so ichigan plays I OSU f boos... The Michigan Daily-Friday, November 19, 1982-Page 13 or pride $l4 ((t ii I I - 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