Oct. 8, 2016

Recap | Box Score

Rutgers head coach Chris Ash

Chris Ash: I'll just actually go ahead and open up for questions. Not a whole lot to say about the game, and just go ahead and open up for questions.

Q. I guess how did it the game become that lopsided?
Chris Ash: You watched it like I did. We didn't get a first down until late in the game. You go 2-of-18 passing the ball, you gave up 481 yards rushing, that's what happens.

Q. Were you hoping to get a spark from putting Zach in the game?
Chris Ash: We were hoping to getting in going on offense right now. You know, whether it's through Zach or somebody else or a running back. You know, we've got to get something going on offense. We've obviously struggled the last three weeks in a row.

Q. Is it a personnel thing with offense or is there something wrong?
Chris Ash: The whole thing's on me. I've got to do a better job of getting the team ready. Simple as that.

Q. What do you tell the team after a loss like this?
Chris Ash: We show up to work tomorrow. That's it.

Q. How difficult do you think it will be to push on now?
Chris Ash: It won't be difficult. I mean, that's what we do. That's what I'm here to do. Nobody said it was going to be easy. You know, we're going to keep grinding. We're going to keep fighting, and that's as simple as that.

Q. You said you were looking for anything. Was Chris Laviano hurt?
Chris Ash: No, Chris isn't hurt. No, Chris is fine. No, we got to try to get something going on offense. We just felt it was the right time to see if someone else could give us a spark and do something different.

Q. Was your decision to go for two there in the first half on that extra point; any thoughts on that play?
Chris Ash: No, they converted. You know, it's our job to stop them. There's no thoughts on that at all.

Q. Overall, the margin of 78 points, any concern about that, the margin, the number of points Michigan scored?
Chris Ash: Right, no, I mean, we lost a game. It's an ugly game. I'm not concerned about the score. I'm concerned about our kids. We've got a bunch of good kids in that locker room and I feel awful for them right now. They have done everything we've asked them to do. They have grinded really hard and they kept a good attitude throughout this game, last game, and I feel really bad for them.

Q. Physically, how do you think you came out of this game?
Chris Ash: I don't know. I mean, we've got bumps and bruises. We went into the game with bumps and bruises. But until we get a chance to talk to the trainer and evaluate everybody, I don't know. But we've been beat up. That's just the nature of college football. And especially playing in a league like this, against really good teams, physical teams, you're going to get beat up.

Our depth is getting tested right now. We don't have a whole lot of depth at a number of positions. And unfortunately we've got some guys that are just fighting and clawing and doing everything they can, and maybe can hardly move a leg or a shoulder, you know, but that's where we're at.

Q. The way you've lost the last two weeks, is that something that can hurt the morale of team? Is that something that you have to --
Chris Ash: A loss, any loss can hurt the morale of the football team. You know, we lost to two outstanding football teams. Obviously don't want to lose like we've lost last week or this week.

But any loss hurts the morale of the football team. It's my job to make sure the morale continues to be high and we continue to have a positive attitude within the whole organization: That's coaches, that's players, that's support staff. That's on me and that's the job that I get paid to do.

Q. At this point, today's film, you won't look at it, you'll just go to the next game?
Chris Ash: No, we'll watch it. We have to watch it. We've got to find out what we've got to do to get better. If you don't evaluate it, you don't know what you've got to do get better. So it's not just move on and throw the tape away. We're going to evaluate it just like we would any other game, whether it's a victory or a loss.

Q. We all know you had a big rebuilding job. Did this surprise you as to where they are right now, I guess how much still needs to be done?
Chris Ash: No. Nothing surprised me. Again, nobody said it was going to be easy. I never came in here and promised any wins. Never said we couldn't win games, either. You know, never did that.

Came in with the process and a plan, and we're going to stick to that plan and we're going to keep going. We're going to recruit; we're going to develop; we're going to keep coaching, just like we did when we first got here.

Q. Playing the No. 2 and No. 4 team back-to-back, obviously is not optimal. The schedule certainly looks easier from here. Do you have to remind the guys that there's still a lot of season ahead of this team at this point?
Chris Ash: Absolutely. Our focus was on playing this game, though and when we bring them back in tomorrow, we'll talk about what's left and what's out in front of us. Not going to make any excuses about the teams that we play. They are on our schedule every year and we've got to play them every year.

So it's our job to get better. It's our job to coach the guys up to move the ball and stop the run, you know, which we didn't do either one of them tonight. We'll discuss what's out in front of us tomorrow.

Rutgers Player Quotes

Rutgers defensive back Anthony CioffiOn the play of the team: "It's something where it's a collective effort; special teams, offense and defense. We just have to do our third and continue to play hard all four quarters. We came out very strong and had a turnover. But things didn't turn out well. We just have to go to work, watch film, correct what we need to work on and go from there."

On moving on from the loss: "We played half our schedule already. We had a tough stretch with three great teams we've played. But there's no excuse for it. We just have to come out and play hard. It wasn't the outcome we wanted."

Rutgers quarterback Zach AllenOn what Michigan did well: "Michigan had a very good defense. They brought a lot of different stuff and blitzes and have a lot of good players. They were trying to slide us some ways and it didn't work out for us. I thought the offensive line picked up a lot of it, of course the media and the fans see the ones that they don't. They did a good job for the most part."

On coming into the game: "Michigan is a very good team. Defensively they're very good. It does affect your preparation. You prepare each week like you're the starter. Unfortunately, offensively we didn't have the day we wanted to at all. We just have to come back tomorrow and get ready for next week."

On what head coach Chris Ash told the team: "He said we have to be better. There were a lot of mental mistakes that can't happen. We're a good team. We just have to go out and compete every day in practice and then translate it to the field on Saturdays."

Rutgers defensive lineman Darius HamiltonOn the loss: "We put a lot of work into this. It's not just something we roll out. We put a lot of work into this. It's not the results we want to see. We just have to go to the drawing board and get better."

On what the team needs to do to get better: "We just have to keep working. It's easy to point fingers at a time like this. We're going through a tough patch. It's easy to point fingers and say 'this guy could have done better', but really if everyone goes and handles their job to the best of their abilities, we would be in better situations to win ball games."

On what went wrong in the game: "It was a bunch of things and if you watch the game you will see that. From missed assignments to missed tackles to not being lined up the right way, I'd have to look at the film, but you don't let up that many yards rushing and that many points by accident. There are a lot of things that go wrong."

Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh

On the play of Jabrill Peppers and Chris Evans: "We put some plays in for (Peppers) last week where he was operating as a quarterback and then more this week, because he's just so darn good at it. That was really the turning part of the game, I thought was his long run. The first downs were coming hard. It was looked like it was going to be one of those nights. His speed was dramatically different than everyone else on the field. Chris Evans, he showed early he was going to be tough to bring down. He was lightning fast and quick tonight. To me, that's what broke the game open was Jabrill's and Chris' play. Chris said something really interesting in practice. He didn't say it to me, he said it to my dad and Al Glick. He later told me that, quote from Chris Evans, 'it's a sin to be good, when you are sent to be great.' That was really profound. He was really dynamite tonight."

On limiting Rutgers' first downs: "I don't know how many three and outs it was. I know there were only two first downs and not until late in the game. We were playing on half the field all night. The guys up front had a great game. There was constant pressure. The team has been tremendous. Didn't allow a third down conversion all night defensively. There's been incredible play on third down. (Defensive Coordinator) Dom Brown is an amazing coach. I know I've been saying that a lot. It's obvious to everyone, to our team, to our whole defensive staff.

On the intensity of the backups: "As a coach, the two weeks you worry about are the week going into a bye week. We call it an improvement week, but still that week you are going in and the week you are coming off that bye week. Our players were as focused as I've seen them. To your point, when the two's got in there, they were playing with the same kind of motivation, the same kind of fire. They wanted to show what they can do. A lot of freshmen were playing in this ball game and playing well. There wasn't any real sign of drop off when our two's were in the there. Our two's were in the entire second half, except for a series on offense and a series on defense.

On Jabrill Pepper's ability to do many things and not overburden him: "That's something you have to take into consideration. He's so good at it fortunately most of the time. He wasn't taking any hits. Did he look that way to you? He was so athletic and so fast. It was really, really impressive. Gosh, if there's a better player in the country, I don't know who it is. I know there's a lot of great players out there, but this guy, to be able to coach a guy like Jabrill Peppers is a real joy. There's so much more. There's nothing he can't do. It's the darndest thing I've ever seen. My humble opinion is we are looking for a Heisman trophy winner, candidate."

"Jim Thorpe, it just came to me. Only player I can think of comparing Jabrill to."

On the two-point conversion: "It was something we practiced all week. We had it. We saw a look we could get a two-point conversion on. We had it called on each of the extra points. We didn't' call it after that. That fourth touchdown, it was dialed up. It was called off the first three times. The fourth time we got the look we prepared for. Our guys executed it very well."

On the rebuilding of the Rutgers program: "It certainly wasn't the intent to make the score what it was. You look at (Chris Ash's) team, he's doing it the right way. He's doing it very well. His team will be a factor soon. I have no doubt. He's a great coach. Our players were better. Not to take anything away from his players, they've got a lot of good players, a lot of talented players, but we have more of them and one great player, Jabrill Peppers. He really ignited everything in this ball game. I don't know if you saw it the same way. The speed that he out there was at a different level."

On the pass rush: "It was constant pressure. One of the biggest and best, the spine of our team, is that defensive front. (Defensive Coordinator/Defensive Line Coach) Greg Mattison does a great job coaching our guys. They were fast. Our whole team was really fast tonight. It really showed tonight. They are executing at a really high level. The pressure was tough to deal with."

Michigan linebacker/defensive back Jabrill Peppers
On his performance: "Whenever you get the balls in your hands you just wanted to make something positive happen. Today God had his hand on me today on some of those plays. I just have to give it up to the blocking and the coaching scheme. They set the guys up in positions to excel so we just went out there and handled business today.

On his reaction of the score at the end of the game: "Just wow. I've never been part of a victory this massive. But you still have to handle it with class and just keep improving for the next week. You can't stay on your high horse. Our game against Rutgers is over so we just have to prepare during our bye week for the game after that."

On Juwann Bushell-Beatty and his performance: "I was really happy for him. I know that he's battle a lot of injuries and some weight problems. I've been playing with him since high school so I've seen him grow into who he is today. For him to start in front of the home crowd; I know he went down early but he got back up and was able to finish out the game. I was really excited for him."

On what keep them going even after going up big: "You know, there are no backups. Every time you're out there you're expected to play like you're a starter. We don't look at the scoreboard. We just want to impose our will as fast and long as we can. I think the younger guys are starting to adapt to that. It's up to us the veterans to set up that foundation. I think they're starting to buy in and trust the coaches. We tell them that you have to play like you want to win the game until you win the game. This is college football and crazy things happen. It's just our mindset."

Michigan linebacker Ben Gedeon
On if it felt like a home game: "It's great to see how well we travel and it's something that's been going on since I got here."

On Jabrill Peppers possibly being a Heisman winner: "Jabrill is such an impressive athlete. To play next to him and to watch him play, it's just fun to watch."

On Jabrill Peppers' speed: "Yeah his half speed is a lot of guy's full speed. You can tell that in practice and you saw it tonight in some of those routes. He's got a different speed, a different gear." Why they seemed to be playing hungry: "We talked about how important this week is going into a bye. The game before the bye and the game after are two very important games in the season. We wanted some momentum going into the off week."

On how they were able to keep Rutgers from converting third downs: "It's just executing on all facets of the game. The defensive line was all over the quarterback. The DBs had great coverage all night. Everything just kind of worked out how we practiced it and drew it up."

On if Coach Harbaugh's relentlessness filters down into the team: "He has a certain way of coaching and we just feed off of it. You can see his relentlessness and intensity translate well into what's going on in the field."

On the defense's dominating performance: "That's what we expect to happen when you are a defense like we are. We want to execute every single play and if we execute then they won't score any points which is what happened tonight."

On how they could get better from a performance like today's: "There's always things to get better at, details-wise. There are some techniques that you lose throughout the season that you could try and get back."

On if they fed off their performance against Wisconsin last week: "When we win a big game like this, we always remember what it's like to be on the other side. We don't want something like to happen again [referring to game two years ago].

Michigan running back Chris Evans
On his performance: "Week in and week out I try to improve as much as possible. Recover my body, stay healthy, stretch out. Do everything so I can be ready for the game."

On how does he know that he's meant to be great: "People around me always tell me. I'm always second guessing myself in my head and I have my people around me that support me by saying stuff like that."

On how the team never took its foot off the pedal even after back-ups came in: "We're just hungry and looking to do better every week. During the game we had a bet going on between running backs on who would get the longest rushing attempt. We just feed off of stuff like that and going back and forth with it. Karan [Higdon] had a 53-yarder and I had a 57-yarder so I won that bet."

On his rhythm throughout the game: "Mostly it's all on the steps. Wherever I'm going through I have to make sure that my steps are perfect so that the offensive linemen can block exactly where they need to block. As long as I do my job then their job will be easier."

Michigan Offensive Lineman Erik Magnuson
On the offensive line performance: "Any day you have 481 yards rushing and nine rushing TDs is a pretty good day to be an offensive lineman and I'm really proud of that. We set a goal of 300 yards rushing for the game so we had big expectations coming in but we exceeded that by a lot. We set a goal every week after watching film and so after doing so we set the goal of 300."

On sitting out during the second half: "It's been a while since I did that but it's pretty boring. I would much rather be out there playing but at that point in the game it's nice to see the young guys playing especially those that don't get that many opportunities to play."

On the performance of the defense: "It was amazing. I try to watch them as much as I can. It's amazing to watch the penetration and push that they can get and it's probably terrible to be an offensive line playing against them."

On if he expected his running backs to break long yards so often: "It's kind of our mentality that we're just going to keep pounding it. We'll get three or four yards at a time and eventually one is going to break for 40 or 50 yards. We're getting the good four or five yards gains so it's only a matter of time until they break through for a big gain."

Michigan fullback Khalid Hill
On Jabrill Peppers: "It's amazing to be on the same field with that guy. For him to become an offensive producer like he did just shows how much of a knack he has for football. Today there was that punt return that was called back and he came off a spin move and ducked. How do you come off a spin move, see a guy about to hit you and just duck automatically? You can't teach that, it's a god given talent. I would say that he's a Heisman contender for sure."

On how good the offense would be if Jabrill Peppers were a full-time player on it: "Words can't explain what that would be like. Jabrill and his talent is something that's rare and I've never seen before. The stuff that he does is amazing. To be able to produce on both offense and defense at high levels is incredible. He also has a nice arm which he didn't get to show off today."

On the performance of the defense: "Our defense is something to watch. We have a great linebacker core and a good front so they make it easier on everyone. It's a blessing to have them."