Karsch: From The Sidelines
Michigan sideline reporter Doug Karsch gives his sideline takes and observations from the week in Orlando exclusively to TheWolverine.com. He weighed in on the Citrus Bowl, and more.
Here’s Karsch…
On Michigan’s growing confidence in the bowl game: “This was a very confident group. Going down there, they didn’t call it practice. They didn't call it a bowl trip. They called it ‘Winter Camp,’ because it was treated like a training camp.
“They four-hour practices left very little time for players to go get social and go see the sights. It was a work trip. They made it sound like this is what they expected after the game. They wanted that game, and it showed. It really showed.
“What really stood out, talking to the coaches before the game, was the effort that went into improving the run blocking. I’ve talked for years about the 15 bowl practices. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a more effective use of the 15 bowl practices than Coach [Tim] Drevno and Coach [Jim] Harbaugh produced, and the work they did with the offensive line.
“I thought that was an amazing example of a difference that coaching can make. That group up front looked like a vintage Michigan offensive line. It was the first time in years, and that’s against a defense that’s chock full of NFL players.
“There’s a lot to build on. You’ve got a whole other spring coming around. Then you’ve got fall camp. It’s pretty interesting watching this staff work.”
On a healthy junior tailback De’Veon Smith looking much different: “No doubt about it. He ran very hard. The yards after contact with him are about as high as they can be. He’s not an explosive back. He’s not a get-to-the-second-level-and-he’s-gone kind of back, but boy does he run hard.
“You look at guys who could break tackles – Tyrone Wheatley, Leroy Hoard – this guy’s among the best. Harbaugh said after the game when there were two yards blocked, he got four; when there were four yards blocked, he got six. He really had a great game.
“[Redshirt junior tailback] Drake Johnson has been more explosive, and he said that’s the best that knee has felt, and again, it showed.”
On Jake Rudock producing his best performance: “Yes, he sure did. The knowledge of the offense is what makes a difference. [Quarterbacks coach] Jedd Fisch talked about it at midseason.
“Utah was one read, maybe two, then check down. By the end of the year, it was first read, second read, third read, even fourth read. He knows where to go with the ball and he knows when to tuck it and run.
“I spoke to his dad while I was down there and his dad acknowledged that being at Michigan, working with Coach Harbaugh and Coach Fisch, made a world of difference in his development. Jake has come so far so quickly.
“Now it’s on to the next one, whether it be [redshirt freshman] Wilton Speight, or [redshirt sophomore] John O’Korn, or [freshman] Zack Gentry, or the true freshman, or [junior] Shane Morris. The crash course has begun for the next Michigan quarterback.”
On whether Florida quit: “The first series of the second half, Michigan went right down the field and scored on a six-and-a-half-minute drive, and took the 24-7 lead. [Junior tight end] Jake Butt came to the sideline and kind of gestured towards his own eyes to Jim Harbaugh.
“Then he went over and called the defense over, and he said, ‘You can see it in their eyes. They’re going to quit. Go break their will.’ And he said it to every position group. The defense got a three-and-out, the offense got the ball back, went right down the field and scored.
“On one of the three-and-outs, Florida was looking at a third-and-17, and they handed it off. Whether it was a player showing frustration at the play call, or showing frustration in general, there were definitely outward signs that that was a frustrated group.
“The belief among the [Michigan] players was that they quit, and you could see it – that Michigan did break their will. That’s the kind of thing I haven’t heard in a long time. This was an SEC runner-up that Michigan did it to.”
On redshirt junior wideout Jehu Chesson and senior fullback Sione Houma: “The double-move Chesson threw on a guy [Vernon Hargreaves III] who is probably going to be a first-day NFL Draft pick … he smoked him. He was open like [redshirt junior wideout Amara] Darboh was against Indiana. You expect that at times against a defense like Indiana. You don’t expect it against a first-round draft pick.
“That stood out. Sione Houma, everything he does the team loves. He’s clearly one of the more popular players. When he got into the end zone, Chesson and Drake Johnson started jumping up and down and holding the number three in the air.
“When Houma got to the sidelines, they had a group hug, because they’re all roommates. All season long, they’d had games where two of them got in the end zone but not all three. They all wanted to get in the end zone. At that point, Chesson had a touchdown and Drake had a touchdown.
“When Houma scored, their house or apartment or whatever had all scored. They finally accomplished that goal.”
On the Citrus Bowl win propelling this team into 2016: “They were talking about it. I actually think that storyline is a little bit overplayed. The ’96 team lost their bowl game to Alabama and went undefeated in ’97. The 2006 team that was 11-0 going to Columbus lost their bowl game the year before.
“[Former Wolverine and present radio analyst] Jon Jansen said about that on the pregame show, ‘That stuff matters for a couple of weeks, but each team is different. The seniors are different, the leadership is different.’ There are different questions, different strengths and weaknesses.
“He doesn’t think it’s that much of a factor, beyond the first couple of weeks. The players talked about it, but we’ll see how far it carries them. The potential is there, obviously, for 2016 to be a special year.”
On the greatest things the coaching staff accomplished in Harbaugh’s first season: “There are a couple of things. One is the development of Jake Rudock. That really stands out. The development of Darboh, Chesson and Butt. Going into the year, people were asking, ‘Who are the playmakers on offense?’ Well, all three of them were exceptional, as that year went on.
“And there’s more than the staff being back. I took a look at the All-Big Ten teams, the media and coaches’ first, second and third teams. Michigan got seven players on the offense and defense, and eight if you include [placekicker] Kenny Allen. They’re all back, which is by far the most of any Big Ten team.
“Ohio State has four coming back for sure, and three that could jump to the NFL early. They could be close. Michigan State has four of them. Iowa’s got three, with one making up his mind.
“The roster is there. The returning players are there. The coaching staff is coming back mostly intact. The potential is there. It’s up to this team and this group what they do with it.
“As much as everybody seemed to enjoy Orlando, and going down there and taking care of business, there was also a sentiment that it could be the last trip to Orlando for a while.”