Page 10 -The Michigan Daily-Monday, November 2, 1987 Runaway. Taylor-made game plan ignites Blue I By RICK KAPLAN When it was time to start Mi- chael Taylor at quarterback, Mich- igan football coach Bo Schembechler set his clock back to the 1970s. Schembechler installed an old offense with his new quarterback. The Wolverines kept the ball on the ground almost exclusively, grinding out a slow-paced, 29-6 victory over Northwestern. Touted as a running quarterback, Taylor lived up to advance billing. The redshirt sophomore, starting his first game in place of the injured Demetrius Brown, threw just five passes and completed only one. The big play came in the second quarter, when Taylor found tailback Jamie Morris in the right flat for Michigan's only three yards of pass- ing offense in the game. "The game was tight, so I didn't want to put too much pressure on Mike," Schembechler said, explain- ing why he did not call for more passes. "Undoubtedly, we've got to throw more than that. I don't want to play like that." Schembechler's teams played like that in the '70s with Rick Leach at quarterback. The last time Michigan threw fewer passes and had fewer completions was in 1975, when Leach went zero-for-one in a 21-15 win over Illinois. TAYLOR led the Wolverines with an impressive option attack. He ran for. 144 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. Michigan piled up 374 yards on the ground. "The option was working pretty well," Taylor said. "There was really no need to pass as much as we did. We kept getting four and five yards a crack on the ground." "We felt we could establish the run and stay with that," said Michigan offensive lineman John Elliott, a finalist for the Outland Trophy, symbolic of the best lineman in college football. "We knew we were going to win the game, and we didn't want to give them a chance to get back into it. We wanted to take time off the clock by running the ball." Taylor was at his best when running the ball on the quarterback draw. He gained more than 30 yards on three different draw plays. "The quarterback draw was effective when we had everyone (on Northwestern's defense) backing up deep," the 6-0. 195-pounder said. "I could come up and get an open crease and go from there." Taylor hit a crease and went all the way to the Wildcat end zone for a 65-yard touchdown at the start of the fourth quarter. "I looked left and saw the hole and cut up the field," he said. "The first person I saw was the free safety coming over (from the right), so I cut back left and went all the way." THE PLAY was costly, how- ever. Taylor tore a quad muscle in his left thigh. "On the first cut, my leg gave out on me," he said. "I tried to go the rest of the way as fast as I 'could, but it hurt me a lot." Taylor remained in for the remainder of the game, but he did not carry the ball again. Schembechler is now uncertain whether Brown (broken thumb) or Taylor will be able to play at Minnesota this Saturday. The Mich- igan coach said he believes Brown will be will be healed in time to play. Taylor will attempt to stay sharp, even if he is back on the bench. "Whichever one of us is in there is going to do a good job," he said. "I want to be prepared at all times. When I am called upon, I want to be in the game mentally. "I'm just glad I got my chance." I 4 Daily Photo by JOHN MUNSON Michigan quarterback Michael Taylor runs for a one-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Later Taylor added a 65-yard TD run in the first start of his career. Adamantly Speaking BY ADAM OCHLIS Rookie lineman Dingman... ... an unlikely starter In a game that was as exciting as... Well, in a game that, just say, wasn't very exciting, it is only fitting that one of the highlights was the play of a Michigan offensive lineman that no one knows anything about. Dean Dingman started at guard in his first appearance in a Wolverine uniform Saturday against Northwestern. Nothing special for most, granted, but considering Dingman is a freshman at a so-called "non-skilled" position, it is quite an accomplishment. Most players who arrive at Michigan fully expect to be redshirted their first year to allow them to stay at school for a fifth year. While they don't play in games their first year, they get to practice with the team and gain a little experience before they are asked to contribute. Last season, only wide receiver Greg McMurtry played in his first season. This season, Tripp Welborne, another receiver, was the only newcomer expected to see action in his first year. But when the linebacker corps became decimated with injuries before the Long Beach State game, Cornelius Simpson became the second rookie to play. Simpson has since become a fixture at inside linebacker and is seventh on the team in tackles. On Saturday, Dingman got his chance to show what he could do. Most people either fell asleep, left, or just weren't watching the.game after the first quarter. But in the early going, many fans likely wondered who number 78 was. In fact, number 78, Dingman, was wondering who number 78 was. Dingman, needless to say, didn't get off to the best of starts. "I was a little confused on the first play," Dingman said, laughing. "It didn't work out too good. I just didn't block my man." "On that first series, he was a wreck out there," said senior tackle John Elliott, who lined up beside Dingman during the game. "He went the wrong way once or twice, but after he got into the flow of the game, he was OK. "He's a good player. I'm not so sure he couldn't have started anyway, it's just that the coaches wanted to redshirt him. He's a really good player." Indeed, Dingman did play well in his debut. As the game progressed, he seemed more comfortable out on the field. On Jamie Morris' 74-yard run up the middle, the key block that sprung Morris was delivered by the 6-3, 265- pounder out of East Troy, Wisc. "Dean played like a freshman," said Michigan offensive line coach Les Miles. "He made some freshman mistakes. There's no question he played hard. He drives hard. North- western played a different front and it screwed up some of the guys, especially him. But he's going to be a great player." Dingman, who was a USA Today and Super- Prep All-American in high school, admitted that he thought he might get into a game this year because he's been practicing. with the second team all year. When fellow linemen Michael Dames and Tom Dohring went down with injuries, it was time to put in the rookie. And despite knowing he was going to start four days before the actual game, Dingman admitted that he was extremely nervous when he walked on the field. Dingman thus becomes the third newcomer to play this year. Head coach Bo Schembechler said after the game that a fourth, quarterback Eric Bush, may see action next week if Demetrius Brown (thumb) and Michael Taylor (leg) are unable to go. Also, if another offensive lineman gets injured, Greg Skrepenak, a 6-8, 305-pounder, would step in. Schembechler repeatedly has said that players are not capable of contributing in their first year. However, in a disappointing year to date for the Wolverines, all the participating newcomers have done themselves proud. "The freshmen that have played are talented people and quality players," said senior co- captain Doug Mallory. TUESDAY LUNCH FORUM at the INTERNATIONAL CENTER - 603 E. MADISON November3 at 12noon: "The Philippine Crisis: A View from Cebu" Speaker: Michael Cullinane of South and Southeast Asian Studies for additional information -please call 662-5529 N Sponsored by: The Ecumenical Campus Center and the International Center Lunch Available: $1.00 (students) $1.50 (others) i ; Ii i"""" """""""""""!"i"""""!""""" '" 0 " " 0 -" e s FREE PLAY QzN PETE s ""' " " " " " " "' " " " " S S 0 0 0 S 0g Blue runs over Northwestern d (Continued from Page 1) Northwestern followed Michigan's lead, keeping the ball on the ground on 68 of its 83 offensive plays. Senior quarterback Mike Greenfield was the Wildcats' most effective rusher, gaining 49. yards, despite taking 55 yards in losses. "Greenfield is a god," ANN ARBOR'S FINEST VIDEO & PINBALL 254 Candy * 254 Pop * Ann Arbor's Only Instant Photo Booth * Pool Table * Foosball * * 603 E. William St., Above Stereo Shoppe 7pLimit-iddnrhdi. "Not valid Fri. & Sat 7pm-}Midnight ! . On South University Next to Middle Earth - Expires Friday 11/687 " Psssst... Maude's got a reputation! Schembechler said. "He is hard to wrap up. I'm glad that's the last time we'll play him. He's been there for what... eight years?" The last time the Wolverines played Northwestern was in 1984 when Greenfield was a first-year starter. Michigan won that contest, 31-0. "They improved vastly from that last time I saw them my freshman year," Morris said. "They were just all over the place. They were hawking." "NORTHWESTERN played hard and well," Schembechler said. "I'm really impressed with Northwestern - the way they were coached, the way they were disciplined. They were hard to Think You're Pregnant? Free Pregnancy Test Completely Confidential Pregnancy Counseling Center 529 N.Hewitt, Ypsilanti Call: 434-3088 (any time) crack." Michigan could only muster a 12- 0 halftime lead, causing the large homecoming day crowd to grow restless. Midway through the third quarter the crowd used a variety of waves - including the slow motion, the speed up, and the double opposing-direction wave - to keep themselves from falling asleep. "They tried to spice it up a little," said Schembechler. The Wolverines responded by scoring on their next three possessions. Mike Gillette kicked a 43-yard field goal - his third of the game - with 1:04 remaining in the third quarter to boost Michigan's lead to 15-0. Taylor's 39-yard dash on an option keeper set up that score. On the third play of Michigan's next possession Taylor ran 65 yards for the touchdown. On the play Taylor ran an option left and cut inside to elude two defenders, then John Vitale, Tracy Williams, and Jamie Morris sprung him with key blocks. TAYLOR PULLED a quad muscle in his left thigh on the run 1 1 1 TANNING CENTER 1 I on campus I 1 1 1 216 S. State I I phone - 747-8844 I but played the remainder of the game. Michigan offensive lineman Dave Chester suffered a pinched nerve in the contest, also. Both should be available for next week's game at Minnesota. The Wildcats finally cracked the Michigan defense as Greenfield guided them on an 80-yard, 12-play drive. The Northwestern QB ran the ball six times during the march, amassing 42 yards, including a one- yard touchdown run. The Wildcats went for two but failed, leaving the score 22-6. "They really have a very respectable defensive football club;" Peay said. "We just had problems crossing midfield and getting into their territory late in the ballgame." Michigan finished off its scoring spree when Morris took Taylor's handoff on a draw play and stormed straight up the middle through a gaping hole. He went untouched 74 yards for the score. Michigan failed to score in thc first quarter. But on each of its three second-quarter possessions, it moved inside the Wildcats' 10-yard line. The first two drives of the secon. stanza resulted in field goals of 28 and 22 yards by Gillette. !^ i y I074 ANNIVERSARY BSPECIAL 9 .c :.:% :' - > " i' Kai. 'Y, 'I -- I "rte .;-":,. t lam.., r. r . . 0 0 What's Happening A Recreational Sports THE TURKEYS ARE COMING!!! THE TURKEYS ARE COMING!!! I. i I vim0R W Ia