4B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - October 26, 1998 Michigan -rInd iana 21 10 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 i 1 1 1 1 1 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. ..,,,