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UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN MEDIA CONFERENCENovember 12, 2007Adam KrausQ. Talk a little bit maybe about how you look at this game differently than you did when you walked on this campus, what you've learned about it. ADAM KRAUS: I always knew it was a big game, even growing up in New Orleans. But getting up here, you really get a feel for the rivalry and how important it really is to both teams, to both states. You know, it's a great game with a lot of tradition, and I'm excited about playing it. Q. Is there any special feeling around campus this week? ADAM KRAUS: I was in class real early in morning, so nobody was really out but me. So I can't really comment on that. But yeah, during Ohio State week there's always a lot of energy throughout campus, and it's always the same, it's always a lot of fun. Q. Can you compare the difference between last year where you had incredible buildup and this year, both teams having lost? Do you think there's any difference that you can sense? ADAM KRAUS: I mean, there's a lot of hype around last year's game, but there's going to be a lot of hype around this year's game, too. It's for the Big Ten Championship and for the Rose Bowl. I know we're excited, I know Ohio State is excited to play. Q. So you want to win this game for yourself, you want to win it for Michigan, but do you actually want to really win this for (Inaudible)? ADAM KRAUS: Of course. We want to win it for our whole team, Henne, Hart, Jake, all the seniors, myself. We want to get this one, and Ohio State is a great team, and we're going to have to practice hard all week and prepare for them. Q. (No microphone.) ADAM KRAUS: Well, I mean, I remember how great it was to win that one, to be on the field, students rushing the field, and the roses and just having the feeling that we just won the championship outright. It was a tremendous feeling. You know, I'm excited for this game, too. Q. (No microphone.) ADAM KRAUS: You know, we haven't really talked about it, no, not really. It's a new year, it's a new team, and we're not really talking about the past or the future. It's about this team, and we're excited to get out there on Saturday and play. Q. A lot has been said about Coach Carr this week. What do you think people should know about him or what would you want to say about him, just the job he's done this year and throughout your career? ADAM KRAUS: Well, he's a great man, he's a great leader, and most importantly he's taught me how to be a man off the field. It's not only about football, it's about more than -- it's about life. I can't say enough good things about Coach Carr. Q. After the start you guys had, you're in a position to win an outright Big Ten Championship and go to the Rose Bowl. Who or what do you attribute that to? ADAM KRAUS: I think it starts with Coach Carr and his leadership and the seniors. I mean, Coach Carr, after those two losses, he said, this is how we're going to do it, and we've worked hard since and got back on track. Q. A lot of guys have talked about a moment with him where they've really been challenged by him at some point. Did you have a moment like that with him where he really pushed you hard? ADAM KRAUS: I think when you're young, especially when you're having a lot of trouble learning the offense and everything, you know, there were times where I had to be pushed a little bit when I was younger. But nothing specifically where he sat me down and said, this is it or hit the road. That's good; I didn't want him to do that. Q. How much did the 0 and 2 start run you guys down? ADAM KRAUS: I mean, we've been down before and we know how to bounce back. Q. Did you reaggravate your injury during the game? ADAM KRAUS: We're not talking about injuries right now. You know the drill. Q. When you first came here how aware were you of the offensive line and its tradition, and what have you learned since? ADAM KRAUS: Well, I always knew -- I knew the Block M. Growing up in New Orleans I knew the tradition, most winning team in college football history. And as far as offensive linemen, when I got here I was a tight end, so I was trying to be like Bennie Joppru and those guys. But when I moved over it was obvious that the tradition that the offensive line has here with guys like Jansen and Backus and Hutchinson, just to name a few from the past ten years. It's great to be able to play next to a guy like Jake and other guys along the years that have been great players. I just really appreciate the tradition. Q. Have you learned to hate Ohio State? ADAM KRAUS: Hate Ohio State? You know, you always want to beat your rival. They're our biggest rival. They've given us problems in the past, so yeah. Q. Do you think it's fair that your senior class is going to be ultimately judged on how you do against your arch rival? ADAM KRAUS: Yeah, I think it's fair. We always talk about winning your rivalry games, and I think if we didn't win any of them, if we lost to Michigan State and Notre Dame, we'd be judged by that, too. Q. (No microphone.) ADAM KRAUS: I mean, you've seen how great of a player he is over these past two years. You really can't say enough about the way he plays and about the talent that he has. He really keeps the line together, and a lot of credit of our success goes to him. Q. Is he a leader? ADAM KRAUS: Yeah, he's a vocal leader. He's a pretty energetic guy. Q. What do you think about this idea of Ohio State getting in your heads? ADAM KRAUS: About them getting in our heads? Q. Yeah. ADAM KRAUS: I don't really know if they've gotten in our heads. They've just gotten the best of us the last few years on the field, the last three years on the field. We've just got to practice hard this week and get ready to go. Q. Talk a little bit about the Ohio State defense, what you see in them and what you expect from them? ADAM KRAUS: I mean, they're a great team, bottom line. They're fast, they can run, and they're physical. So we're going to have to bring our best. Q. How much have you thought about this being your last game in that stadium and what are some of your best memories? ADAM KRAUS: It's crazy how fast these past five years have gone, and to look back -- all the great times that we've had in there and some of the bad times we've had in there, it's really helped. It's really been a great career, and one day I'm going to look back and I'm going to cherish the memories that I've had in that stadium. It's going to be tough to know that this is my last one. Q. With a couple days' distance, what went wrong with the protection in the run game last week? What do you need to do better this week? ADAM KRAUS: I think around the board we made too many mistakes, missed assignments, a lot of unforced things. We just need to come out and practice hard, have a physical week in practice and get ready for this team. Q. How did you learn of Ohio State's loss? Did that kind of give you a little boost knowing this is going to be for the outright championship? ADAM KRAUS: Not really. I mean, it really doesn't matter to us. We know what this game is for. It's for the Big Ten title, it's for the Rose Bowl, even if they would have won. It really makes no difference to us. Q. How is the intensity on the field during this game compared to some of the other environments you play in? ADAM KRAUS: The intensity at home against Ohio State? I mean, this rivalry, wasn't it voted like the biggest rivalry in sport history? So there's always going to be a lot of energy around the field, within the fans, within the town. You know, it's a great atmosphere to play. It's what college football is all about, and we're excited. Q. Do you have a high and a low moment you could name? ADAM KRAUS: I mean, sure. I mean, there's been a lot of great wins, Michigan State, Penn State in '06; '05, Penn State; 04, Michigan State. Those were all great games. Ohio State, '03. Those are some of the great memories and some of the bad memories, just looking back to the first game this year. Q. Do you see a change in the armor of Ohio State's defense considering what Illinois did? ADAM KRAUS: Well, I mean, you can do that with anybody. People can look at us and say, oh, look at all the problems that they have. I think that they're a great defense, and their statistics say it all. We're going to have to prepare hard all week and get ready for them. End of FastScripts |
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