0 - Tl ichigan Daily - Fam a dy - October 18,19* E
M' defense, Iowa offense
ready for weekend clash
0 6
IEEK *tober 18, 1997 - a*otbAaturday - The Michigaraily - 3
- NaCTr
Sy PanteD. Rumoro
Daily Sports Editor
Iowa was being touted as the real deal
as it rolled to a 4-0 start after playing -
and destroying - four lesser opponents.
But then the first real test came two
weeks ago when the Hawkeyes traveled
to Columbus to take on then-undefeated
Ohio State. The Buckeyes dismantled the
Hawkeyes, 23-7, courtesy of a stifling
iefense led by linebacker Andy
:atzenmoyer.
The Buckeyes shut down the
lawkeyes' offense, arguably the back-
aone of their team, and their star running
sack Tavian Banks. Banks, the nation's
rushing leader with 919 yards and an 8.1
average per carry, was held to just 84
yards on 22 carries two weeks ago.
The Hawkeyes had last week off to
#ecuperate and prepare for tomorrow's
game against Michigan.
"We certainly needed the week off,"
Iowa coach Hayden Fry said. "Ohio State
shut us down as well as we've been shut
town in a long while."
A clash between Banks and the rest of
the Hawkeyes' offense and Michigan's
defense, ranked second in the nati
seems inevitable this weekend and sho
make for a hard-fought hattle.
"We don't have a lot of time to;
ready for a team that I think is the b
team that we've played this ye
Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said.
MICHIGAN RUSHING OFFENSE VS. IO
RUSHING DEFENSE:
The Wolverines have sputtered off
sively this season, especially onI
ground. Last week against Northweste
they managed 141 yards on the gro
but tailback Chris Howard was the o
Wolverine to rush for more than 20 yar
The Hawkeyes are dealing with
loss of linebacker Vernon Rollins, w
has been out for the last three games.
was replaced by Raj Clark, whoI
recorded 13 tackles in his absence.
Iowa defensive tackle Jared DeVrir
266 yards in tackles for loss surpas
the Iowa career record of 241. HeI
been selected one of 12 semi-finalists
the Lombardi Award.
Michigan's ground game has b
unpredictable and the weak link in
overall game. Iowa's defense proba
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on, won't help matters tomorrow.#
uld EDGE:I owa
get
rest
ar " .w
wA MICHIGAN PASSING OFFENSE S.. IOwA
PASSING DEFENSE
en- Last week, Griese threw a few more1
the passes to tight end Jerame Tuman, who
in, has gone widely unused the past three
.nd, weeks before the Northwestern game.
nly Opposing defenses just don't feel the
'ds. need to cover him, and he has proven that
the he can make big plays when he needs to.
ho If Iowa can keep the Wolverines'
He ground game at bay, Griese will have to SASSLL055/Davy
has throw a little more. He'll keep the passes Michigan's running game has been inconsistent this season so Clarence Williams
short, and as long as Tuman and receivers may find it difficult to find running room against Iowa's defense.
es's Tai Streets and Russell Shaw can get
sed open, the Wolverines should have no stuffed opposing banks around the line of for 441 yards, leading all Iowa receivers,
has problem in the air. scrimmage and up the sidelines consis- and has benefitted from having Sherman
for EDGE: Michigan tently this season. in the pocket.
The Wolverines are ranked fifth in the Sherman is ranked 10th in the nation
een nation in rush defense (68.2). Two weeks with a pass efficiency rating of 156.3 and
its ago against the Buckeyes, the Hawkeyes has a big arm that can get the ball down
bly had problems against Katzenmoyer, who field. Ie has passed for 993 yards and I I
is the centerpiece of the Buckeyes' touchdowns. The problem is that
IOwA RUSHING OFFENSEVS. MICHIGAN defense. The Wolverines have more than Michigan's secondary is the fourth-best
RUSHING DEFENSE: one weapon, starting on the line and fil- in the country. Maybe Dwight should re-
Iowa's strength is its offense, which tering down to the linebackers. think looking forward to going up against
starts with Banks, who is 81 yards shy of EDGE: Michigan Woodson.
1,000 this season. He leads the Big Ten in EDGE: Michigan
rushing (183.8 yards), scoring (15.6) and
all-purpose yards (190.2).
Banks is the Iowa backfield. Every
other offensive back has rushed for less
than 200 yards and only Rob Them has IOwA PASSING OFFENSE VS. MICHIGAN
rushed for more than 100 yards (164). PASSING DEFENSE: SPECIAL TEAMS:
But the Hawkeyes have one of the Iowa senior wide receiver Tim Dwight Iowa and Michigan's punting units are
nation's best quarterbacks in Matt has said that he is fired up to go against relatively equal. Iowa punter Jason Baker
Sherman, who has managed to set up a Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson. is averaging 39.8 yards per punt and
variety of rush plays that have thrown off His wish may come true, especially if Michigan's Jason Vinson is averaging
opposing defenses Michigan neutralizes Iowa's ground 40.9. Michigan's field-goal tandem of Jay
But the one thing standing in the way game. In that case, Sherman may have to Feely and Kraig Baker has settled in and
of Banks running havoc on the ground is go deep with Dwight more so than usual. become more consistent.
Michigan's rush "defense, which has Dwight has five touchdown receptions Iowa gets the edge in punt returns.
Dwight led the Big Ten in punt returns as
a freshman and junior and was second in
the nation as a sophomore. But this year,
teammate Tony Collins is the top punt
returner, averaging 24 yards per return.
The Hawkeyes' suffer in kickoff returns
- they are ranked 10th in the conference
(17.7) - but Michigan hasn't taken the
worldhy storm in either category.
EDGE: : owa
~ Restaurant
333 E. Huron+
Iowa has had an extra week to ready
W~e Deliver! ~itself for this one. Whether or not the
extra week has any effect on this game
L(1/r remains to be sepn, but it should undoubt-
edly prove to be a good battle
The game should come down to Iowa's
New Hours Open Late offense and Michigan's defense. After the
Ohio State game, the Hawkeyes are look-
Open Sun-Sat 11 am-1am Inside ing to prove that they can perform against
top caliber teams and the Wolverines are
Late Night Delivery Wed-Sat 1 am-3am fighting to prove that they can keep up
their intensity.
PREDICTION: Michigan 27, Iowa 17
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an institution unparalleled in excitement and spirit. From the action on
the field to the flying marshmallows in the stands, the Big House
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give students, alumni and fans a critical, unbiased look at the team and school
they love, and the institution they revere: Football Saturday.
- Nicholas I Cotsonika, Managing Sports Editor
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Just. like old times
Blue bites
back, beats
Wildcats
By Danielle Rumore
Daily Sports Editor
The way the first quarter was going, it
appeared that the cycle was going to
continue. Two offsides penalties in the
first six plays of the game, seven penal-
ties overall and trouble finding the end
zone from the red zone early on made it
look like Michigan was still struggling to
rip its albatross, Northwestern, from
around its neck.
But after another reliable defensive
per for -
2 Michigan 23 m a n c e,
timely third
Northwestern 6 down con-
versions
down the stretch and a little bit of luck,
the sixth-ranked Wolverines (2-0 Big
Ten, 5-0 overall) put together a good
enough game to beat Northwestern, 23-
6, last week, in front of 106,048 at
Michigan Stadium for the first time in
three attempts.
The Wildcats (0-3, 2-5) have given the
Wolverines fits the past two years, beat-
ing Michigan two years ago at Michigan
Stadium and last year in Evanston. The
Wolverines, as in Saturday's game,
entered each of the previous two contests
with a No. 6 ranking and an undefeated
record before losing both games, leading
to back-to-back subpar seasons.
"Yeah, it (the two losses) was brought
up a lot," Michigan wide receiver
Russell Shaw said. "I'm just glad we
beat them because they have been in our
way the past two years."
The Wolverines were plagued by
another shaky offensive effort, including
two-consecutive turnovers in the third
quarter.
The Wolverines amassed 141 total
rushing yards, but tailback Chris
Howard was the only Michigan player to
rush for more than 20 yards. He carried
the ball 18 times for 90 yards, 39 more
yards than fullback Chris Floyd, tailback
Clarence Williams, running back
Anthony Thomas and quarterback Brian
Griese combined.
Griese was steady in the pocket, com-
pleting 23 of 36 passes for 244 yards and
two touchdowns. But he and the rest of
the Wolverines had trouble converting in
the red zone early on, and he was sacked
once.
The Wolverines' offensive sputter
forced them to rely on their defense,
which turned in yet another near-perfect
performance.
For the second straight game, the
defense held its opponent to negative
rushing yards at halftime. The Wildcats
had negative-two rushing yards at the
half, courtesy of three first-quarter sacks
,which more than negated tailback
Adrian Autry's 27 yards on the ground
heading into the lockerroom.
Northwestern quarterback Tim Hughes
was taken down four times overall, and
the three sacks in the first quarter result-
ed in 29 lost yards.
The Wildcats were held to just 35 total
yards on the ground, 94 yards short of
their 129 average entering the game.
"Defensively, we came out and played
hard," Michigan cornerback Charles
Woodson said. "We came out a little flat.
You got to buckle down and play more
aggressively. Anytime another team's in
the end zone, you buckle down."
The Wildcats did not have the
weapons the Wolverines had, so the
game plan was to control the tempo by
eating the clock. And early on, the plan
seemed to work to perfection.
Northwestern marched 50 yards up
field in 8:39 in the game's opening drive.
The Wildcats faced a first-and-eight
when Michigan's defense took over. A
Northwestern holding penalty and two
consecutive sacks by Michigan defen-
sive tackle Josh Williams stymied
Northwestern's drive and forced the
Wildcats to settle for a 52-yard field goal
by Brian Gowins, giving the Wildcats
their only lead of the game, 3-0.
The drive prompted a disappointed
and animated reaction from
Northwestern coach Gary Barnett on the
sideline.
"Their game plan was to use the clock
and possess the ball," Michigan coach
Lloyd Carr said. "Hughes did quite a job
to draw us offsides. There were 11 min-
utes gone, and that's not how we want to
play."
On the drive following the Wildcats'
field goal, the Wolverines drove down to
the Northwestern 28-yard line on a six-
yard dump pass over the middle to tight
end Jerame Tuman.
But Griese's pass to receiver Tai
Streets on the ensuing down was incom-
plete. On fourth-and-four, the
Wolverines faked the field-goal attempt.
Griese, holding the snap, pitched a shov-
el pass to Howard who was stuffed for a
two-yard loss. Northwestern took over
from their own 30-yard line.
On the Wolverines' next drive, Griese
hit Tuman with a perfect pass just out of
reach of Northwestern linebacker
Anwawn Jones. The pass had enough on
it so that Tuman did not have to stop run-
ning for the 37-yard reception, which
moved Michigan down to the eight-yard
line.
But the Wolverines were held and
after Griese threw an uncatchable ball to
Streets in the end zone on third down,
Michigan's Kraig Baker kicked an easy
19-yard field goal to tie the game at 3-3.
The Wildcats fumbled on the kickoff
return, setting Michigan up on
Northwestern's 36-yard line, but the
Wolverines, once again were stymied
and had to settle for a field goal.
Things changed, however, on the
Wolverines' next possession. The
Wolverines capped off a 16-play, 90-
yard drive with a touchdown to give
them a 10-point lead at the half.
On second-and-nine from the
Northwestern 10-yard line, Griese
passed right to Streets in the far right
corner of the end zone. It was initially
ruled a touchdown, but was reversed and
ruled incomplete as Streets was pulled
out of bounds by Fred Wilkerson.
On the next down, Griese passed over
center and between two defenders out-
stretched hands to hit Tuman immediate-
ly behind the plane for the first touch-
down of the game. The score gave
Michigan a 13-3 lead and the momen-
tum heading into the second half.
"I thought that drive was the best thing
we did all day," Carr said.
Despite the two consecutive turnovers
in the third quarter, the Wolverines man-
aged to convert key third downs in the
second half to seal the game.
"I don't think any of us wanted to be
the Michigan team that lost three in a
row to Northwestern," Carr said. "We
have to put a game totally together, and
we haven't done that yet:"