'Cats easy to claw? NewQB, tough Blue defense know today The Michigan Daly-Saturdav. Seatember 8. 1979-Pne 11 - . - -l t- vi--- THE LIN EUPSS NORTHWESTERN ........................Clarke Prichard M7) ................................. Jim Ford id ) MICHIGAN OFFENSE TE (80) Doug. Marsh.. By BILLY SAHN As learning experiences go, this may prove a fairly painless afternoon for the Michigan football team. For a temporarily makeshift offen- sive line, a game-starved quarterback and a coach who has nearly cornered the market on cautious optimism, the pre-opening day attitude in the Wolverine camp could have been quite different from the sentiments Bo, Schembechler has displayed this hectic, calm-before-the-storm week. ACCORDING TO Schembechler, who commandeers Michigan into its. gridiron centennial today against Nor- thwestern, games are played one at a time. He adds, "We won't be looking ahead. Northwestern is the only game we've prepared for thus far." Honesty notwithstanding, the Wolverines have, for the last nine years, prepared for an assumed event - an easy victory. Indeed, there have been exceptions, like the 7-0 sleeper which kicked off the 1972 campaign, and the 7-3 nail-biter Michigan pulled off in 1967. But total the scores from the last four meetings and you get a rather lopsided score of 229-41; Nevertheless, Michigan will learn a lot from this ball game. In that sense, it may well be the most important game that the Wolverines play all year. The Wolverines return to the gridiron this afternoon without an experienced quarterback. The Rick Leach days are history. According to Schembechler, the starting signal'caller will be either B. J. Dickey, senior John Wangler, or sophomore Gary Lee. But the final decision may be concealed from the over 100,000 Michigan Stadium fans un- til the offense takes the field for its first series of downs. Schembechler did say that freshman Rich Hewlett, who was also a possible, though unlikely, starter, will miss this game because of a pulled hamstring muscle. While Michigan must contend with their "up-in-the-air" quarterback situation, the Wildcats boast their biggest threat in senior field general Kevin Strasser. AT 6-3, 190, Strasser ranked fourth in the Big Ten last year in passing. In 11 games, Strasser unloaded 307 passes. That meant Northwestern was passing on almost every other play. On four oc- casions Northwestern passed on fourth down, and in all four instances did they gain enough yardage for a first down. "We'll stay with what we are doing," commented second-year head coach Rick Venturi. "I want to keep the bizarre quality in our offense. I don't like sterile football," he continued. DESPITE ALL the enthusiasm that Venturi has injected into the Wildcats and their fans, they remain the favorite for last place this season in the Big Ten. Their defense is weak. Last year, the Wildcat defenders yielded 440 points to opposing teams, and allowing them to grind out 464.4 yards per game. DESPITE THE uncertainty at the QB position, the Wolverines boast a group of highly talented athletes on offense. Leading the offense will be senior wingback Ralph Clayton. Clayton heads a group of receivers which Schembechler terms "pretty good." Joining Clayton will be tightend Doug Marsh, wide receiver Alan Mitchell, and freshman Anthony Carter, also at wide receiver. But the Blue's awesome power lies in the defense. A perennial statistical leader, the ex- perienced corps of defenders is led by linebacker Ron Simpkins and tackle Curtis Greer. Both earned All-Big-Ten first team honors last season. Joining Greer and Simpkins on the field are free safety Mike Harden and wideside halfback Mike Jolly, both returning starters. If Strasser hopes to click on his murderous aerials, he'll have to thread the pigskin in between -this talented pair. (72) (65) (59) (64) (76) (30) (22) (23) (32) (10) (83) (53) (95) (55) (77) (40) (41) (31) (16) (28) < 4) Ed Muransky .......................... Kurt Becker ............................. George Lillija ............................. John Arbeznik ............................ Mike Lewd ........................... Alak Mitchell ....................... Ralph Clayton. ...................... Lawrence Reid ........................... Stan Edwards ............................ B.J. Dickey............................ . RG ............................. Bill Draznik C ............................. Mike Fiedler LG ........................... Kevin Kenyon QT......... ....John SchroberI WR ........................Todd Sheets WB ..............................Steve Bogan FB ......................... Mike Cammon TB ........................... Dave Mishler QB ........................... Kevin Strasser 5) 7) ST DEFENSE Ben Needham ............................ Mel Owens .............................. Curtis Greer ....................... Dale Keitz............................ Mike Trgovac ............................ Ron Simpkins....................... Andy Cannavino.................... Stuart Harris ....................... Mike Jolly............................ Mark Braman ............................ Michael Harden .......................... OLB OLB T T MG ILB ILB Wolf WHB SHB S ...............................Dean Payne ................................Kevin Berg .. Norm Wells ...............Bruce Robinett ...........................Brian Stasiewicz ................................Jim Miller .............................Churck Kern .. . . . . TomMcGlade ...............Dana iHemphill .................................Lou Tiberi ...............................Ben Butler .. e. H 'NEFF IS ENOUGH At the football writers' luncheon Thursday, Bo Schembechler was asked who would be the starting quarterback when Michigan opens the 1979 season against Northwestern today. Schembechler has this to say about the mystery, "I'm not going to tell you if I haven't told them." This was a mere two days before game day. With the quarterback riddle unsolved, this fictitious conflict came to my mind. It's Friday night at the Campus Inn and B.J. Dickey (one of the three candidates) is nervously pacing his room. He is thinking, "I should start. I run the option better thanwanyone else. I have experience, but I don't know. Wangler's been looking awfully good. I never ex- pected him to come off an injury that well. "Then again, he could easily start Gary (Lee). He's from Flint Southwesterin and God, Bo loves those guys from Southwestern. (Rick) Leach, (Gene) Johnson, (Rodney) Feaster - there's no way I'll start. But I don't know - he's green; he's never been tested in college." I don't know. I wish I did though, because it's tough men- tally. "But then again, Wangler might have been ahead of me last year if he hadn't pinched a nerve. Aw, what's it matter, anyway. Those guys are all my friends. The whole thing is ridiculous. I wonder what those guys are thinking now." "Hey, Gary, who do you think'll start?" "I don't know, man, but I think Wangler's got it sewn up. For some reason, Bo really likes him," said Lee. "I'll ask Wangler who he thinksit's gonna be," mut- terg Dickey. "Hey John, what's the deal?" "I think it's gonna be you. He knows how well you run, considering your two TD runs last year. He's been run- ning you with the first team for most of the year so it's got to be you. You know their movements much better thanIdo and Gary, he doesn't have much experience." Dickey thanked Wangler and went back to his room.- By Billy Neff He started to flip a deck of cards around and turned over a few cards to see how well he'd do. He turned over some cards and Lee kept getting the highest card. "Aw, s---, Gary keeps winning. Hell, I wish I knew." Little did Dickey know, but back in another hotel room, Schembechler was doing the same thing - picking cards to solve the mystery. It's 22 for Lee, 22 for Wangler and 20 for Dickey. Dammit, I thought it would be easier than this. Dickey won twice and Wangler won once to knot it at 22. "They all have their strong points. Dickey runs the op- tion better than the other two, Wangler combines the run and the pass the best and Lee is the best passer. John leads so well, Lee is so quick and Dickey, well, he's got the experience," thought Schembechler. "Jerry (Michigan offensive line coach Hanlon), come in here and pick a card. Whoever you pick will start," Schembechler declared.I We switch back to Dickey's room and find the Ohio junior fast asleep. Or is he? "It should be me but will it be? How can I get fired up - I'm so worried about whether I am going to start that I can't even get pumped up." The night passes without much ado, although Dickey doesn't get much sleep due to his obvious preoccupation. En route to Michigan Stadium, there is a gnawing in Dickey's stomach. He still doesn't know. "Bo is an op- tion coach, so he's got to go with me." He continues to himself, "I have the experience over those guys." "Wangler, Lee and Dickey, come in to my office," Schembechler says. "I've decided after much, much careful deliberation that the starter is . . ." there is a pause, which seems like an eternity to all involved. "It's you, John." Hanlon had pulled an ace of diamonds, a queen for Lee and a ten for Dickey - careful deliberation, indeed! - 7/ .A" ". r - 4 TH OUNT OF ANTIPASTO 114QSout, unversty 68=841] Z tt q 9 . > f t_,,, rRA tct. y- i. f ....n+o'"\ . +. a ' .,. ":. . a 0 a S 0 p 4 i t e r Y i i y i ! a r i f r 7 s f f { 9 1 ,i .. M v P R~ MAWWAL . v ALA L w v . P,.ALWy v v qo .. m i. Happy Hour: 4-6; 9-12 ' U AluImni harriers .wtowit em By ANDI POCH Greg Meyer, Bill Donakowski and Mike McGuire, three former NCAA All- Americans, are three of Michigan's all- time greatest distance runners. When they took to the line Friday on the University Golf Course for a 1979 team Cross Country time trial, it was no wonder some heads turned. Meyer, who runs for Greater Boston, led the way cruising through the 4.3 mile course in 21:16. Senior Dan We're all about roller skating. Heikkinen followed -in 21:27. Bill Interested? Weidenbach was third in 21:37, followed Good street skates for retail and rental. by veteran Mike McGuire. Senior Dave Everybody's doing it! Lewis and alumnus Donakowski Safe, clean and fun, or so Cher tells us. crossed next. Juniors Gary Parentetu and Dan Toucan Skate Beck, freshmen Ed Ostravich, Brian 619 E. William at State Dremer, sophomore Steve Brandt (upper) rounded out the top eight. Coach Ron AnnpAr Warhurst was particularly pleased with Ann Arbor the performances of the freshmen and 668-0311 the running of Beck. New hours! Beck finished ninth overall in 22:3. tr hurs . After two years of training difficulties, Tuesday through Thursday, 12 noon till i p.m.; the Grosse Pointe native made a strong Friday and Saturday, 12 noon till m ght; bid for a spot on the squad. Sunday 12 noon till 6 p.m.; "Training with Bill (Weidenback) Closed Monday. really helped me this summer," related Special day rates, overnight rates and best of all PARTY Beck. "It got me in shape mentally as rates. Call for street skating party information. well as physically. I'm ready," he ad -________________________________ d.ried. PARTHENON GY S &ea tauvat t Nounwwww wwM Ow r1 Awui Ulrich's Introduces The HP-41C A Calculator-A System -A Whole New Standard THE CALCULATOR. This is not just another calculator. The HP-41C is the most powerful calculator Hewlett-Packard has ever designed. It features over 130 built in functions and offers up. to 400 lines of program memory or 63 data storage registers (expandable with Memory Modules); alphanumeric capability; customizing features; and continuous memory. Programming features include; up to 6 levels. of subroutines; 10 conditionals, and 56 internal flags; specific loop control; indirect addressing: local and global branching. THE SYSTEM. Add up to four optional peripherals and modules to build a system to suit your needs. Memory modules. 64 registers per module for storing programs and data. Can increase calcula- tor capacity to 319 registers or up to 2,000 lines of program memory. Card Reader. Records programs and data onto blank mag-cards for use later. Accepts HP 67/97 program cards. Printer. For hard copy. Does high resolution plotting routines. Wand. Enters programs and data by reading bar codes. Available in early 1980. A WHOLE NEW STANDARD. With Hewlett-Packard's unparalleled software support, the HP-41C represents a totally new standard of design for all handheld calculators. Initial quantities are limited, so come in today and see for yourself. Ulrich's-always competitive