The Michigan Daily - SportsTuesday - September 8, 1998 - 15A Associated Press Poll the AP top 25 poll (1st-place votes). Team Points Previous 1. Ohio State (39) 1,70831 2. Florida State {22) 1,667 2 3. Florida (4) 1,571 3 4. Nebraska (2) 1,546 4 5. Kansas State (2) 1,418 6 6. UCLA (1) 1.394 7 7. LStJ 1,279 9 8. Tennessee 1,274 1o 9. Penn State 1,131 13 10. Notre Dame 1,104 22 11. Washington 1,051 18 12. Virginia 963 16 13. Mkigdan 81.8 5 14. Arizona State 737 8 15. Georgia 716 19 16. Colorado 619 - 17, Wisconsin 534 20 18. Texas A&M 487 14 19. SyracUse 470 17 20. West Virginia 445 11 21. Arizona 361 24 22. Southern Cal 287 - 23. Texas 250 - 24. Oregon 141 - 25. Missouri 123 Victory put shine back into tarnished Dome. By Jim Rose Daily Sports Editor NOTRE DAME - At last, Bob Davie can sleep easy. He hasn't been able to, really, since taking over the head coaching position at Notre Dame a year ago. His Irish lost four of their first five games, which, to hear Notre Dame alumni tell it, was just (barely) this side of the end of the world. Then, the South Bend summer was one of the worst ever, as a pair of front-page lawsuits splattered the school's golden image with so much mud. Furthermore, former Purdue coach Jim Colletto was back as offensive coordinator. All in all, Bob Davie's first year in charge of the Notre Dame program was a rough one. And even though Ron Powlus finally graduated, there wasn't much rea- son to believe that things would get better. But the second year sure started out all right. Davie's Irish sur- Davie prised the country when they shocked Michigan last week- end. They ran up and down the field against the defending champs like nobody had in more than a year. In doing so, they vaulted themselves from a No. 22 ranking (which even Davie admitted was likely a generous nod to the program's history) to a top 10 spot, and bounced Michigan from the nation- al picture in just the first week of the sea- son. For Davie, it was the first really big win of his tenure, and a welcome relief from an entire summer of negative press. But don't try and tell him that his team's strong showing was in response to the criticism of recent months. "This had nothing to do with the sum- mer; he said. "That's a whole different issue." Still, it had to be a weight off his shoulders. First, he had to watch as an 'NCAA probe discovered that Kimberly Ann Dunbar, a booster, gave former players free trips and gifts, sometimes with money she embezzled from her job. Dunbar was a member of the University's Quarterback Club, a donors-only group that has since been disbanded in the wake of the controver- sy. Next, Davie was a prominent player in a summer lawsuit in which Joe Moore, a former Notre Dame offensive line coach, sued the school for wrongful ter- mination. Moore claimed he was fired for being old. Davie claimed he fired Moore for other reasons, such as hitting players in the face. Moore admitted striking players, which would seem to be reason enough for the loss of his job. Nonetheless, Moore was awarded a hefty amount of money, after some choice testimony proved awfully embar- rassing for Davie and the university. The coach ultimately admitted to some unethical moves while an assistant at another school, then admitted suggest- ing that former coach Lou Holtz had "mental problems." After all of that, Davie returned to a team that was 7-6 a year earlier, and was opening the season against the defend- ing co-champs. The alumni were already calling for his head. And Colletto was still the offensive coordinator. Add it all together, and it can safely be assumed that Davie was walking a rather thin line. But if there's one school that seems to have a knack for rallying when the chips are down, it's Notre Dame. And some- how, the Irish were able to muster enough momentum to derail Michigan's title defense before it even left the sta- tion. "That was obviously a big, big win' Davie said. "I am so excited for the coaches and I'm so excited for this foot- ball team, because they sacrificed so much. They deserve it. "I am really excited about this football team. I like the potential of this football team." Michigan up close Rushing C. Williams D. Henson A. Thomas J. Fargas Passing T. Brady D. Henson Receiving T. Streets M. Knight R. Jackson J. Tuman K. Bryant A. Thomas Punting J. Vinson Kicking K. Baker J. Feely 23 5 No. 8 5 2 2 2 2 No. 2 Att. 3 3 No. 13 1 10 4, Att. 36 8 Yds. 101 126 23 15 12 8 Yds. 62 Made 1 1 Yds. 115 17 16 15 Yds. 267 55 Long 24 51 16 8 8 6 Av . 31.0 Long 36 21 WARREN ZINN/a1y The Notre Dame football program had problems off the field this past summer. But on the field, behind running back Autry Denson and second-year coach Bob Davie, the Fighting Irish left their troubles in the dust and trounced Michigan last Saturday in South Bend. SNYDER Continued from Page 13A ter of months and individual awards (i.e the Heisman Trophy) complicated the Wolverine daily routine. Last season, despite the off-the-field challenges, Michigan remembered the task at hand during each contest. Getting back to the basics proved to be Saturday's primary foe. And the most basic elements of the sport proved to be Michigan's undoing. The bedrock of last season's team was the defense. Opposing tailbacks were smothered for losses con- sistently. On Saturday, wrapping up the fleet of foot proved impossible. Notre Dame tailback Autry Denson, stuffed by Michigan a year earlier on the deciding play, stepped around Michigan tackles - for 163 yards - as if walking on hot coals. The Wolverines recognized the problem, but seemed unable to remedy the situation. "They got us down and we didn't have the edge to go and say, 'Forget about it,"' Rob Renes said. On offense, despite new quarterback Tom Brady's success, the ballcarriers couldn't score. The simple premise - outscore your opponent - provided a mental block for these Wolverines as the red zone became their stop sign. Four trips inside the zone on their first four possessions resulted in just six points. Those successful kicks could be chalked up as a positive - if not for the four misses by Kraig Baker and Jay Feely. With highly touted freshman Hayden Epstein waiting in the wings, the heat is on Feely and Baker to find bionic legs quickly. So that's what it boils down to: Simple plays and execution were overcome by the complexity and memories of the title season. Right now, Michigan is a good team. But the pos- sibility for greatness exists. The Wolverines' lack of effectiveness on Saturday was as much their own fault as Notre Dame's achievement. The Fighting Irish are a good team, but nowhere near the world- beaters they appeared to be on their home field. An early season loss damages little except expec- tations, placing Michigan in the polls about where they began last season's record-setting run. "There isn't a doubt in my mind that they'll respond to a tough loss," Lloyd Carr said. The talent on this Michigan team is as good as lash season, if not better. This group of Wolverines ju4 needs to find its comfort zone. One game does not make a season, but the deficiencies are there. The players and coaches admitted it: The game, the effort and the execution were pitiful against Notre Dame. Maybe the possibility of losing needed to return,- If so, the game plan is working. - Mark Snyder can be reached via e-ma l at rnsnyder@umich.edi I p MARGARET MYERS/Dily Despite taking a sack here, quarterback Tom Brady was calm at the helm in his debut for the Wolverines. The junior signal- caller passed for 267 yards and completed 23 of his 36 passing attempts. Brady shows poise in 'M' debut By Mark Snyder Daily Sports Editor NOTRE DAME - The swagger absent from the majority of the Michigan team in its 36-20 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday remains secure within the leader of the offense. From his initial entrance onto the field, Tom Brady led the Michigan charge. He led the quarterbacks in their pre- game running, guided the signal callers out of the tunnel during pregame intro- ductions and took the first snap under center. That was the moment Michigan fans everywhere anticipated. How would Brady - an untested junior who spent more time healing from an appendix surgery than on the field last fall - fare middle of the field. "That was our game plan, to come out, move the football and get ahead," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. But trouble inside the 20 yard line appears to be Michigan's early-season undoing. Four drives ended with missed field goals and, despite 472 yards of total offense, Brady guided the Wolverines to just one touchdown. Carr said things have to change for Michigan to win. "There isn't any question we need to score in the red zone" he said, after reaffirming Brady as the starter this week against Syracuse. The start for the San Mateo, Calif., native has been a long time coming. He spent three years riding the bench behind Brian Griese and Scott option play for short-yardage situations - with senior Dreisbach at the helm. The former starter took just two snaps, and fumbled on his first option attempt. Brady, on the other hand, appeared determined to silence the critics. On a scramble in the first half, he held onto the ball, scampering for 17 yards after being flushed from the pocket. After the game, though, Brady only wanted to vent his frustration for the team's overall performance. "To practice as hard as we have, for as long as we had, and to play as we did - it doesn't feel too good," he said. While all the Wolverines were disap- pointed with the game's final result, the blowout did give Carr an opportunity to see freshman Drew Henson in live action. Urban Outfictters° 231 SOUTH STATE STREET 1! _ _ , _ ........ _.. ,.. . _ ...,.. .. . . rr...