U-M's English turns up teaching
Angelique S. Chengelis
June 12, 2007
Last year, it was all about motivating.
Each day it was about finding a way to get his defensive players to perform at the highest level, because that's how they wanted to be coached.
But now, Michigan defensive coordinator Ron English has to change his approach as he heads into the fall with a younger, less proven group.
"If I could be patient ...," English said last Saturday during a break in the annual Carr Wash to raise money for Mott Children's Hospital.
Ron English, patient?
He is a guy who looks like he melts holes through his players with one, glowering, withering look. He is a guy who expects respect, and he gets it. Who would dare otherwise?
Patient, huh?
"It's going to require patience," English said.
Sorry, but that renders a chuckle.
"I'm serious," he said. "I've got to coach this team differently. This is not last year's team. Last year's team, you could get after them. There were days they used that as motivation, where as these guys, they get flustered, and they're not ready for that yet."
The Wolverines have lost four major defensive standouts from last year's team that went 11-2 -- Lombardi Award-winner LaMarr Woodley, Alan Branch, David Harris and Leon Hall.
"Last year's team, we got to the point it was, 'OK, how do I get them to perform at a high, high level every single day?' And we got pretty close," English said. "With these guys, it's going to be both -- 'How do I get them to execute and really give them the edge they need to get after it? That's the fine line with this team.
"I'm going to try to teach more. I'm going to direct it more toward teaching more than motivating and critiquing, I guess I should say. More teaching ... I think that's what they will need."
English actually seems a bit more relaxed these days. That might be a symptom of the fact it's the offseason.
Or maybe he knows the expectations of his defense will certainly be far less than they were a year ago. There is some comfort in that, of course.
His nature is to be an unceasing motivator, as the job required him to be a year ago. It is not a stretch to say he struck fear in his players, and it's also not a stretch to say they liked that edge he brought to the table.
They responded to the toughness English preached them all to have day in and day out.
"Last year, our approach was, 'Hey, we're better than they are, that's the way it is,' " English said. "This year, to an extent, it will be, 'If you make a mistake, so what? Who cares? Move on.' It's going to be fun. It's going to be a process, and I'm looking forward to it."
The other Michigan defensive coaches said while there are obvious differences between the defenses from last year to this year, this year's group actually offers more depth.
The long wait
English said it took him about a month until he could bring himself to watch last year's 42-39 loss to then-top-ranked Ohio State.
"I watched it, but I was so disappointed," English said, his voice dropping. "I just feel really good about that team. It's disappointing to get that close and not get it done."
Hart stronger than ever
Michigan tailback Mike Hart is entering his senior season as a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate and very much motivated to help lead the Wolverines to a national title.
Hart missed spring practice after minor shoulder surgery to, as he said, clean things up, and because he could not do any upper-body work, he worked his legs constantly in the weight room.
He is noticeably bulkier and weighs 204 pounds.
"It's not that I wanted more bulk, it just happened that way," Hart said. "And now I'm doing upper body, so I'm filling out even more."
Hart intends to get down to his playing weight of about 197.
"I'm running the same, and I feel the same, but I know if I get down to 197, I'll obviously be in top condition," he said.
