;day, September 8, 19.77
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Page Sever
~doy, September S. 1977 TH~ MICHIGAN DAILY ~oge Sevet
Grid defense
Ut confident McCartney leaves
succ Blue philosophy intact
In
new
if y'ou're beseiged with boredom at some
I : the football games this fall, part of the
blame will belong to Michigan assistant
coach. Bil McCartney. As the new defensiVe
coordinator, it will be his responsibility to
keep the opponent from moving the foot-
ball.
McCartney replaces outgoing Gary Moel-
ler, who is now head coach at Illinois. Moel-
ler left 'a legacy of fie defensive teams at
Michigan, and there's pressure on McCart-
net to carry on those successes.
Daily Sports staffers Don MacLachian and
Scott Lewis talked with him recently about
his defensive philosophy and his hopes for
the Wolverines this year.
DAILY: How do you compare this
year's defense with, the Michigan de-
fenses of the past?
McCARTNEY: Well you have to under-
and that we've graduated seven starters.
e have to replace our inside five guys.
r middle guard, the two tackles and the
o inside linebackers, in addition to Jim
ilden who was a two-year regular and
rry Zuver who had a good year at the
olf position.
So anytime you have to rebuild two-
irds of your defense, you're concerned.
e do feel that we've got some good young
ayers in those positions. We feel that
'ye recruited well and some of the
ung kids coming in could figure promi-
ntly in our overall picture.
DAILY: Is the Michigan defense.
eared more to the run than the pass?
CCARTNEY: It might surprise you to
ow that in our first five games a year
o, the opposition threw an average of 37
sses a game. And they ran the ball 31
ea a game. A lot of people think that
en we go out to the bowl games that we
ven't seen the pass. Quite frankly, we
d probably seen more passes in those
e games than any other team in the
untry.
our defense develops its personality
in its offense, because the onlyteam we
y against during spring is our own of-
nse, and we play', against them 20
aight days. So the first thing you have
learn to'do is to defense yOur own of-
se. And that's still a big help to us be-
use the Big Ten's still primarily a run-
g offense, and our own team's still pri-
ily a running team.
DAILY: As far as the pass defense
s concerned, it seems that a lot of the
ime, you give the teams the short
asses to prevent the long one. Is that
art of the coaching philosophy at Mi-
igan?
McCARTNEY: There's no question
about it. In eight years, the ball has only
been thrown over our heads once. Statis-
tics will tell you, that if you don't give up
the big play, both :running and passing,
that you're going to be in the thick of ev-
ery game. So we're very much concerned
with not letting anyone throw the ball over
our heads. If we keep everything in front
of us, then we'll have a g9od chance of,
beeping the opponent off the scoreboard.
It's kind of frustrating sometimes when
they throw a few in there, but we're work-
ing on breaking on the ball, and we're
working on narrowing the distance be-
tween the receiver and the defender -
those are areas we can improve in.
DAILY: It seems the last couple of
years, the secondary's been a bit muore
suspect than It has in the past. Is there
any reason for this?
McCARTNEY: You say that, and yet a
year= ago we led the nation against the
score. And any time that you give up the.
fewest -amount of points, your secondary
would probably have to be the most instru-
mental ingredient in keeping people from
getting into theend zone, because ,they're
the last line of defense.
We know that's somewhat of a popular
feeling that people have, but we think that
our secondary is excellent. Of course
there's always room for improvement, but
we're excited about 'the prospects for this
year's secondary.
DAILY: What do you look for when
recruiting a defensive player? Is it
true since you've been here at Michi-
gan, that the defense has been real
good due to its quickness?
McCARTNEY: When we recruit, we're
always looking for the big, strong, fast
guy. The two teams that we've played the
past two years in the bowl games, Okla-
homa with the Selmon brothers, and Sou.
thern Cal with Jeter-those guys are every
bit as quick as the guys that we're talkig
about. and they're very much bigger.
You're looking for those guys when you re-
cruit. l
We'd rather have size and quiclness, but
we'd readily sacrifice size for quickness.
If we wanted to, we could be much big.
ger defensively, but we want a penetrat.
ing, aggressive, defense-one that swarms
to the football, and one that prevents big
plays.
But that's not the only thing that makes
a good defensive player. You have to be a
very unselfish player, which might sur-
prise you. In order to have a defensive
unit that's effective, everyone has to be do-
ing his job first, and then having the great
attitude and desire to get to the football.
And that's what comprises a good defense.
Just because a guy's always naking a lot
of tackles, doesn't-always mean that he's
always playing a 'great game.
DAILY: How hard is it for you to put
together a solid defense for every
game with the many varied offenses
.you see in a season? How hard is it to
adjust your defensive style during the
middle of & game?
McCARTNEY: We spend a good portion of
our summer studying our opponents. We'-
ye got a pretty good idea of what they did
in eight years, the ball
has only been thrown over
our heads once. Statistics
will tell you, that if you
don't give up the big ploy,
both running and passing,
that you're going to be in
the thick of every game.
a year ago, and we can anticipate the type
of offenses that we're going. to see.
Over an eleven-game schedule, you're
going to see virtually everything. We're
going to play Texas A&M, which is a wish-
bone team, we're going to play Wing-T
teams in Iowa and Wisconsin, we're going
to play I-fortnation teamsin Illinois and
Navy, Duke has a very different attack,
and Michigan State is primarily a throw-
ing team.
So, we're confronted with developing a
defense that's able to stop all those .types
of defenses.
About making adjustments in the course
of a game-a lot of games are won and
lost depending on the types of adjustments
that you make. But we have an excellent
defensive staff. Jack Harbaugas probably
the premier secondary coach in the cotn-
try. He definitely has the ability to make
adjustments.
In the three years that Tom Reed has
coached our defensive line, we're ?ad the
premier defensive line in the Big Ten. And
he'd be the guy who's largely tapsnsible
for making adjustments during the course
of a game.
And lastly on the defensive coaching
staff, we have Dennis Brown. Dennis is
over from the offense, and he brings over
a lot of good ideas to us. Being a good
hands
quarterback, he has a good feel for offen-
sive thinking.
What we try to do during the course of a
game is work together to make adjust-
ments. Even though we go into a game
knowing pretty much what a team can
run, their game plan may differ from
week to week, so there are adjustments to
be made in every game.
How quickly you get the adjustments in,
and how quickly they're performed, will
determine what kind of success you'll have
in stopping somebody.
DAILY: Do you have absolute power
in deciding what goes on as far as de-
fense is concerned? How much say
does B have?
McCARTNEY: Bo is very much in com-
mand over what we do defensively. Bo's
a great leader, and he has a great football
mind. We don't do anything without Bo, of
course.
DAILY: Do you think that coaches
are more defensive-minded now than
they were five years ago? It doesn't
seem that you have the high scoring
donnybrooks anymore in college foot-
ball. It seems that the coaches are
thinking more of the defense in terms
of how to counter the offense.
McCARTNEY: There are cycles in foot-
ball. Not many years ago we went through
the cycle of the veer offense and the wish-
bone. When they first' came in, they domi-
nated the defenses around the country.
That's when there were more high-scoring
games, and the trend was strictly offense.
But just like all other offenses, the de-
fense, over a period of time has caught up
with the offenses. There are only a handful
of teams today that are still running the
wishbone. But it won't be long before the
offense. will get another idea and get a
jump on the defense, and it will send ev-
er body back to the drawing board.
Southern Cal's idea was kind of revolu-
tionary, in that their quarterback would
spend 03 percent of his time throwing the
football, and only five percent running.
Now that's kind of revolutionary from a
Big Ten standpoint because our quarter-
backs are used to spending a majority of
their time working with the running game,
and the amount of time allotted to the
passing game isn't too much.
So, from a passing standpoint, there are
pro coaches that are filtering into the col-
lege ranks, and causing some problems.
DAILY: Would you say it's more
exciting to win a .game 10-0 or 14-7,
rather than 28.24?
McCARTNEY: No question about it.
Over the eight year period that Bo Schem-
bechler's been at Michigan, we're far and
away the leader in the nation in giving up
Hicks nails QSU's Johnson
the fewest amount of points over that
time. And every year we go into season
with the idea that we're going to lead the
nation against the score.
We might bend a little bit at times,
which is what you were making reference
to before, when you see us giving up some
intermediate passes and,completions, but
yet, we don't break. That's the key. Our
defense is built on great pursuit, great
enthusiasm, and playing with complete
reckless abandon.
Our offense is due a lot of credit for
the defensive successes we've had. Our
offense is a ball control ,attacking type
force. When our defense is playing its
best football, you can generally look and':.
see that the offense has controlled the
ball in that particular game to the ex-
tent that our defense hasn't been on the,
field a whole lot.
There's no doubt that that is not only
a defensive philosophy, but it's a football
philosophy here at Michigan.
DAILY: How does the defense help
the offense as far as field position is
concerned?
McCARTNEY: Field position is the key
to winning football games. If we kickoff
in a game and don't give up a first down,
we have a very good chance of taking
over near mid-field. If you can give an
offense the caliber of ours, the ball some-
where near mid-field, you are in the
driver's seat.
But when we're at a disadvantage field
position-wise, we have to rise up and take
charge, because it's just customary for an
offense to get excited when they get a
break at our end.
When you see teams that play in high-
scoring games, they're what we call "big
play" teams. They make big plays on
offense and give up big plays on defense.
They make mistakes, and they incur a lot
of penalties. We're the type of team that
wants to be penalty-free and mistake-free.
We) want to play the percentages.
DAILY: Do you think it's a college
coach's responsibility to help a player.
out, in terms, of his professional ca-
reer?
McCARTNEY: I think our program is
such that it's operated on a first class
level and any pro football team's going to
be interested in our playbrs. Scouts tell
us that our guys are very, very well-pre-
pared to play professionally.
DAILY: Overall, what do you and
the coaches expect from the team this
year?
McCARTNEY: We're 'guardedly opti-
mistic. We recognize that if our players
come back in the right frame of mind, we
have the potential to do it all..But we're
going to need a very, very highly moti-
vated team to accept the challenge that
we'll get this year.
We have the opportunity to reach out
for the top. We're thinking in terms of
the Big Ten championship first, and we
have enough to win it. We just have to
put it all together.
4 0
By Scott Lewis-~ .4''~
MERE MORTALS CAN ENTER SPOTLIGHT
Re c
By JEFFREY BLAKE
Sports
bring opportunity
ports at Michigan .f .
AT, it's currently 'in style'
RE AT MICHIGAN, athletic director Don Canham, along
with the rest of his cohorts, has in a short period of time,
sformed a school whose notoriety around the country depends
only on academics, but just as much so on athletics.
Is it possible that subconsciously some students, who alsoJ
ow sports, may be inclined to attend Michigan instead of a
qer-known school with no athletic program?
Does the dominance that Michigan holds over Michigan
tate In athletics carry over to the classrooms because some
telligent high school seniors unintentionally equate athletics
th academic superiority?
After all, a frustrated Detroit-area sports fan may yearn for a
ner enough, such that a winning football or- basketball team
sway him to Ann Arbor.
Obviously, this doesn't happen often enough to drastically
r an entire school's academic reputation. And more import-
ly, from an individual's point of view, this shouldn't keep a
ent from picking the school best suited for him.
Because once a student becomes bogged down in his stu-
ies, athletics ought to be an occasional diversion from those
tudies, but nothing more. No matter what kind of sports nut
e student is, school is too important to let something as irre-
vant to the real world as sports alter his lifestyle.
ut as is true at most colleges around the country, sports at
higan is very much a part of life for a good number of stu-
ts. In fact, to a few students, sporots is his life. These students
:prise the Fanatics.
The Fanantic lives and dies with Michigan sports teams. His
demic schedule revolves around the schedule of the football
i in the fall, and the basketball or hockey team in the win-
If he's at school in the spring, the baseball or tennis teams
y fill sufficient dosage to satisfy his fix. The only hope for this
is the summer semester, where no athletic teams remain
ive.
After last year's football loss to Purdue, the Fanatic would
ontemplate suicide, but decide to wait until after the Ohio
tate game. Of course he only got a 62 on his chemistry test
cause he attended a pep rally the Thursday before Home-
ming, which also happened to be the night before his test.
But this category only comprises a small percentage of the
dents attending the University. Most' others are just average
irts fans, who just go along with the crowd as far as sporting
its are concerned.
These are the ones who filled up Crisler Arena last season
:ause of high expectations for the team, but left it only half
I the year before because expectations weren't as high.
The average sports fan there wants not only a winner; but a
Granted, the aura surrounding intramural
sporting events at Michigan will not resemble
that of the intercollegiate level.
There will be no throngs of leather-lunged
fan(atics) exhorting players to stardom, no tick-
ets to send, to friends and relatives (in fact no
tickets at ,all), and no recruiting scandals nor
NCAA investigations.
And no performance, no matter how sterling or,
star-like, will warrant a player's, snapshot on
the cover of Sports Illustrated.
FOR MOST OF US MORTALS though, not
fame, but the game's the thing. And if Crisler
Arena remains reserved for the stars, plenty of
space still remains for the rest of us to make or
miss our own shots.
In fact, the U-M Department' of Recreational
Sports is one of the largest in the country, both
in facilities and utilization by the student body,'
in providing such a forum. As many as ,30-32
percent of all Michigan students of both sexes
participate in some kind of recreatiorial sports.
Who can use it? Anybody. And though a fee is
charged for any person 'not affiliated with the
University, and though faculty members must
pay $30 annually to utilize facilities, students
need only flash an ID card (hopefully her or his
own) at the door attendant to gain entrance.
BUT DON'T THNK it's really free-the tni-
versity allots ten bucks of your tuition each se-
mester for recreational sports.,
And not only may' anybody use the Rec de-
partment's facilities, but it's also a safe bet to
say that any given student will do so at one
point during his/her stay in Ann Arbor. j
For if slow-pitch softball, basketball, football
or hockey attract you, leagues, and teams
abound. But if paddleball, squash, inner-tube
water polo or basketball foul-shooting is your
forte, then there's still room for you.
JAN WELLS, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR of the
Women's and Co-Recreational Activities in the
Intramural program, estimates some 400 IM
teams exist, covering over 30 sports, with about
250 of these teans in basketball leagues alone.
Not that all of these teams face each other in
a decade-long schedule-far from it. To facilitate
matters and to satisfy the different levels of
talent and spirit amongst participants, the IM
program separates competition into eight edivi-
sions: women, co-recreational, residence hall,
fraternity, independent, all-campus (open to both
sexes, and more sports than in the independent
league), graduate, and faculty & staff.
ed through play in any number of sports through-
out the year.
The Recreative division culminates in neither
awards nor xplayoffs, and "Hopefully," says Jan
Wells, "the whole attitude is different: In the
Recreational Division you want to play, and it's
not just a matter of win or lose."
WITHIN SOM19E SPORTS THERE are divisions
too: One basketball league admits players only
5-9 and under, and while the league furnishes
few prospects for any Slam-Dunk competition it
is ideal for those with a fear of heights: Mini-
soccer, with the prefix referring to size of ball
and not player, is played indoors with a handball
sized sphere.
And of other sports with variation, there is
"inner-tube water polo" -- water polo played
while afloat on a tube - where the greatest tal-
ent required,may be, as Wells admits, "just get-
tlhg back into the tube -after falling out."
If one desires entry into one of these leagues,
just enough members, te entry of a few forms
(minimal red tape) plus a $15 fee (which certain
leagues do not require) will qualify a team. This
fee will cover. any number of sports within the
same division.
IF ON THE LEAGUE LEDGER, however, you
find not your own favorite sport, just a little ex-
pressed interest and a few applicants may in-
duce the IM to aid you in creating a new compe-
tition. Amongst recent additions are. bike races,
foul-shooting, jogging contests (jogging con-
tests?) and possibly this year, indoor field-hock-
ey.
Since intramural sports is not for everyone, the
Sports Club Program may fill your needs. This
program may consist of instruction, competition'
and organized play, and is predominently oper-
ated by the club members themselves. Some of
the 35 sports club are karate, lacrosse, soccer,
frisbee, kayak, sailing, dancing and skiing.
For all of you who have special recreational,
interests or needs, the Special Interest Program
offers activities for kids, families, joggers, swim-
mers, handicappers, and many more individuals
and groups around caimpus.
AND FOR THOSE WHO long to get on the
other side of the whistle, plenty of "official"
posts are available through which to call "out-
of-bounds" on your very own friends.
Finally, if retaining shape and refining skills,
or simply competing without the organized aura
are your objectives, you should have no prob-
lem finding an open field' or court (though lines
for racquetball reservations do peak around
5:00) around campus.
Where to play? All over. Four indoor facilities
(one on North Campus), eight outdoor fields
(three on North Campus), and five other out-
door recreational pads will provide the means
for tennis, paddleball; track, weightlifting, gym-
nastics, and refer to the IM department for the
rest because there. isn't enough space, on this
paper for all of them.
So there you are-left to find a few free hours
in which to squeeze the studies. And once you've
set your priorities, for additional information on
times, etc., the Recreational Sports staff is more
than willing to answer your queries.
Women seek sports equality
By PAUL CAMPBELL
Michigan has' become a true national power-
house in men's athletics. The teams represent-
ing the Ann Arbor institution are perenially at
or near the top of the NCAA heap.
But how does the Big Blue U stand in' regards
to women's sports? Do the women wbo compete
on the varsity intercollegiate level receive the
same attention and benefits as their male coun-
terparts?
IF YOU ASK the University, they will spew
forth the official policy on women in sports-
that and goal is 'to elevate women's sports to
the same level on which the men stand.
If you ask the coaches, their answer would be
a qualified yes. They see progress, but they also
note that women's athletics pose special prob-
lems.
If you ask the athletes themselves, most seem
to feel that they are getting a fair shake. But
they point out that the money being spent on
men's programs is still a mountain to the mole-,
hill being spent an them.
players will be on "half rides," which provide
money to cover tuition and fees.
"In the past, it has been very difficult to do
the job without scholarships," said swimming
coach Stu Issac. "We are behind quite a few
programs around the country."
VISIBLE RESULTS seem to back up Issac's
opinion. Two years ago, the women he coached
finished third in the Big Ten Women's Swim-
ming and Diving Championships. But, as his
scholarships increased, the team jumped past
Michigan State and Indiana, and has now won
two consecutive conference titles.
Women's tennis coach John Atwood agrees:
"With progress in scholarships, I should really
be able to do a job next year."
But Atwood and Issac have recruiting advant-
ages not shared by their fellow women's coach-
es. Swimming is a very- popular age-group sport
for both sexes. Tennis has boomed in the last ten
years and is starting to produce college, age
players who have been wielding- a racquet since
age 10..
situation, and last year they took one major step
to try and avoid bidding' wars over prime high
school athletesthe elimination of all in-person
recruiting. As of last December, Coaches may
only contact future prospects by phone or mail.
"THE RECRUITING ban is simply a result of
the sudden speeding up, of all aspects of wo-
men's' athletics," explains Ginny Hunt, Director
of Women's Athletics at Michigan. "Something
like this should really start at the grass roots
level but the need for quick change has been
given precedent."
Hunt's job itself is an example of that quick
change. Two years ago, Michigan had no sepa-
rate bureaucracy to administer women's sports.
STILL, COACH Atwood senses that something
else will have to change besides the attitudes-of
the institutions if women are going to reach
their full athletic potential in college programs.
The attitudes of the women themselves also
must adjust to new realities.
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