-Opens the presser talking about Nick Connelly and wants everyone to know that the entire Gopher football family and their thoughts and prayers are behind him and his family.
-Last years Maryland game they watch the things that they didn't do well. Missed opportunities on defense and they need to take advantage of those things. Very reminiscent of a lot of their close games they lost last year. They bring back a lot of their talented players and are bringing in even more. They've done a really good job recruiting and are a good team. Minnesota has their work cut out for them.
-Need to look at it just as another game. Most of them are going on the second airplane trip of their life, their first being when they come here. Still 100-yards, still the same amount of time in the game. A lot of freshman going into this the first game. This is the example of how they'll travel in the future. Can't let any circumstance dictate their behavior. Excited to compete.
-They've just been focusing on themselves. When you can't focus on yourself your opponent controls you. They dominated last week in all facets and that's why they won. Need to execute while focusing on themselves. Everything comes in play week-by-week. Really proud of how they've done. They came in on Sunday feeling like they lost, which is good. But you need to come in and treat every day after a game not like a win or a loss, but just like you want to get better.
-A lot of these guys have only been here for 3-4 months so they haven't changed much physically, but the biggest part is the emotional part. That's everything. They're going to get ready physically, and they're going to coach them and they'll be ready mentally. Emotionally is much different. That's just starting, whether it's relationships, missing home, etc. There's been a huge change in Bryce Williams. He talks 100x's more than he used to, and it's only been three months. All three fires, mental, physical, and emotional need to be burning. Need to control the emotional aspect of it and still play Big Ten football. Over half the team is freshmen and going through it for the first time. You're only as good as you are on the bottom.
-This season is completely different than last season. This is a completely different team. They know what happened last year but this is a completely different team and season.
-Zack rarely makes the same mistakes twice. That's big when you're making decisions. He is really good at embracing failing, and he knows how to respond after that. He knows he's going to fail but he also knows that it is part of the process of being successful. He got hurt because he forgot to make a protection call. He knows when you touch the stove, not to do it again. He learned his lesson and he won't make that call again. He was back at practice today and made sure he didn't do that once today.
-He's still a kid. He loves the game and has fun with it, but he's still a kid. He's going to fail and he's going to get better through that.
-Emmit is one of the best people you will ever meet in your life. Everything he does is to make others better. One of the leaders in community service. He will make any team, company, etc. better that he's a part of. Everyone on the team loves him because they respond to him when he leads. Tremendous student-athlete.
-Marcus West has a lot to do with Coughlin's development. Schiano taught him to be an information gatherer. Every one of the pass rushers loved to have West on the staff. Having him has helped Carter take that next step. He's always been a great football player, now he's becoming a great technician. He's one of the hardest workers on the team. Once your best players on the team are the hardest workers, you've got something started.
-Knew that they needed to make a change with the pass rush when looking at last years team. Joe Rossi is tremendous and coaches the entire D-Line. This R-group needed some kind of specialist. In the Big Ten if you have a good D-Line and can rush the passer with four you can do a lot of good things. Not there yet, but getting there.
-Last year was difficult because they didn't have much help for Tyler Johnson. Now there are guys that are developing in the program. Not there yet though. Supporting cast wasn't there last game, and they told them that. Why were you there for the first two games, but not last game? They need to earn that respect by being consistent. Tyler doesn't have games with -8 yards. They need to take from his lead, and they are starting to do that. Different in practice than in games, also while being in school Johnson can recover from a drop and have a great game. That's something they should learn from.
-Minnesota is exactly where they thought they would be in terms of culture, not wins and losses. Maybe ahead academically, but they're exactly where they thought they'd be. There's a belief system in the culture, and he believes in it so deeply that nothing will ever pull him off of that.
-OJ's developed the way he thought he would develop. He thought he had to lead, but maybe not as much as he's had to. He's watched guys lead him, and that has only made him better. You either stare at the competition and attack it or you shy away. HE attacks it. There are 40 guys on the leadership council, that's 40 more guys than last year. Need to bring guys along as leaders. They want to know why and how, and they need to show them that. Always want them to challenge them so they can change their best.
-Players vote on guys on the leadership council. There were so many at the top that they had to add extra guys. Then more they want to bring along so they added them. Named freshman captains so they could feel the pressure of being a leader and captain before they were ready for it. They had to learn from that and fail. Some of the guys that were captains last week probably weren't the best captains. These guys in big roles are freshmen, but they're expected to make plays and be in there, so why shouldn't they have a C on their chest?
-Maryland is like Miami (OH) times 10. They have skill everywhere and you need to keep your eyes out for everything. Savage on Maryland is like Winfield for them, he's everywhere. He knows Canada well and their team has a ton of skill.
-Last years Maryland game they watch the things that they didn't do well. Missed opportunities on defense and they need to take advantage of those things. Very reminiscent of a lot of their close games they lost last year. They bring back a lot of their talented players and are bringing in even more. They've done a really good job recruiting and are a good team. Minnesota has their work cut out for them.
-Need to look at it just as another game. Most of them are going on the second airplane trip of their life, their first being when they come here. Still 100-yards, still the same amount of time in the game. A lot of freshman going into this the first game. This is the example of how they'll travel in the future. Can't let any circumstance dictate their behavior. Excited to compete.
-They've just been focusing on themselves. When you can't focus on yourself your opponent controls you. They dominated last week in all facets and that's why they won. Need to execute while focusing on themselves. Everything comes in play week-by-week. Really proud of how they've done. They came in on Sunday feeling like they lost, which is good. But you need to come in and treat every day after a game not like a win or a loss, but just like you want to get better.
-A lot of these guys have only been here for 3-4 months so they haven't changed much physically, but the biggest part is the emotional part. That's everything. They're going to get ready physically, and they're going to coach them and they'll be ready mentally. Emotionally is much different. That's just starting, whether it's relationships, missing home, etc. There's been a huge change in Bryce Williams. He talks 100x's more than he used to, and it's only been three months. All three fires, mental, physical, and emotional need to be burning. Need to control the emotional aspect of it and still play Big Ten football. Over half the team is freshmen and going through it for the first time. You're only as good as you are on the bottom.
-This season is completely different than last season. This is a completely different team. They know what happened last year but this is a completely different team and season.
-Zack rarely makes the same mistakes twice. That's big when you're making decisions. He is really good at embracing failing, and he knows how to respond after that. He knows he's going to fail but he also knows that it is part of the process of being successful. He got hurt because he forgot to make a protection call. He knows when you touch the stove, not to do it again. He learned his lesson and he won't make that call again. He was back at practice today and made sure he didn't do that once today.
-He's still a kid. He loves the game and has fun with it, but he's still a kid. He's going to fail and he's going to get better through that.
-Emmit is one of the best people you will ever meet in your life. Everything he does is to make others better. One of the leaders in community service. He will make any team, company, etc. better that he's a part of. Everyone on the team loves him because they respond to him when he leads. Tremendous student-athlete.
-Marcus West has a lot to do with Coughlin's development. Schiano taught him to be an information gatherer. Every one of the pass rushers loved to have West on the staff. Having him has helped Carter take that next step. He's always been a great football player, now he's becoming a great technician. He's one of the hardest workers on the team. Once your best players on the team are the hardest workers, you've got something started.
-Knew that they needed to make a change with the pass rush when looking at last years team. Joe Rossi is tremendous and coaches the entire D-Line. This R-group needed some kind of specialist. In the Big Ten if you have a good D-Line and can rush the passer with four you can do a lot of good things. Not there yet, but getting there.
-Last year was difficult because they didn't have much help for Tyler Johnson. Now there are guys that are developing in the program. Not there yet though. Supporting cast wasn't there last game, and they told them that. Why were you there for the first two games, but not last game? They need to earn that respect by being consistent. Tyler doesn't have games with -8 yards. They need to take from his lead, and they are starting to do that. Different in practice than in games, also while being in school Johnson can recover from a drop and have a great game. That's something they should learn from.
-Minnesota is exactly where they thought they would be in terms of culture, not wins and losses. Maybe ahead academically, but they're exactly where they thought they'd be. There's a belief system in the culture, and he believes in it so deeply that nothing will ever pull him off of that.
-OJ's developed the way he thought he would develop. He thought he had to lead, but maybe not as much as he's had to. He's watched guys lead him, and that has only made him better. You either stare at the competition and attack it or you shy away. HE attacks it. There are 40 guys on the leadership council, that's 40 more guys than last year. Need to bring guys along as leaders. They want to know why and how, and they need to show them that. Always want them to challenge them so they can change their best.
-Players vote on guys on the leadership council. There were so many at the top that they had to add extra guys. Then more they want to bring along so they added them. Named freshman captains so they could feel the pressure of being a leader and captain before they were ready for it. They had to learn from that and fail. Some of the guys that were captains last week probably weren't the best captains. These guys in big roles are freshmen, but they're expected to make plays and be in there, so why shouldn't they have a C on their chest?
-Maryland is like Miami (OH) times 10. They have skill everywhere and you need to keep your eyes out for everything. Savage on Maryland is like Winfield for them, he's everywhere. He knows Canada well and their team has a ton of skill.
