Wolverines Q&A: Hoke on Bye Week, Michigan State
10/20/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
By Steve Kornacki
Michigan football coach Brady Hoke and Steve Kornacki will talk Michigan football each week on MGoBlue.com. On Sunday night (Oct. 19), the two discussed the momentum from the 18-13 win over Penn State, the bye week, and upcoming rivalry game with Michigan State on Oct. 25 (3:30 p.m.) in East Lansing.
Q. What were some of your biggest goals during the bye week, and what did you get accomplished?
A. No. 1, you go from four or five weeks of camp and then seven straight weeks with games, and so you look forward to the bye week. It's always good coming off a win because there are things that we need to execute better off of (the Penn State) game. And just from a coaching standpoint, it's better to coach off a win than it is sometimes after losses. I think what we got done health-wise, trying to get the guys healthy, and did a good job with all the treatment.
But at the same time, on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, we were practicing and really honing in on fundamentals and techniques and trying to make sure that for some of the young guys, who you are going to call upon, to get some of those guys more work is a big part of it. You take a look at your next opponent, but it's about the fundamentals and about us playing fast as a team at every position and playing physical.
The bye week also produces an opportunity for our coaches to go out and do some recruiting -- getting to some high schools and watching some games. I think that's important. And I think we accomplished everything we wanted to and came back tonight with a really good practice.
Q. So, what was the schedule like for you and your coaches, and how did you balance recruiting and coaching needs?
A. We started by going out last Sunday night. And some of the coaches recruited all day Monday and got back in here on Tuesday so we could coach our guys up. And Tuesday, we also went through the Penn State film to get that cleared away -- we analyzed and evaluated off of that. And we practiced on Tuesday and Wednesday, and on Wednesday night a lot of coaches went out and recruited Thursday and Friday.
Q. Jake Ryan (56 tackles) and Joe Bolden (51 tackles) are your leading tacklers and a couple of your best team leaders. Can you talk about how they work together so well in tandem and help show the way for their unit?
A. I think it starts with their outstanding communication that they have. Your linebackers and safeties are the guys who have to keep everybody in the right place. And Joe does a really good job of it. Jake playing as a Sam (outside linebacker) so long, and now playing inside, he's really taken off Joe a little bit and done a nice job of getting guys in their positions. They both have a knack and instinct for the game, and they both prepare really well and spend a lot of time in preparing for an offense. So, you look at those two guys working together in tandem, and I think you see (linebackers) Ben Gedeon and Mike McCray starting to make progress from special teams to playing in our regular defense. So, that's been a real plus for us. And (linebacker) James Ross III has played really well. He's really come on, and the way he practices. And (linebacker) Royce Jenkins-Stone is an improving player.
The guys who are out there, the standard is set by Joe and Jake and also how James Ross has been going about playing the outside linebacker spot. James has played a lot of football for us, and playing a new position took a little time -- especially in the live action of games. But he's really done a nice job and has continued to improve.
Q. Dennis Norfleet passed Steve Breaston as Michigan's career kickoff return leader in your last game and now has 2,029 yards. Can you describe his return style and touch on the energy he brings to the team?
A. No. 1, Dennis loves the game. And loves to compete, and that's something Dennis has brought since day one. I think Dennis in his maturation process, and understanding what leadership is, is holding himself to a higher standard because of that leadership. And in the kicking game, it's funny because we were talking last Wednesday about how when he first got here he couldn't catch a punt. He could catch kickoffs and that's where he made his time to begin with, but he could not catch a punt.
Q. How much of the difficulty he was having centered on getting used to catching a ball with the defenders coming right up on him on punts?
A. The ball spins and moves away from you a little bit. It's a whole different rotation on the ball, and there are more people around him with a punt, and he has diligently worked to become a guy we are very confident in having back there catching punts. But that tells you about Dennis and his work ethic. It tells you about his love for this team and his love of the game of football. He has energy, and when the whistle blows, Dennis is ready to go.
Q. Can the team carry its momentum from the Penn State win over into this week?
A. Well, I think there's a lot of growth that our team has gone through together. And we've learned some hard lessons that as coaches and players you don't like to learn that way. But I just think the way they've stuck together and united together as a team ... I mean, we have competed our tails off in practice. And you could see that again tonight. Sometimes with a bye, you worry about your timing. You worry about playing fast. And in practicing tonight, you could see that we didn't lose any of that timing.
Q. In order to keep your timing, have you done more in the way of game-type practice situations?
A. Yeah, we'll do situations all the time, whether it's red zone or first-and-10, whether it's the full line, the blitz drill or whatever. Ones-on-ones is what we like to do (going with starters against starters) because that's where we feel we get our best looks on both sides of the ball.
Q. Can you talk about what you expect from quarterback Devin Gardner as the Wolverines begin the stretch run of the season?
A. I think he'll play his best football. And I say that very confidently about his preparation -- the way he's pushed tempo at practice, the way he's demanded excellence on himself. And I think the other players can see that.
Q. What have you seen from Michigan State?
A. I think they are a terrific football team, No. 1. They are the returning Big Ten champs, and I think 17 of their 22 starters are either fourth- or fifth-year guys. So, they have a lot of quality experience. I think (quarterback) Connor Cook has become one of the better quarterbacks in this league. I think he grows every week it seems. And (wide receiver Tony) Lippett is the best receiver in this league (with 39 catches for 786 yards and eight touchdowns).
Q. That's a great compliment because there are a lot of great receivers in this league.
A. There are. But you watch him week-in and week-out, when you study the tape, and you see something. Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games, and he's done that. And he's the guy that we've got to be aware of. And they are scoring a lot -- their offense leads the Big Ten (with 47 points per game). And defensively, they haven't missed a step at all. They've got some guys who play extremely hard, and you look that on tackles for loss they are among the leaders in our league (with 47 for 244 yards lost). They've been very aggressive in what they do. And from an offensive standpoint, they are balanced. Jeremy Langford (664 yards rushing) is there and Nick Hill has emerged (to rush for 465 yards) as a really good back. So, they've got a lot of weapons.
Q. Do you do anything differently this week with a rivalry game, such as having former players come back to talk about the importance of tradition or the Paul Bunyan Trophy?
A. The difference is that anytime you are in a rivalry game -- and this is one of the best rivalries in the country -- I think your preparation and consistency in what you do weekly, you need to keep the same. Do I talk about the Paul Bunyan Trophy? Yes, no question about it. The Governor's Trophy -- that's an important part of this rivalry.
And with it being an in-state rivalry, you can draw a line in the sand and you're going to have those who love Michigan and those who love Michigan State. From a fan-based rivalry, it's one that's enthusiastic and passionate. So, you keep your consistency in what you are trying to get done. Our guys know who we're playing, and you want to go up there on game day with a little extra excitement and attitude. But you want to keep all of that and be as poised and controlled as you can because you want to play your best football.
