There was no one-size-fits-all answer.

Some within the Michigan football program chose to spend their extra time in the facility watching film early to get a head start on this week's game plan. Others went to the cider mill with their families, taking their first Saturday off since July to recuperate their mind and soul. And some spent hours watching college football as they rested their bodies ahead of the second half of the season.

Everybody handled their bye week a bit differently, but as head coach Sherrone Moore said Monday at Schembechler Hall, that was by design.

"Last week, we came and practiced, did what we needed to do, but also wanted the guys to get their bodies back, get them rested and get them mentally cleared, that's a big piece of it too," Moore said of his goal during a bye week. "They had Friday, Saturday off just to be to themselves. ... most were still here, still in the facility doing stuff. But it was a good time for everybody, refreshing, with coaches on the road recruiting."

This off week, to be sure, has been different than most in recent years. U-M hadn't lost prior to a bye since 2019 and to make matters worse, the No. 22 Wolverines (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) have already lost twice as they get ready to head on the road against yet another ranked opponent in No. 21 Illinois (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten).

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It's why even though Moore wants everybody to rest and rejuvenate themselves, there also much be a laser-like focus. Michigan has preached urgency not panic since its Week 2 loss to Texas, and that has ratcheted up since the 27-17 loss to Washington last week, which has left little if any room for error the rest of the way.

Michigan players and coaches are still choosing to look at the glass half full. The team still controls its own destiny − if it wins out, it's going to the College Football Playoff − but that can only happen if there are some major corrections.

"Fundamentals, technique − the little things make the big things," Moore said of the point he and coaches emphasized to the team during the week. "The scheme part of it, you know we've got to adjust to do other things, but really it's about the little details. When you make those little details work, it's gonna make you a better player and make you a better team.

"That's what we worked on throughout the whole week."

On defense, Moore said the team emphasized "angles" as the biggest thing the staff took away from Washington film. That was one of the four pillars under former defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, and is still in place under Wink Martindale, but the execution has fallen off significantly, leading to missed tackles.

On offense, Moore continued to harp on the offensive line and details like hand placement, saying more often than not when he watches film there are many moments he finds himself thinking "man, that could've been it" only for one detail to fall short.

"You can't live in those worlds, you gotta live in what we did," he said. "We just gotta get better on the little things."

WHAT TO KNOW: Michigan football faces tough start to season's 2nd half at No. 21 Illinois

As Moore said, those little things have led to big things, like 71 completions of 10 yards or more, which ranks No. 128 out of 134 Division I teams (including some that have not yet had a bye). Captain and senior defensive back Makari Paige was the secondary's de-facto spokesman on Monday.

"Going over plays, obviously, going over the corrections," he said. "Especially this bye week, going over the plays that hurt us, that beat us this year, learning the ways to stop that and keep focus."

The vibes weren't all that much better on offense. Offensive guard Josh Priebe hasn't had the season he'd hoped for since transferring in from Northwestern, playing for an attack that's still yet to find its footing for a number of reasons. Last week, one of them was the absence of left tackle Myles Hinton and center Dom Giudice, and while each are "on track" to practice this week according to Moore, neither is a lock to return.

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That would mean more action for Jeff Persi and Greg Crippen, both of whom were solid, but not the usual rotation. Of course, this is all in addition to U-M's second quarterback change and third starter on the year, as Moore made the move to seventh-year man Jack Tuttle.

There's optimism he can lead the team to a brighter second half, but leaders like Priebe were quick to point out Michigan has to remain where its feet are. The only way to get out of this hole is one game at a time.

“Whenever you don’t have an outcome you want, there is going to be a higher sense of urgency," Priebe said. "But at the same time, we can’t sit here and look ahead to everything we have going forward. Every game from now on is going to be a battle. You can’t get lost looking too far in the future. What everyone’s trying to do, as best as possible, is remain present.

"If you don’t do that, you’ll get distracted and that’s when things certainly can spiral.”

Next up: Fighting Illini

Matchup: No. 22 Michigan (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) at No. 21 Illinois (5-1, 2-1).

Kickoff: 3:30 p.m. Saturday; Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois.

TV/radio: CBS; WXYT-FM (97.1).

Line: Wolverines by 3.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football emphasizes 'little things' during bye week clean up