0 Page 10 - The Michigan Daily -Thursday, September 13, 1990 Mirer takes control of Irish Sophomore quarterback changes offensive strategy by David Hyman Daily Football Writer In the past two seasons against. Notre Dame, the Wolverines have had to defend against a run-oriented offense under the wings of quarter- back Tony Rice. The Fighting Irish won 24 of 25 games under Rice's leadership during 1988 and 1989, in- cluding a national championship and two victories over Michigan. Now that Rice has graduated, the Wolverines will face an unseasoned signal caller in Rick Mirer. Rice led the Irish in rushing the past two sea- sons while still passing for 1,122 yards. But without him, Notre Dame is a different team. "With Tony there, you knew it would be the option," Michigan free safety Vada Murray said. "Rick Mirer can drop back and throw deep and that's the threat Rice didn't have." Michigan inside linebacker John Milligan agrees. "It's not going to be like a Tony Rice option team. He was a big weapon of theirs and now you can focus on other guys, but they're still loaded at the skill posi- tions." Mirer does not possess the scrambling ability Rice provided Notre Dame with, but with Ricky. Watters, Rodney Culver and Tony Brooks coming out of the backfield, the run remains a threat. Watters av- eraged 6.7 yards on 18 carries for 791 yards and 10 touchdowns last season and will lead this year's ground attack. 'With Tony there, you knew it would be the option. Rick Mirer can drop back and throw deep and that's the threat Rice didn't have' Vada Murray attempt for a 6-yard score to fullback Anthony Johnson. The Irish ran on the 54 other plays from scrimmage. "Notre Dame's offense is more controlled, but I don't think they'll go over the top. That's not Holtz's philosophy," Murray added. Like Michigan's Elvis Grbac, Mirer is more of a drop-back passer and has plenty of talent to throw to in Ismail and junior tight end Derek Brown. Ismail hauled in 27 passes for a 19.8 yard average, while Brown averaged 15.7 yards on 13 receptions last season. I Mirer has limited experience. He appeared in eight games last season, relieving Rice after each outcome had been decided. Mirer completed 15 of 30 passes for 180 yards and one interception. Mirer's ability to throw the ball will weigh heavily this weekend. The Wolverines will be able to ap- ply more pressure on the offensive backfield, because there is no threat of Mirer slipping through the line into the open field, as there was when Rice took the snap. The change in Notre Dame's of- fensive strategy meets with Wolver- ine enthusiasm. "I'd rather play against a drop-back passer than an option quarterback," Murray said. a, leaves Greece 0 for NBA by Jeff Sheran Daily Basketball Writer The Irish also have the option of letting junior flanker Raghib Ismail take the handoff and rocket down- field, as he did for 478 yards and 2 touchdowns for a 7.5 average in 1989. "Once Ismail gets in the open field, he can flat outrun the sec- ondary," Murray said. So the run is still a threat for the Michigan defense, but without Rice calling the option, Notre Dame will run more of a balanced attack. In last year's game in Ann Arbor, Rice threw the ball twice, completing one SPORTS INFORMATION Sophomore Rick Mirer replaces Tony Rice at quarterback and will lead the No. 1 ranked Irish against Michigan in Saturday night's contest CASIOI The scientific way to go bac to school Former Michigan basketball star Terry Mills, who passed up an op- portunity to play for the Denv Nuggets of the NBA, has left t Greek team he signed a lucrative contract with in August. Mills is back at his Romulus home, where he arrived earlier this week. According to his agent, Boston attorney Bob Woolf, the 6'10" forward will spend a week at home with his family. "He's very homesick," Woolf said. "He said he felt very uncoo fortable in Greece. When he played in Ann Arbor, he was only 40 min- utes away." Now that Mills has returned to the United States, the Nuggets are reportedly awaiting word from the International Basketball Federation that his contract with the Paouk Athletic Club in Greece is indeed void. Once this is confirmed, t Nuggets, who own the rights Mills, will resume their efforts to sign him. "We can not speak with him un- til everything is finalized in terms of termination papers, and we get some kind of agreement saying his rights have been relinquished according to the FIBA," Nuggets general manager Bernie Bickerstaff stated Tuesday. But according to Woolf, such. process is unnecessary. "The contra is void, and the Nuggets can begin negotiations with Terry as soon us he is ready," Woolf said. He added that Mills will fly out to Denver next week and meet with the Nuggets' coaching staff, al- though Woolf himself will not ac- company him as of yet. Bickerstaff issued a short press rc- lease stating that the Nuggets w* await the final details of the situa- tion and will make no further com- ment until Monday. No doubt in- cluded among these details is the at- mosphere in which Paouk and Mills nullified the deal. Mills' departure came amid re- ports that the two parties arrived at a mutual agreement to sever the con- tract, despite rumors that the Gre team was unhappy with Mills. Mif. was unavailable for comment. The Nuggets have not indicated what offer they will make to Mills, who was drafted 16th overall by Milwaukee and sent to Denver in re- turn for Danny Schayes. Their pre- vious offer stood at approximately $600,000 per season, half of Paouk's two-year, $2.4 million con- tract with Mills. However, Woolf anticipates little conflict. "I expect negotiations to run smoothly," he said, adding the Nuggets felt no bitterness and re- garded Mills' decision to play in Greece as a "straight business deci- sion." Woolf represents five other first- round draft-choices, all of whom re- main unsigned, including form Wolverine standout Loy Vaught.- addition, Denver has yet to sign its first pick, guard Chris Jackson, who was selected third overall. Speculation has persisted that the Detroit Pistons are interested in trad- ing unsigned forward Anthony Cook, who played in Greece last season, for the rights to Mills. However, neither Bickerstaff nor Pis- tons GM Jack McCloskey we, available for comment on that po sibility. i kinko's 10.97 Our Everyday Low Price.8-diglit scien- tific calculator features constant memo- ry, automatic shutoff, convenient user memory and fractional capability. 16.97 Our Everyday Low Price. Casio scientific solar-powered calculator features 125 functions, 10-digit display, one indepen- dent memorv/6 constant memories. 74.97 Our Everyday Low Price. 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