Bullets:
- RS Fr Brian Cleary is now the backup quarterback. Yes, he's a walk-on, but Al Borges talked him up at the NSD presser as someone who might contribute regardless. Said he "looks like a scholarship QB."
- Hoke has not spoken to Shane Morris since Bellomy's injury, but Borges has.
- With Bellomy out, a real spring game is looking less and less likely.
- Justice Hayes is looking good at RB.
- Jarrod Wilson is standing out at safety.
- Will Hagerup is still suspended.
- Brendan Gibbons has been kicking off a little bit in practice whenever Matt Wile can't make it on account of class.
- When Brady Hoke says "Mitch McGary" five times really fast he gets "Rob Gronkowski."
- Brady Hoke has the hiccups from saying "Mitch McGary" too many times.
Opening remarks:
“We’ve had good practices. The tempo’s been good. I think the competition level has been good. We’ve got to play faster as a team. I think some of that is some young guys getting used to playing a lot, when you get a number of reps, but we’ve done a pretty good job of being competitive. We need to continue that.”
How has Russell Bellomy’s injury impacted the offense?
“I think the impact is how you feel, number one. You feel terrible for him. The impact as far as depth always hurts you when anyone gets out of the lineup. As far as that’s concerned, we’ll move forward and keep developing Brian Cleary and those guys who are behind Devin.”
How’s Bellomy doing?
“He’s doing fine. He’s disappointed, like we all are. We can all imagine how he’d feel, but he’s doing fine.”
So Brian Cleary is filling Bellomy’s role?
“Yeah.”
How is he doing?
“He’s doing all right, he’s doing fine. He’s learning. He’s young. He’s a redshirt freshman. Willie Henry’s learning. He’s young. Same thing. So he’s doing a good job.”
Does this eliminate the possibility of actually having a spring game?
“Well I think just, you know, that part of it, possibly. We’ve thought about it, talked about it some. Still not sure what we’re going to do. Maybe whatever we can get the most benefit from.”
What do you like about Brian Cleary?
“Well he’s very intelligent. Smart. Learns well. Has a good arm. I’m not going to say he’s throwing bullets, but he’s got a good arm, good accuracy.”
Is there anything you can do to prevent ACL injuries?
“Nope. I mean, we do a lot of preventative stuff. First year we didn’t have anybody. So it kind of comes and goes.”
Has he had surgery yet?
“No, not yet. He’ll wait until after finals.”
What are some of the things you can do in terms of prevention?
“I don’t – that’s not my area.”
Conditioning?
“Well it’s different exercises they do.”
How different is Brian Cleary’s role compared with what he was doing before?
“He’s taking a lot more reps, I would say, number one. So that’s a big part of it. Different from that, probably nothing.”
What specifically do you want to see him get better at this spring?
" *hic* Yeah. Excuse me, I have the hiccups now. Um. I‘d like to see *hic* a little more accuracy. A little more patience in the pocket, *hic* those *hic* kinds of things ... You got any *hic* water?”
How much does Jack Miller’s interesting personality help him in terms of leadership?
“Well I think number one, with having Taylor there, you got a guy who’s a pretty solid leader. Jack will take his cues from Taylor, and Jack does a nice job with calling the plays and that kind of stuff.”
How uneasy are you about the quarterback position now?
“You’re always a little uneasy. You’re a little concerned. We have to keep Devin healthy, and we have to do a good job of developing the other guys.”
Does that eliminate the possibility of redshirting Shane Morris?
“I think you’ll find out as the season goes on.”
Have you spoken to Shane?
“I haven’t. Al has.”
Does this put more expectation on Shane to be ready when he arrives?
“I think those expectations have already been put on Shane.”
Any running backs emerging?
“I think Justice Hayes has had a very very good spring football. He missed a couple days, but he’s played hard. He’s learned the offense better. He’s pass protecting better. He’s bigger, so he’s a little more physical. I think Drake [Johnson] has done a nice job of being that bigger back and running physical, seeing holes. And Thomas [Rawls] has had some big runs, and he’s finished runs.”
Anyone at the safety spot?
“I think Jarrod Wilson. He’s done a really good job. Jarrod’s really sharp, smart, and physical. Plays the field well, plays the ball well. I like how he’s played. I think Marvin [Robinson] has shown real glimpses in there. Jeremy Clark. We have some good competition in that area.”
Does the basketball team’s success help football recruiting?
“Well I think it does. You’re talking about Michigan. It’s on CBS or – I think that’s the correct station if it’s not on TruTV. I think it’s been great. It’s great how hard John’s worked and that staff and the six years [they've been here] and how they’ve recruited. His team has shown a lot of character.”
Are you going to Atlanta?
“No. We’re in football.”
Couldn’t squeeze it in there?
“Nope. I’ll have a nice seat on my couch.”
Did you reach out to coach Beilein after any of the games?
“Oh, after every one of them. Went over and saw him today. We’re really excited for him, and it does [help]. The Michigan block M is going to be on the national scene.”
Do you have a relationship with any of the basketball players?
“Not really. I mean, I talked to McGary about being a tight end. I’ll take him in the red zone and just throw the ball up.”
How has James Ross looked so far?
“I think he’s playing really well. He’s very instinctive, and you could see that last year as a true freshman. He grasps things very well. He’s physical, he’s tough. He’s got a lot of those characteristics you want in a linebacker.”
Is he also learning both WILL and MIKE positions?
“Yeah, I mean, a lot of it he’s settled at the WILL and Desmond’s settled at the MIKE.”
Is the WILL just more suited to an instinctive player like Ross, i.e. is that why he's there?
“No, not really. I mean, he just has good football instincts. He understands angles, he understands leverage. He understands the weaknesses and strengths of schemes and where his help is and where his help’s not.”
What went into the decision to move Desmond Morgan to MIKE?
“Well I think you want to play your best players. Desmond’s a little thicker, a little bigger. Gives you a little more at the MIKE.”
How comfortable do you feel with the SAM position?
“Well, Cam’s had a really good spring ball. He had a great winter. You could tell from what he did in there and changed his body – I think Brennen Beyer, moving him back from rush. Brennen’s played the SAM some. He’s played up on his feet. The transition was pretty easy for Brennen.”
Are you sensing more of a camaraderie on this team?
“I don’t know if – I think this team, and I think the guys in the leadership have done a nice job. There’s an accountability and there’s a commitment to each other as a team, which is nice, but there’s that healthy edgy competitiveness as well.”
Hagerup’s status?
“Hasn’t changed.”
Matt Wile?
“You know, Matt misses a little bit. Matt missed today because of classes. He had engineering and those things, so this is a time he takes a lot of those classes.”
How’s Brendan Gibbons?
“He’s doing good. You’re going to talk to him in a minute. You doing good, Gibby? You doing well? Okay. He’s doing pretty well.”
What does he use spring practice for?
“Well, his consistency, his mechanics. He’s been kicking off a little more because of Matt being in class.”
How much does it help to have an experienced kicker?
“It helps a bunch. You have a lot of confidence. You like to score touchdowns and not field goals, but when you have a guy that’s proven himself and has been pretty consistent and has the maturity he has, that means a lot.”