The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, April 17, 1996 - 11
Recovered Dreisbach set
to lead Wolverine squad
By Ryan White
Daily Sports Writer
To say Michigan quarterback Scott
Dreisbach's career opened with a bang
would be a bit of an understatement.
Unless, of course, it was an atomic
bang.
Dreisbach's first start resulted in
Michigan records for pass attempts
(52) and passing yardage (372). For
good measure, he hit receiver Mer-
cury Hayes in the corner of the end
zone for a touchdown on the final
play of the game to beat Virginia, 18-
17, in last season's Pigskin Classic.
A month later, though, Dreisbach's
season exploded.
He injured ligaments in his throw-
ing-hand thumb during practice be-
fore the Wolverines' Sept. 30 game
against Miami (Ohio). Michigan train-
ers put Dreisbach in a cast and figured
he would be ready to go by the time
the Wolverines were to play Michi-
gan State on Nov. 4.
When the cast came off, however,
Dreisbach wasn't ready.
He needed surgery and was out for
the rest of season. The 4-0 record he
compiled as a starter was his final mark.
Dreisbach was left to watch Michi-
gan go 5-4 the rest of the way, and to
wonder if things would have been
different if he hadn't been hurt.
He also had to listen to persistent
rumors that said he wouldn't play
another down at Michigan. People
were saying his career might be over.
"I knew, some way, I would be able
to play again," Dreisbach said. "I al-
ways knew I'd play again, so I don't
know where (the rumors) came from."
So Dreisbach set off to prove them
wrong. He began rehabilitating the
thumb once it was out of the cast, and
he was cleared to practice a week
before spring ball began.
Dreisbach began slowly. Michigan
coach Lloyd Carr said Dreisbach was
"tentative," but according to the quar-
terback, the thumb was simply stiff.
"The only thing that bothered me
was the cold weather," Dreisbach said.
"(The thumb) has taken the abuse and
has been able to withstand it."
Dreisbach, though, still doesn't feel
that he's back where he wants to be
physically.
"My accuracy isn't as good as it
was, but that will come with throwing
this summer," he said.
That is a physical aspect of the
game. Mentally, Dreisbach feels the
injury may actually have helped him.
"I was put in there, and then it was
taken away," Dreisbach said. "I had
perspective."
While he may sound like the cli-
ched athlete who didn't know what he
had until it was gone, the injury did
give Dreisbach a chance to step back
and learn more.
He watched more film, practiced
his footwork and realized what he has
to do going into next season. He ma-
tured, and that hasn't been lost on his
teammates.
"He has become a leader," said se-
nior Jarrett Irons who, as one of last
season's co-captains, knows a thing
or two about leadership. "He has found
his role on this team."
That role appears to be a starting
quarterback again.
MARK FRIEDMAN/Daily
Wolverine signal-caller Scott Dreisbach passed his way to several Michigan records against Virginia in the Pigskin Classic,
his first collegiate start and last season's first game. Coach Lloyd Carr is optimistic that Dreisbach will be able to regain the
starting spot in the fall, after sustaining a season-ending thumb injury last September.
Junior quarterback Brian Griese had
moments of brilliance last season, but
he struggled in critical situations.
Redshirt freshmen Tom Brady and
DiAllo Johnson had strong springs
but don't seem ready to take the posi-
tion from Dreisbach.
"I think (Dreisbach) is going to be
v ery difficult to beat out," Carr said.
Of course, Dreisbach is going to
have a more difficult offensive situa-
tion this season.
Before the Wolverines faced Vir-
ginia last season, Dreisbach was the
question mark, and his receivers,
Amani Toomer and Mercury Hayes,
were the strong points of the passing
game.
This season, it's clear that
Dreisbach can throw, but Toomer and
Hayes are gone. Left are Todd Brooks,
Tyrone Butterfield and Tai Streets.
Still, Dreisbach isn't concerned.
"They really came on this spring,"
Dreisbach said of the receivers. "It
wasn't that they didn't have the abil-
ity, they just didn't have the confi-
dence."
Confidence was one area Dreisbach
wasn't questioned on before last sea-
son, and it's a safe bet he hasn't lost
any with the injury.
So, he is back. The same old
Dreisbach, according to Carr. The
quarterback who beat Virginia on the
final play of his first collegiate game.
"It was tough going through (the
injury), but I'm glad I did it my first
year and still have three years left,"
Dreisbach said.
Three years to attempt to add a few
decibels to that opening bang.
Howard
garners'
honor a
week's best
From wire reports
Washington Bullets forward and
former Michigan star Juwan Howard
was named the NBA player of the week
yesterday for the period ending April
14.
Howard led the Bullets to four wins
in as many games last week, as Wash-
ington pulled within a game and a half
of the Miami Heat in the race for the
eighth and final Eastern Conference
playoff spot.
The perfect week included victories
over Boston, Minnesota, Toronto and
the Heat.
Howard - in only his second NBA
season - averaged 26.5 points, 11.3
rebounds and six assists while shooting
53.3 percent from the field and 83.9
percent at the foul line over the four-
game span.
Howard had his best game against
the expansion Raptors, as he pumped in
29 points and grabbed 12 boards in the
110-97 victory.
~ 2'flitter s tighs nChpea
o - / Ad~-ea
By Jim Rose
Daily Sports Writer
It seems like only last weekend that
the Michigan baseball team was a strug-
gling group of youngsters, stumbling to
a 1-13 spring record.
In actuality, last weekend marked the
midway point of the 1996 Big Ten
campaign, and the Wolverines were in
the same spot they have been in since
day one of the conference season -
first place.
After taking three of four from North-
western over the weekend, Michigan
(12-4 Big Ten, 17-17 overall) remains
in the Big Ten catbird seat, a half-game
ahead ofsecond-place Illinois. The win-
ning weekend also propelled the Wol-
verines overall record to a place it
hasn't been all season - an even .500.
Today, Michigan will try to tip the
seesaw to the other side of the .500
mark when Central Michigan visits Ann
Arbor at 3 p.m. The Chippewas arc 21-
10 on the season. Last year, they were
one of the state's most successful Divi-
sion I programs, finishing 41-19 and
winning the Mid-American conference
playoffs.
Although the Chippewas are currently
in the midst of their own conference
race - they are currently in fourth
place in the MAC - they won't treat
this afternoon's nonconference matchup
lightly.
Central Michigan will start
righthander John Pikur on the mound.
At 4-0 with a2.36 ERA, the junior is the
Chippewas' top starting pitcher. In over
34 innings pitched, Pikur has issued
just eight walks.
"That's not a bit surprising," Michi-
gan sophomore Derek Besco said of
Central Michigan's decision to go with
the staff ace. "We see that all the time.
Of course they're going to throw their
best against us - it would make their
year to beat us."
Central Michigan's offense is spear-
headed by sophomore shortstop Brian
Tyo, whose .392 average is tops on the
team. Tyo is questionable for today's
game, though, after suffering a pulled
hamstring last weekend. The rest of the
Chippewa infield is nothing to scoff at
either, as second baseman Todd Burke
is hitting at a.355 clipand third baseman
Matt Keim is batting .328.
"(The Chippewas) always have a very
strong program," Besco said. "But we
want to prove that we're the best team
in the state. That's how we get moti-
vated for these (nonconference) games.
We want to beat them just as badly as
they want to beat us."
Besco has been on a tear at the plate
lately, raising his team-leading average
to .466 for the season. Of course, he's
not nearly as productive in conference
games, where he's hitting a paltry .463:
"I'm happy with the way I've been
hitting the ball," the rightfielder said. "I
just have to keep doing what I've been
doing."
Freshman Jason Alcaraz is next at.360
overall, followed closely by shortstop
Kelly Dransfeldt at .343. Dransfeldt also
leads the squad with six round-trippers.
If Michigan's previous nonconference
contests are any indication, today's pitch-
ing duties will most likely be handled by
committee. The starter will be decided
sometime before game time, but don't
expect anyone to go more than a few
innings.
"We usually have several pitchers get
in a little work in these midweek games,"
Besco said. "Whoever starts will prob-
ably only throw an inning or two."
Today's game marks the beginning of
aratherbusy week at Ray Fisher Stadium.
Tomorrow Eastern Michigan will visit
for the makeup of a March 20 cancella-
tion, and this weekend the Wolverines
will host Penn State for two doublehead-
ers. But Michigan won't expect any sym-
pathy for the busy schedule.
"I'm sure Eastern Michigan will prob-
ably throw their best pitcher against us,
too," Besco said. "These teams like
Hillsdale and Eastern Michigan, they'll
be gunning for us. We're used to that."
KRISTEN SCHAEFER/Daily
Senior John Arval and the first-place Michigan baseball team will put a three-game
,inning streak on the line when they host Central Michigan at 3 p.m. today.
INVESTIGATION
Continued from Page 10
copy-the NCAA does request informa-
tion on the "A Plan."
Along with that data, the organization
requests specific information and cor-
roborating documents regarding the leas-
ing arrangements and financing of
*aylor's vehicle, especially "the identi-
ties of the individuals paying this cost
(and) source(s) of funds utilized by these
sources to pay this cost."
Other information requested by the
NCAA included insurance details, pastor
present relations of all parties to Michi-
gan, copies of all payments for Taylor's
vehicle, details on the establishment at
which the payroll checks financing the
vehicle were cashed and information on
the Michigan's vehicle registration pro-
gram..
A copy of the letter was sent to Jim
Delany, commissioner of the Big Ten.
Neither Taylornor Michigan coach Steve
Fisher was available for comment yester-
day, and representatives of the NCAA did
not return calls.
Summer Dailly Sports:
Cooler (and closer) than a
day at the beach
Want to write sports for the Michigan Daily Summer
Weekly? Come to the mass meeting at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow
at the Student Publications Building, 420 Maynard St.
U U
presents
DEBATING DECENCY:
CENSORSHIP AND THE FIRST
AMENDMENT ON THE
INTERNET
A Panel Discussion on the
Communications Decency Act
and the Regulation of Speech Online
TONIGHT
Wednesday, April 17th 7:00 P.M.
University of Michigan Law School - Hutchins Hall Room 100
Featuring
WE'LL GIVE YOU 10 WEEKS.
Robert W. Hamilton
Bruce A. Taylor
n -1 1 1 -1 " r 1
I