The Michigan Daily - SPORTSThursday - Thursday, January 5, 1995 --
C
0
L
0
R
A
0
0
S
T.
14
"o
AlO
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se turns Rams into lambs
helps Wolverines shutdown high-powered offense
GAME STATISTICS
PASSING
Player C-A Yds'
Hill 22-40289
Totals 22-40 289
AFRAN
Writer
season the Michigan defense did its
:e. However, most of the time the
nedical man than the wild, crazy
against Colorado State that resulted
covered), five sacks and 11 tackles
;the Western Athletic Conference's
0 21 points below its 35.1 per-game
ain 340 yards. However, 76 of those
rter that led to a Colorado State
points, with our offense we expect
lan Moran said.
ofthe bargain by giving up only 24
was a lack of execution. In reality
'd quarterback Anthoney Hill to
landscape the whole night.
s, the senior linebacker earned the
onors.
to have the ball all over the field.
I. "(Earlier in the season) we were
nd on."
eOits traditional 3-4 and the more
[e Rams thought played into their
do State wide receiver Eric Turner,
ie first quarter. "Tlley actually help
nity for the offense."
s may have created better opportu-
r by the 289 yards and 40 attempts
courtesy of Hill's throwing arm, the Colorado State running game was
virtually shut down.
The Rams gained a season-low 51 yards on the ground. Their leading
ground gainer in the Holiday Bowl, E. J. Watson, managed a mere 47 yards on
17 carries, good enough for a 2.8 average.
Facing a potent pro-style attack like Colorado State's forced Michigan to
alter its defensive game plan.
"We had to change up a little bit because of the different offense,"
linebacker Steve Morrison said. "We just had to get after it and it worked out
well."
Despite the Wolverines success in preventing the Rams offense from taking
control, Colorado State preferred to take the blame for their lack of scoring
rather than give credit to Michigan.
'We had to change up a little bit because of the
different offense. We just had to get after It and
it worked out well.'
- Steve Morrison
Michigan linebacker on the Wolverines defense
"I don't think they're the best team we played," Turner said. "I think we
could have played better. We didn't execute like we should have."
What arguably helped the Wolverines most before this game was the time
they had to prepare. The month between the regular-season-ending loss to Ohio
State and the matchup with the Rams gave the coaching staff an opportunity to
put in more defenses.
At least one Michigan lineman would like the 4-3 to remain as the
foundation for the defense in 1995.
"It helps me out a lot," Jason Horn said. "Any time you can attack it's going
to be a lot more fun."
Which would make the Wolverines more like the monsters they are
supposed to be rather than the doctors they performed like in 1994.
RUSHING
Player Att
Watson 17
Yds
47
8
4
Avg
2.8
8
4
TD Int
2 2
2 2
LgTD
10 0
80
4 0
2 0
2o 0
200
Ward
Cam
Brown
Hill
Totals
1
1
3
14
36
(-)3 (-)1
(-)5(-).35
51 1.4,
W^L^- AN~"-o"aiy
Private First Class Jeffrey Smith is attended to by paramedics at Jack Murphy
Stadium where he was seriously injured after parachuting onto the field.
FOJNOTEBOOK
Preame showe
in injury for skydiver
By CHAD A. SAFRAN
Daily Football Writer
SAN DIEGO - Instead of simply opening the game with the traditional
singing of the National Anthem and subsequent coin toss, the Holiday Bowl
Committee decided to use the services of the Navy's Leap Frog jumping team
to create excitement. And while the show was indeed thrilling, it turned into
anything but enjoyment for Petty Officer First Class Jeffrey Smith.
Smith was one of a dozen Naval members who parachuted into Jack
Murphy Stadium before the opening kickoff. Unfortunately for Smith he was
the only one to injure himself.
Smith crashed at midfield on his back, breaking a vertebra. Paramedics
removed him from the field via stretcher and transported him to Sharp
Memorial Hospital, where he was reported to be in stable condition. Smith was
held overnight for observation.
END OF THE INE: Michigan's appearance in San Diego concluded the
contract between the Big Ten and the Holiday Bowl. The game matched the
conference's third-place team against the WAC champion for the past four
seasons. Big Ten teams posted a 2-1-1 record in that time frame: Iowa tied
BYU, 13-13 (1991), Hawaii knocked off Illinois, 27-17 (1992), Ohio State
bested BYU, 28-21 (1993) and the Wolverines emerged victorious in 1994.
Next year's third-place Big Ten team will play in the Hall of Fame Bowl
against the third-place team from the SEC. The Orlando, Fla.-based contest
formerly matched the Big Ten's fourth-best squad against the third-place team
in the ACC.
Meanwhile, the Holiday Bowl will choose from a host of teams, including
the WAC champion, the runner-up in the Pac-10, Notre Dame and a Big 12
team not chosen by the Bowl Alliance, which takes effect next season.
REWRITING THE BOOKS: While most of the individual records set by
Michigan players come courtesy of Tyrone Wheatley's running, Todd
Collins' throwing and Remy Hamilton's kicking, Amani Toomer broke one
of the longer-standing marks in Wolverine football.
The junior wideout caught 54 passes for 1,096 yards. The yardage mark tops
the previous record held by Jack Clancy, who gained 1,079 yards on 76
catches in 1966. Toomer also moved into sixth place on the all-time receiving
list with 1,899 career yards, just 20 yards behind Clancy for fifth. Toomer has
a remote chance of eclipsing Anthony Carter for the top spot in 1995. Carter
gained 3,076 yards from 1979-82.
Hamilton, however, did continue to make a mark for himself in the
Michigan football annals in the Holiday Bowl. With his three extra points and
34-yard field goal, he became the first Michigan kicker to have over 100 points
in a season. He finished with 101, beating Mike Gillette's high of 97.
No TImE LKE THE PREsNT: Zach Adami made his first career start for the
Wolverines when he took the place of Jon Runyan on the offensive line.
Runyan, a 6-foot-8, 293-pound sophomore, injured his ankle while preparing
for Colorado State.
Adami, a 6-foot-5, 279-pounder, filled in at the left guard position while
Runyan watched from the sidelines on crutches.
"I didn't tell my parents," Adami said. "I wanted it to be a surprise. I told
them I might start."
MISSING IN ACTION: Three Michigan players did not accompany the team on
its California excursion. Wide receiver Seth Smith, outside linebacker Trevor
Pryce and free safety Ernest Sanders were all suspended for violating team
policy prior to the Wolverines' departure from Ann Arbor. ,
Todd Richards replaced Smith at receiver, hauling in two passes for 20
yards. Meanwhile, Jeff Holtry and Steve King, respectively, stepped in for
Pyce and Sanders.
Although he was not suspended, nose tackle Tony Henderson did not start
against the Rams. Henderson was suffering from a pinched nerve in his
shoulder and did not plan on playing. However, he did see some action,
recording two tackles. His substitute, Glenn Steele, collected five tackles and
recovered a fumble.
: j ;
Player
Shull,
Burkett
Turner
Olsen
Waston
Ward
Totals
No. Y ds
3101
5 62
4 62
3 29
6 23
1 12
22289
Avg LgTD
33.7 42 0
12.4 18 1
15.532 1
9.7 12 0
3.813 0
1212 0
13.142 2
PUNTING
Player
McDougal
Totals
No. Yds Avg Lg
414235.542
414235.542
PUNT RETURNS
Player No. Yds Avg
G. Myers 2 15 7.5
Totals 2 15 7.5
L9 TD
13 0
13 0
RECEIVING
KICKOFF RETURNS
Player No. Yds Avg Lg TD
Ward 3 58 19.3 24 0
C. Myers2 4422.029 0
Totals 5102 20.4 29 0
Hill
DEFENSE
Player
Ingram
Strode
Smith
Davis
Jackson
G. Myers
Ragsdale
Hawkins
Bowman
Hodge
Lynch
Moran
Sand
Ballard
Napier
Roth
Sandifer
Zenno
Solo
9
8
4
3
1
2
2
1-
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1-
1
14
Ast
3
1
1
1
3
1
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
0(
0
0
0
0
Tot
12
9
5
4
4
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
I
1
1
1
1
UUULAS KANTILH/DaIay
on had one of his best games of the season as he garnered defensive MVP honors in Michigan's Holiday Bowl win.
INTERCEPTIONS
Player
Jackson
Sand
Strode
Totals
No. Yds
1 0
1 0
TD
0
0
0
0
1
3
0
0
} -:. .' is
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I Joe Mar~inaro(unior I
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