Coaches Corner: Offensive Coordinator Greg Davis

Opening Remarks:
We're very excited to be here at the Rose Bowl and it has been a wonderful experience up to this time. This is my 32nd year in coaching and this has been one of the best football teams to be a part of. They have done everything we've asked. They've gotten better each week and they're fun to be around. You will enjoy getting to know these people. We have had a great experience. The Home Depot Center has been a great place to practice. Even with the recent rain we've had, we were able to get a lot of things done. We know the job Lloyd Carr and his staff has done at Michigan over the years and we think it should be an outstanding match up and we are looking forward to it.

Does Michigan's defense remind you of anyone you've played this year? What are their strengths?
They are a little bit different schematically than anybody we have played this year because they are a 3-4. They remind me of Texas A&M team from a couple years ago. They are very strong. Gabe Watson is one heck of a nose guard and it'll be a tremendous challenge for Jason Glynn and our interior linemen. Their secondary can run and they are not afraid to play man-to-man coverage in their secondary. Because of that, they are able to outnumber the run quite a bit. And, I would be remiss not to mention their discipline.

What is your confidence level with Vince [Young] in the passing game?
It's real high. I see growth. Sometimes its funny with quarterbacks because you can see some things on the practice field that will give a coach added confidence. The biggest thing with Vince is the fact that he has gained confidence. The throw at Kansas was right on the money against tight coverage in the secondary and against a blitz. In practices and meetings, he is asking questions with more detail and without hesitation. He has come a long way and that allows you as a play caller to sometimes expand because you have confidence that the ball will be taken care of.

What is the importance of this game?
It's a bigger stage with two storied programs. I think bowl games catapult you into your off season. I think it is great that we are here and that it is important that we win. But it's like every game at Texas. We are expected to win and hopefully we have worked hard and will come out on top. There is a great pride for us in Texas.

Do you think that Cedric Benson and Vince Young are the best running tandem you have coached?
They're definitely two very strong threats back there. Not just on the zone read but also the counter read. Cedric has done a great job on the quarterback draw blocking for Vince. But they are two great threats back there running the football.

Because Michigan has two talented cornerbacks, do you see the tight ends contributing on Saturday?
As you know, they have been tremendously important this year. If they [Michigan] are playing a lot of man-to-man coverage on the outside, hopefully we can get some advantages with the tight ends and they can come up big in the ballgame.

Can you compare Cedric Benson and Ricky Williams?
His style of running is very much like Ricky [Williams]. He is not as big as Ricky. Ricky probably played his last bowl game at 235 [lbs] or more. Cedric is going to play probably at 225 [lbs] . But, they are similar in that they are slashers. What you don't see with Cedric are a bunch of flush hits. He has the ability to get his shoulders down and his body turned. A lot times, Cedric is the one delivering the hits.