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The Michigan Daily-Friday, November 19, 1982-Page 13
or pride
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- l' C .
M' QB Smith silences the
By RON POLLACK
These have not been tranquil times for Michigan
quarterback Steve Smith.
His presence on the field this season usually is met
with tremendous fan reaction. Agony or ecstacy,
elation or despair-there's never a dull momen twhen
th jogs onto the field.
RLY IN THE season, Smith undoubtedly would
have preferred a more serene atmosphere at
Michigan Stadium than was actually the case
whenever he was on the playing field.
Through four games, Smith had only completed
48.2 percent of his passes for two touchdowns and a
whopping seven interceptions. And the restless
Michigan fans were displaying their wrath by
showering Smith with boos.
"Oh sure, I knew what it was going to be like before
I ever came to Michigan. I knew I'd get it one way or
Wother. That's what happens when you're the quar-
back.
"I HEARD THE boos, but it didn't bother me all
that much. When people said I was bad, ' could live
with it. But when they said I was terrible, that got to
mebecause I didn't think that was the case."
"I never had anything to prove to the fans. If we'd
won (against UCLA) I'd have been a great guy," said
Smith who believes the IUCLA game was his only poor per-
formance of the year. "You practice so Kara, tnat
when you lose it destroys you."
DESPITE SMITH'S early-season struggles,
Michigan-head coach Bo Schembechler remained the
quarterback's biggest supporter.
After Smith had thrown two interceptions against
Wisconsin, Schembechler said: "Ask (Wisconsin
head coach) Dave McClain if it's hard to defense
Steve Smith. Ask him. You have to look at his overall
productivity. He's tough to defense."
After the Wolverines lost to Notre dame, 23-17,
Schembechler said, "Smith's confidence is pretty
well shaken, but I'm not ready to make any changes
yet. That's a hard position to play. It takes time.'"
AGAINST UCLA, MICHIGAN lost, 31-27, and Smith
had a woeful afternoon, completing a mere 14 of his 37
passes, three of which were intercepted. Even after
that performance, Schembechler was still convinced
that Smith was the man who should be leading the
Wolverine offense. "He had some spots against
UCLA where he was terrible, but he also had some
good spots, said the coach. "There were times where
he was brilliant. He's our quarterback and will con-
tinue to be. You can write and say what you want, but
it won't change my mind. Steve Smith is our quarter-
back."
As the season has progressed, it has become
evident that Schembechler, and not the impatient
fans, was right about Smith. Entering tomorrow's
clash against Ohio State, Smith has completed 52.6
percent of his passes for 14 touchdowns and nine in-
terceptions. That's 12 touchdowns and only two inter-
ceptions in the last six games.
With the early-season boos in mind, Schembechler
has been quick to point out how well his signal-caller
has played the last six weeks.
"GOD THAT STEVE Smith is awful," Schem-
bechler joked after the Michigan State game in which
Smith completed 10 of 20 passes for 182 yards. "We
should get rid of him. I'm being very facetious
because he's a damn good quarterback. He played
well today.
"Steve Smith was outstanding," enthused Schem-
bechler following the Northwestern contest in which
Smith connected on 10 of 12 passes for 203 yards and
three touchdowns to go along with his two touch-
downs running. "Have you ever seen a better artist?
He was magnificent.
"I thought he played a helluva game," said Schem-
bechler after the Iowa game when Smith completed
13 of 24 passes for 172 yards, one touchdown and no in-
terceptions."
In spite of Schembechler's high praise, Smith said
after the Northwestern game that he does not see
much difference between his play during the first and
second halves of the season. "I don't think I'm
throwing that much better than I was earlier. It's just
that interceptions take your efficiency rating down."
.,
.
Doily Photo by JEFF SCHRIER
Steve Smith heads upfield in a game earlier this year against Northwestern.
...Buckeye helmsman does likewise
By BARB BARKER .
For Ohio State quarterback Mike
Tomczak, this year's football season
has seemed like two-before the
Wisconsin game and after.
With the unenviable task of following
in the footsteps of All-America Art
Schlichter, Tomczak made a less-than-
auspicious debut at the Buckeye helm.
What started off as a mediocre perfor-
mance sunk to an all-time low in the
Buckeyes' 34-17 loss to Florida State
when the sophomore completed an em-
barrassing two of eight pass attempts
for 13 yards and gained a paltry 26 yards
on four runs.
NOT ONES TO take losing lightly,
Ohid State fans literally booed Tomczak
out of a starting position, and he was
forced to watch from the sidelines as
the Buckeyes lost their lone Big Ten
game to Wisconsin.
"I was upset with myself, because I
wasn't performing," recalled Tom-
czak. "I did a lot of thinking by myself.
I said, I can't believe I'm the number
two quarterback. I never thought I'd be
in this situation.' "
Those days, however, have faded into
merely a bad memory for the 6-3, 192-
pounder as he now sports a re
.493 pass completion pei
Following the Wisconsin gai
czak reassumed his starting
completing 14 of 34 pass att
244 yards to lead Ohio State
victory over Illinois.
"IT WAS simply confiden
Ohio State quarterback co
Zechman. "Mike's always
well. I just think his confiden
a little. He got his confidence
he played like he knew he coul
Ironically, the man whose
made it so hard to take the he
Stadium is the same man wh
him to come back.
According to Tomzcak, S
left idle by the National
League Players' strike, paid
the ailing quarterback the Su
the Wisconsin game. They to
tle, threw the pigskin aro
miraculously a new Tomczal
the following Saturday. It's
that Ohio State followers wil
espectable to compare the two quarterbacks, and e
rcentage. Tomczak does not resent it.
me, Tom- "I'M GLAD to have the opportunity, -
position, to be compared to him," he said. "It's a
empts for challenge, the way I see it. He was a
to a 26-21 great one, and I respect him a lot. I
learned from him, and hopefully he
rubbed off on me. I don't look at it as
ice," said filling his shoes, I look at it as
ach Fred establishing myself as Mike Tomczak." r
practiced The Calumet City, Ill. native was,
ce slipped singled out for the starting 1982 role af-
back and ter his performance in spring football
md." last year. As a freshman, Tomczak saw
lm in Ohio little action, playing only 11 minutes,
7m inaOhio but completing 13 of 16 passes for 302
io enabled yards. He has never plaed on the field
against Michigan, but Michigan head
chlichter, coach Bo Schembechler is not banking,
Football on his inexperience.
1 a visit to "Early in the season he was a vic-
nday aifter tim like all young quarterbacks,"
lked a lit- Schembechler said. "He's a fine young
)und, and quarterback though."
k emerged This weekend is the test' to see if
inevitable Tomczak can go undefeated-in the
11 continue second half of the season that is.
Defensive tackle Dave Meredith
Denis Lavelle.
Daily Photo by JEFF SCHRIER
wraps up Michigan State quarterback
Tomrnezak
... steady improvement
U
Tale of the tape
Michigan
(8-2 overall, 8-0 in Big Ten)
TEAM
Ohio State
-(7-3 overall, 6-1 in Big Ten)
Total First Downs .....
R shing
Passing
Penalty
tal Net Yards .......
otal Plays
. . z'rrG ,.ae ,
0.:. 'preno. -
' Pr P) -.
Avg. Per G..
NetPassing Yards .....
Alt/Comp/Int
Avg. Per Attempt
Ayg. Per Comp.
Avg. Per Game
Pu(ts/Yds/Avg .......
Punt Ret/Yds/Avg ....
KO'Ret/Yds/Avg ......
-tbYds/Avg ..........
utbles/Lost .........
Penalties/Yards .....
Scoring
Total Pts/Avg
Touchdowns
Rushing
Passing
.Returns
PAT's/Att
2.Pt. Conv/Att
Field Goals/Att
Third Down Conv/Att..
Success Pct
M
220
136
67
17
4127
699
412.7
'515
494
5.1
251.5
1612
205/107/10
7.9
15.1
161.2
40/1572/39.3
24/371/15.5
23/449/19.5
12/176/14.7
16/8
38/299
317/31.7
40
23
15
2
37/38
1/2
12/15
56/124
.452
Opp.
229
83
136
10
3729
790
372.9
993
354
2.8
99.3
2736
436/267/12
6.3
10.2
273.6
55/2177/39.6
13/27/2.1
32/559/17.5
10/87/8.7
25/14
58/610
156/15.6
19
10
9
0
16/17
1/2
8/9
65/156
.417
TEAM
First Downs .......
Rushing .........
Passing .........
Penalty .........
Net Yards Rushing
Attempts ........
Yards Gained ...
Yards Lost ......
Ave. per Game..
Net Yards Passing.
Attempted .......
Completed ......
Had Intercepted .
Avg per Game ...
Total Net Gain....,
Total Plays ......
Avg per Game ...
Fumbles ..........
Lost...........
Penalties ..........
Yards ...........
Interceptions ......
Yards ...........
Punts-Blocked ...
Yards ...........
Avg per Punt ......
Punt Returns ......
Yards ...........
Touchdowns .....
Kickoff Returns ...
Yards ...........
Opp
202
87
104
11
1333
347
1506
173
133.3
2363
395
206
13
236.3
3696
742
369.6
24
12
45
367
16
110
55-0
2214
40.2
15
106
0
36
718
osU
214
138
70
6
2548
520
2710
162
254.8
1759
203
99
16
175.9
4307
723
430.7
19
11
53
453
13
134
40-1
1536
38.4
38
367
1
21
505
* SCORE BY QUARTERS
1 2 3 4 Tot/Avg
MICHIGAN ........... 59 135 57 66 317/31.7
Opponents........... 15 48 27 66 156/15.6
INDIVIDUAL
RUSHING
SCORE BY QUARTERS
1 2 3 4 Tot.
Opponents.,.................30 54 43 50 177
Ohio State-.................----73 78 84 42 277
INDIVIDUAL
RUSHING
Att
Ricks ......... 216
K. Smith ...... 45
S. Smith ....... 80
Rogers ....... 63
Mercer .....33
. e ........... 32
Cater.........
Garrett........ 9
Arlustrong .... 8
S. Johnson..... 1
MIHIGAN ... 494
Opponents..354
Gain
1221
368
391
287
149
128
64
42
26
3
2659
2271
Loss
31
0
92
14
6
1
0
0
0
0
144
278
Yds
1190
368
279
273
143
127
64
42
26
3
2515
993
Avg
5.5
8.2
:3.5
4
4.3
'4.0
9.1
4.7
3.3
3.0
5.1
2.8
TD
7
2
8
4
0
0
0
0
23
10
IP
52
29
37
18
13
15
14
7
3
52
37
Spencer .............
J. Gayle..........
Broadnax .........
Tomczak ............
Lindsey...........
Anderson............
Byars ...............
Stephens..........
D~unn .............
Marek ............
Offenbecher.......
-Team...............
Att
225
122
73
56
14
7
3
1
1
16
1
L
40
29
58
2
0
0
0
0
0
27
4
Net
1247
5741
390
183
95
32
12
11
8
2
1I
Avg
5.5
4.6
5.3
3.2
6.7
4.5
4.0
11.0
8.0
2.0
0.1
TD
10
4
7
4
1
1
0
0
0
0
Steve Smith prepares to hand off to tailback Lawrence Ricks, who leads
Our experts predict
PASSING
PA PC Int Pct Yds
S. Smith ....... 190 100 9 .526 1554
Ha........... 14 7 , 1 .500 58
Carter........ 1 0 0 .000 0
MICHIGAN ... 205 107 10 .522 1612
pponents ..... 436 267 12 .611 2736
L.ookln, for sameh
to.do In Colum~bus?
FIDAY, Nov. 19
4.0 pm-Aidnight: World's Greatest; -:
Tailgate Party In Battelle HalltI
the Ohi. enter. tosle and cotter
entertainiment. $2.00 admilssiaa,r
miustbe I9 or alder.
TD LP
14 62
1 17
0 0
15 62
9 46
PASSING
Att
Tomczak............152
Offenbecher ......... 46
Williams.......... 1
.2
Comp
75
21
1
Int
11
4
0
Yds
1311
345
63
Pct.
.493
.456
1.000
Bob Wojnowski
Barb Barker
This year's Ohio State squad is
Ron Pollack
Michian has irpgd'v ln1.nrla