A Page 8 - The Michigan Daily - Sunday, October 28, 1984 BO GOES WITH OLD BREAD-AND-BUTTER PLA Y Zurbrugg, option spark offense By PAUL HELGREN Maybe Bo Schembechier won't need Steve Smith's help after all. Smith, Michigan's starting quarterback from 1981- 83, earlier in the week said he "felt sorry" for the Wolverines' struggling young signal callers and would be glad to give some pointers once his Mon- treal Concords finished the CFL playoffs. But the way sophomore Chris Zurbrugg ran the offense-especially the option - in yesterday's 26-18 victory over Illinois, it appears his assistance might be superfluous. ZURBRUGG, had only seen a moderate amount of playing time behind fellow sophomore Russell Rein since top QB Jim Harbaugh got crunched in the Michigan State game. Yesterday Zurgrugg played the entire contest running for an eight-yard touch- down and pitching for another. Zurbrugg only completed 5 of 14 passes, but four of those connections came on third-and-long situations and two others were dropped. He did not throw an in- terception. More importantly, the option returned under his guidance. Once the principle weapon of the Schem- bechler strategy, the option had been non-existent this season under Harbaugh and Rein. But the Wolverines put new emphasis on their old offense in practice this week, and yesterday morning Schem- bechler tabbed Zurbrugg to take the wheel. The Alliance, Ohio native came through in Smith-like fashion. "WE DID WHAT we felt we had to do," Schem- bechler said of the change in offensive strategy. "Some people think the option is conservative, but it opened up the game for us . . . Having Zurbrugg in there allows us to do some different things, including the option. "We always had the option in (the game plan). We just didn't have the quarterback to do it." Bo may very well have found this man now. Zur- brugg ran for 71 yards on 12 carries, not including the two times he was sacked. He faked well to the "up- back" and every one of his pitches were on the money. ZURBRUGG SAID he was an option quarterback in high school and it showed. Michigan's first touch- down came after Zurbrugg made a clean fake up the middle to fullback Eddie Garrett and then pinpointed a pitch into Rick Rogers' hands. Rogers swept out- side and scampered to paydirt. The Wolverines' only other six-pointer came in the third quarter on a Zurbrugg run from eight yards out. Zurbrugg said the option capitalized on a weakness in the Illinois defense. "ON FILM YOU could see how their safeties would support (move to the line of scrimmage) real fast," Zurbrugg said. "The free safety (Craig Swoope) would come up real close." Because the Illinois defensive backs moved to line quickly, they covered less ground on outside runs, allowing Zurbrugg to pick his hole. The-success of this strategy had to be especially pleasing for Zurbrugg. Last spring he went into pre- season practice figuring to give Harbaugh a serious battle. But a back injury put him behind both Har- baugh and Rein, and out of the Michigan quarterback picture. The way that Zurbrugg got hurt was slightly ironic. "I was running an option," Zurbrugg related. ZURBRUGG'S BACK is fine now and so is his outlook for the option, the quarterback job is cer- tainly his unless he falters. Zurbrugg's success could make next spring's practice a three-way battle bet- ween himself, Harbaugh and Rein. "There will always be an interesting battle for quarterback," commented Harbaugh from the photography deck at halftime. Harbaugh, who is still recuperating from a broken arm, said Zurbrugg is "doing a fine job." That fine job included runs of 19, 12, 11, and nine yards, in addition to the eight-yard TD scamper. The speed may not have been reminiscent of Smith, but the poise was. ONE EXAMPLE of Zurbrugg's headiness was a run in the third quarter. Zurbrugg led an option right but saw immediately that Illinis had it covered. So he ducked his head down and plunged up the middle. The play netted only two yards but it avoided a certain loss to the outside. Crafty plays like this one, along with some big gainers, gave a clear message to Michigan fans and foes alike: while the Wolverines may not possess a running quarterback the caliber of Steve Smith, the option has definitely returned to their attack. And that has everybody breathing a little easier. "It's nice," said quarterback coach Jerry Hanlon, "to have it back." 4 I 4 Wolverine (Continued from Page 1) Michigan 12-yard line on 14 plays, but brought hi could get no farther. Chris White, son of With tim Illinois head coach Mike White; put his Michigana club on the board with a 29-yard chip but this 50 shot. much for t SENIOR placekicker Bob Bergeron NO HAR had a field day with field goals, booting Bergeront 14 of Michigan's 26 points, four three- one. Besid pointers and two PAT's. The mark ties ning in the him for the club single-game high, set running a by Bob Wood in 1975. broaden thi Bergeron's first field goal capped off sophomore Michigan's next drive when Zurbrugg's himself, impressive 71-yard romp was stifled right for t by a sack. Bergeron easily put the Wolverines ahead 10-7 with a 32-yard kick, his 22nd career field goal. The only real scare of the day that the Illini provided came from a two-minute drive from the Michigan 35 in the itx.#i second quarter. Aided by a pass inter- MICWGAN ference penalty against Michigan, Trudeau guided his team to a first and uL - goal situation and running back Ray iLL-WhI* Wilson took.it in from the four.- BUT THE 10-10 tie was as close as Illinois would get. Bergeron retaliated j in the next set of plays with a 40-yard MtE1i-Hr* shot, regaining the lead, 13-10.- Michigan had everything going for itf yesterday - a record-setting kicker, a motivated offense and a thieving defen- se that feasted on Trudeau's passing s game.e The defensive highlight of the after- fthlng (AW6 noon was Brad Cochran's late second I quarter steal to stop a potential Illinois .,J(YAJ*. scoring threat. Cochran nabbed the toss l \ on his own 25 and streaked downfield for 49 yards until Trudeau finally n '"'ink* .' D'chews up Trudeau ,Daily Photo by CAROL L. FRANCAVILLA Michigan running back Rick Rogers moves upfield past Illinois tackle Steve Nelson (93). Rogers rushed for 93 yards yesterday and was a vital part of the Wolverine option play. m down. ae running out in the first half, again went to Bergeron's leg, 0-yard attempt was just too he senior. RM was done, however, and had earned the right to miss des, Zurbrugg came out gun- second half, utilizing his own ttack and that of Rogers to he point spread. This time, the e from Alliance, Ohio did it charging eight yards to the he touchdown. "I thought today he (Zurbrugg) showed poise and character out there,' said Schembechler. Zurbrugg also seemed to have en- joyed his performance. "I've always liked to play under pressure," he ad- mitted. "But it's all for the team. Whatever is going to help us win, I want to do." FOR THE remainder of the contest, all Zurbrugg had to do was get his team to within range of Bergeron's leg. He did that two more times, and the kicker responded with field goals of 29 and 31 yards to end the scoring for the Wolverines. Late in the final stanza, with Michigan ahead 26-20, the Fighting Illini offered one more brawl. Highlighted by successful Trudeau passing, they added eight token points with a nine-yard Randy Grant recep- tion in the endzone with -just two minutes to go. Trudeau hit tight end Cap Boso for the two-point conversion, ending the scoring for the afternoon at 26-18. s : . ,. Tre Il~ouga. B. I ev Big win over hated rival... *.. in a word, satisfying M ICHIGAN FOOTBALL, satisfaction guaranteed, or your money back. Bo Schembechler's Wolverines not only defeated Mike White's Fighting Illini yesterday, they outclassed them. For Schembechler, his beleaguered warriors and the 100,000 plus Michigan fans in attendance, yesterday's uplifting, 26-18 triumphy was the most satisfying aspect of this 1984 campaign. "This, of all the victories, has meant the most this year," said a satisfied Schembechler immediately after the victory. The Wolverines are now beaming with confidence as they head into next week's crucial clash at Purdue. Illinois is finished. Illinois has now lost to Iowa, Ohio State and Michigan this season and it is not going to a bowl game because of NCAA probation. Yet Mike White's team is powerful, it lost-to the Hawkeyes in Iowa City by the close score of 21- 16, and to the Buckeyes in Columbus in a true barnbur- ner, 45-38. Illinois has also destroyed the trio of Michigan State (40-7), Wisconsin (22-6) and Purdue (34-20). Illinois, for all of its problems, is one hell of a fine football team, which makes Michigan's victory truly satisfying. " Most satisfying of all was the victory itself, avenging last year's 16-6 pasting in Champaign. Michigan's players were acting like a bunch of college kids, singing 'Hail to the Victors' in the lockerroom after the win. The '84 Wolverines are not the wild men of past Michigan teams. Crunching the Illini was indeed, satisfying. * Supremely satisfying was the play of the Michigan defense. Three Jack Trudeau passes were intercepted and returned for 76 yards. The one time Trudeau was sacked, he fumbled and Michigan recovered. The Wolverines were not to be denied when they stopped Trudeau on fourth down and inches, snuffing yet another drive. Brad Cochran made 12 tackles and Mike Mallory made 14 stops. " Expectedly satisfying was the running of backs Rick Rogers and Bob Perryman. Rogers gained 93 bruising yards on 28 carries and received two passes for 16 more. Perryman took over at fullback when starter Eddie Garrett was injured and rambled for 55 yards on only seven carries, in- cluding a 27-yard gallop. Together Rogers, Perryman and Zurbrugg rushed for 219 yards. The Illinois defense is still grabbing. " Surprisingly satisfying was Schembechler's game plan. Michigan's 16- year leader insists that he did nothing out of character in reference to yesterday's play calling, to which I respond, 'C'mon coach, give us a break.' For one thing, Rogers just missed hitting Markray with a tailback option pass play in the first quarter. Although Rogers' aerial was a tad overthrown and fell incomplete, Schembechler's team received a standing ovation for the effort. "I couldn't hear it (the fan's reaction) because I have the headphones on," said Schembechler. "Heck, I would have booed if my team missed a receiver who was that wide open." Schembechler's offense also hit on two screen passes, or flairs-to-the-flat as Schembechler would call them. Hey, when you've got physical backs like Rogers and Gerald White, let them have some fun with a couple of screen passes. One thing about Rogers, the man is a game player. He will be a tremendous factor in Michigan's upcoming stretch drive for the Fiesta Bowl. * Always satisfying is the performance of placekicker Bob Bergeron. Yesterday, the fifth-year senior phenom hit on field goals of 32, 40, 38 and 31 yards. So far this year, Bergeron has hit on nine of 11 and in his career he is an impressive 25 of 30. Monte Robbins averaged 51.7 yards on his three punts, including the one that rolled forever, pinning the Illini deep in their own territory. " Quotably satisfying was Schembechler himself who admitted in no un- certain terms that he did not think Michigan has a shot at the Rose Bowl. Iowa would have to lose two of its final three conference contests for the Wolverines to win the Big Ten. This, Schembechler stated, was not to be ex- pected. Hoarse from excitement and mental exhaustion, it was with pride that Schembechler described the character of his '84 team. "We could have very easily thrown in the towel, rolled over and died," said Schembechler. "But this team is willing to do everything it can to win and I'm proud of them." " Eternally satisfying is what Michigan's victory over the Illini represents in the overall scheme of big time college football. It was a victory for good over evil. Mike White's program reeks of dishonesty. Schembechler's triumph over Illinois was honest to God, SATISFYING. 14 r I 11 I 14 I Illini quarterback Jack Trudeau gets pressure from the Michigan line. Trudeau was injured on the play but later retur- mak, ned to action. Illini By MIKE MCGRAW Illinois' problems didn't end with the final gun of the 1984 Rose Bowl. That 45-9 pummeling was followed by probation, player arrests and finally a season plagued by frustrating losses. Illini quarterback Jack Trudeau. "I don't know what happened." Last year, Illinois was lucky enough to play the top three teams in the conference-Iowa, Ohio State and Michigan-at home. They won all three Qa n acwa1l n the Ri Ten_ mostly his own performance. He threw three in- terceptions and fumbled once to account for all the Illini turnovers. COACH WHITE would credit Michigan with simply a "good, consistent defense", but Trudeau bowl hopes. "YOU CAN never predict when the big play is going to happen," said linebacker Rodney Lyles, who caught interception number one. "You just