The Michigan Daily - Monday, October 10, 1988 - Page 13
Streak
ends
MSU picks off Taylor
BY ADAM SCHEFTER
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Orel
Hershiser gave up his first run in 67
innings Wednesday night. That was
the first of two impressive streaks to
be broken this week.
The second came when Michigan
quarterback Michael Taylor threw his
first interception in 79 passing
attempts. Taylor had not thrown an
' interception since last year's game
against Wisconsin.
"I'm not really that upset about
the streak being over," Taylor said. "I
knew it was going to happen sooner
or later."
The player responsible for ending
the streak is a player all too familiar
to Wolverine fans - John Miller,
the Spartans' strong safety. Miller
had four of Michigan State's seven
interceptions in last year's contest
against Michigan, setting a school
record and tying the Big Ten mark.
MILLER, of Farmington, had
watched the Michigan-Miami game
films and noticed that Michigan often
ran one particular play. Early in
Saturday's game, the Wolverines
made a first down on it when
Michael Taylor lofted the ball over
Miller's head to John Kolesar.
Next time, Miller knew it was
coming. "I read the play well, got a
little deeper drop that time, and
Michael made a mistake and threw it
at me. I was waiting for that play
again all day."
When Miller caught it, he took
off down the left sideline. He was
brought down at the five-yard line,
where Michigan State was forced to
settle for a field goal three plays later
to make the score 10-3.
On Michigan's next possession,
Taylor was intercepted a second time,
this one by linebacker Kurt Larson.
'Now, (Michigan State's
John Miller) is gone after
this season, isn't he? I
tried to recruit him 10
years ago, and he's still
intercepting balls on me.
- Bo Schembechler
"Michigan State's defense is an
excellent defense," said Michigan
coach Bo Schembechler. "They have
great mobility. When they take
drops, they take drops. That's why
that damn Miller and Larson picked
them off on us.
"Miller's play kept them in the
game," Schembechler added. "This
Miller finds a way. He's a wonderful
defensive back. Now, he is gone after
this season, isn't he? I tried to recruit
him 10 years ago, and he's still
intercepting balls on me."
With Taylor at quarterback,
Schembechler isn't used to seeing
interceptions. One of the main
reasons Taylor got the nod as starter
this season is because of his ability
to play intelligently and avoid
mistakes. Schembechler calls Taylor
the smartest quarterback he has ever
put behind a center.
JOHN MUNSON/Doily
'M' quarterback Michael Taylor evades the grasp of Spartan Jason Ridgeway. Taylor, who had his streak of 79 completions
without an interception ended, rushed for 33 yards. He threw for 115 yards.
Big Ten in total defense and second
in scoring defense, allowing 15.2
points per game. The conference's
top-ranked defensive team at season's
Gillette provides end has gone on to play in the Rose
good news for Bowl 13 of the last 16 years.
As well as the Wolverines
Bo, W olverines played defensively, the Spartans
showed very little offensively.
Continued from Page 1 Michigan State has scored only three
State to 16-4. "We had some pressure touchdowns this year compared to
on the passer and played well against Michigan's 17. No other Big Ten
the run. team has gained fewer yards total
"This team has hung together. offense this season.
We had two disastrous games to The Spartans' best opportunity,
begin with, and now we've strung to score a touchdown Saturday came
together some wins. This is reall in the third quarter with the
our first big win." ...olverines leading, 10-0. Strong
The Wolverines held Michigan safety John Miller intercepted a
State to 151 yards total offense and Michael Taylor pass and returned the
nine first downs - Michigan's best ball 48 yards to Michigan's five-yard
figures since against Purdue in 1985. line.
"We felt we kept our pursuit," Three plays later, Michigan
said the Wolverines' leading tackler State found itself inches shy of the
and their defensive signal caller, J.J. end zone. Perles elected to go for a
Grant. "We hustled and kept our field goal instead of going for the
assignments." touchdown on fourth down.
MICHIGAN ranks first in the "I'm not second-guessing myself
(on the decision to kick a field
goal)," Pc rles said. "We were down
by 10. Somewhere we had to get a
field goal."
SPARTAN offensive tackle
Tony Mandarich said: "There are 22
guys playing out there. Point the
finger at us, not Perles."
Michigan State never threatened
the rest of the contest. Mike
Gillette's 40-yard touchdown run rff
of a fake punt with 27 seconds left in
the third quarter gave Michigan a
two-touchdown cushion.
"Our men were covered all day,"
Perles said. "(Andre) Rison was
double-teamed4nd the coverage was
good, which led to sacks."
Michigan sacked Spartan
quarterback Bobby McAllister five
times, twice by defensive tackle
Mark Messner. The Wolverines had
recorded only two sacks in their first
four games combined.
"I think they had a different
passing attack than we faced the first
few games," said Osman, who
dropped McAllister for a 16-yard loss
during Michigan State's final
possession in the fourth quarter. "The
first few games, they were just
dropping back five yards and
throwing the ball. This week, they
had deeper patterns."
Rison, the Spartans' big-play
receiver, did not touch the ball until
the fourth quarter, when he caught a
24-yard pass. "We knew where
(Rison) was every play," said
Michigan strong safety Tripp
Welborne, who intercepted his third
pass of the season and threw a key
block on Gillette's touchdown.
Michigan State tailback Blake
Ezor, the Big Ten's third leading
rusher entering the game, ma'tt'ged
only 68 yards in 21 attempts.
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Attend informational meeting 6-7 pm, October 12, 3100 Michigan
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