4B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - October 26, 1998
Michigan
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Michigan player of the game: Ian Gold
The local kid from Belleville played his best game of his injury-plagued sea-
son, helping shut down the vaunted Antwaan Randle El option attack while
providing some much-needed stability at linebacker.
Stat line: UT AT Total Tackles for loss Yards Lost
11 2 13 1 5
0
GAME STATISTIC
MICHIGAN
'First-timer' Gold
dominates Hoosiers
PASSING
Playr C
Brady 1Z
Totals 102
Player At
Thomas 20
Fagas 12
Cos 2
nght 1
Ttas 39
RECEIVING
Playe N.
Streets 8
Tman 2
Knigt 2
Terrell 2
M. Camipel 1
"Thoas 1
Shea 1
Payer I
Viso
Totals
KICKOFF RETURNS
Paw N
Fargas 2
Shanski 1
Totals 3
PUNT RETURNS
Plye N.
night 3
Totals 3
DFENSE
Playe
I. Gold
Hnricks
Hal
Sword
Frysnige
Teileon
Rose
Weather
Totals
PASS DEFENSE
Playe lot
we aes 0
Patmo
Peteso
teathes
Tost SDots
Rases/Yass
assinglards
Olienisve Plays
Totala Oieise
n e / ds
Pamo/i/le
Time of Pass
IN
PIyc C-A
A.sahdie El 72
Totals 8-23
RUSOING
Playse Att
hail 7
Totals 43
El'yat No.
hall 2
connem 1
8.aeolieEl 1
Totals 0
PuNsg
Totalis/ad
Player N
haller 11
Totals 1
DEENSE
lpener
Pla ye t
A. andeE 2
Pagoye o
Wi am 2
Ecp
Fraliaae
*w
T. anle
Bronig
rA Yds TO lot
27 210 2 1
27 210 2 1
Yds Avg Lg TD
66 3.3 9 1
38 3.0 13 D
6 3.11 3
1 1 1 a
"4 .1 1a a
105 2.7 10 1
Yds Avg Lg TD
117 14.6 51 2
33 165 20 0
12 68 2
9 4.5 7 D
28 20 28 a
8 8 8 D
3 3 3 0
no ae ai a
210 11.0 51 2
No. Yds Avg Lg
5 179 35.8 43
5 179 35.0 43
Yds Avg Lg TD
24 12 12 0
12 12 12 D
36 12 12 0
Yds Avg Ag TD
21 7 10 a
21 7 10 0
NIH sot Tot
11 2 13
5 3 8
4 1 5
3 2 5
3 1 4
2 0 2
2 0 2
2 0 2
2 0 2
2 0 2
1 1 2
1 h 1
1 0 1
1 0 1
1 0 1
1 0 1
I 0 1
5o 10 60
Yds Lg Br-up TD
0 0 1 0
20 20 0 0
25 25 0 0
0 0 1 0
25 25 2 0
By Jim Rose
Daily Sports Editor
For the first time all afternoon, Ian
Gold was a tiny bit nervous.
It didn't last long - only a couple
seconds, really - but as he
approached the postgame interview
podium, Gold seemed a little unsure of
himself.
"It's my first time in here," he said
with a sheepish grin.
The hesitation seemed particularly
out of character for Gold, considering
his just-completed performance
against Indiana. Gold was everywhere
against the Hoosiers, diving and throw-
ing his body with reckless abandon.
"Hesitant" isn't exactly the way you'd
describe his playing style.
When all was said and done, Gold
had racked up 13 tackles to lead the
Wolverines. It was the first time in
more than a month that somebody
other than Sam Sword had led the
defense in the category.
And if anybody noticed, it was the
coach.
"I thought Ian Gold was outstand-
ing," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said.
"He played a tremendous football
game."
Gold and the rest of Michigan's
defense were faced with a daunting
task, and although Indiana quarterback
Antwaan Randle El caused some prob-
lems, the bottom line was that his team
didn't win.
Gold's did.
The Wolverines praised Randle El
and the Hoosiers, but, as you might
expect, they also said they were happy
to come away with their fifth straight
victory. And they were especially
happy with the way they did it. No
more of this "let-the-offense-dictate-
your-defense" stuff. 0
"Against Notre Dame, we played
kind of tentative," Gold said. "Today,
we just went out there and we flew
around. That's how you beat the
option."
And while the apparent ease with
which Gold deciphered a defense that
has already led to two Michigan losses
might be somewhat disconcerting, you
can't argue with his success.
Neither could Carr, after the game
"Ian Gold, he does things that you
can't coach," Carr said. "You know, his
intensity is so high, he runs right
through blockers. He's a great athlete,
and when he's running around out
there, it really helps our defense."
TRADING PLACES: The Wolverines
traded Dhani Jones for James Whitley
this week, or so it may have seemed.
Jones didn't travel to Northwestern
last weekend, missing the game with
injured knee. He was back in actior'
against the Hoosiers, however, gather-
ing four tackles. One of those tackles
was a third-down sack of Randle El
that resulted in a loss of four yards;
another was a third-down trip-up of
Randle El after a halfback pass put the
ball back in the elusive quarterback's
hands.
James Whitley didn't play against
the Hoosiers, because of what Llo*
Carr termed an ankle injury. Carr said
Whitley hurt the ankle in practice, but
that he could have played in an emer-
gency. William Peterson filled in at
Whitley's cornerback position, gather-
ing an interception (fumbled away dur-
ing the runback) and a pair of tackles.
MICH
17
39/105
210
68
315
18/29/3
51/3
1/1
30:40
ID1ANA
IU
12
43/200
68
66
268
12
8/23/2
5/31.4
0/s
2/17
2920
WARREN ZINN/Daily
After 13 tackles -11 unassisted - on Saturday, Ian Gold made a name for himself on the Michigan defense. During his
postgame comments, Lloyd Carr made sure to praise Gold's effort - especially after Gold was Injured early In the season.
Micha-ntholds second
half ball-control clnkic r
Ys TD
2 85 0
1 3 0
0 8 0
Yds Avg IA
110 4.2 41
83 8.3 59
7 1.0 2
200 4.7 09
Yds Avg tg
14 7 8
7 3.5 12
28 28 28
15 15 15
3 3 3
3 3 3
68 8.0 26
Io. Yds Avg
5 157 31.4
5 107 31.4
Yds Avg IAd
12 12 12
12 12 12
S Asst
6 3
7 0
7 0
4 2
5 0
4 D
4 0
3 D
2 1
1 0
1 0
1 a
1 0
1 0
1 0
1 a
00 8
tnt
lot
a
TO
a
a
i
TD
0
a
a
a
a
0
9
37
a
37
0
By Sharat Raju
Daily Sports Editor
Anyone want to learn how to run a ball-con-
trol offense ? Just take a look at one of the scor-
ing drives Michigan manufactured on Saturday.
In the third quarter, leading 14-10, the
Wolverines began on their own 12 yard line
after a holding penalty on Justin Fargas' kickoff
return.
But instead of imploding, as the Michigan
offense did with regularity in the first half, the
Wolverines put together a drive that lasted just
less than 10 minutes - 9:56, to be exact - and
concluded in the fourth quarter.
"I know that really demoralized the defense
when they think they're really in the game and
we put together a drive like we did," Michigan
quarterback Tom Brady said. "We came up
with some good conversions on third-and-
long."
The scoring drive was the final one for
either team and sealed the victory for the
Wolverines. They mixed it up effectively, keep-
ing Indiana unable to predict Michigan's next
play.
During the drive, there were 21 plays.
Thirteen of those were runs, and the Hoosiers
only dropped Michigan for a loss once.And
although while the Wolverines mixed passes
and runs effectively, they also alternated tail-
backs - the punishing Anthony Thomas and
the sprinting Justin Fargas - to throw off the
defense.
"I still think Thomas is one of the best backs
in the country," Indiana coach Cam Cameron
said. "They've got the ability to throw Fargas in
the mix in there. That keeps you off balance."
Another crucial element in the drive was
hands.
Michigan's receivers held onto seven of the
eight passes Tom Brady threw; David Terrell
just dropped one as he slipped to the ground.
The biggest catch of the drive was Tai
Streets' grab in the corner of the end zone for a
four-yard touchdown, giving Michigan a 21-10
lead.
"That drive lasted, what, 10 minutes?"
Streets said. "That was key. Our defense has
been playing so well, they've been incredible.
We have to have more 10-minute drives
because that helps the defense out."
The Wolverines also overcame three false-
start penalties during the drive.
HERE, YOU CAN HAVE THIS BACK: One play
in the first quarter perhaps symbolized the
entire Michigan season thus far.
With 6:29 left in the opening frame,
Michigan cornerback William Peterson was in
the right place at the right time and grabbed a
tipped pass from Indiana's Antwaan Randle El.
Peterson took off with the interception and
scampered for 25 yards. Peterson was then hit,
dropped the ball and Indiana wide receiver
Tyrone Browing recovered the fumble for the
Hoosiers.
Due to the momentary change in posses-
sion, Indiana was awarded a first down - near
the same spot on the field where the play
began.
Indiana net gain on the play: Zero yards.
Result: First down.
KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR: It has been no
secret that Michigan's worst unit is the punt
return unit. After cornerback James Whitley
After a workmanlike effort on the drive, Michigan talback Anthony Thomas Jumped over the goaline fort
the touchdown. Thomas, who dld.'t travel to Northwestem, said the week he had to sit out with an
Injury was the worst of his life.
handled the punt-return job poorly -- to put it on to the football.
mildly - coach Lloyd Carr was desperate to Not only did he hold on, he even had a 10-
find somebody who could catch a punted ball. yard return late in the first half to set up
Enter Marcus Knight. The sure-handed wide Michigan's first scoring drive.
receiver did something that no Michigan punt Knight finished the day with three returns
returner has been able to do this season: Hold for a total of 21 yards. And zero fumbles.
Defense shuts down Randle E1*
Want to voice your opinion about
Michign football or the Daily's
coverag E-mail the football writers
at ay.footbll@umich.edu.
Big Ten Standings,
Team conf. Overall
Wiscoasin 50 8-0
Ohio State 4-0 7-0
Michigan 40 5.2
Penn State 2-1 5-1
Purdue 2-2 44
Iowa ,2-3 3-5
Michigan State 1-2 34
Minnesota 1-3 4-3
Indiana 1-3 34
Illinois 1-4 2-6
Northwestern 0-5 2-6
Last Week (HOME TEAM IN CAPS)
MICHIGAN 21, Indiana 10
Ohio State 36, NORTHWESTERN 10
MINNESOTA 19, Michigan State 18
Wisconsina4 IOWA 0
PURDUE 42, Ilnoss9
Next Week'
Michigan at Minnesota.
Northwestern at Michigan State
Ohio State at Indiana
Iosa at Purdue
Illinois at Penn State
Wisconsin, idle
HOOSIERS
Continued from Page 15
Michigan struggled to even the score throughout
the first half and were forced to punt on four of six
offensive series. On one potential scoring drive,
Carr called on freshman Walter Cross to throw a
tailback pass to Tai Streets in the end zone. The
result was an interception by Indiana safety Greg
Yeldell, killing Michigan's drive.
"We had Tai Streets wide open," Carr.said. "We
took a shot. I think it was a good call, but it didn't
work. So when they don't work, they're never any
good."
But late in the second quarter, Carr resorted to
more conventional playcalling. Starting at the
Indiana 37 yard line following a Michigan defen-
sive stand and a 10-yard punt return by Marcus
Knight, the Wolverines took advantage of the short
field and drove the ball to the goal line.
The Wolverines broke into the scoring column
when tailback Anthony Thomas leaped up into the
end zone for Michigan's first score.
"Our defense got the ball right back for us," Carr
said. "That touchdown before the end of the half-
that was big."
The play marked a turning point in the contest.
Michigan never relinquished the lead and turned up
the heat defensively in the second half, holding one
of the conference's top offenses to only a field goal.
"It's tough to run the" football against that
defense," Indiana coach Cam Cameron said. "That
defense hasn't given up any points in the second
half in several weeks, and we knew it was going to
be tough."
The defense bottled up Randle El, sacking him
twice and preventing him from completing
passes. Randle El threw for a mere 65 yards, o0
completing 7 of 22 and throwing two interceptions.
Meanwhile, the Michigan offense began to come
together in the second half. Brady tossed two sec-
ond-half touchdowns to Streets - one a 51-yard
strike in the third quarter and the other onea lofted
fade to the corner of the end zone that Streets
grabbed away from an Indiana defender.
"I might have given him a little subtle push but
the ref didn't see it, so I just thank God that it came
through," Streets said. "Tommy threw a great ball.
After a shaky start, Brady settled down and co-
pleted 18 of 27 and compiled 210 yards - 11
those yards to Streets on eight catches.
"Everyone just kind of settled in," Brady said. "I
think everyone was a little riled up at the beginning."
The Wolverines are riding a five-game winning
streak after dropping the initial two games of the
season. Michigan is now more than half way
through the season. With upset-minded Minnesota
next week and Penn State looming over the horizon,
it's starting to become crunch time for the
Wolverines.
.r
WARREN ZINN/Daily
Michigan wide receiver Tai Streets was the Wolverines' best offensive weapon Saturday, with touch-
down catches from both short and long throws by quarterback Tom Brady.
..,,,