Stephen Schilling can't forget how Michigan’s offense was stopped on a series of four plays from the 1-yard line last week in the 38-13 loss to Illinois. Schilling, a junior offensive lineman, also believes Michigan has the answers to prevent that from happening again in the final three weeks of the season.

In a question and answer session this week, Schilling talks about this season's roller coaster ride and what a victory this week against Purdue would mean to the team.

Q: Given the way everything seemed to break down in the second half against Illinois, how difficult was it to have to sit through it and watch film of it and see everything play out all over again?

A: I really didn't want to watch it. ... it was disappointing for sure. There were things we could have done a lot better.

Q: What really sticks out in your mind when you say that?

A: The first month of the season as on offensive line, we were doing real well with our physical play in terms of where it was last year, and I think we may have taken a little bit of a step back (against Illinois), but that's something that can be fixed relatively easily.

Q: Was maybe the biggest failure in that on the four tries from the 1-yard line when you didn't score?

A: Yeah, we figured, '1-yard line, we can get it in, we're confident in what we can do.' And to have four tries to get less than a yard and not get it is very disappointing. If you're on the goal line as an offensive line, you should get in all the time. We feel like we should be able to run the ball and get a few yards all the time. So to come to the sideline (after) not converting on those four plays was rough, and it obviously was a turning point in the game. We should have been more physical. I thought the running backs ran hard - we just should have had some bigger holes for them.

Q: Why do you think there hasn't been as much physical play up front as there was early on?

A: You get into the grind and toward the end of the season and the game becomes a lot more mental. You have to will your body to do things it won't when the weather gets cold. But that's stuff that starts up front with us.

Q: You talk about it being more mental, but does it also get harder to do when you're not winning maybe as much as you were at the start of the season?

A: Yeah, definitely. As far as the offense goes, it starts with the offensive line. If we're playing well and we're getting after it, it kind of fuels the energy off to some of the other positions that maybe aren't so physical. If we're playing well up front, it makes it easier for the running backs to run and if we're getting physical with the defense, it wears them down and they can miss tackles. So it's on us, for sure.

Q: Do you think you get as much credit as you deserve for when things are going well?

A: The quarterbacks and running backs get all the praise when things are going good and when things are going bad, it's the line's fault. That's just the way it is and all deal with that and so we want to make sure things are never going that bad. But we don't really need the credit - we're going to go out and be the workhorses. We don't touch the ball, we don't score any touchdowns, but if our guys can, we're happy.

Q: You've said you don't think too much about becoming bowl eligible Saturday against Purdue, but with only three games left, that's kind of tough isn't it?

A: You try and take every week the same, but obviously you've got that (win total) number sitting at five right now and you want to get that sixth just to be eligible. But we just try and worry about Purdue and the next two games and let the chips fall where they may.

Q: Do the memories of not going to a bowl game last year play into it all all?

A: Kind of. It sucked last year being home for a month and having to watch all of the other games feeling we had a chance to be there and (Michigan) has been there so long. So while (those thoughts) creep in, you try and put them away and try and focus your mind on Purdue.

Jeff Arnold covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at jeffarnold@annarbor.com or 734-623-2554.