Q. What will you remember and reflect on this team, what this team meant to you guys in the future?
AIDAN HUTCHINSON: Yeah, this team's been so great. We were so bonded from day one. Sucks it's got to end this way. I mean, nothing's going to take away our accomplishments this year, what we achieved for what we were expected.
I'll forever love this team. We did some amazing things. Some historic stuff.
BRAD HAWKINS: Yeah, just to piggyback on what Aidan said. This 2021 Michigan football team was amazing. I wouldn't trade it for anything. I love these guys. We bought in since January with the leadership, the young guys buying in with us, allowing us to lead them in the right direction.
But, yeah, this 2021 Michigan football team will forever be remembered. I love those guys. I will forever just think about these guys. I love this university.
Q. Coach Harbaugh told ESPN that he told you guys you were part of laying the foundation for this program.
BRAD HAWKINS: Can you repeat the question?
Q. Coach Harbaugh told ESPN this is just the start, he said he told you guys the same thing. What does that mean to lay that foundation, to be a part of the beginning of a new era for this program?
AIDAN HUTCHINSON: Yeah, we climbed mountains this season that no one thought we could. We did some things that nobody expected this Michigan team to do. I think we set the standard for the future of Michigan football and we really helped this program tremendously for the future.
All those young guys, they got this scar tissue now, being in the Playoffs, losing, having to feel this. I know they're going to bounce back next year and give 'em hell.
Q. Aidan, is there any way that you can pass on the leadership to any of the players you know are returning? Anyone you've been mentoring for that role to keep it so the team continues to have this level of success?
AIDAN HUTCHINSON: Yeah, I think we got a lot of guys on this team coming back that they listen to us leaders this year, they learn from us. I mean, they're with us through the thick and the thin.
I know Michigan football will be in good hands next year with one of those guys. I mean, they're going to step up. Already started talking to a couple of them that I know are going to be leaders next year.
Michigan football will be in good hands. They've learned this whole season what leadership is and how it's supposed to be.
Q. How do you balance the disappointment of a loss and the success of this season?
BRAD HAWKINS: Say that one more time.
Q. How do you balance the success of the season and the disappointment of a loss?
BRAD HAWKINS: Yeah, today didn't go our way. Yeah, it's life. Of course you know we had a great season, got some big wins, just did what we were supposed to do.
But this one hurts. These guys are going to continue to grow, they're going to grow from this. Kind of like Aidan said, we set the foundation. These guys, of course, are disappointed. The scar tissue is not going to stop them.
Starting a new year, it's a new season. They're just going to continue to grow and continue to get better.
Q. (Question about conferences.)
AIDAN HUTCHINSON: I don't really think conferences matter that much. They were a talented team that happens to be in the south. I don't think it's really Big Ten versus SEC. They're a very good football team. They executed more than us today. So I think that's what it comes down to.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports