Kornacki: Wolverines Discuss Citrus Bowl Bid, Other Matters
12/7/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Dec. 7, 2015
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan football players gathered with reporters Monday afternoon (Dec. 7) to discuss a number of topics leading up to the Jan. 1 Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl game against Florida in Orlando.
They were excited about coach Jim Harbaugh stating that right-handed quarterback Jake Rudock is expected to play in the game after suffering an injury to his left shoulder in the regular-season finale. And several of them said they backed Rudock as the team MVP in voting that will be announced at tonight's team banquet.
The defensive players were enthusiastic about former defensive coordinator Greg Mattison returning to his former role after this season's coordinator, D.J. Durkin, became the head coach Maryland. And the offensive players talked about the strengths of Gators offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier, who just happened to be their coordinator in 2014.
Tight end Jake Butt said he was "50-50" on whether to return for his senior season or enter the NFL draft, and senior center Graham Glasgow noted that he's going to play in the East-West Shrine Game.
However, at the center of their thoughts was the turnaround this team experienced together.
"We have the potential of doubling our wins from last year, from 5-7 to 10-3," said senior defensive tackle Chris Wormley, noting the records from 2014 and 2015, respectively. "It's huge. It's an accomplishment for teams to win 10 games, and something we haven't had around here the past couple years. It's a step in the right direction."
Winning 10 is the rallying point.
"I have one more opportunity to play with my teammates and Coach Harbaugh and get this team to 10 wins," said senior center Graham Glasgow. "That means a lot for not only me but the program. That's something we're going to be very enthusiastic about: 'Let's go get this 10th win.'"
Linebacker and co-captain Joe Bolden added, "Ten wins is a lot better than nine, and being able to be a senior and play in a bowl game and finish my career there is a special, special feeling. Like Graham said, I think we'll all be prepared to go out and take care of business."
How did these Wolverines put themselves in position to have twice the win total they had last year?
"It's a lot of hard work," said Butt. "I think the coaching staff made a huge difference because at the time of the coaching change, we were fed up with losing, too. So, it was the perfect storm. Everybody was ready to commit to this staff, and when Coach Harbaugh came in, he made it as hard as possible on us. It's made the games a little easier on Saturday.
"That 10th win is big-time. That's something we haven't done, and it's almost as many wins as I've had in my whole career here in just one year. So, we're excited about that opportunity as well, and we're hungry to go out and get that 10th win."
Butt's first two seasons resulted in a combined 12-13 record.
"And these 15 practices are going to go a long way towards player development," added Butt. "It's also good that you're playing New Year's Day against a good Florida team (10-3, Southeastern Conference East champions), getting somewhere warm right about the time it's probably going to be packing down the snow here. So, we're all pretty fired up about it."
Butt's Decision
Jake Butt caught 48 passes for 620 yards and three touchdowns. That gave him 89 catches (fourth all-time among U-M tight ends) and 1,066 yards (fifth all-time) and put him 44 catches and 854 yards away from breaking the Michigan tight end records in those career categories by surpassing All-Americans Jack Clancy, Jim Mandich and Jerame Tuman.
"I made a pros and cons list with my dad," said Butt about potentially leaving for the NFL. "I'll meet with Coach Harbaugh and some of the other people on the staff because it really is such a big decision. There are so many reasons I'd like to come back, to break some of these tight end records, I love my roommates and my teammates. And we haven't accomplished as a team what I came here to do, and that's beat Michigan State, beat Ohio State, win a Big Ten championship.
"I came here to be a part of greatness here at Michigan -- to win some championships, win some rings. We came in as a class, and leaving as a class is important as well."
He said he expected to make a decision "in the next week or so," adding that "it's 50-50 right now" and emphasizing the importance of his upcoming conversation with Harbaugh.
Rudock's Legacy
Jake Rudock has thrown for 2,739 yards to move into fifth place on the school's single-season list with more yardage than future NFL quarterback stars such as Tom Brady, Elvis Grbac, Brian Griese and Harbaugh. His 64 percent completion rate also is the sixth-highest for a season, and Rudock has thrown 17 touchdowns with nine interceptions.
His toughness, smarts and grit have won over Harbaugh and his teammates.
"I voted Jake (Rudock) MVP," said Butt. "He got my vote for sure. There was no question I was voting for Jake there."
Graham Glasgow concurred: "Jake is my MVP. I think that he was huge for us this year, and it's going to leave big shoes for the next crop of quarterbacks to fill. He set the bar pretty high, and without him we wouldn't be here."
Wide receiver Jehu Chesson, who caught eight of those touchdowns, said of Rudock: "He's an MVP kind of guy. He's selfless and cares more about the team than himself."
Mattison & Nussmeier
Greg Mattison was coach Brady Hoke's defensive coordinator the previous four seasons after serving that same role for the Baltimore Ravens and coach John Harbaugh in 2009 and 2010. He'd also served as the co-defensive coordinator for Florida's 2006 national championship and was the sole coordinator at Notre Dame, Western Michigan and Michigan previously under coach Lloyd Carr.
"This is what we know better," Bolden said of Mattison. "I played three of my four years under him. I came in and my first game was under him, and I'm going out and my last game is going to be with him calling the defense, too.
"So it's pretty exciting from my standpoint, and Durkin and Matty were together prior to Michigan and so there's not a whole lot of turnover from one system to the other or one guy to the next. I have full confidence in Coach Mattison; he'll have us ready."
Mattison has been the defensive line coach this season and will continue in that role. Chris Partridge, the director of player personnel, also will serve as linebackers coach for the bowl game to fill Durkin's other vacated role.
Nussmeier came to the Wolverines from Alabama in 2014 and spent only one season in Ann Arbor before getting hired by new Gators coach Jim McElwain, who was an assistant at Michigan State along with Nussmeier under John L. Smith in 2005.
"Nussmeier is a great coach," said Butt. "His voice is probably gone by the end of the year, but he's going to have his guys ready to go with different formations, different sets."
Glasgow added, "They took more shots (at Florida) than I remember him taking with our offense, and he'll definitely have a little added motivation in trying to win this game."
• Michigan to Face Florida in 2016 Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl
