Women's Soccer vs. Central Michigan Today, 4 p.m. Mitchell Field SPORTS Football at Michigan State Saturday, 3:30 p.m. Spartan Stadium The Michigan Daily Wednesday, October 11,1989 Page 7 Big shoes to fill Hutchinson faces void left by Mark Messner a by Adam Benson Daily Football Writer Remember Mark Messner? There may soon come a time when Michigan football fans refer to him as the guy who played defensive tackle before Chris Hutchinson. Hutchinson has convinced at least one person that he is a capable replacement for Michigan's departed All- American. "I've been impressed with Hutchinson since he got there," Messner said from Los Angeles where he is practicing with the Rams. "I hadn't seen him as a defensive tackle, but when the coaches say 'He reminds us of you' then I know he is going to be a hell of a ball player." While fear could consume some players, Hutchinson knows that he won't be an instant All-American re- placement. "I haven't tried to replace him, because that is too hard for someone to come in, who's never played before, and try to replace Mark," Hutchinson said. "I just try to come in and play the team concept. I just want to do my responsibilities, as he did. Mark did what he was supposed to do and so many more things, that I couldn't even think about doing right now." THE SIMILARITIES between Messner and Hutchinson can best be described by the coach who brought them together. "He's a bright kid, about Messner's size, and has that kind of potential," said Michigan coach Bo Schem- bechler. "I think he is going to be an excellent, excellent football player. He is a red-shirt freshman, and there isn't any question he has developed as a starter and we like him a lot. "He's never going to be a big guy, but he can play the game, he can play football," he said. Hutchinson's potential made Bo a believer, but his play convinced Schembechler and the other Wolverine coaches to give Hutchinson Messner's starting spot. He started fulfilling the expectations of those coaches, receiving Defensive Champion of the Week honors for his strong effort against Wisconsin. "He played very, very well," said Wisconsin coach Don Morton about Hutchinson's efforts. "He's aggressive, he plays with bedlam down low. He's player we had a lot of respect going into the game." Opponents' recognition of the Houston, Texas native grows as Hutchinson steadily makes strides iii his game. "I remember two plays towards the end of the Notre Dame game, I had to go back that night and watch the game on video tape," Hutchinson said. "I played pretty well, but I'd come off the field and the coaches would ask me 'What happened on that play?' I had no idea." NO ONE complained about Hutchinson's perform- ance against the Irish, but Notre Dame did try to attack the newest member of the defensive line more than once, all by design. "I don't know if being without Messner hurt them or not," said Notre Dame fullback Anthony Johnson. "They were easier to run than last year, but Michigan will improve on that." Hutchinson entered that game trying to keep a proper perspective on the contest. "Coach (Tom) Reed put on my tip sheet 'Don't try and be too fancy' because he didn't know how I would adapt to the game situation. They just wanted me to take things slow, not try and do more than I was capable of doing." It only took one week for Hutchinson to feel more relaxed on the field. "I remember almost the whole UCLA game," Hutchinson said. "I could tell the coaches what happened." Hutchinson credits his teammates, the same people who convinced him to become a Wolverine, with making him feel comfortable with the task of replacing a Michigan great. "On my visit to Michigan, what really stood out is that players didn't say bad things about each other. (That's) a big reason why I came," he said. JUUIE I-OLLMAN/Dais Take that!! Sophomore defensive tackle Chris Hutchinson buries Maryland quarterback Neil O'Donnell in Michigan's 41-21 win over the Terrapins. Hutchinson, a Texas native, is the sixth-leader tackler on the Wolverines with 20 stops. At 6-foot-2, 260 pounds, Hutchinson reminds a lot of people of former Michigan All-American Mark Messner. Women volleyballers lose to Western Michigan in four sets FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK by Ryan Schreiber Daily Sports Writer The Michigan women's volley- ball team suffered its seventh con- secutive loss at the hands of a strong Western Michigan team last night at Varsity Arena, 16-14, 12-15, 6-15, 14-16. With the loss, Michigan falls to 5-8 on the season, while Western Michigan improves it record to 10-5. The opening game was marred by Wolverine unforced errors, as West- ern Michigan cruised to a 10-0 lead. The first seven points of the match were given away by Michigan on mishits and violations. Yet, despite the numerous mental errors, Michigan forged a well-bal- anced comeback, taking the game, 16-14. Strong performances by first- year hitter Hayley Lorenzen, senior Carla Hunter, and junior Julia Strum paced the Wolverines, who garnered eight points in a row to combat Western's start. "Michigan played tough tonight," Western Michigan head coach Robert Buck said. "We went ahead 10-0 and they came back strong. The diff- erence was their service errors and service return errors. When they stopped making them, they got right back in it." "Service errors, service errors, service errors," moaned Michigan coach Joyce Davis. "We outblocked IN CHARACTERISTIC fash- ion, Michigan suffered a mental collapse in the third game as they fell, 15-6. In addition to the Wolverines' paltry .029 attack percentage, Western's Kim Lee dom- inated, thwarting almost every Michigan threat. Lee's .579 attack percentage was tops for the match. Behind Hunter, Michigan opened up a 10-5 lead in the fourth and deciding game. But a resurgence led by Bingham prevented Michigan from adding to the lead. After an exchange of points, a 13-7 Wol- verine lead evaporated behind a cloud of Zhang blocks as Western Mich- igan cut the lead to one. Michigan could only muster one more point in the contest as another surge by Bingham shut the door on the Wolverines, 16-14. Overall, however, the intensity level of the match was very high, something the Wolverines have lacked in their Big 10 matches. "If Michigan could play with this much spirit," Buck said, "they would be in the middle of the Big 10." By Adam Benson and Richard Eisen Daily Football Writers Tight end Derrick Walker has eight receptions this year, three of which are touchdown receptions for an average of one touchdown every 2.6 receptions. -Throwing passes: Red-shirt frosh quarterback Elvis Grbac, who has completed 57 of 87 passes this season for 618 yards and 6 touch- downs, is already chasing a few Michigan single season records. Grbac . If he continues at ths rate, he will be near several of Jim Har- baugh's passing records. Harbaugh tossed 180 completions out of 227 attempts for 2729 yards and 18 touchdowns in his four years at Michigan. -Catching passes: Wide receiver Greg McMurtry now has 1705 re- ceiving yards, placing him third on the Wolverines' all-time receivers list. -Closing in on Woody: Michigan coach Bo Schembechler is now 11 wins behind his mentor, former Ohio State coach Woody Hayes, good for fourth on the all- time winningest college football coaches list. Hayes won 238 games, Schembechler now has 227. -Say cheese: ABC will broadcast at least four of Michigan's last seven games. Michigan's games with Michigan State, Iowa, Indiana, and Ohio State will all be televised by ABC, but there is no word yet on the television status of the Mich- igan-Illinois game. If ABC doesn't carry that contest, ESPN most likely will. -It's good: After missing his first collegiate extra point atterrpt against Notre Dame, Michigan ple kicker J.D. Carlson has consistently split the uprights. His 33-yard field goal against Wisconsin kept his consecutive field goal streak alive at 7. Despite his short career as a Wol- verine, Carlson is already tied for Walker tenth place on Michigan's all-tirime fiek goal conversion list. ,Telltale game: The victor of the last three M;chigan-Michigan State gridiron contests has gone on to the Rose Bowl. Ir. 1987 and 1989,: Michigan went to the Rose Bowl* after beating the Spartans the pre- vious year. 'n 1988, Michigan State: defeated USC in the Rose Bowl after beating the Wolverines in the Big Ten season. Davis them, the hitting was even, we had a comparable number of kills. But the biggest stat was service errors." In the second game, Western Michigan's Mei Zhang and Joanne Bingham overcame some late mis- takes with kills and blocks to hold on to the 15-12 win. JOSTENS GOLD RING SALE IS COMING! I Is £firtictgan m Is an affirmative action employer. It's For You! TIE OF FEELIAGLIKE Big, beautiful 2 bedroom apartments available now for as little as $550.00/month. This includes heat for the long, icy winter, hot water for cooking and bathing, parking, and laundry facilities. Convenient and secure campus locations. You don't have to be cramped up like a sardine anymore. Call Prime Student Housing today. Prime Student Housing We've got your number 4 in the University of Michigan Student Telephone Directory. FREE OF CHARGE Order your college ring NOW. 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