[Fuller/Barron/MGoBlog]
Graham Glasgow and Joe Bolden
Just thoughts on the bowl game and the Citrus Bowl and the matchup with Florida, generally speaking.
JB: “Florida’s a good team, solid team. I think their offense obviously hits plays and has hit plays this year. Haven’t been too deep into the film. Just watched a little bit of the SEC title game but I’ve seen their defense play, too, and they have a solid defense as well.”
What have you seen in their defense, Graham? Have you watched them?
“I watched a little bit of the SEC championship game like Joe, and they have a solid defense. Lot of big hitters, big plays, and I think that we’ll gameplan them well and we’ll be ready to go on…January 1st. Yeah, that’s when we play. All right, awesome.”
Coach Durkin was obviously a big part of what you guys did this year. Your thoughts on shifting gears to Greg Mattison this game?
JB: “It’s what we- some of us, it’s what we know better, I guess, in a way. I’ve played three of my four years under him. I love how he coached and how he coaches. Just excited to- you know, I came in and my first game was under him, and I’m going out and my last game’s going to be played with him calling the defense, too. So, it’s pretty exciting from my standpoint. I think defensively there’s not much…I mean, Durkin and Matty were together before Michigan, and there’s not a whole lot of I guess you could call it turnover if you want from one system to another or one guy to the next.”
What was DJ’s message to you when he told you he was going to take the Maryland job and what are your thoughts about him moving on to a head coaching position?
JB: “Yeah, I think everyone on the defense is excited for him. I think we all knew at some point he was going to be a head coach being only 37 years old and being the coach that he is. We’re all excited for him. Excited for him, but at the same time I guess for the guys next year, obviously they want to beat him.”
Any words of wisdom for Maryland players dealing with his ‘explosability’?
JB: “Yeah. [/laughs] Just soak it all in. Listen to him every time he speaks. He’s a younger guy with a lot of energy and he knows exactly what he’s talking about.”
[After THE JUMP: Chesson, Butt, and Wormley]
This time last year you were making other plans. Talk about having a bowl game to play and what it means to you.
GG: “Having this be my last year, it means a lot. I get to go and have one more opportunity to play with my teammates and get coach Harbaugh and this team to ten wins. That means a lot for not only me but for the program, and that’s something that I think we’re gonna be very enthusiastic about. It’s like, ‘Hey, let’s go get this tenth win.’”
JB: “I would agree 100% with what Graham said. Ten wins looks a heck of a lot better than nine, and just being able- being a senior and being able to finish my career here with guys like Graham and other guys on the defense that you love playing with, that you love being around…a large, large, large part of your life the past four or five years since you’ve been here, it’s a special feeling, like Graham said. I think we’ll all be prepare to go out and take care of business.”
Joe, how much time have you been able to spend with Chris Partridge. Have you been able to get a feel for what he’s like as a coach?
“Not a whole lot, to be 100% honest with you, but as a person and as an individual he’s got quite the track record being a coach. It’s going to be exciting. It’ll be interesting to see what, if any, differences there are. Coach Partridge, he knows exactly what we want to get done for the last game and I think we won’t skip a beat when he comes in the room and takes over.”
How long did it take you to move past the Ohio State game, and when you watch Michigan State win the Big Ten championship game, where do you think the Michigan program is right now and how much longer do you think until this program is in that game in Indy?
GG: “I think that our team is closer than you guys may think it is, and I think that this program is rising very quickly and I think that it could be as soon as next year, and I think that the guys that we’re losing are gonna be replaced by more than capable and able guys and talented guys and I think that we’ll be a good team next year.”
JB:“To be 100% honest with you, I’m not over either one of the losses. Unfortunately I wasn’t allowed to play the second half of one game, and the last game we didn’t come out and play the way we could have played. And I think you saw Ohio State responded well to the adversity of losing to State, and it’s just crazy to think about.
“We were this close both, I guess, in a way. Both us and Ohio State were that close to finishing Michigan State, and it’s not something that we’re happy about. Or, at least, I can speak for myself: it’s not something that I’m happy about, but I think it’s a good opportunity that we have in the Citrus Bowl and with a solid opponent to end the season on a good note and get these guys and get everybody rolling. Next year, like Graham said, it could be as early as next year and I 100% believe that.”
GG: “For the record, I’m also not happy about those.”
Joe, you had some time to look back at the film and think about that game. If Florida comes out and runs read option, which you guys struggled with against Indiana and Ohio State, what are the common denominators in those two games and what does this defense have to do to not have that type of performance if Florida does that?
“Tackle. I think when you look at both games we didn’t tackled well at all. I think having a month to go out and practice and hopefully we get to tackle some guys, tackle some scout team guys. With a little extra time I think we’ll be able to go, I’m assuming we’ll be abel to go, ones on ones, so I think that’ll help with the tempo and everything. But I have full confidence in coach Mattison. Four years ago when I committed here I had confidence in him then, and I think he’ll have us ready and he’ll have us ready to defend whatever they’ve got for us, whether it’s the read option or a pro-style or downhill, inside running.
“I think really the common factor when you look at all three of our loses this year is not tackled, other than Indiana where we didn’t tackle either and thanks to the offense playing one heck of a game we got through that one. When you look at those, tackling. That’s the thing you’ve got to practice and we have to practice to get better.”
What were your emotions like last game taking off the uniform for the last time?
GG: “I mean, it was pretty emotional for me. Just seeing my teammates in there for the last time and being with Kyle and the O-line, we have our own little like nook in the locker room that we all sit together, it was pretty emotional. I mean, you never want to go out like that and that probably added to it, and it was…it’s something we’re trying to get over, that I’m trying to get over, by winning the last game and that’s really it.”
JB: “I would agree with Graham other than the linebackers don’t have a nook in the locker room that we all reside in. But just…it’s hard to describe, especially the way it happened. We got our butts kicked. There’s no ifs, ands, or butts about it. It’s just hard to fathom that you come in and you remember the exact time you first put the uniform on and you buttoned the chin strap on your helmet. It’s hard to really fathom that was the last game here in front of the home fans who we love so dearly, especially those who stayed until the last snap of the ball game. So, to anybody out there who stayed to the last snap, we appreciate that. To anybody who didn’t stay, just look in the mirror.
“Like Graham said, it’s hard to describe. It’s very sad and not the way we wanted to go out. You’re going to miss those guys, but at the same time coach Partridge and coach Harbaugh and everybody’s out there recruiting the next guy to fill your spot next year. It’s just difficult.”
[Fuller/Upchurch]
Jehu Chesson and Jake Butt
Coach Harbaugh said he expects Jake Rudock to go in the bowl game. Do you check in with him on a regular basis?
JB:“Yeah, I think he’s a tough guy. I asked him after the game what it was or what he felt and he said, ‘Yeah, I’ll be ready to go.’ I can’t see him sitting out of this game.”
JC: “Yeah, same thing.”
Jehu, what was it like when you found out you got named All-Big Ten first team?
“I was very excited about the honor, but more importantly my teammates were the ones who told me, so when Shane sent me a text and I told him thank you, I appreciated it and it’s just an individual award. I care more about the team accolades because those are the ones that really stick.”
Last year at this time you were making other plans and didn’t have a bowl game. Talk about the significance of having that bowl game and not only that but going to a pretty good bowl game.
JB: “Yeah, I think it’s really a big deal for us to get those extra 15 practices, which that goes overlooked sometimes. Just getting those young players those 15 practices, that’s another spring ball. That can go a long way for player development and also it’s good you’re playing New Year’s Day against a good Florida team, you’re getting somewhere warm right about the time we’re probably going to be packing down the snow here so we’re all pretty fired up about it.”
JC: “Definitely agree with Jake. It’s a wonderful opportunity and we just thank the bowl committee and all those who made it possible for us to attend the bowl.”
I think it was Angelique who wrote about you talking about the potential of the NFL. What are you weighing when you’re considering that versus coming back?
JB: “Yeah, I mean, I made a pros and cons list with my dad. I’ve got meet with coach Harbaugh and some of the other people on the staff just because it really is such a big decision, but coming back, there’s so many reasons why I’d want to come back: to break some of these tight end records, I love my roommates and my teammates. We haven’t accomplished what I came here for as a team to do and that’s beat Ohio State, beat Michigan State, win a Big Ten championship. There’s a bunch of stuff out there, and yeah, there’s just a bunch of reasons why you’d want to come back.”
When will you decide?
“Here soon, probably in the next week or so.”
Based on what you just said it seems like you’re leaning toward coming back. Is that fair to say at this point?
“I’d say it’s 50-50 right now. I can’t say I’m leaning one way or another, especially without talking to coach Harbaugh. I really want to hear his input and everything because everyone on our staff’s from the NFL and they’re gonna know a lot better than I would if I’m ready or not or what the situation is.”
You said you want to make a decision in the next week. Is that to get it out of the way for bowl stuff or why that time schedule?
“I just want to make a decision so I can just start moving forward and getting ready. If I do leave I’ll need to start figuring out what would happen after the bowl game, and if I stay it can just be out of the way and I can really just lock in and focus on this game.”
When you see where Michigan State’s going and you think back to that game, how close do you think you are to that level?
JC: “To what level?”
To a championship.
JC: “To beating them. What was it, 11 seconds? That’s how close. They’re a great team. I believe we’re a great team as well. It’s really hard to scoreboard watch. But yeah, literally the facts are they beat us, and how they beat us was on a blocked punt and if they don’t beat us they’re not in the situation they are now but they did beat us so they’re going to where they’re going now so we’re close.”
JB: “Yeah, I’d say we’re real, real close. Football’s about finding a way to just get it done. It doesn’t matter how you get it done. They just kept finding a way to get it done this year. Down the stretch we made some mistakes that hurt us and we ended up not finding a way to win. I think we’ve got the talent, we’ve got the staff, we’ve got the players. It’s just a matter of time, but I think we’re real close.”
You guys were under Doug Nussmeier last year. What do you think of the Florida offense? Are you able to give tips to your defense in that sense? Is there something that translates in terms of what he brings?
JC: “Yeah, coach Nussmeier, he’s a great coordinator. He emphasizes not turning the ball over, emphasizes the big plays, similar things that our offensive staff would tell us but at the same time it’s the Xs and Os of football. Whoever wins the turnover margin is likely going to have more success in the game [and] whoever comes up with more big plays so I’m sure that’s what he’s telling them. They have an explosive offense but in terms of our defense, what we tell our defense is we don’t tell them anything. We give them the best look we can give them throughout 15 practices like Jake’s talking about and try to get ready for a really good opponent.”
Graham just revealed his MVP vote and said Jake [Rudock’s] his MVP of this team. Would you agree with that assessment and what he’s meant in getting to the cusp of 10 wins?
JC: “Yeah, I definitely would agree with that assessment. He’s an MVP kind of guy. He’s selfless, he cares more about the team than he does himself, so yeah, wouldn’t go wrong with that.”
JB:“Yeah, I voted Jake MVP. I won’t hide it. He got my vote for sure.”
Is that so you’ll get more passes thrown your way?
JB: [/laughs] “Nah, it’s all confidential. But yeah, once I knew we were voting for MVP there was no question I was going to vote for Jake there.”
[Upchurch]
Chris Wormley
Coach Mattison’s going to be taking over the defense. What do you know from obviously working with him the past couple of years and what do you expect from him and expect the defense to be like in the bowl game?
“We’re going to be ready. He’s going to prepare us like no other. He’s been there before. He knows how to coach a defense as a whole, so I think we’re not going to skip a beat and we’re going to be ready for Florida.”
Does it matter at all having played against Nussmeier’s offenses in practice?
“It doesn’t really matter. We didn’t go against them much, especially during the season, but it’ll be fun to go against him and the offense that we’re kind of familiar with. But it doesn’t really matter.”
You obviously had some time to watch the Ohio State film. If you come up against a team that runs the read option in this bowl game, what are you guys going to do differently and what can you do differently to have better success?
“I mean, I’m not a defensive coordinator so I can’t speak on it scheme-wise but coach Matty will do something that will stop that. As far as a player, you’ve just got to play hard, finish tackles, makes tackles, run to the ball, gang tackle, and play the defense.”
What have you seen from Florida at all? Have you seen any of their games this year?
“I watched a little bit of the SEC championship game Saturday. They have a great defense. Offense…is what it is, I guess. We’ve seen offenses like that before and we’ll be ready for them and we’ll prepare like it’s any other game.”
Obviously you were very close to having what some would call a great season. What has this season, as it’s played out, meant to you in terms of reestablishing and having a shot at a 10-win season?
“Yeah, it’s great. I mean, coming last year and having the potential to double our wins from last year from 5-7 to 10-2- 10-3, I’m sorry- is huge. It’s an accomplishment because not many teams can say they won 10 games and it’s something that around here the past couple years we haven’t had and it’s just a step in the right direction.”
You’re a fourth-year player. Are you seeking NFL info at the moment? Is that on your list?
“Right now I’m just focused on graduating and playing in the bowl game. When that time comes it’ll come and I’ll make that decision.”