18A - The Michigan Daily - SPORTSTuesday - Tuesday, September 3, 1996 I G0 A 2 0 Illini encouraged despite loss.a By Ryan White Daily Sports Writer Believe it or not,. Illinois was encouraged by its perfor- mance against Michigan on Saturday. But that doesn't necessarily mean the Fighting llini were happy. "ft's tough," said Illinois nose tackle Paul Marshall after his team's 20-8 season-opening loss to Michigan. "We placed a lot of emphasis on Michigan. "We played hard, but we came up short." Where the Illini came up the shortest was the third quarter, when they had the ball first-and-goal on the Wolverines' two- yard line. Michigan stuffed Illinois on three straight plays forcing a Bret Scheuplein 20-yard field goal. In the second quarter, the Illini drove the ball to Michigan's 21-yard line on one drive, and to the Michigan 20 on the final series of the half. a Both drives ended in field goal attempts, with Scheuplein hitting from 38 yards and missing to the right from 37. Still, Illinois finished the game with 267 yards in total offense against what, on paper, should be the top defense in the Big Ten. "Our special teams and our offense showed enough that we feel we can move the ball against a good defense like (Michigan's)," Illinois coach Lou Tepper said. Tepper, however, wasn't happy with a penalty in the second quarter which brought back a 21-yard gain that had taken Illinois deep into Michigan territory. "We had a screen to the four-yard line that was called back because of a hold," Tepper said. "On a screen, there shouldn't be a hold. You're trying to release, not hold up." Just as Illinois was encouraged by the performance of the offense, the same was true for the defense - a defense which was left with two gaping holes at linebacker whO NFL first-round draft picks Kevin Hardy and Simeon Rc used to be. With the exception of Michigan quarterback Scott Dreisbach's 72-yard touchdown run, and cornerbackaturned- receiver Charles Woodson's 57-yard run off a reverse, the Illini held the Wolverines to just 26 yards rushing in the first half. "Defensively, I think we got worn down in the second half," Tepper said. "We needed to get some stops, three and out, and we didn't do that:' As a result, the Wolverines finished the day with 247 ya* on the ground. Despite feeling good about the way they played, the Illini still weren't happy about the outcome. "I feel like we could have won the game, we should have won the game," Illinois linebacker Cyron Brown said. "They executed and we didn't: Howard academically ineligible; Stadium no longer biggest housi! MA RGA RET MYERS/Daily fin~ois quarterback Scott Weaver spent much of Saturday running around Michigan Stadium, chased by Sam Sword (93) and comnpany. Sophomore David Bowens sacked Weaver three times, and senior Jarrett Irons sacked him once. IVIichigan's Big Ten-opener winning streak After Michigan's 20-8 victory over Illinois on Saturday, the Wolverines have won their last 15 Big Ten openers, dating back to 1982, when they beat \yisconsin, 20-9. Here are the scores: K- 1990: Michigan 41, 1989: Michigan 24, 1988: Michigan 62, 1987: Michigan 49, 1986 Mcia34 1985: Michigan 33, 1984: Michigan 20, 1983: Michigan 38, Wisconsin 3 Wisconsin 0 Wisconsin 14 Wisconsin 0 Wisconsin 147 Wisconsin 21 Wisconsin 14 1994: Michigan 29, Iowa 14 1993: Michigan 24, Iowa 7 1992: Michigan 52, Iowa 28 1991: Michigan 43, iowa 24 1996: Michigan 20. Ilinois 8 1.995: Michigan 38, illinois 14 J By Barry Sollenborger Daily Sports Editor Michigan is one of the most chal- lenging public universities in the nation. Many of its students experience aca- demic trouble each semester. Th~e Michigan football team can relate. Three weeks after losing star defen- sive back Clarence Thompson for the season because of academic difficul- ties, the Wolverines lost starting tail- back Chris Howard for the Illinois game because of inicomplete course- work. Howard had been slated to start against the Fighting llini after rushing for 175 yards on 48 carries last season. There was no immediate word on when he would return to the lineup. "Chris Howard's situation is related to academics, which makes it confi- diential" Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "That's all I'm going to com- ment." Howard's replacement in the starting lineup, Clarence Williams, rushed for 95 yards on 27. carries in the Wolverines' 20-8 wig1 THE BIGGEST NO MORE: Saturday marked the 130th straight home game in which Michigan drew 100,000 fans. Noticeably absent, from the contest, however, was the public address announcer's word gf thanks to the crowd for being "pirt of the largest crowd in America to~ watch a football game."1 That's because sih an announce- ment would have been a lie. At Tennessee's p newly expanded Neylon Stadium onrd$aturday, 106,212 watched the Vohinteers pummel UN LV, 62-3. Neylonfis now the biggest on-campus, footbalP-only stadium in the nation. For consecutive crowds over 100,000, however, Michigan still has the longest streak. The Wolverines lead Tennessee, 1 30-;1. LOST JOBS?: A Nyear ago, Brian Griese and Chucki Winters were starters for MichigIn at quarterback and free safety, respgetively. Since last fall, they have lost t1eir jobs to others. Scott Dreisbach , is now the Wolverines' head si gnal-caller and Daydrion Taylor is the starter at free safety. But that hardly ineans that Griese and Winters now fetch towels for their teammates. Saturday against Illinois, Griese was Michigan's pooch punter and Winters returned punts and kick- offs, in addition to his defensive duties. Griese kicked twice on the after- noon, pinning the Illini inside their 10- yard line on one, occasion. Winters returned three punts for 15 yards and one kickoff for I 1 yards. SPECIAL (PROB .EM) TEAMS: Last season, the Wolverdnes lost four games for the third consecutive year. Special team errors played a major part in a number of their losses. Michigan punter Paul Peristeris had trouble with his kicking all season and finished with an average of 35.2 yards per kick. Placekicker Remy Hamilton struggled with his consistency after garnering All-American status in 1994. "The area I'm most concerned with is special teams," said Carr before the Illinois game. "Because those are the plays that are toughest to simulate in practice." So how did they look Saturday? So-so. Giriese handled the pooch punting duties well and Peristeris boomed one punt 47 yards, but Hamilton was just 2-for-4 on field goals, having two attempts blocked. TRICK PLAYS: The Michigan coach- ing staff will never be mistaken for a band of magicians. But against Illinois, the normally conservative Wolverines broke with 'tradition Midway through the first quarter, Dreisbach lateralled to wide receiver Tyrone Butterfield in the left f1 Butterfield then threw backW Dreisbach on the Michigan sideline. The Wolverines had blockers set up, but the quarterback couldn't catch the ball. Woodson saw action at wide receiv- er and surprised the Illini on a reverse late in the first half. The sophomore covered 57 yards down the Michigan sideline before being forced out at the Illinois seven. "If we use all of~the weapons used today, we're going to be tough to prepare for," Dreisbach said. Gea F RE E AM/FM / cassette personal stereo from GPXM (has turbo headphones for the ultimate in sound) when you open a totally FREE checking accounL* With no monthly service fees, no per-check EVAN PETRiE/Special to the Daill Brian Griese, who started at quarterback for Michigan much of last season, han- died the pooch punting duties for the Wolverines on Saturday. I Discover 9Vicliian ~s Outtfoor Recreation (Center ,