University of Minnesota Athletics
Player Press Conference Quotes - Michigan
10/23/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Safety Dom Barber
On playing in a defensive secondary with three true freshmen:
“It’s a great opportunity and they’re going to have to step up. Manningham is one of the premier receivers in the Big Ten and Arrington also. Chad Henne he’ll pick us apart. We have to have a plan and execute that plan.”
On playing in a trophy game for the Little Brown Jug:
“We’re not going to a bowl game, but we’ve got three trophy games left. Being a senior, if we can bring home three of those trophies, that would be an amazing thing. Since I’ve been here, I haven’t had the axe. Just to bring those trophies home to Minnesota would be a great thing.”
On the game at Michigan that the Gophers won in 2005:
“That was amazing; I was actually the first one to touch the Jug. Being able to do that was a dream come true. I talked to my dad about that also because he talked about when he won the Jug. Hopefully we’ll be able to do that again to see their faces like they were was a great thing. We’re ready to go.”
Linebacker Mike Sherels
On the challenge of playing Michigan:
“Even in years when you go 10-2, you lose to teams like Wisconsin and Michigan. The whole offseason, people are talking about how you lost your trophy games, how you don’t have the Pig, the Jug, the Bell, the Axe. Those are the big four that we play for and this year, we’re in a unique position because the season hasn’t gone the way that we’ve wanted it, but there’s still time to salvage some of that.”
On beating Michigan in 2005 and what it was like to win the Jug:
“It was a great thing because we had come so close in the previous years and we saw the Little Brown Jug and the opportunity to get it, and you don’t get that opportunity very often because they’re a great team and you’re not going to have a lot of other opportunities to have that same chance.”
On injuries:
“Its all part of the game and you know that when you choose to be a football player. We’ve known this season and every season that those bumps and bruises are going to happen and you’ve just got to push through them. Injuries won’t change our approach at all, we’ve got guys behind the guys that are banged up who are chomping at the bit a little bit to get a change and they’re going to have to prepare a little bit harder this week, they’ll have to be prepared to put some time in.
Linebacker John Shevlin
On preparing for Michigan and not knowing if Michigan running back Mike Hart will be available:
“It really just comes down to us going out and playing, it doesn’t matter who’s in there. It’s Michigan, they’re going to have great guys; if one guy goes down, another guy is going to step in, so you have to be prepared. We’re playing a team, not individuals. Obviouslly, Michigan has a lot of great individual athletes, they’ve got a whole lot of talent on that team.”
On playing in a defensive secondary with three true freshmen:
“It’s a great opportunity and they’re going to have to step up. Manningham is one of the premier receivers in the Big Ten and Arrington also. Chad Henne he’ll pick us apart. We have to have a plan and execute that plan.”
On playing in a trophy game for the Little Brown Jug:
“We’re not going to a bowl game, but we’ve got three trophy games left. Being a senior, if we can bring home three of those trophies, that would be an amazing thing. Since I’ve been here, I haven’t had the axe. Just to bring those trophies home to Minnesota would be a great thing.”
On the game at Michigan that the Gophers won in 2005:
“That was amazing; I was actually the first one to touch the Jug. Being able to do that was a dream come true. I talked to my dad about that also because he talked about when he won the Jug. Hopefully we’ll be able to do that again to see their faces like they were was a great thing. We’re ready to go.”
Linebacker Mike Sherels
On the challenge of playing Michigan:
“Even in years when you go 10-2, you lose to teams like Wisconsin and Michigan. The whole offseason, people are talking about how you lost your trophy games, how you don’t have the Pig, the Jug, the Bell, the Axe. Those are the big four that we play for and this year, we’re in a unique position because the season hasn’t gone the way that we’ve wanted it, but there’s still time to salvage some of that.”
On beating Michigan in 2005 and what it was like to win the Jug:
“It was a great thing because we had come so close in the previous years and we saw the Little Brown Jug and the opportunity to get it, and you don’t get that opportunity very often because they’re a great team and you’re not going to have a lot of other opportunities to have that same chance.”
On injuries:
“Its all part of the game and you know that when you choose to be a football player. We’ve known this season and every season that those bumps and bruises are going to happen and you’ve just got to push through them. Injuries won’t change our approach at all, we’ve got guys behind the guys that are banged up who are chomping at the bit a little bit to get a change and they’re going to have to prepare a little bit harder this week, they’ll have to be prepared to put some time in.
Linebacker John Shevlin
On preparing for Michigan and not knowing if Michigan running back Mike Hart will be available:
“It really just comes down to us going out and playing, it doesn’t matter who’s in there. It’s Michigan, they’re going to have great guys; if one guy goes down, another guy is going to step in, so you have to be prepared. We’re playing a team, not individuals. Obviouslly, Michigan has a lot of great individual athletes, they’ve got a whole lot of talent on that team.”
Players Mentioned
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