2- T Michigan Daily -- Saturday - October 24,1
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.. O&ber 24, 1998 ._..,. F
--O ber 2. 19.---..-.--- -
- INSIDE FOOTBALL SATURDAY -
Vinson boots deep despiteI
Raining 'Cats
On a wet and muddy track,
Michigan somehow persevered to
squeak out a 12-6 victory at
Northwestern. Most of
Michigan's offense came on the
ground, as freshman tailback
Justin Fargas danced his way to
120 yards on 31 carries. For the
second consecutive week,
the Wolverines' defense
recorded a safety.
-4-
The Matchups
Indiana's offense has been terror-
izing the Big Ten, leading the
conference in rushing and among
the top in passing. How will they
fare against the Michigan
defense at the Big House?
Daily football writer Jim Rose
breaks down the game, position
by position, pointing out which
spots are crucial to each team's
game plan.
.-6..
Around the world
Michigan athletes are not
restricted to games in Ann Arbor.
Some are world travelers, as well.
Quick info
Everything you ever wanted to
know about the game and where
Michigan stands so far this sea-
son. There are staff picks, stats
and starters for both the
Hoosiers and the Wolverines.
-.8-.
The Rosters
Player by player, all the vitals of
everyone on both teams. Listed
are the players who play, watch
and - in Indiana's case - some
who didn't even travel to Ann
Arbor.
-10-
Seing double?
For Lloyd Carr, looking at the
Indiana game film to watch quar-
terback Antwaan Randle El can't
be too captivating. Imagine if he
had to see another Randle El on
the same team? Well, that night-
mare is a reality for the
Michigan coaching staff.
-11-IUO
Lgging it out
When Jason Vinson came to
Michigan, football was hardly a
concern. Like any other fan, he
attended games and cheered on
the Wolverines. Now, in his final
year at Michgan, he is the start-
ing punter - and he's secured
ichigan's last two victories
with his leg.
Purple Rain
By MaltkSnyder
Daily Sports Editor
There must be a reason it's called the
coffin corner.
The best guess is the suffocation cre-
ated by the sidelines and end zone - a
place where there's only one way out.
The intent of any punter is to launch
the pigskin off his foot - often in dri-
ving rain - to the tightest spot possible.
Jason Vinson, Michigan's punter,
knows the scenario all too well. In fact,
recently, he has refined it to a science.
Last week's showcase punt came late
in the fourth quarter when Vinson stared
messy conditions in the face and scoffed.
This non-verbal communication came in
the form of an ideal punt.
With less than six minutes left and
Michigan leading, 10-6, he placed the
52-yard boot on the one, icing
Northwestern's already cold, wet fate.
The punt forced Northwestern to
emerge from its own end, a near-impos-
sible task in the rain, one that elicited a
self-imposed safety by the Wildcats.
And,'amazingly enough, Vinson's gem
came on a punt that rolled.
"That one I was just trying to hit like
the other ones, I wanted to hit it a little
bit left, but I saw a guy coming up the
middle as I was getting ready to punt it
and then I just tried to get it off quickly,"
Vinson said. "It just ended up that I hit it
in a spot that wasn't just mud so it didn't
drop dead like the other guy's did."
Courtesy of MICHIGAN SPORTS INFORMATION
Michigan punter Jason Vinson was
named Big Ten co-special teams player
of the week for his efforts against
Northwestern.
The Vinson File
A former walk-on who earned the
starting punting job last season,
Vinson was named second team
All-Big Ten by the conference's
coaches last year. Vinson's stats
for the 1997-1998 season:
The importance of solid punt coverage
was never as evident as against Iowa
three weeks ago.
Michigan was frustrated late in the
game and clung to a one-point lead.
After the offense stalled with about a
minute to go, Vinson was called on to
bury the Hawkeyes deep in their own
end.
He did better than that.
Vinson's perfect punt pinned Iowa
freshman kick returner Khalil Hill into
the far corner of the field. Hill drifted
into the end zone, and was tackled for a
game-sealing safety. And Vinson, the
understated senior from Troy, knew he
had to adapt to the situation.
"Iowa was a team that set up a wall,
and I had to be prepared for all of a sud-
den a guy breaking down the side and
guys blocking me to that sideline,"
Vinson said.
For his efforts against Northwestern,
Vinson etched his name on an award of
significant proportion - at least in
length of title.
Vinson won the co-Big Ten special
teams player of the week award after he
averaged 47 yards on three punts in the
adverse Evanston conditions.
"I think Jason Vinson had his best
game at Michigan," Michigan coach
Lloyd Carr said. "I think he's punted
very consistently this year. Whether
you're kicking off, kicking a field goal or
an extra point, at some point there,
you're on one leg.
"If you don't have good
you're going to fall and a bad pl
ensue. I thought Jason did a grea
The mysterious "zone" uniqu
letes is where Vinson finds hims
days. His season stats (28 punts:
yard average) provide a con
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Sam Sword (93) and the Michigan defense stifled Northwestern in another muddy
Big Ten campaign last weekend.
Punts
52
Yards Ave. Long Inside 20
2023 38.9 54 19
--.j
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