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 ;..