The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, September 24, 1986 - Page9 Tower of a tackle. Senior John Elliott stacks up pancakes for hungry 'M' By PHIL NUSSEL SHe'sthe big guy on the offensive, line. No, he's the really big guy on the offensive line. IT'S HARD to imagine any one guy standing out on a line that averages 280 pounds, but John "Jumbo" Elliott pulls this trick on the Michigan offensive line. The senior checks in at - this is not a misprint - 6-7, 306 pounds. That's really big. Size, though, isn't the only thing Elliott brings to the line. He brings superior blocking talent to an offense averaging just under four touchdowns a game. Elliott, who moved to strong tackle this season, makes the lead block on 75 percent of the running plays. WITH THE likes of speedsters Jamie Morris and Gerald White behind him, not to mention pre- season All-American quarterback Jim Harbaugh, Elliott has to move fast. He has 5.3 speed in the 40-yard dash (considered good for a lineman). And in the 10-yard run, he says he is as quick as most running backs. Elliot moved to strong tackle in the spring from the weak side. Michigan's coaches questioned whether Elliott could handle the duties on that side as well as last year's strongman Clay Miller, but after making 84 percent of his blocking assignments against Oregon State last Saturday, Elliot has answered most questions. "He's doing pretty well," said offensive line coach Elliot Uzelac. "He's getting more aggressive and he's more intense and that's what we need out of him right now." "MY GOAL is to block over 90 percent in a game this season," Elliott said. "A 100 percent is pretty rare at Michigan, it's only been done twice since they started taking the stat (about 10 years ago)." Uzelac, who is known as a tough grader, compiles the blocking percentage statistic. Nobody is complaining about his grades, at least not too much. "He gave me a 70 percent (against Notre Dame)," Elliott said. "But that's debatable. They're grading a lot harder this year. (Uzelac's) expectations are much greater and he's much more critical." "I'VE ALWAYS been that way," Uzelac said. "I grade tough. If you get a good grade from me, then you know that you earned it." While Elliott's blocking efficiency keeps improving, he prefers to talk about a different stat - the "pancake," a category he leads right now ahead of strong guard Mark Hammerstein. "The type of block I like the best is when I get into a defensive player and I can explode into him," Elliott said with a grin. "The pop term for that is pancake." A PANCAKE occurs, according to Uzelac, when the lineman "completely dominates the defender and is able to push him down and land on him." Elliott, last week's offensive hustler, recorded two pancakes against Oregon State. The pancake statistic originated last season, and Miller won the title over Elliott, who made 20. "I have a lot of competition this year because we have such a big line," said Elliott, a Lake Ronkonkoma, N.Y. native. "I think we're going to rack up quite a few of them." INDEED, Elliott is part of a "big line." Starting from the left, the Wolverine offensive line features Mike Husar (6-3, 289 pounds), Michael Dames (6-2, 258), John Vitale (6-1, 289), Hammerstein (6-4, 285) and Elliott. Injured tackle Jerry Quaerna will bring his 6-7, 282 frame back next week. On average the Wolverine line outweighs the defending line by 30-40 pounds. Against Florida State, Michigan will enjoy a 30- pound advantage. Elliott, however, has not always enjoyed such great size advantages. He came to Michigan in 1983 weighing 285 pounds. A few months later he caught mononucleosis, and his weight crashed to "just" 245 pounds - the weight he carried into his first start against Wisconsin in '84. SINCE THEN Elliot has started every game, except for last year's Indiana contest. He missed that game because of a back injury which affected him all season. He wore a special electrical device on his back to alleviate the pain in his spine. Elliott is healthy so far this year, and he is happy with his progress. His endurance and strength have both improved over the summer (his bench press rose from 410 to 450). "Jumbo's getting better all the time," said head coach Bo Schembechler, who tagged Elliott with that nickname two years ago. "But he's still not where we expect him to be. He should be a dominating tackle." It's hard to imagine Elliott not being dominant. Really. .p. What's Happening Recreational Sports INTRAMURAL TOUCH FOOTBALL Sign up at IM Sports Bldg., 11 amm - 4:30 pm, Wed., Oct 1 through Fri., Oct. 3 TOUCH FOOTBALL MANAGERS' meeting Mon., Oct. 6, 7 pm, IMSB Main Gym Touch Football Play Begins Thu., Oct. 9th Daily Photo by DAN HABIB Offensive tackle John "Jumbo" Elliott gives quarterback Jim Harbaugh a real bear hug during last Satur- day's game. The senior lineman was named Offensive Hustler of the week for his performance against Oregon State. U I Kirk stunned by recent dsmissal MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)-Fired basketball coach Dana Kirk said yesterday he did not know why he was dismissed from Memphis State University. "In the letter that I received, there was no reason or anything," Kirk said during his weekly radio sports show. KIRK, who led Memphis State to a national ranking and the past five NCAA playoffs, was fired last week. Kirk has refused to comment on the dismissal, but he took part as usual on WHBQ radio's weekly call-in sports program. He declined again to discuss the firing, but he said he was surprised by the dismissal. NEED MONEY? WORK FOR HOUSING! Jobs with Housing Division's Food Service offer 4$ 4.2O hr. starting wages FLEXIBLE HOURS NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY Phone or stop by the Food Service Office of any Hall. 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