"... our young men, not only in football, but in other sports here. We've had several of our current and former professional players come back and work out with Mike, that didn't even know Mike. We have several NHL players that played at the University of Michigan that Mike trains now, on his own time. And I believe they understand and appreciate all that he and his staff does for them.
You know, Mike truly, as everybody on our staff does, truly cares about every one of the young men, and women, that he has worked with. And to imply otherwise couldn't be further from the truth. There is nobody that has a greater passion in developing young men and helping their careers than Mike Barwis and his staff.
And he has always complied with the rules, as has our entire staff. Our record in the last 18 months here, and 7 years at West Virginia, and 25 years as a college coach, my record reflects that. We know the rules and we comply by the rules.
We have a very transparent program. You guys that follow us know that, you've been out to practice several times - our compliance, we have a very open relationship with our compliance department. I think they're very proactive, they do a great job. And in fact, even this spring and summer, they met with Mike several times to discuss, as you normally wuold with Mike's offseason program, his summer program, they met with him several times; and from my understanding they even popped in several times on summer workouts - so they were there. And actively involved, and talked about workouts and hours, and all those structural thnings - and that's a good thing.
Now we have a great institution, both athletically and academically. There's been many success stories here. But it's a challenge, and that's what the University of Michigan does, it challenges you athletically and academically; and many young men have reached that challenge. It's our job as coaches to help them achieve that. And they are. You know, you can talk about records or whatever, but our young men, academically are reaching that challenge, as I mentioned, with their GPA. And they want to reach it athletically.
I had the seniors over to my house yesterday, and every one of them, to a man, said 'Coach, we don't want to go through a season like last year, we're committed to getting it right and upholding our great tradition.' And they've shown that. That's why we try to challenge them. That's why it's so important for our guys to have success on the field and do the things that prepare them for that. And they understand on their own to do that. That's why our young men understand the value of a Michigan degree. That's why they make the time to balance those two things.
And I as a coach have never hindered that. And nobody on my staff would ever tell a young man to miss a class, or miss as study session, or miss a tutor appointment, to do anything athletically. Never have, and never will. I understand the importance of a degree, all coaches do.
When I sit and recruit these guys, or when our assistant coaches recruit these guys, sit in their parent home - we tell them - 'We're gonna challenge your son, we're gonna make sure he puts in the work to get a Michigan degree. We're gonna make sure that we do all we can to help him achieve his goals'.
I guess the thing that bothered me the most about, uh, the things that were recently written or said, or maybe some things in the last 18 months, with the ... the perception sometimes that was out there that we did not care as much for our players' welfare. And that is disheartening. (Looks down for several seconds without saying anything). To say that is misleading, inaccurate (brief pause), and goes against everything that I've ever believed in coaching. (Pause, facial tics, clears throat, looks around with watery eyes, wipes nose and mouth while cameras click away).
I love workin' with our staff, I love our players, like I love my own family. My family loves our players, (rubs bottom of nose), and that's why they're at every practice. You guys that follow us know that. And that's the way throughout our whole staff.
Coach Barwis will work with these guys any hours that they want to work with. He'll go to church with them on Sunday. Our staff will do anything that our players want for us to do to help them achieve their goals.
When I left West Virginia, I didn't ... leave my brains and my caring for my players when I came to Michigan. We're proud the way our programs have been run. I've been a head coach for 16 years, we've been fortunate enough to have 8 league championships. But more than anything else we've graduated a whole lot of guys, and a lot of them were 1st-generation college students. A lot of them are great success stories. A lot of them still maintain contact with me and my staff to this day.
I've gotten numerous letters from parents, calls from players, current and past, telling me 'Coach, just do what you always do. Help your guys achieve their goals.'
I know I'm at a great place. And our players and our staff are workin' every day, as hard as we can, to build the best program in America. I think sometimes it's unfair to have these roadblocks and these things thrown out there that ... go against the very fabric of how we establish our program. (pause for several seconds)
So I guess I'm here to tell you, that whatever you've heard, or want to believe, the truth of the matter is this coaching staff cares very deeply about all the young men in our program - always have, always will. Care very deeply about this institution. We know the rules, we go by the rules, and all we're trying to do every day is make every one of ... all of our great fans, the people that support our program - and we have many great fans - all we're trying to do every day is to make them proud. And we will continue to do that.
The former players, that know how this program was built, on their hard work and dedication, and commitment to team - they understand that. And so do 120 young men on our football team. So I would ask that you focus on those guys, the 120 men that are making this commitment, to have success.
And I have two young freshmen, (pause, scratches back of head) that come into my office yesterday, upset. They said 'Coach, what, what'd I do, what'd we do? We just said we worked hard, and it was harder than it was in high school, and that we're committed to helping win a championship.' Told 'em 'You did nothin' wrong, you did nothing wrong.' (pause, bends over, fumbles with papers).
So I ask let's not ... there's positive things that are going on ... which maybe you don't see, because you're not there every day like I am, that our players are, that our staff is. The positive things that are going on in the classroom, in the weightroom. Why try to tear that up?
Mike Barwis is such a great asset to this University. What he has done in the strength and conditioning, for a whole lot o' athletes at this University, and in his past, is unprecedented. And the care he has - why try to tear up something, that the man gives his life to? For these young men that want it, for the players that want it - cause see, they want to succeed. These young men want to play, and they want to play at the highest level. It's amazing, the commitment they make.
It's amazing how many times they call on Saturdays and Sundays and ask somebody to open up the building - Schembechler - cause they want to go. The last 7, 8 months - cause they want to go over here, on Saturdays and Sundays. So we take ..., so we make sure a strength coach is in there, so they don't drop a weight on their foot. And there the strength coach says 'Coach, I'll go in there if you want me to go in there'.
So, meeting with the team, and we'll put this to rest that yesterday.... I mean, our guys are hungry, and they've been hungry for 7-8 months. It's game week... and they're excited it's game week. And they've earned the right to be excited.
Had a terrific camp ... they've come closer togerther as a team than I could ever hope for. I've got a wonderful group of seniors, and they're 'all in'. They will not let anything be a distraction. I will not let anything be a distraction to the coaches, and ... We've gotta get focused, Western Michigan's got an outstanding club, uh, every game's a huge game, and I expect a great week of practice."
