6B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - September 21, 1998
Michigan 59
& Eastern
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Michigan player of the game: Anthony Thomas
With 69 yards on Michigan's first drive of the game, Thomas laid the
groundwork for a huge offensive afternoon by the Wolverines. His
score at the end of that opening drive was the first of his three
touchdowns. Despite carrying the ball just 15 tirmes, he led all rush-
ers in the game with 117 yards.
01
20
Stat line:
Carries
15
Yards
117
Long
36
TDs
3
G-A
1419
1745
Yds TO
128 1
53 1
181 2
Player At
Thomas 15
Fargs 7
R. Jackson 5
C. Wllims 5
Cross 7
Tereli 4
Knight 4
R. Jackson 2
Stets 2
Tuman _ 2
Bryapt 1
Walker 1
C. Wiliams 1
Ttas 17
PUMPN I
vnsn
Team
C. Williams 1
Fargs
ToW 2
PWW RETIRNS
Paye No.
Whitley 5
Terrill1
Totals 6
pEliSE
Plye,
0. Jones
Brackns
Sword
Jordan
Petmon
Hendricks
Schanski
Whitley
Weathers
Frys~ger
Hall
Krats
!iates
1. Williams
Howad
Poote
Renes
Miller
McCall
Feael
C. Singletary
Jackson
Brynt
McCall
PASS pEESE
Peterson
Jordan1
Weters 1
Patmon
T tasas 4
Team Sats
First Downs
Rushes/Yards
PasIvg Yards
Offensive Plays
Total Offense
Retrn Yards
Corp/Att/lnt
Punts/Avg
Fubles/ost
Penalties/Yards
Time of Poss
PASSING
Ruroh32
Barbera 0
Toals 324
RUSHING
Player At
Vannoy 13
Powell 13
Barbera 2
Church 5
Totals 33
RECmN
Player fNo.
Christian 10
Sheffield 5
Powell 5
vanoy 4
!bon 3
Steens 3
Campbell i
Nykes 1
Tot*ls 32
PUN6N
Playr
Avondet
Team
KItOPWRETURNS
Dupree 2
Douglas 1
Total 3
Yds
117
34
34
27
17
237
Yds
65
53
24
13
7
12
4
3
181
4
4
Avg
7:8
4.9
6.8
5.4
2.4
4
5.S
1
16.3
13.3
12.0
6.5
3.5
12.0
4.0
30
Ybs
169
169
L9
36
18
9
13
8
9
36
ig
32
34
17
7
5
12
4
3
34
ita
1
0
1
TD
3
1
0
0
0
0
4
ID
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
M' rediscovers runmug game
Avg t9
42.3 50
42.3 50
Yds
31 3
24 24
55 27
Yds
67 13
13 13
80 1
Sle
6
7
7
5
5
1
4
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Yds la
51 51
32 32
24 24
13 13
120 51
MICH
24
41/237
181
66
418
135
17/25/1
4/42.3
2/1
4/23
25:59
Avg
1.0
24.0
it
31
24
31
Avg igt
L3.4 25
L3.0 13
3.2 25
Asst
4
1
0
2
0
4
0
1
0
1
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
1 0
L 0
TD
0
0
0
TD
0
0
0
Tot
10
8
7
7
5
5
4
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
I
TO
1
0
0
1 2
By Jim Rose
Daily Sports Editor
It wasn't exactly pretty. But it sure wasn't as ugly as the
first two weeks.
It was head-down, chin-strap-buckled, cleats-digging,
smash-mouth football for a while on Saturday, and that meant
only one thing: Michigan was once again running the ball.
Even if it was only against Eastern Michigan, the
Wolverines were doing things - offensively, at least - the
way coach Lloyd Carr likes them to be done. The defense's
performance is another story (literally, it's another story, on
Page 7B), but at least the Michigan offense was in old form
on Saturday..
Anthony Thomas wasted no time, taking the first snap 36
yards, and three carries later, he punched into the end zone
for a 7-0 Michigan lead that never got any smaller.
It was the start of an afternoon that saw the Wolverines
run up and down the field to the tune of 237 yards on the
ground - almost double their season output to that point.
And regardless of who the opposition was, Carr was
happy to finally be able to pound an opponent into the ground
- without taking the ball off of the ground.
"We blocked up front much better than we have," Carr
said. "As a result, we were able to run the ball with some suc-
cess."
Michigan's offensive line manhandled the overmatched
Eagles, creating gaping holes that several Michigan runners
took advantage of throughout the afternoon. Five different
Wolverines carried the ball at least five times.
Most notably, however, Anthony Thomas looked like the
best back on the field.
Thomas, who expended more energy running in from the
sidelines than he did running from potential tacklers in
Michigan's two losses, broke loose against Eastern. After a
M/ART M MES/aily
Michigan running back Anthony Thomas, last year's Big Ten freshman of the year,
returned to form on Saturday, racking up 117 yards on 15 carries. Thomas set the
tone for the game early, running for 69 yards and a score on Michigan's first pos-
session against the Eagles.
combined total of 46 yards against Notre Dame and
Syracuse, he racked up more than that on the first play from
scrimmage against Eastern, rambling 51 yards on the first
snap of the game. All told, he racked up 117 yards on 15 car-
ries against the Eagles and looked, for the most part, like th4
Big Ten freshman of the year that he was not too long ago.
Perhaps most impressive, at least according to Carr, was
the manner in which Thomas accumulated his yards. On sev-
eral occasions, he picked up extra yardage after absorbing
initial contact - something few Michigan backs had done in
the first two games.
"I was very happy about that," Thomas said. "I'm a big
guy, and I always want to make yards after contact. That's one
of the things I've been working on in practice."
With Thomas running hard, the Wolverines started the
game off with the aforementioned 69-yard charge down th
field that consisted of four plays. In no time at all (61 sec-
onds, actually), Michigan had the lead. And upon getting the
ball back, via an Andre Weathers interception, the Wolverines
added to their lead - on the ground, of course. Six straight
plays were rushes, the last one being another Thomas score.
With a two-touchdown lead after less than six minutes,
Michigan had even less reason to throw the ball. It was a fact
not lost on quarterback Tom Brady.
"We put some points on the board early," he said. "We
kept playing hard, and we were able to put the nail in the cof-
fin instead of letting them hang around."
After averaging more than 40 pass attempts in their firs*
two games - due largely to the fact that they had to play
catch-up for much of each contest - the Wolverines attempt-
ed just 25 passes against the Eagles.
After Thomas, four backs -- Justin Fargas, Ray Jackson,
Clarence Williams and Walter Cross - combined to run for
120 yards on 24 carries.
U Perfect your "I-don't-care-i-
we-do-lose-to-Michigan-State-or-
ge 16 Ohio-State-because-I-am-a-hockey- *
fan-anyway" excuses.
ger first-down For the wealthy among us who
actually could afford paying for
owns, Michigan hockey season tickets, these excuses
been having will be invaluable in about a week.
unning patterns Of course, if the hockey team has
first down. At been watching the football team and
ght a good four taking notes on how to defend a
st down. national championship - those
ould have to be notes should be burned.
sy to see. Perhaps By the way, opening night is Qct.
- a bright neon 3 against Guelph.
c blue words like U Begin taking orders for the
!" or "Beginning of the Drew Henson
vs" Era" T-shirts.
low where you If you're an enterprising student
looking to make quick bucks, this is
t Justin Fargas the way to do it. It might be hard to
sell initially, if the Wolverines start
unning back has winning under Tom Brady for the
season, he's tried next few games.
n goal-line situa- But you would have no problem
e Dame, he selling one to each member of the'}
yards forward student section when the season gets
I short of the end out of hand and it's time to give the
reigns to Henson.
ate in the fourth Well, try some of these if you're
it over the top bored and considering leaving in the
ked by Eastern fourth quarter. Instead of leaving,
er Scott Russell. give some of these a shot and make
ism, confidence your fourth-quarter Michigan
. Hopefully, the Stadium experience an enjoyable
19
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343
78
424
45
32/45/4
6/42.5
1/0
5/51
34:01
EAGLES
Continued from Page 1B
tently run the ball on offense. The 237
yards on the ground nearly doubled
Michigan's season total after two
games. Thomas, who had just 46 yards
after the first two games, called
Saturday's performance "a great confi-
dence boost."
Two of Michigan's four intercep-
tions - by William Peterson, who
wasn't expected to play, and Anthony
Jordan - were returned for touch-
downs. The other two interceptions
were by Andre Weathers and DeWayne
Patmon. The only other time Michigan
returned two interceptions for touch-
downs in the same game was in 1975.
Although the four takeaways tilted
the scales in Michigan's favor, the sec-
ondary actually struggled quite a bit -
for the third week in a row. Using short
drops and his receivers' quick routes to
his advantage, Church consistensly
picked on the Wolverines' defensive
backs. Eight different Eagles caught
passes, led by Kenny Christian (10
catches for 60 yards) and Jermaine
Sheffield (five catches for 111 yards).
"We didn't cover very well when
we played man-to-man," Carr said. "I
think some that was the ability of their
receivers. I also thought Church did a
good job, and found his receivers
well."
RAJU
Continued from Pag
Construct larg
markers.
On long third d
wide receivers have
some difficulty in r
that will produce a
times, balls are cau
yards short of a fir
An ideal sign w
big. An eyesore. Ea
- oh, I don't know
yellow with giganti
"Hail to the Victors
"Conquering Heroe
And I think I kn
can find one ...
Find out wha
eats for breakfast.
The freshman ru
got guts. Twice this
to go over the top i
tions. Against Notr
jumped nearly four
and upward, but fel
zone.
Last Saturday, l
quarter, Fargas wen
again and got clock
Michigan lineback
That takes athletici
and a little insanity
Wolverines will uti
back more and getI
yardage.
yA
42
43
45
W343 2
0 0
343 2
YS
42
27
15
-3
61
Yds
60
111
45
17
20
1
71
18
343
No.
6
6
Ya
25
10
35
Avg
3.2
2.1
7.5
0.6
2.5
Avg
6.0
222
9.0
4.3
6.7
0.33
71.0
18.0
10.7
7
8
10
2
10
it
24
37
18
5
10
3
71
18
71
lot
4
TD
1
0
0
0
1
TD
0
1
0
1
0
0
0
0
2
MARGARET MYERS/DaWy
Michigan cornerback William Peterson breaks away down the sideline on his 51-
yard interception return for a touchdown in the second quarter of Saturday's game.
lize the speedy
him some
YS Avg t
255 42.5 65
255 42.5 65
one.
- Sharat Raju can be reached af
sraju@umich.d
Florida State bounces back; Kansas State cruises
Avg L4
12.5 15
10.0 10
11.6 15
TD
0
0
0
DEFENSE
Playr
Johnson
McCall
Hughes
Russell
Willingham
Dupree
Short
Driscoll
Taylor
Simmons
Campbell
Smith
Ruofing
Turner
Howard
Oan4 .
Chorak
Robinson
Carroll
Phipot
Vtatoe
Travis
PASS DEENSE
Player
Dupree
Russell
Solo
6
4
4
3
5
4
4
4
4
3
3
1
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
it YS
1 0
Asst
1
2
2
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
Tot
7
6
6
6
5
4
4
4
4
3
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
Lg
0
Bk4i TD
0 0
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Chris Weinke's
short memory may be a good thing.
"We wanted to come out and put what happened
last week behind us and I think we did that," the
Florida State quarterback said Saturday night after
throwing three touchdown passes without an inter-
ception as the 11 th-ranked Seminoles routed Duke
62-13.
Weinke, who was intercepted six times in last
week's loss at North Carolina State, completed
1 I of 19 passes for 241 yards in just three quar-
ters.
Florida State (1-1 Atlantic Coast Conference,
2-1 overall) is now 48-2 in its first 50 conference
games, losing 24-7 to North Carolina State last
week, and at Virginia three years ago.
Laveranues Coles scored on a 97-yard kickoff
return while Jeff Chaney, Travis Minor, and Peter
Warrick all scored a pair of touchdowns for the
Seminoles, who had scored just 30 points in their
first two games of the season.
No. 4 Kansas State 48, Texas 7
Is Kansas State really this good?
And is Texas really this bad?
Subject to more games down the road in what
the Wildcats are hoping will be a memorable sea-
son, the answers appear to be "yes" and "probably
not."
Nevertheless, in belting the slow-footed, poor-
tackling Longhorns (1-2, 0-1 Big 12) on Saturday,
the Wildcats played so well that it's difficult to
zero in on any single phase of an extraordinary
effort.
marking the third straight game he's turned that
trick.
And that was without a field goal from Martin
Gramatica, who had a Big 12 record 65-yarder the
week before.
No. 5 UCLA 42, Houston 24
UCLA seems willing to go anywhere to play a
team from Texas.
The Bruins played in tiny Robertson Stadium
on the Houston campus Saturday and overcame
Texas humidity and Houston's aggressive defense
for a 42-24 victory over the Cougars that extend-
ed the Bruins' school-record winning streak to
12.
It also gave the Bruins five straight victories
over Texas teams over the past two seasons,
including a 29-23 victory over Texas A&M in the
Cotton Bowl. They've also beaten Houston and
Texas the past two seasons.
Jermaine Lewis scored four touchdowns but
UCLA, favored by 27 1/2 points, had to work hard
for this one.
No. 10 Virginia 20, Clemson 18
George Welsh was exhausted. Aaron Brooks
was grateful to the officials. And Anthony
Poindexter was rather relieved.
But after Virginia's last-minute, 20-18 victory
against Clemson on Saturday - a game in which
the No. 11 Cavaliers first looked like one of the
nation's best teams and later like the Cavaliers of
old - the victory was the thing.
After Todd Braverman's first field goal with 36
seconds left in the opening quarter, Virginia (3-0)
di little right and a whole lot wrons. Two
0 0 0 1 0
11:11.
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