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Page 18-Saturday, September 13, 1980-The Michigan Daily
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The Michigan Daily-Saturday, Se
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For
What A
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Worth
By Gary Levy
Gone with the wind
Butch Woolfolk breaks yet another long gainer during the 1979 season. Wool-
folk broke the record for Michigan's longest run from scrimmage against
Wisconsin with a 92-yard jaunt. He, along with Stanley Edwards, Lawrence
Ricks and Jerald Ingram form the Wolverines' ground attack in 1980.
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Conditions are right...
... Big Ten can redeem itself
This is it, Big Ten.
This is the year to redeem yourself-after dropping 10 of the last 11
Rose Bowl contests to the Pacific-10 conference. You must admit, Big Ten,
the percentages are certainly in your favor.
Even the Pac-10 wants you to win this one, for the grand stature of the
Rose Bowl is at stake. The Pac-10 kindly lowered its competitive field to
five for the berth against your champion. So this is it, Big Ten. One way or
another, that is.
If you just so happen to lose once more come January 1, your respec-
tability as a major football power will vanish, since it has been disappearing
slowly with each and every agonizing bowl defeat. You have not had a
national champion since 1968.
No bowl of roses
So this is it Big Ten. One way or another.
Either Michigan or Ohio State has represented the Big Ten in the Rose
Bowl over the past 11 years and each is responsible for five of the bitter
defeats. 1974 was the last year in which the Big Ten reigned in
Pasadena-that's when the Buckeyes smothered Southern Cal, 42-21.
Indeed, several of the games have been close. Six of the losses have been
by a margin of seven points or less, but as we all know, a loss is a loss, no mat-
ter the score. As a matter of fact, the Big Ten has not fared well in bowls other
than the Rose, winning only four of nine.
These bowl defeats, Rose Bowl losses in particular, have forfeited the
Big Ten's rights for a national championship. Not since 1968 has a Big Ten
team, namely Ohio State, claimed the mythical national championship. Sin-
ce then, the Buckeyes have finished no higher than second in 1973. And
Michigan has done no better than third place rankings in 1974 and 1976.
Those are not shabby rankings, one might say in defense of the Big Ten,
but respectability comes only with successful bowl appearances and
national championships. Take Big Ten basketball, for instance. The Big Ten
was never considered a power in basketball until recent years when several
teams have performed well in the national tournaments. Now, the Big Ten is
undoubtedly the finest basketball conference in the country.
Why Big Ten football teams have not fared well is no longer important.
What is important is that the Big Ten has lost year after year after year and
its respectability has rapidly decreased.
But this is the year to change that. A Rose Bowl victory, and better yet, a
national championship, would salvage much of the Big Ten's pride, and
silence the critics as well. All is in the Big Ten's favor and believe it or not, it
almost looks like a setup.
Ohio State is coming off an 11-1 season, with only a 17-16 loss to Southern
Cal to blemish its record. The Buckeyes are currently ranked number one by
the Associated Press and have a relatively easy road to Pasadena, facing
their toughest competitors (Syracuse, Arizona State, UCLA and Michigan)
all at home. And if all goes as scheduled, the Buckeyes won't have to face
nemesis Southern Cal in Pasadena.
A win is a win
Thanks to the presidents and chancellors of the Pac-10 schools, Southern
Cal, along with Arizona State, Oregon, Oregon State and UCLA were
declared ineligible due to academic violations for the 1980 conference foot-
ball championship and any post-season competition.
All of which means only Stanford, Washington, California, Washington
State and Arizona can compete for the coveted Rose Bowl berth. That also
means, the Big Ten champion, be it Ohio State, Michigan, Indiana or Purdue
will face a second-place or perhaps third-place finisher in the Pa -10, a
definite advantage for the former circuit.-
However, Bill Nicholas, chairman of the Tournament of Roses Commit-
tee in Pasadena, was confident this wouldn't hurt the Rose Bowl's stature.
"We don't see theruling adversely affecting the Rose Bowl game, even
though this (Pasadena) is a USC town," he said. "It appears that
Washington and Stanford look like the front-runners, according to the polls."
Sure, both Washington and Stanford are fine teams. Both are ranked in
AP's Top Twenty (19th and 13th respectively), but both are second-rate to
mighty Southern Cal.
Thus, if pre-season predictions hold, the Big Ten should have a Rose
Bowl champion and with any luck, a national championship, especially if
Ohio State holds true to form. People might consider it a tainted victory
because of Southern Cal's absence, but a Rose Bowl win is a Rose Bowl win,
no matter the opponent.
It's time to end a five-year losing streak in Pasadena Big Ten. It's time
to regain some of your wounded pride. It's time to capture a long-awaited
national championship. The odds will never be better. Lose and that respec-
tabilityis gone.
So this is it, Big Ten.;One way or another.
I
By GARY LEVY
Ask Bo Schembechler his opinion of
the freshman eligibility rule and he'll
undoubtedly tell you he's against
allowing them to play varsity football.
However, the combination of some
talented high school recruits and his
immediate need to fill a few gaps and
develop depth in the lineup just might
force Schembechler to hold off a year
before attempting to abolish the once-
cherished rule.
SCHEMBECHLER LISTED his three
major priorities of the 1980 season as
follows: developing the quarterback
position, improving the past season's
woeful kicking game, and rebuilding a
graduation-maimed defense. It's now
apparent that his recruiting efforts
concentrated primarily in those areas.
Schembechler landed three prep All-
American quarterbacks who will com-
pete with sophomore Rich Hewlett and
senior John Wangler for the distinction
of directing the Wolverine offense today
against Northwestern.
The most highly-touted of the trio is
Steve Smith from Grand Blanc. The 6-2,
195-pound Smith was heavily recruited
nationally and is regarded as a top-
notch option quarterback who also
possesses a strong throwing arm. He
completed 112 of 237 passes for 1,926
yards and 26 touchdowns in his senior
year. "He's a competitive, moxie kid,"
said Schembechler of Smith.
THE OTHER FRESHMEN QUAR-
TERBACKS are 6-1, 187-pound Greg
Powell from Ravenna, Ohio and David
Hall, a 6-4,203 lb. goliath from Livonia.
Schembechler said those three give
him good quarterback potential for the
future. However, he also said that only
one of the freshmen would be selected
to compete with Hewlett and Wangler
for the number one position as the
season progresses.
"One or two of those kids ain't bad,"
said Schembechler. "We're not going to
be able to work with all three, but I'm
not going to tell you until I tell them
myself."
ANOTHER FRESHMAN, whose
name Schembechler refused to reveal
until spring practice began (in an at-
tempt to avoid publicity and pressure),
is punter Don Bracken. The 6-1, 185 lb.
recruit from Thermopolis, Wyoming is
seemingly the answer to Michigan's
recent punting futility. Bracken
averaged 46.7 yards per punt his senior
year and Schembechler said that he
will help the kicking game become "a
plus factor rather than a minus."
Bracken said he has heard all about
Michigan's kicking problems of the
previous campaign and is aware of the
pressure when he drops back in punt
formation for the first time with 100,000-
plus fans watching with memories of a
year ago.
"It'll just be scary playing here as a
freshman," said Bracken during his
first visit inside awesome Michigan
Stadium. "It's a long way from home.
I'll try not to let all the people bother
me and just concentrate on punting."
SCHEMBECHLER'S most difficult
task will probably be the rebuilding of a
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Sports Staff!
defense (primarily the interior line)
that lost seven starters, including All-
Americans Curtis Greer and Ron Sim-
pkins. He recruited five linemen and 13
defensive players overall, and two of
them, according to Schembechler, who
could see considerable action are
Florida natives Stefan Humphries and
Harry Gosier.
The 6-4, 235-pound Humphries has
been switched from his offensive tackle
position in high school to defensive
tackle because, according to Schem-
bechler, "he can help us quicker
there." Schembechler said that the 6-3,
185-pound Gosier could figure into the
wide side of the defensive backfield
along with Evan Cooper from Brooklyn,
N.Y. He also noted that a freshman
might get a crack at the middle guard
slot, vacated since senior Mike Trgov-
ac was moved to defensive tackle.
Other than the possibility at quarter-
back, freshmen do not figure in Schem-
bechler's offensive plans. He said he
couldn't see any freshmen breaking in-
to Michigan's experienced offensive
line or talent-laden backfield, although
he did recruit three backs: Kerry Smith
(Grand Rapids), Greg Armstrong
(Middletown, Ohio) and Tom Hassell
(Cincinnati).
The receiving corns is basically set
Future 'M'
Schedules
1981
Sept. 12-at Wisconsin
Sept. 19-NOTRE DAME
Sept. 26-NAVY
Oct. 3-at Indiana
Oct. 10-at Michigan St.
Oct. 17-IOWA
Oct. 24-NORTHWESTERN
Oct. 31-at Minnesota
Nov. 7-ILLINOIS
Nov. 14-at Purdue
Nov. 21-OHIO ST.
1982
Sept. 11-WISCONSIN
Sept. 18-at Notre Dame
Sent. 25-UCLA
Oct. 2-INDIANA
Oct. 9-MICHIGAN ST.
Oct. 16--at Iowa
Oct. 23-at Northwestern
Oct. 30-MINNESOTA
Nov. 6-at Illinois
Nov. 13-PURDUE
Nov. 20-at Ohio St.
Sept. 10-
Sept. 17-
Sept. 24-
Oct. 1-I
Oct. 8-a
Oct.15-
Oct. 22-
Oct. 29-s
Nov. 5-1
Nov. 12-
Nov. 19-
Sept. 8-
Sept. 15-
Sept. 22-
Sept. 29-
Oct. 6--
Oct. 13-
Oct.20-
Oct. 27-
Nov. 3-a
Nov. 10-
Nov. 17-
despite the loss of Ralph Clayton and
Doug Marsh to graduation, although
Schembechler did mention Southfield's
Vince Bean as a promising frosh.
Bo lands profitable frosh rec
Nine Tres
in the 1979
said he ho
man class g
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