[Upchurch]

 

Things discussed

• Ambry Thomas on playing offense
• Nico Collins is a bad -- something
• Criticism surrounding the offensive line
• Juwann Bushell-Beatty's confidence
• Noah Furbush on aviation

[After THE JUMP: Furbush puts your attempts at romance to shame]

 

Ambry Thomas

 

Ambry, when did you find out you would be on offense?

 

“Probably that Monday, after the Notre Dame game. Coach (Jim) Harbaugh came to the team meeting room, he announced to the team.”

 

What was your reaction?

 

“Man, I was pretty excited, but it was a humbling experience also. I know I just gotta take care of business.”

 

…

 

How much time are you spending on offense in practice?

 

“Not that much, honestly. They call me over when they need me for a certain look, but that’s about it.”

 

…

 

What do you like about (offense)?

 

“I just like knowing that I have the opportunity to change the game if you get the ball in your hands. That’s something that’s really exciting to me, so, if I’m in the clutch position, clutch spot that we need to score, I feel comfortable with our offense and our playcalling.”

 

At what point in your football career, I dunno, maybe middle school or high school, did you realize that you’re that type of player? You’re the playmaker kinda guy

 

“Probably my second year of football. Little league, I was seven years old, every time I touched it I just ran and scored. They just told me ‘Run!’ That’s all I did, I just ran. Like Forrest Gump, that’s all it was.”

 

…

 

Ambry, do you still feel like your long-term goal — long-term plan is at corner? Do you feel like that’s what fits you best?

 

“Yeah, corner for sure. I wanna do whatever it takes for us to win.”

 

…

 

What makes Nico Collins hard to cover?

 

“Nico done got way better. Like, NIco is very athletic, and like, probably his releases now at the line. And he knows how to use his body. He makes all his releases look the same throughout his routes, so you can’t really guess what he’s running. He’s a bad — y’all know the word.”

 

You mention he’s gotten way better, when did you first start to notice that?

 

“Probably this year, camp. He was making plays, play after play, consistently. … He, everyday, was consistently — he’s that guy.”

 

Did he ever get any on you?

 

“Receivers — their job is to catch the ball. Their job is to catch the ball. He got a few on me. He’s gotten me better all around, honestly.”

 

…

 

How much did you work on offense last week? I mean, how much time did you spend?

 

“Probably a couple plays, like, a day. Probably one play, two plays a day. That’s about it.”

 

​

[Barron]

 

Juwann Bushell-Beatty

 

What was the message from coach (Ed) Warinner from Week 1 to Week 2? What was the approach there?

 

“The message was consistent — it’s just consistent. It’s continuing to learn what you’re doing better, continue to fight each and every down. Don’t give up. Play with a chip on your shoulder. Just continue to fight, regardless of the outcome, and it’s paying off. And I think that having him as a coach is a positive, and I think that we’re just gonna continue to play at our full potential.”

 

Does it help to have had that first game against a top defensive line and go up against those defensive ends right out of the gate?

 

“Yes and no. I mean, we would’ve liked to have come out with a W, but it is what it is. … The game is changing daily, hourly, minute by minute. Things happen. But it was good because it allowed us to see where we were and against a good opponent, a difficult opponent, and I think it’s given us a benchmark for what we have to look on going forward, and continuing to be better.”

 

…

 

Juwann, was confidence an issue for you last year?

 

“I wouldn’t say it was an issue last year.

 

Something you’ve worked on?

 

“Something I’ve worked on, it’s something that’s always gonna be something to work on. It’s never — it’s not a static thing, some days are better than others. I think that this year is what I’m most focused on. I think that each and every day, just gotta come out, give it my all.”

 

What are your biggest gains from last year? Not only maybe body-wise, but technique, you feel like you’re a better pass protector? Where do you see yourself kinda going upward?

 

“I’d probably say, in probably pass and run, I feel like I’ve put — not that I hadn’t put a lot of effort in in the past — but I really, this being my last year, I’ve put a lot of attention and focus on just, not only just football as a whole, and paying attention to our opponents, but also just myself. Working on my physical — my physical abilities, just from football techniques and also nutrition. All around, just trying to squeeze everything out of this year.”

 

…

 

You guys took some of the blame last year and you got criticized a little bit after Notre Dame. Why is this line maybe better than maybe the public perceives it to be?

 

“I mean, I guess the public doesn’t really understand the inner workings of how things go on in herer. And I think there’s mistakes and there’s always — no one wants to point fingers — there are things that happen. It’s football. I understand that regardless of what happens, O-line’s gonna take blame for whatever. I’ve just accepted that, whether it’s true or not, it’s not up to me. So, just going forward, just keep focusing on working hard and doing what we gotta do. That’s all there really is to it.”

 

Do you think the criticism is unwarranted?

 

“Some of it is, but that’s life. People are gonna criticize you for everything you do. The sooner you learn to accept that, the better.”

 

Can that be galvanizing for a group, kinda bring you guys together?

 

“Yeah. I think that people — to anyone — if someone’s talking about you, you can either curl up, or give up, or you can prove everyone wrong. And I think that this team has chosen to prove everyone wrong, and that’s what we’re gonna continue to do.”

 

…

 

You’ve mentioned improving your confidence this year, focusing on that. Do you think this is kind of, like, a mindset you could’ve taken last year? Do you think you’ve improved at that since? Just saying like, facing criticism

 

“Yeah, I think that it takes time. It’s not something that’s easy, to have someone, have people pointing fingers at you. I think it’s something that takes time, like I understand my role on this team and as a football player, that things are always — there are things that are gonna happen, things that are gonna go wrong, people are gonna say you suck. But I mean, at the end of the day, they can’t do what I do. That’s why they watch us on TV. So that’s why I’m gonna continue to just keep doing what I can.”

 

​

[Barron]

 

Noah Furbush

 

Can you walk us through that play where you intercepted the pass?

 

“Yeah. I saw my teammate, Devin Bush, putting some good pressure on the quarterback and he threw the ball up. Lucky enough, I was in the right spot to make the play. And was hoping to get to the end zone, but didn’t work out.”

 

…

 

Jim yesterday was saying that he sees NFL potential in you, but that you were focused more on a military career, flying planes. Is that something where, if you started hearing that you would go high (in the draft), that they were interested in you, that you would absolutely turn it down?

 

“I think people have passions in life. My passion is flying. I know where I wanna go, and I wanna join the military. And I know that’s uncommon for most people, but it’s always been something that I’ve looked at and always wanted to do.”

 

Where did that come from?

 

“My mom was in the Air Force, before I was born. My dad — excuse me — my dad’s dad, so paternal grandpa, was in the Army. So, two family members in the service. It’s kinda like being a fan, you look up to Michigan football players, you see those jerseys, you see the coach, you see all the people that you look up to. It’s kinda the same way, you see fatigues — they just look sharp to me — I see people in uniform and I look up to them and the sacrifices that they make for this country. And really just all the amazing things they get to do and get to be a part of.”

 

…

 

So are you focusing on the Air Force, or is the Navy a possibility?

 

Actually, I’m looking at the United States Marine Corps. That’s for a bunch of reasons, but also, they guarantee aviation contracts.”

 

…

 

Is there a charge you get when you’re flying, like you’re in control?

 

“Yeah. Funny thing I’ve always thought about is, I don’t know if I could ever go skydiving. Scares the heck out of me. Just because you lose that control. But when you’re sitting in the cockpit, you’re at the controls and you feel like you’re part of the plane. Kinda like playing baseball or something, you feel like the glove is kind of an extension of your hand, extension of your body.”

 

…

 

What’s the longest flight you’ve taken?

 

“So the longest flight I took was along — cross-country solo. I flew across the state to Benton Harbor, and then down into South Bend to surprise my girlfriend. Met her for dinner, and then came back to Ann Arbor. That was pretty cool.”

 

That’s an expensive date

 

“Sure was.”

 

So what’d you tell her? ‘Hey, I’m landing here at this private airport in South Bend?’

 

“I actually talked to one of her friends and kinda set it up so she would pick me up at the airport, and then drive me over to surprise her. So she had no idea I was coming.”

 

You didn’t propose to her or anything like that?

 

“No.”