Overheard outside Michigan locker room: ‘We’re not just dogs, we’re wolves’

ANN ARBOR — As more than 100,000 fans at Michigan Stadium were on edge before Michigan’s fourth-and-goal with the game on the line against USC, quarterback Alex Orji was already adding six points to the scoreboard in his head.

From the one-yard line, Orji turned and passed the ball to Kalel Mullings, who followed the block of fullback Max Bredeson and raced to the goal line for a touchdown with 37 seconds remaining. The score gave the 18th-ranked Wolverines a 27-24 lead, which held after the defense took a stand and forced a turnover on downs with eight seconds remaining.

“On the fourth down, we knew we were going to get it done,” Orji said. “It was confidence. On the third down, I was like, ‘Ah!’ Then on the fourth down, at that point, it was do or die, backs against the wall. We’re not just dogs, we’re wolves. Let’s do it. We all knew what was going to happen and we were going to call one of our favorite games out there.”

The Wolverines were a jovial bunch after knocking off No. 11 USC to open the Big Ten Championship. Here are some notable quotes from the players and head coach Sherrone Moore after Saturday’s win:

“It was crazy. It was fun. They were swinging at me. I’m not a small guy. They were swinging at me and it took a lot of strength and power. I’m a little sore right now, but it was unbelievable. The best thing about our team is we have a team. Whether you run, whether you throw (the media, the fans) say you should throw more (but) we won and we beat a good team. For us, that’s what it’s all about.”

-Moore on stage in the locker room after the victory.

“It’s just a representation of who we are. We’ve just been grinding meat this whole time, killing time. At the end of the day, a big part of football is dealing with adversity. It feels good to be able to deal with adversity and overcome it.”

– Reflections on the team’s eight-play, 89-yard game-winning touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. His 63-yard run, which gave Michigan its first first down of the second half, put the team in the red zone.

“He can go deep. He can outrun you. He did everything for us. He’s a great pass protector, he’s been unbelievable. Last year, he averaged 6 yards per carry, so it’s no surprise with how good he is and what he’s done. To see him take the next step and really make those explosive plays — when the game is on the line, he wants the ball in his hands, and he’s made plays happen. He’s a star. He’s a game-changing player.”

-Moore Mullings, who rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. He has rushed for more than 400 yards in four games.

“I feel like we always knew we could do it. We just need to get out there and get going – new season, new players, new team. Then when we get through this season, we’ll be on the right track.”

-Joseph Edge Stewart on what Saturday’s win means moving forward after a disappointing loss to Texas in Week 2.

“It’s funny, two drives before that, (defensive coordinator Wink Martindale) was thinking, ‘He’s going to get one. They’re going to test him and he’s going to get one.’ All I saw was Will, like a missile, shooting and stopping him, and he was gone. He’s an unbelievable player. He is who he is. He’s the same guy every day. He gives his all, doesn’t talk a lot and wants to be the best. He did what he did, he helped us win the game.”

-Moore on Will Johnson’s 42-yard interception returned for a touchdown that gave Michigan a 20-10 lead in the third quarter.

“I feel like that’s always a game plan before every game: stopping the run, making a team one-dimensional helps us “We executed the defense, and that’s what we did.”

– Defensive tackle Mason Graham on the mastery of USC’s rushing attack, particularly in the first two quarters. The Trojans were down 16 yards rushing at halftime.

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