4B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - November 1. 1999
GAME STATISTICS
Team Stats MICH IND F rfrttm l
..ter n.
First Downs
Rushes/Yards
Passing Yards
Offensive Plays
Total Offense
Return Yards
Comp/Att/lnt
Punts/Avg
Fumbles/Lost
Penalties/Yards
Time of Poss
25
46/213
226
75
439
114
17/29/0
6/35.3
2/1
6/50
28:58
22
40/148
290
74
438
51
18/34/0
8/37.8
3/1
7/263
31:02
season, Brady
plays entire game
MI C H I G A N
PASSING
Player
Brady
Totals
C-A
17-29
17-29
i
RUSHING
Player Att Yds
A. Thomas 42 197
Terrell 1 7
Brady 2 5
Coleman 1 4
Totals 46 214
RECEIVING
Player No. Yds
Terrell 6 100
Knight 3 60
A. Thomas 3 24
Shea 2 10
Cross 1 16
Walker 1 9
Joppru 1 7
Totals 17 226
PUNTING
Player No.
Epstein 6
Team 6
KICKOFF RETURNS
Player No. Yds
Curry 1 21
Schanski 1 16
Terrell 1 12
Thomas 1 -2
Totals 4 47
Yds
226
226
A
4.
4.
4.
20
8.
16.
7.
13
Yds
212~
212
TD
1
1
.0 7
2.5 6
.0 4
.6 23
.0 36
30 16
3.0 9
.0 16
3.0 9
7.0 7
.3 46
35.3
Avg Lg
20 21
16.0 16
12.0 12
-2.0 -2
11.8 21
15.0 15
1.0 11
11.2 18
Asst
0
0
1
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
1
Int
0
0
TD
3
0
0
0
3
TO
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
50
4
PUNTrRETURNS
Player No.
Johnson 4
June .
Jordan1
Totals 6
DEFENSE
Player
Hobson
Hall
Patmon
Williams
Jones
Curry
Howard
Whitley
Sechler
Hendricks
Foote
Wilson
Frysinger
Schanski
Seymour
Renes
Brackins
Kratus
Ptak
Yds
41
15
11
67
Solo
8
7
6
4
2
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
A
1
1!
1
1'
PASS DEFENSE
Player
Patmon
Foote
Whitley
Totals
PASSING
Player
A Randle El1
Totals
RUSHING
Player At
Williams
A. Randle El 1
Johnson 1'
Hagan
Carter
Hogan
Totals 4
RECEIVING
Player No
Dorsey
Williams
Gaddis
Dielman
Graham 1
Johnson 1
Osi ka1
Totals i
PUNTING
Player
Hagan
Team
Totals
Int
0
0
0
0
I N
Yds
0
0
0
0
Di,
C-A
18-34
18-34
ktt
3
1
1
1
2
40
lo.
5
4
4
2
18
Yds
64
31
20
15.
11
7
170
Yds
154
49
45
32
14
1
-5
290
No.
6
2
8
0
0
r0
A N A
Yds
290
290
2.4
S1.8
15.0
11.0
3.5
.3.7
Alg
.12.3
11.3
16.0
14.0
1.0
-5.0
16.1
Yds
302
0
302
Brk-up
2
1
1
4
TD
4
4
12
11
15
11
7
1S
26
18
25
14
1
-5
70
Avg
50.3
0.0
37.8
TD
0
0
0
0
0
TD
0
0
0
0
Tot
8
7
7
4
4
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
TD
0
0
0
0
Int
0
0
TD
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
TD,
2
0
0
1
0
4
0
56
KLEINBAUM
Continued from Page 113
In its first five games, the Michigan defense allowed just
over 13 points a game as the Wolverines steamrolled to a 5-0
record and a top-three ranking.
For two straight weeks, they shut down a top Heisman can-
didate. They started drawing comparisons to the great 1997
defense that won a national title, even though the '97 team
allowed just 26 points in its first five games, 40 less than the
'99 squad.,
In the last three games, the bottom has fallen out.
The Michigan defense has lost its swagger. The confident
and brash bunch has been unusually quiet, words mumbling
out of their mouths. The Wolverines won't tell you they've
lost their confidence, but it's in their eyes. They're frustrated
and confused. They're bad, and they don't know why.
Much of blame belongs to Michigan's secondary, 'The
Suspects.' They've been more than suspect; they've been flat-
out bad.
On Indiana's five scoring drives - four touchdowns and
one field goal, but the field goal was because of the clock,
not Michigan's defense - the Hoosiers killed Michigan in
the air. On those five drives, Randle El completed 12 of 16
passes for 246 yards, 74 percent of Indiana's offense.
Of the suspects, Todd Howard carries much of the guilt.
Earlier this season, Howard said if an opponent wants to
touch the ball, that's their problem, implying that he'd lay a
load of hurt on them. One problem: If you can't catch 'em,
you can't hurt 'em.
By Rick Freeman
Daily Sports Editor
BLOOMINGTON - The last time
Michigan used one quarterback for an
entire game and won was 364 days
before Saturday's game - Oct. 31, in
a 15-10 yawner over Minnesota.
Tom Brady had a better game this
Saturday - he had to. After the
Wolverines surrendered a 17-point
lead and fell behind 24-17 in the
fourth quarter, he led Michigan on a
comeback against the Hoosiers.
But Brady's performance wasn't
enough to make this a regular gig for
him. Or at least his coach, Lloyd Carr,
wouldn't publicly confirm that. Carr
said he made the decision during the
course of Saturday's game.
But Brady learned that he would
play the entire game as early as
Wednesday, if not earlier, said one
teammate.
"He was excited because he had the
opportunity to prove himself," said
the player, who asked that his name
not be used. "He was pretty much
like, 'Alright, here we go."'
The fifth-year senior completed 17 of
his 29 passes for 226 yards and one
touchdown - a seven-yarder to fresh-
man tight end Bennie Joppru. The com-
pletion kept his streak of touchdown
passes in Big Ten games alive at 13.
In Michigan's previous seven
games, the Wolverines have gone with
Brady in the first quarter and Drew
Henson in the second quarter. At half-
time, the coaches decided which quar-
terback had the hotter hand, and then
used that player for the rest of the
game.
But even that halftime decision was
subject to review. Against Michigan
State on Oct. 9, Henson was yanked
after throwing an interception to the
Spartans' Aric Morris which led to a
quick touchdown. Henson earned the
second-half nod just one other time,
against Syracuse.
He was largely ineffective in the
Wolverines' five-point second half
against the Orangemen. When Brady
was called back into the Michigan
State game, he led the Wolverines to
21 fourth-quarter points.
Henson hasn't led the Wolverines
on a sustained scoring drive since a
1 0-play, 63-yarder in the second quar-
ter against Purdue. That drive was
capped by a one-yard Anthony
Thomas plunge.
It's entirely possible that Carr has
made a clear decision on his quarter-
back situation for the rest of the sea-
son.
He has been less than forthright
with outsiders -- and apparentlyeven
some players - all season. He
promised a group of reporters that he
would inform them of his decision a
week before the season-opening game
with Notre Dame.
The Monday before that game, Carr
told reporters they would learn of his
decision come game time on
Saturday, though word leaked out
shortly thereafter that Brady would
start.
Now, eight games, a forgettable
October and two painful losses later,
Carr seems determined to keep his
quarterback picture as cloudy as pos-
sible for as many as possible.
"The situation dictated that I makes
a decision that was best for the team," i
Carr said. "In this game, that decisionI.
was to leave Tom in."
W
DANA LINNANE/Daily
Lloyd Carr denies that he decided before the game that Tom Brady would play the entire way. But one Michigan player says
that Carr alerted Brady to the strategy on Wednesday, three days before the game.
. tb
Howard's had a problem catching anyone lately. Late in the
fourth quarter Saturday, he was running 15 yards behind
Indiana receiver Jerry Dorsey as Dorsey waltzed into the end
zone for a 70-yard touchdown - Howard misread the play
and came in to support the rush defense. When Dorsey
caught the ball, Michigan safety Tommy Hendricks was
much closer to Dorsey than Howard was, even thoug*
Howard was supposed to be covering the receiver.
While Michigan jumped out to a 5-0 start, its opponents
were looking for a weakness. There's little in a defense as eas-
ily exploitable as a weak cornerback.
Both Randle El and Illinois quarterback Kittner, who beat
Michigan last week, saw Howard as Michigan's weakness
and exploited the sophomore, throwing to his man in key sit-
uations. Last week, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr yanked
Howard after he drew a pass interference penalty.
There's little Carr can do. He has almost no depth at cor-
ner. The two backups are a freshman, Brandon William #
who's seen more playing time over the past few weeks but.t
still has little experience, and wide receiver David Terrell,,
who sees spot time at corner and was Michigan's nickel back
against Purdue.
But Carr has to find a solution fast, with No. 2 Penn State
and No. 21 Ohio State looming in the next three weeks.
Unlike the 1991 Michigan team that allowed 104 points in
a three-game stretch, these Wolverines aren't going to win the
Big Ten title. If the defense doesn't regroup, they'll have trou
ble winning anything.
-Josh Kleinbaum can be reached via e-mail at _
jkbaum@umich.edri'
DANA LINNANE/Daiiy
Victor Hobson and the Michigan defense have struggled as of late, allowing more
than 30 points in each of the last three games. The Wolverines are 1-2 in that span.
KICKOFF RETURNS
Player No.
Graham 3
Anthony 1
Total 4
PUNT RETURNS
Player No.
Graham .
Totals 1
DEFENSE
Player
Smith
McGrath
Yeldel
Schaffer
Mandina
Czap
Nelson
Goodman
Rasmussen
Wallace
C. Randle El
Anderson
Spencer
Hanley
Myler
Tucker
Frost
Bethel
PASS DEFENSE
Player Int
Anderson 0
Tucker 0
Wallace 0
Totals 0
Yds
33
9
42
Yds
9
9
Solo
3
5
5
4
5
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
1
0
Yds
0
0
0
0
Avg
11.0
9.0
10.5
9
15
i
1
9.0 9
Asst 1
6
3
3
1
2
0
1
2
1
1
1
1
0
1
0
0
0
1
TD
0
0
0
ITD
0
I0
Tot
9
8
7
6
6
5
5
5
4
4
4
3
2
2
1
1
1
__
BIG TEN
Nittany Lions top Illinois, keep rolling towards title
Lng Brk-up
0 1
0 1
0 3
TD
0
0
0
0
CHAMPAIGN (AP) -- Rashard
Casey, the second half of Penn State's
quarterback tandem, bailed out the
Nittany Lions, throwing for one
touchdown and running for one as
Penn State held off Illinois, 27-7.
It was the 11th straight victory for
Penn State (5-0 Big Ten, 9-0 overall),
the second-longest winning streak in
the country behind Marshall.
But it was a much tougher -- and
much sloppier - victory than a No. 2
team can afford at this time of the
year. Despite repeatedly getting good
field position from kick returner
Bruce Branch, the Nittany Lions'
offense was pitiful through the first
two-and-a-half quarters. Kevin
Thompson threw three interceptions
and Penn State advanced to the
Illinois 36 or closer four times with-
out scoring.
"We were a little flat in the first
half and they played a great game,"
said Penn State coach Joe Paterno.
"They didn't have a penalty or a
turnover until the middle of the third
quarter. They played very close and
had solid defense."
The Nittany Lions also settled for
Travis Forney's 44-yard field goal
after Thompson threw two incomple-
tionng oving Penn State a 10-7 lead
lone offensive highlight for Illinois.
No. 21 OHio ST. 41, IowA 11:
Ohio State's fastest player was finally
able to utilize his fleetness of foot.
Ken-Yon Rambo caught seven passes
for 179 yards, scoring one touchdown
and setting up two others as Ohio
State trounced Iowa.
The Buckeyes (3-2, 6-3) scored on
their first three possessions and never
were threatened. They also intercept-
ed three passes in the second half.
"Obviously it was a good win for
us," said Ohio State coach John
Cooper. "We moved the ball well. The
balancing of passing and rushing
went really well. I am very proud of
the way we played."
Ohio State finds itself in the upper
middle of the Big Ten conference
standings. They are tied with
Michigan and Michigan State, two of
their final three opponents.
Iowa (0-5, 1-7), which had been
outscored 52-0 in the opening quarter
this season, broke the streak on Scott
Mullen's 18-yard TD pass to Kevin
Kasper. Kasper tied a school-record
with 13 catches for 135 yards, and
Mullen completed 29 of 45 passes for
283 yards.
Ohio State's Michael Wiley out-
rushed the entire Iowa team, gaining
will head to the Sugar Bowl.
Wisconsin (5-1, 7-2) won its fifth
straight game. The Badgers made two
key interceptions that helped cover up
a poor defensive performance, and
the Wildcats (1-4, 3-5) hung tough
before the Badgers' rushing attack
wore them down.
Dayne, who played the entire
game for the first time in four weeks,
needs 321 yards in Wisconsin's final
two games against Purdue and Iowa
to break Ricky Williams' major-col-
lege career rushing record. He is 124
yards from passing Tony Dorsett for
second place on the list.
"He's a great back. He's got great
feet," Northwestern coach Randy
Walker said. "If you don't take care of
your responsibilities, if you don't play
in your gaps, then he's in the back
side of the cut, or he explodes into the
place of that hole."
No. 18 PURDUE 33, MINNESOTA 28:
The Purdue offense looked fallible in
he first half, but Drew Brees came
back to complete 28-of-41 passes for
283 yards and two touchdowns as
Purdue overcame Minnesota.
Last year, Brees needed just three
quarters to amass 522 yards passing
and six touchdowns in a 56-21 rout of
the Golden Gophers.
a a
PLAYER OF THE GAME:
..................................................................
ANTHONY
THOMAS
I
t .
t.