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October 13, 1981 - Image 13

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Michigan Daily, 1981-10-13

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.


i Gwae
By GREG DeGULIS

Michigan offensive trends .. .
...Carter a decoy, Smith an enigma

SOME MID-OCTOBER observations on the 4-1
Michigan football team are in order. After
five games, including three Big Ten road con-
tests, several offensive trends, involving style of
play and player performances;have emerged.
ANTHONY CARTER- The Michigan sports in-
formation department is trying valiantly to am-
plify the exploits of the explosive Carter, but its
reliance on last year's statistics in doing so is
becoming obvious. Carter has made only 11 cat-
ches for 208 yards this season, but he retains an
impressive yards per catch average with 18.9.
The junior wide receiver has only two touch-
downs via the pass, both against Notre Dame on
national television. If Carter's current pace con-
tinues, the All-American would finish the season
with 27 catches and six touchdowns, numbers
which .pale in comparison to 1980's 52 and 14,
respectively. What is going on in 1981?
Two simple factors explain the lack of frequen-
cy with which the football has been landing in Car-
ter's big hands-the constant double-teaming he
receives and the mobility of quarterback Steve
Smith as opposed to John Wangler's dropback
style.
Carter and his shadows
Carter is harassed constantly by the opposing
team's secondary, so much in fact, that Number
'1' is now serving as a decoy for the running game.
"Their (the Michigan State Spartans') safety was
never in the running game," Bo Schembechler
noted yesterday at his weekly press luncheon.
Carter draws defenders wherever he gallops,
opening up opportunities for tailback Butch
Woolfolk.
Another hurdle for Carter is the contrasting
styles of Smith and Wangler. Wangler was not a

running quarterback, so whenever he was
pressured, he looked to Carter for the answer.
With the swift Smith at quarterback, however,
Michigan has another offensive threat. Carter
becomes one of three legitimate explosive per-
formers, (along with Smith and Woolfolk), instead
of the only one. "I would like to get the ball more to
Carter," Bo said. "I would like to get the ball more
to (Stanley) Edwards. But when I'm in a bind, I'll
go to Butch." That's one trend of 1981.
A glimpse at Smith
STEVE SMITH- An enigma thus far in '81, the
Michigan quarterback is the difference between
mediocrity on offense and unstoppability. If the
multi-talented Smith throws with confidence and
authority, a needed complement to the productive
running game is added on offense. The
sophomore's statistics for the first five games
follow:

game. Michigan has 1,394 rushing yards to 483
passing yards, almost a three-to-one ratio. The
balance between Michigan's air and ground at-
tacks in 1980 is now history, as the good old days of
grinding it out have returned. The one bothersome
question is-"What happens if Smith is forced to
pass due to an ineffective running game?" So far,
that circumstance has not come up, and it seems
like the 1981 season will be a return to dependence
on the ground game.
Another trend worth noting is the distribution of
the Michigan scoring by quarters :

The Michigan Daily-T
AP TOP TWENTY
1. Texas (35) ............. 4-0-0 1,274
2. Penn St. (24).........4-0-0 1,262
3. Pittsburgh (3)......... 4-0-0 1,192
4. North Carolina (4) ..... 5-0-0 1,126
5. MICHIGAN............4-1-0 898
6. Clemson.............5-0-0 889
7. Southern Cal...........4-1-0 874
8. Missouri .............. 5-0-0 824
9. Georgia ............... 4-1-0 765
10. So. Methodist.........5-0-0 629
11. Florida St............ 4-1-0 591
12. Iowa................4-1-0 558
13. Miami, Fla...........3-1-0 481
14. Wisconsin ............. 4-1-0 427
15. Alabama.............4-1-1 358
16. Mississippi St.......... 4-1-0 344
17. Brigham Young........5-1-0 220
18. Washington St.........5-0-0 195
19. Nebraska ............. 3-2-0 161
20. Arizona St...........4-1-0 125

uesday, October 13, 1981-Page 13
UPI TOP TWENTY
1. Texas (23) .................4-0-0
2. Penn State (19)>.............4-0-0
3. Pittsburgh .................4-0-0
4. North Carolina ................5-0W
5. MICHIGAN ...................4-1-0
6. Southern Cal .................4-1-0
7. Clemson .....................5-0-0.
8. Missouri........ .........5-0-0
9. Georgia ......................4-1-0,
10. Florida St ....................4-1-0';
11. Miami, Fla................. 3-1-0-
12. Iowa......................4-1-0-
13. Wisconsin .....................4-1-0.
14. Nebraska .....................3-2-0'
15. Alabama .....................4-1-1
16. Mississippi St...............4-1-0
17. Iowa St....... .............3-1-1"
18. Washington St.................5-0-0
19. Oklahoma'....................1-2-1-
20. Brigham Young ............. 5-140
y
4
ry Course

Score by Quart ers1
MICHIGAN................16
Opponents....................17

2
52
30

3
40
24

4
28
10

Smith
Comp/Att
Wisconsin .............3/18
Notre Dame.......... 4/15
Navy j................ 10/15
Indiana .............. 12/19
Michigan State:.......3/11

Yds
39
103
110
164
41

Int
3
2
1
0
0

Pts
14
25
21
38
38

As the numbers suggest, the correlation Det-
ween Smith's passing performances and
Michigan's point totals is minor.
Thus far, the Michigan offense is not dependent
on Smith's proficiency through the air for victory.
Woolfolk carries the bulk of the offense, with
Smith's speed afoot contributing significantly.
The sophomore from Grand Blanc has six touch-
downs rushing, including a critical 37-yard scoring
sprint which demoralized the Spartans.
In '81 Smith directs a powerful offense (27 points

If you want to witness offensive fireworks, come to
the stadium in the second quarter. Eighty-two of
the 217 total points scored by both teams have oc-
curred in the second stanza, reflecting slow-
starting but explosive offense. Ironically, the 17-16
Wolverine deficit in the first quarter mirrors the
halftime score of the Michigan State game, and
like the contest in East Lansing, the overall num-
bers indicate that the offense just needs some
time.
Drawing conclusions from the offensive trends
of 1981 would result in the following predictions for
Michigan through the rest of the season. Michigan
games will be marked by a patented slow start, of-
fensively and defensively; Carter will account for
two or three catches and (maybe) one score;
Smith will run more effectively than he passes and
score on the ground; and Woolfolk will break the
150-yard barrier. In addition, Michigan will be
forced to outscore the opposition, rather than shut
it down, to win. With the soaring Iowa Hawkeyes
in town Saturday, it may take a break in the '81
trends to ensure a win, and getting the ball to Car-
ter is a perfect place to start.

per gam'e) which relies

heavily on the ground

i

Woolf olk
Player
*of Week

CHICAGO (AP)--Butch Woolfolk of
Michigan has been named Midwest
Player of the Week on offense by the
Associated Press for his outstanding
performance Saturday in a 38-20 vic-
tory over Michigan State.
Woolfolk, a 6-1, 207-pound senior
from Westfield, N.J., gained 253 yards
on 39 rushes and now has 3,206 career
yards, 111 short of the Michigan record
of 3,317 held by Rob Lytle.
It marked the second time this season
Woolfolk has been named Player of the
Week..

SPORTSO "T "P
FOOTBALL
IOWA, Oct. 17,1p.m.
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
at Michigan State, Oct. 16, 4:30 p.m.
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
at Eastern Michigan Invitational, Oct. 17
FIELD HOCKEY
Big Ten Tournament at Iowa City,
Oct. 16-17
WOMEN'S GOLF
Kentucky Invitational at Lexington,,
Oct. 16-17
VOLLEYBALL
CENTRAL MICHIGAN, Oct. 13, 7 p.m.

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