last thing I want to do it go south on us, but we have to be accountable. You don't just sweep this under the carpet and pretend it didn't happen."
On Michigan's receivers... "I like their receiving. I like Chad Henne of course; he's an accomplished player and sees the field really well. I'm impressed with their receivers, and I think they're a different team when he's in there. He makes them a better team. Overall, I liked [Greg] Mathews; I liked [Adrian] Arrington. During the week, when everyone was asking me about [Mario] Manningham, I said, 'Don't forget those other two guys.' That's a talented receiving corps and a physical receiving corps."
PU Fifth-Year Senior Linebacker Josh Ferguson
On Purdue's performance... "I think under the circumstances, we did play pretty well. We came out really intense and stopped the running game, limiting Mike Hart's yardage. Obviously, it wasn't enough. We have to back up our offense. They had a bad day, but sometimes we have bad days. Today, overall, we didn't do our job, because they scored 48 points. But we can't look down on anybody, I just have to go out and have a good practice this week and get ready for the next game. We try to play a 60-minute game. That's our goal. I think, from a defensive standpoint, we didn't give up. We battled hard for the entire game, and things just didn't go our way. We just have to stay positive, and we'll win some more games."
PU Junior Defensive Tackle Alex Magee
On Purdue's slow start... "When you come up against teams like this, you have got to be ready to play from the jump. There's no picking it up, stepping it up or waking up in the second half. You have to bring your 'A' game from the kickoff and show it on every single play, every single series. Whatever happened today, it happened. We're looking at getting better. We have to fight through this, and we're going to come back."
On their difficulty with Michigan's zone blocking... "It's not the zone blocking. We had to make plays, and we did here and there, but we allowed them too many yards. We knew exactly what they would be doing, and that's what we worked on in practice. So, I don't know exactly what happened. We'll see tomorrow."
