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November 25, 1991 - Image 9

Resource type:
Text
Publication:
The Michigan Daily, 1991-11-25

Disclaimer: Computer generated plain text may have errors. Read more about this.

Sports Monday Trivia
How many Ohio State players
have won the Heisman
Trophy?

Inside Sports Monday

(For the answer,
bottom of page 2)

'M' Sports Calendar
AP Top 25 Results
Griddes
Q&A
Sheran My Thoughts
Women's Swimming
Football Coverage
Ice Hockey Coverage
Women's Diving
Men's and Women's Volleyball
Men's Basketball

2
2
2
3
3
3
4-5
6
7
7
7

turn to the

I :.

The~ Michion Dlv - Soonrts Monda1v

November 25, 1991

. .. . ., V ... .,. y P .

-Blue

crushes

Buckeyes,31-

3

Mo's confidence
earns 8=0 season
Michigan's 31-3 victory over archrival Ohio State
was the crowning jewel to a very special Michigan
football season. Now is the time to savor the season,
and dole out all the post-season adulation.
Indeed, there is plenty to go around for the Wolver-
ines. Pick a player, any player. This season's success has
been the result of 11 players carrying out their individ-
ual tasks on every play. And while several Wolverines
have even been nominated for national individual
awards, the time has come to pay tribute to someone
who has gone largely unrecognized this season - the
guy wearing the headset, Michigan coach Gary Moeller.
Moeller has been the driving
Matt force behind the Wolverines all
Rennie season long, stressing the need to
improve with each game and
keeping the team focused on its
goals. However, that's rather
standard fare for any college
coach.
But Moeller distinguishes
himself from other coaches when
it's time to make a crucial deci-
sion. Actually, Moeller makes
crucial decisions even when it
isn't time. And he does it with-
out batting an eyelash.
I don't think there is a decision risky enough to
make Moeller sweat. Granted, his risks are calculated,
but they are risks. This never seems to faze Moeller,
who decides his fourth-down play selections the way
most of us decide what we want on our pizza.
And his calls always seem to work. And because
they have, Moeller has not only earned his first trip to
the Rose Bowl, he has made the Michigan Wolverines
his team.
Moeller's first season would have been considered a
success at most schools, but this isn't most schools.
This is Michigan. Loosely translated, that means that if
you didn't got to Pasadena this year, you better have a
good plan on how to get there next year. It's a tough
standard to live by.
By that standard, Moeller failed last year. The
Wolverines lost consecutive games to Michigan State
and Iowa, by a grand total of two points. And while
Michigan rebounded to win the rest of its games, in-
cluding a 35-3 demolition of Ole Miss in the Gator
Bowl, Moeller knew that these East Coast bowl games
just wouldn't do.
Most people find it hard to feel sorry for Moeller.
After all, he didn't exactly inherit a decrepit program
that he had to build up from the ground floor. His cup-
boards were, and still are, stocked with talent.
But I'm not saying we should feel sorry for
Moeller. Just give the man his due. Entering this sea-
son, Moeller was concerned about a lack of depth at
tailback. He also didn't have a Heisman Trophy candi-
date. Now he has arguably the nation's best trio of
tailbacks and a wide receiver who has done everything
except make his acceptance speech.
This change has more to do with the athletes than
anyone else, but Moeller must be credited for provid-
ing them with the vehicle to achieve this status.
He jokingly claims responsibility for Desmond
Howard's success by saying, "He's the only guy I
coach. He's been following my instructions well."
See RENNIE, Page 5

Defense
keys rare,
blowout
by Phil Green
Daily Football Writer
It was supposed to be a tight,
hard-hitting affair, but Saturday's
Michigan-Ohio State game proved
to be one-sided. The Wolverines,
paced by Desmond Howard's 213
all-purpose yards and a staunch de-
fense, soundly handled the Buckeyes,
31-3.
"I thought it would be closer,"
Michigan guard Matt Elliott said.
"I don't think Ohio State played as
well as they could have. I don't
think they played as well as some of
the games we had seen on film."
The victory gave Michigan (8-0
in the Big Ten, 10-1 overall) its
third outright conference title in
four years, during which the
Wolverines have not lost to Ohio
State. The Buckeyes (5-3, 8-3) re-
mained in third place with the de-
feat.
"I guess if you're 10-1 you've
got to be happy, so I'm happy,"
Michigan coach Gary Moeller said.
"To beat Ohio State, it's very spe-
cial."
Michigan, like it has so many
times this season, jumped out in
front with a touchdown on its first
possession.
The Wolverines methodically
moved through the Ohio State de-
fense before being apparently halted
on the Buckeye three; on fourth-and-
two, Moeller sent out J.D. Carlson
and the rest of the field goal unit.
But to Ohio State's dismay,
holder/reserve quarterback Ken Sol-
lom shoveled the ball to Greg Mc-
Thomas, who barrelled to the 1-foot
line for a first down.
"You try to make your decisions
before you go into the game on those
kinds of plays. If we end up in a cer-
tain position we'll do it," Moeller
said. "I didn't want to do it in the
first half. I said we'd wait to see
how they lined up, but it was the
position we wanted. It was a tough
angle, and I just ran it."
On the next play, Burnie Legette
dove in from the one for a 7-0
Wolverine lead.
At that point, the Michigan de-
fense and a player named Desmond
took over.
The Wolverines, led by inside
linebackers Erick Anderson and
Brian Townsend (27 tackles be-
See BUCKEYES, Page 4

On his 93-yard punt return, Desmond Howard splits tacklers (top left), and breaks away for
touchdown (bottom left), before showing his Heismond Trophy pose.

Pose signifies picturesque season'

by Phil Green
Daily Football Writer

After most of Desmond Howard's 23
touchdowns this season, he has celebrated
by tossing his arms in the air and jumping
into the arms of an oncoming offensive
lineman. But following Howard's sensa-
tional Michigan record 93-yard punt-re-
turn touchdown against Ohio State Satur-
day, he provided a different sort of posi-
tion - that of the famous Heisman tro-
phy he may soon possess.
Howard caught Tim Williams' punt at
the Michigan 7-yard line, split two de-
fenders, received a magnificent block
from Alfie Burch, broke away from a div-

ing defender, used another key block by
Dwayne Ware, and burst up the sideline
past three Buckeyes who had appeared to
have a good angle for the tackle..
Howard crossed the goal line with his
index finger raised. But once he got into
the back of the end zone, it was showtime.
With one leg in the air, an extended
stiff-arm, and the ball cradled to his
chest, Howard posed as John Heisman for
the cameras, a national television audi-
ence, and most importantly, his buddies
back home - until his teammates inter-
rupted him with a fierce gang-tackle.
"I told my friends in Ohio that-if I got

in the end zone against Ohio State, I'd do
something special for them," he said.
"But the season's not over; I won't say
that it's mine until it's in my hands."
While it was impossible to miss
Howard's electrifying return, only those
watching Michigan's 31-3 rout over Ohio
State on television witnessed his brief
celebratory display - the majority of the
Michigan Stadium crowd didn't catch it.
"I didn't see it," Michigan coach Gary
Moeller said. "I won't believe it until I
see it. One of my players would not do
that."
See HOWARD, Page 5

Afloat in An
Rich Mitvalsky Kirsten Silvester

erica

byf

wlly 2P7 I L t Yj V G

KRISTOFFER GILLETTE/DaiIy
Michigan goaltender Chris Gordon made save after save Friday night,
helping the Wolverines to a 5-4 victory over Illinois-Chicago.
Wolverines can't
ei F
extinguish Fames

The sport of swimming tours
its top athletes around the world
at international competitions held
throughout the year. Kirsten
Silvester, a junior transfer on the
five-time defending Big Ten
Champion Michigan women's
swimming team, has taken full
advantage of this benefit.
A native of Odijk, Holland, and
transfer student from Northern
Michigan University, Silvester has
competed on all levels in the
structured European swimming
program as well as NCAA
division two swimming. This year
she makes the jump to Division I.
Although foreign athletes and
transfers often find themselves
caught in transitional difficulties,
Silvester's background is so
extensive that she feels she has
experienced little problem
adiusting to Michigan.

adjusts to big-time
U. S. s wimming

trained for two club teams, until
her sister quit swimming at the age
of 14, succumbing to the high
pressures of training.
"When we were swimming
with our club teams, when I was
about 12,I began passing her in
workouts," Silvester said. "That
was hard for her. Along with other
reasons she quit swimming after a
year."
Watching her sister deal with
swimming difficulties was hard
for Silvester, but she continued
working out nonetheless.
During the next few years,
Silvester maintained a high level of
training, attending two practices a
day and competing regularly.
However, as she advanced in age and
in ability, the availability of
sufficient training grew scarce.
"In Holland, we had no high
school swimming programs at
all," Silvester said. "The only
sports are in private clubs, so it
....i I : _. ... _-

by Josh Dubow
Daily Hockey Writer
TO ~-lirn r- -rh17 no ran.. rm

1-2 in the Central Collegiate
Hnke1v A ciatinn 8-1-2 overall

;..

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