Alvarez Addresses Media During Monday News Conference
November 12, 2001 | Football
Wisconsin head football coach Barry Alvarez spoke to the media on Monday during his weekly news conference. The news conference was in preparation for this weekend's final home game against Michigan.
Alvarez talked about the Wolverines, UM's quarterback John Navarre, UW's offense and the Badger seniors. A partial transcription of the news conference follows.
Preparing for trick plays: 'What we try to do, within the context of our practice and within the context of our offensive script, we'll work them in'so that we're sound - regardless of what defense we're in and whatever we have called. It's something that you have to address; we have seen at least one, including a fake field goal, every year.'
How did the off week help you' 'We would have really been shorthanded last week, had we played Saturday. We had a number of players that were really banged up, from ankles to heads to shoulders. So it was a timely break, I think we've gone two years without an open date so it was something new for most of our guys. I think we used it wisely, we were able to get a lot of people healthy, I thought we got a lot done as far as early preparation last week, two practices and still able to let the guys get away and relax a little bit. We had a very good practice again yesterday. '
Are you surprised Michigan is back in the national spotlight: 'It doesn't surprise me. Historically, they're going to be in the top three [in the Big Ten]. They've always recruited well and then the fact that the league is so balanced, that just shows their consistency over the years and they 've continued to be consistent. But with the players they've had and how they've recruited, it doesn't surprise me that they're one of the top teams again.'
Thoughts on the Michigan defense: 'Those guys have matured. A lot of the people up front were young starters last year, they were guys that because of injuries were thrown in there and I think they tried to use their movement a lot to their advantage last year, I think that has helped them. They've, because of maturity and experience, become a lot better, that comes with playing and understanding the game and then in the off-season putting on strength and knowing what you have to do and consequently they're the best defense that we'll have seen.'
Is there a Wisconsin/Michigan rivalry' 'I think our guys like to play Michigan. I think everybody in this league, there is some type of rivalry. In the past the games have been pretty important. They've been good games. I know Iowa is a rivalry, I know Minnesota is a natural rival, I don't know if they put this in that category. I know it's awfully important; it's a league game, it's a very good team, someone that has tremendous tradition. '
Thoughts on the UW seniors: 'This is a group that really has had a lot to do with our recent success. So many of these guys contributed to the championships, the Rose Bowls, many of them have been four year contributors and they 've done an outstanding job this year of holding this young group together and they're fun guys to be around. It's a fun group of seniors to be around. It's the last time in Camp Randall, I know it'll be very emotional for them; it's an important day for them. This is a group, I'll remember them for what they've contributed to our program.'
Has your offensive philosophy changed' 'It really hasn't changed. Our offensive philosophy has always been to take advantage of the skills that your players have. If you have a quarterback that can't throw and you have a great running back then you feature the run. If you have a quarterback that throws pretty well and have some good receivers and a good runner than you try for balance. What we would ideally like to have is a balanced offense and I think we are pretty balanced this year.'
How has the spread worked' 'I think we've incorporated it well and I think we've gotten a lot of mileage out of it. I said all along it would be a part of our offense; we weren't going to go to it exclusively, yet I think there is a place for it. I think we've gotten a lot of productivity out of it.
Thoughts on John Navarre: 'John really committed to Northwestern first. We wanted John. We were going to take two quarterbacks that year, the first two we offered were he and Scott Wille, and in the meantime we recruited Jim Sorgi. [Navarre] committed to Northwestern and I think that's the year [former NU head coach Gary] Barnett left or he was talking about leaving. [Navarre] changed his mind, but we already had two commitments already and I already told those other two kids that we would only take two quarterbacks. John called and said he wanted to come and I said that I made those two commitments, we would love to have him in our program, didn't know if he'd be a quarterback, I didn't think that'd be fair to the other guys. He wanted to play quarterback. I wanted him in the program, yet I felt obligated [to the other guys]. I think you have to stick by what you say."
