Coach Q&A: Tom Allen provides final updates ahead of Michigan

TA: There is no doubt that those things happen in the moment and they have to be avoided. You go through and you evaluate the why of each one of them, which is what we did, and go through - whether it was technique or some of the situations on special teams with the use of our hands and our blocking technique and making sure we understand how to execute that.

We worked on that. Sometimes you make replacements of guys if a guy is not able to get it fixed. Then, also, just the execution of our offense. To me that is just repetition, getting guys in the right spots in regard to their alignments - making sure they are on or off the ball - with the tempo that we use. That has been a focus for us, because those CATS, as we call them, crimes against the team, those kill drives on offense. We have to eliminate those.

Then, obviously, the one selfish penalty which we had, the personal foul after the play on special teams. That was handled from a discipline perspective. That to me is a lack of discipline.

They are all a little bit different but they have all been addressed for sure.

On getting the tight ends more involved in the passing game…

TA: I think it is important, there is no question. We have to make sure that when those guys are targeted, they do a great job of securing the football and make those catches. It has been a priority without question to be able to get all of those guys at every different position to be as balanced as we can be in terms of ball distribution, to be able to not key on a certain area or schematically, in lining up to certain formations in certain ways because they are not concerned about the production of a certain position.

Definitely a focus to get those tight ends the ball and we have had some injuries at that position and other spots as well. We are just trying to keep those guys healthy and involved.

On facing Michigan’s rushing attack…

TA: It is definitely a huge priority. They do run the ball extremely well. It is the strength of their offense. They throw the ball effectively, but they want to establish the run game. It is about run fits, it's about tackling, it's about pursuit, it's about being able to get the proper numbers in the box that you need to be able to match up to the formations that they are going to give you.

To me, the key is, when you talk about playing a swarming defense - takeaways, tackling and effort - the tackling piece and not missing tackles [is important]. We have been working hard this week on our tackling drills and the angles, as well, to make sure we always have the layers to our defense to where if one guy leverages the ball properly, there is always somebody else there to be in position for that. Whether we are hammering it back inside or spilling it outside, based on the call.

A lot of work on that in those run fits and it continued today. It will continue tomorrow during our walkthrough and our final preparations.

On the team’s mindset entering the game…

TA: To me that is a daily focus of creating that [mindset or confidence]. There is no question that when you don't execute in those moments, that it is a challenge to be able to build that in spite of those setbacks and challenges.

It really puts a high premium on how you practice, the attention to detail druing those practices and being able to allow yourself to have that confidence. It's not getting any easier for us with who we are going to play and who we have to execute against. So, yes, as these teams continue to increase in their talent level and the way that they are playing, we have to elevate ours as well.

That is the challenge for sure and that is where we put ourselves, in this position, and we have to be able to respond.

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