Thursday, September 9, 1976 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Three Thursday, September 9, 1976 THE MICHIGAN DAILY ..- w_.,_._... ... c gan to sna od S in .0 '76 team - - - / _ By ANDY GLAZER The date is November 22, 1975. Late in the fourth quarter, Michigan is leading its annual clash with Ohio State 14-7 on the strength of a one-yard touchdown plunge by quarterback Rick Leach only moments before. Michigan has held Ohio State without a first down for over thirty minutes as the Buckeyes take possession on their own 20. Cornelius Greene, the mercurial senior quarter- back of the Buckeyes, drops back to pass. His re- ceivers are covered. He retreats. Tim Davis, Michigan's incredibly quick middle guard, closes in. For the second straight year, Davis has been a one-man wrecking crew against the Buckeyes. Back goes Greene. He twists left, right. No- where to go. Back, back, into his own end- zone. Davis' catlike reactions put him inches away from his man and the safety that will clinch the game, The Rose Bowl trip, and re- open the door to national championship hopes that seemed dashed after two early-season ties. But Greene matches quickness against quick- ness, and wins. He eludes Davis, and manages to launch a pass that fall incomplete, nearly inter- cepted.: The knockout punch eluded, Ohio State passes for the first down, marches downfield and scores. The Wolverines, needing a win to get to the Rose Bowl, left fly with a pass that is intercepted and run back to the Michigan three. Ohio State scores, Wins. Football schedule Sept. 1 WISCONSIN Sept. 18 STANFORD Sept. 25 NAVY Oct. 2 WAKE FOREST Oct. 9 MICHIGAN ST. Oct. 16 at Northwestern Oct. 23 at Indiana Oct. 30 MINNESOTA Nov. 6at Purdue Nov. 13 ILLINOIS Nov. 20 at Ohio State , R: :ay'p.aa., >}:::"'".>;..: ;am,6!Wt!"4-.ww hwwlh" a+' .'v-7J }.,f:S--v; s,;w coula go a Instead of mild-mannered UCLA, Michigan will face Oklahoma's superment. A monstrous defensive line will crush the life out of Michi- gan's attack. The Sooners will win a 14-6 game that was not close. Woody Hayes sent Michigan to the Orange Bowl. Woody has won ... .again. It was a trying finish to an up and down year. The season began at Wisconsin, where the Bad- gers were supposed to have their best team in years. The Wolverines won that one 23-6, but had no way of knowing that the 23 points would be more than they would score in six of their re- maining games. The knowledge that this Michigan team was not one of Coach Bo Schembechler's real powerhouses started to become evident in the next game, when unheralded Stanford came into Michigan Stadium and tied the Wolverines at 19-19. Mike Langford hit on 24 of 44 passes for 285 yards. It was not the last time that a passing quarterback would hurt Michigan. One tie could be explained away as a bad day, but when Baylor visited Ann Arbor and came away with a 14-14 tie (missing a 30 yard field goal as time ran out), boos reverberated around the stadium for the first time in a long, long while. But the young Wolverines regrouped admirably. The next week they demolished 5th ranked Mis- souri (conquerors of Alabama) 31-7. They followed that with a 16-6 win over Michigan State at East Lansing, a town that even Ohio State has found is difficult to win in. It was then into high gear against the Big Ten's weaker sisters until the Ohio State game. The Blue rolled up 620 yards rushing in hu- miliating Northwestern 69-0. Indiana managed a touchdown but still fell 49 points shorts of victory. Minnesota's Golden Gophers brought Michigan back down to earth, or Minneapolis, as the case was here, passing their way into a fourth-quarter 21-21 tie before GordonaBell ran 23 yards for a score to put the game away., Back at home, Michigan met Purdue, and the Boilermakers were anxious to avenge the 51-0 de- feat they had suffered at Michigan's hands a year earlier. Purdue held Michigan to 28 this time, but still could not score any points of its own. In the Annual Pre-Ohio State Letdown Game, the Blue edged Illinois 21-15. The Illini scored all their points in the fourth quarter-by pass- ing. The two season ending debacles followed. It is the job of this year's Michigan football team to try to come out from under the spell of Woody Hayes. And until one of the magnificent teams that Schembechler keeps turning out can do just U the way that, there will be an unfulfilled feeling in Ann Arbor. Whether or not this year's team is the one that will beat Woody depends to a great extent on how well Schembechler, who has spent the summer battling heart disease (and appears to be recovering well), can replace the nine starters that have graduated. Fielding a potent offense will not be all that difficult. Michigan loses but three starters here- tailback Gordie Bell, split end Keith Johnson, and center Jim Czirr. To make things even easier, their replacements are both obvious and talented. While Bell was a year-long hero and rushed for 1335 yards, probable replacement Harlan Huckleby (6-1, 195), a 9.5 sprinter, was a real crowd pleaser and is prob- ably every bit the back Bell was, save for a ten- dency to fumble that can be expected to fade with experience. Johnson was a fine split end, but Ricky White (6-5, 205) had the job won last year when he was injured early in the season, and should move right back in. Czirr will be replaced by starting guard Walt Downing (6-4, 232), while Downing's spot will be manned by co-captain and inteflex student Kirk Lewis (6-3, 235). Lewis started there two years ago but missed all of last season with a broken arm. The returness on the line are tackles Bill Dufek (6-4, 250) and Mike Kenn (6-6, 230), left guard Mark Donahue (6-3, 237), and alternating tight ends Mark Schmerge (6-3, 235) and Gene John- son (6-4, 220). Thus, with the return of Lewis, the Wolverines will be offering what amounts to six out of six returning starting linemen from a unit that was above average a year ago. And since the offensive line requires more experience to play well than perhaps any other area, look for this unit to be a strongpoint for 1976. Leach returns at quarterback, and he performed very creditably for a freshman. He still must prove he can pass consistently well, but as a take- charge, tough guy type he has few peers, and in the run-oriented Michigan offense, that may well be enough. It wasn't last year against Ohio State and Oklahoma. At fullback, undersized 1000-yard rusher and track sprinter Rob Lytle (6-1, 195) returns with his 5.5 yards/rush average. Lytle, a senior, may see some time at his old position, tal- back, to give Russell Davis (6-2, 215) some time. Davis, a 9.8 sprinter and track high- jumper, may also see some time at tailback. The wingback position sports Michigan's top All-America candidate on, the offensive side, senior Jim Smith (6-3, 198). Smith is the Wolverines' best receiver and a marvelous breakaway threat on the wingback reverse. All-American backs are Daily Photo by KEN FINK Leach celebrates Lytle's score classically triple threats, and Smith fits the bill, adding superb kick-returning abilities to the above- mentioned skills. The offense, then, will be potent. But the strength of Michigan football has been defense, and it is here the Wolverine coaches have their jobs cut out for them. Six starters must be replaced. On the defnsive line, ends Dan Jilek and Mike Holmes leave, as do left tackle Jeff Perlinger and middle guard Davis. Jilek, Perlinger and Davis received varying Big Ten honors last season and will be sorely missed. But punter John Anderson (6-3, 208) a n d sophomore Tom Seabron (6-3, 205) played a lot of end last year, and played well. The light weights are reasonable; Michigan's defense, in name a 5-2, is more often than not a 3-4, with the ends playing much like linebackers. Senior John Hennessy (6-4, 235), another experi- enced man, will take over for Perlinger, and re- turning senior Greg Morton (6-2, 225) will take the leadership role of most experienced lineman. Middle guard is still wide open. With Davis gone, Steve Anderson, Steve Graves and Gerard Meter will all have a shot. Senior Calvin O'Neal (6-2, 230), an all-Big Ten performer, will try to again lead the entire defense in tackles. His partner, replacing Dave Devich, will probably be Jerry Vogele (6-3, 235), who saw much action last season. O'Neal and Morton have All-America potential. The secondary was last year's top trouble spot. One can be optimistic and say that three starters return, or pessimistic and say that returning start- ers that didn't do the job are no godsend. In any case, All-American wolfman Don Dufek is gone, with Jerry Zuver (6-2, 195) stepping in. The trio maligned above are Dwight Hicks (6-2, 180), Jim Bolden (6-1, 177) and second-team All-Big Ten Jim Pickens (6-2, 188), who all may well be better than indicated. But they have to prove it. Michigan's kickers will again be Anderson and placekicker Bob Wood. Anderson kicks 40 yards a mile high, and Wood proved very steady from inside 40 yards. But if the Blue need a 50 yard field goal, they are going to be in trouble. Michigan football is one of the University's great assets. There are few more enjoyable ways to spend a Saturday afternoon. There will be end- less touchdowns and numerous victories. And there will be one Ohio State. The senior class that just graduated oft outplayed but never beat Woody's bunch-0-3-1 to be exact. All the luck in the world is wished to this incoming class, and with the improved offense, they may well start off on a happier note. But remember. It only takes one play. NNW" Exercise Your Student Priority ...More Than 30,000 Did Last Year Purchase Season Tickets in Football, Basketball and Hockey 7 Football Games for $21 Sept. 11-WISCONSIN Sept. 18-STANFORD Sept. 25-NAVY Oct. 2-WAKE FOREST (Band Day) Oct. 9-MICHIGAN STATE Oct. 30-MINNESOTA (Homecoming) Nov. 13-ILLINOIS 14 Basketball Games for $14 16 Hockey Games for $20 Nov. 27-WESTERN KENTUCKY Dec. 4-FORDHAM Dec. 11-WESTERN MICH IGAN Dec. 18-KENT STATE Dec. 21-CENTRAL MICHIGAN Jan. 2-INDIANA Jan. 6-NORTHWESTERN Jan. 8-WISCONSIN Jan. 20-PURDUE Jan. 22-ILLINOIS Feb. 5-OHIO STATE Feb. 17-IOWA Feb. 19-MINNESOTA Feb. 26-MICHIGAN STATE Nov. 5-MINNESOTA b ov. 6-MINNESOTA Nov. 12-NOTRE DAME Nov. 13-NOTRE DAME Dec. 3-MINNESOTA- DULUTH Dec. 4-MINNESOTA- DULUTH Dec. 11-MICHIGAN STATE Jan. 7-COLORADO COLLEGE Jan. 8-COLORADO COLLEGE Jan. 14-MICHIGAN Jan. 15-MICHIGAN Feb. 4-WISCONSIN Feb. 5-WISCONSIN Feb. 11-DENVER Feb. 12-DENVER TECH TECH Mar. 4-MICHIGAN STATE Realize a Saving of $47 with Season Tickets "Michigan Fans Are No. 1'" "M chiga r f a n s shattered all NCAAL attendance records in footbait last season and student support was very important in this accomplishment. We hope you will join us again this year, not o n 1 y in football, but in basketball and h o c k e y, too. Michigan t e a m s, under the guidance of Bo Schembechler in football, Johnny Orr in basket- ball and Dan Farrell in hockey, will be among the finest in the nation. We think you'll enjoy watching them p i a y and we appreciate your support." DON CANHAM Athletic Director Student Football Ticket Facts A complete listing of football ticket distribution appears elsewhere in this special sports section of The Daily. The distribution dates are Sept. 7-8-9-10 accordinq to the number of years you have attended Michigan. As a student, you qualify for special rates for season tickets. Michigon's game against Michiqan State was sold out at the earliest date ever, but enough tickets were held to accommodate season ticket buyers. You must, however, take advantage of your season ticket option to see this Oct. 9 qame as no individual tickets will be sold. HERE ARE SOME POINTS TO REMEMBER: 0 Sfidrsntc will he ehoroed for their football tickets through inen..... between t.he baseball fiLIeI ldadrailroad n nFerry - JIuae RUI w~oo .aU nr..er o.n . !R.?*4 . U Dom.. - - - - -- -.- _--. - - - ___- 1 T __ 1. .Z _771" 1 7 7 .1 ___ 1 * 1 - C 4 1. 7WJJ 77, Ti* I