Page 16-Saturday, September 11, 1982-The Michigan Daily
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Carter, Smith
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The Michigan Daily-Saturday, Sep
Michigan, Ohio State to top B
but the Little Eight is close b
(Continued from Page 2)
Hassel, has been moved to linebacker,
leaving only junior Greg Armstrong (6-
2, 195) as a backup.
There are plenty of reserve tailbacks
ready to step in should Ricks falter.
Sophomores Rick Rogers (6-2, 200) and
Brian Mercer (6-2, 195) and junior
Kerry Smith (6-2, 190) are the most
likely backups. In addition, Michigan
has a fine freshman prospect in
Detroiter Thomas Wilcher (6-1, 185),
who is the national high school record-
holder for the 110-meter hurdles.
Believe it or not, Michigan also has
some capable receivers other than Car-
ter. Junior Vince Bean returns at split
end after catching 16 passes for 336
yards (21 yards per catch average) a
year ago. "Bean is underrated," said
Schembechler. "He became a more
prominent player in the spring."
AT TIGHT end will be senior Craig
Dunaway (6-2, 233), who caught 11
passes last year while splitting time
with the departed Norm Betts. Backing
him up will be junior Milt Carthens (6-3,
240).
While replacing two starting running
backs is never easy, Michigan may
have an even bigger problem trying to
replace the three All-American starters
on the offensive line.
Only center Tom Dixon (6-2, 247),
who the Michigan coaches are touting
as the best in the Big Ten, and junior
guard Stefan Humphries (6-4, 248)
return. "We have some work to do on
the line,'' said Schembechler, "but
Dixon and Humphries give us a good
nucleus." Junior Jerry Diorio (6-2, 235)
is the frontrunner for the other guard
position with sophomores Bob
Popowski (6-3, 240) and Art Balourdos
(6-3, 230) expected to challenge.
THE TACKLES are set with senior
Rich Strenger (6-7, 261) and junior Ron
Prusa (6-2, 242). Seniors Tom Garrity
(6-4, 250) and Dan Yarano (6-1, 248) are
the backups. While it looks to be an un-
proven line, the man who should worry
the most, tailback Ricks, doesn't seem
concerned.
"I think we have a lot of good guys on
the line who'll improve as the year goes
on," said Ricks. "They'll be quicker
than last year's line. I don't think we'll
lose anything."
The Wolverines return both of their
'ickers'from a year ago in the persons
of place-kicker Ali Haji-Sheikh and
punter Don Bracken. Haji-Sheikh was
eight for 14 on field goals last season
while Bracken set a new Michigan
season record of 43.3 yards per kick.
So, while four All-Americans may
have graduated, the return of Carter
and Smith leads Schembechler to be
anything but pessimistic about the 1982
offense. Says he: "I think our offense
will be better than people think it's gon-
na be."
In the past, it was never very dif-
ficult picking who would win the
Big Ten football race. If you picked
either Michigan or Ohio State you
had a 50-50 chance of being ac-
curate. But with the rise of Iowa and
Wisconsin last season, and some
more possible upstarts this year, the
long-heralded death of the Big Two-
Little Eight may have finally
arrived. Or has it? The Daily foot-
ball staff has come up with its own
preseason ranking and, surprise, has
Michigan and Ohio State tabbed
number one and two. Again.
1. Michigan
Despite the loss of nine starters from
last year's 9-3 team, head coach Bo
Schembechler is not accepting sym-
pathies-and nobody is offering them.
"I see this team as being younger,
hungrier," said Schembechler, begin-
ning his 14th year as the Wolverines'
head coach. "We lost some good per-
sonnel but I've had people waiting in
the wings."~
THE TWO KEY players for the
Wolverines this season, though, are
ones that did not spend last season
waiting in the wings. Junior quarter-
back Steve Smith and senior flanker
Anthony Carter both return to form the
nucleus around which this relatively
young Michigan team will be built.
"Overall, I'm really looking forward
to this year," said Schembechler. "We
have enough of a nucleus to be a fine
team, but we also face many questions
that remain unanswered.
"To be honest, though, I kind of like
the challenge we'll be facing. Some
veteran teams might not have the en-
thusiasm that a young team like ours
has."
As for whether or not the Big Two-
Little Eight syndrome is dead, Schem-
becher has mixed feelings.
"I think the championship will come
down to Michigan and Ohio State this
year, but, the Big Two is dead."
For a complete rundown on this
year's Michigan team, see pages 2 and
3.
-BOB WOJNOWSKI
2. Ohio State
Normally, with 17 starters returning
from last year's conference co-
championship team, Buckeye fans
would be viewing the Ohio State roster
through rose-tinted glasses, but the loss
of one player seems to have punctured
a hole in their California dream.
Art Schlichter, the school's all-time
passing and total offense leader, has
left for Baltimore of the National Foot-
ball League, and for the first time in
four years Ohio State is looking for a
starting quarterback. Buckeye mentor
Earle Bruce hopes he has found his
man in 6-1, 184-pound sophomore Mike
Tomczak.
"HE (TOMCZAK) has got the talent,
although he's inexperienced," said
Bruce. "Fortunately, he'll be surroun-
ded by good people."
Tomczak, who was thfird string last
season, completing four of seven passes
for 73 yards, will have his choice of
veteran receivers in receivers Gary
Williams and Cedric Anderson.
Williams has caught a Buckeye-record
114 passes over the last three seasons
for 2,102 yards. The Buckeyes should
also be strong at the tight end position
with John Frank, who caught 45 passes
last year, and Brad Dwelle, a 1980 star-
ter.
With four returning offensive
linesmen-Bill Roberts, Scott Zalenski,
Joe Lukens and Joe Smith-Bruce will
certainly be looking at the Buckeye
front as an asset.
"OUR LINE IS experienced, quick,
and of adequate size," said Bruce.
John Frank.
Daily Photo by JEFF SCHRIER
JUNIOR QUARTERBACK Steve Smith bursts through the middle in last
year's game against Ohio State. Smith started slowly last season but still
managed to finish with the Michigan season record for most total offense
with 2,335 yards. Smith completed 46 percent of his passes and personally
accounted for 27 Michigan touchdowns.
"Generally there is good line depth,
although it is unproven in some spots."
Senior guard Lukens, who has been a
first team all-conference guard selec-
tion for the past two seasons, said,
"There's really no difference in
blocking for either (Schlichter or Tom-
czak), since both can pass and run."
Last year's Buckeye defense had the
dubious distinction of setting a record
of 275.5 yards allowed via the air. Bruce
said that with eight returning starters,
he is lookir
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