r -jil AN& i 4 D - eSpe r 19 4 - The Michigan Daily - Kickoff '99 - Thursday, September 9, 1999 & 1 9 9 I 0 Wisconsin's Big Ten hopes riding on Dayne, ground forces WISCONSIN B A D G 7-1 Big Ten, 11-1 overall defeated UCLA 38-3 1 in Rose Bowl E R S september 2S, madison 3 p mr. ABC By Rick Freeman Daily Sports Editor - Clearly, the thing to notice here is the quarterback's name. Not his hair so much, but his name. No, it's not Lee. It's Brooks Bollinger who will be one of Wisconsin's quarterbacks this year. But in coach Barry Alvarez's scheme, Lee himself could probably take some snaps. All he'd have to do is hold out the ball, like a mailbag waiting for a train in an old cartoon. Ron Dayne would do the rest. "He's a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate, and he has a legitimate chance to break the NCAA rushing record," Alvarez said. Actually, Dayne will have plenty of chances. Since the Badgers are a bit thin on talent at wide reciever, and have split up their practice time at starting quarterback, any Wisconsin snap is a legitimate chance to give the ball to Dayne. Why risk a pass with Bollinger or Scott Kavanagh, who started against Murray State? This will be old-time Big Ten foot- ball. The kind of ball that can have a nar- cotic effect on Woody Hayes, Bo Schembechler and the Big Ten's old guard for its frequent fixes of ground game. Its effect on fans is usually tends more toward the narcoleptic - even for the most tolerant fans of midwest- ern football, it can be as exciting as watching the artificial turf grow at Camp Randall Stadium. But when the Badgers run the option - as they like to do against an aggres- sive, blitzing defense like Michigan's - they can make defensive coordina- tors apoplectic. In the past two years, the Wisconsin game has signaled good things for the Wolverines. In 1997, Michigan's victo- ry clinched a share of the Big Ten title and sealed a chance to face Ohio.State undefeated. Last year, it showed that they weren't as bad as the team that slid a season-opening victory back across the table to Notre Dame. This year is a bit different. With the game in September, the carpet will be warmer than it was in '97. The game opens the Big Ten season for both teams. But after watching the Badgers' handoff artists in the pocket, Michigan's defense will have to forget all it learned and turn around to face pass-happy Purdue. The adjustments to the Boilermakers' offense will be a big subplot for Michigan the week follow- ing the game. Their 8 p.m. game (on the road, on artificial turf - two factors that can take a step off a team for that first prac- tice back) the week before against Syracuse will be an interesting one in the week preceding. But during the game subtlety will be at a minimum. Dayne will be coming at Michigan between the tackles - and everyone will know it. "Oh, he's a load," said Michgan line- backer James Hall. Dayne's also a load of trouble for Hall, Dhani Jones, Ian Jones and Grady Brooks. These are players - good ones, mind you - that the 5-foot-10, 258- pound Dayne could turn into bowling pins. The showdown between defending Big Ten co-champs has the potential to ruin one team's season at the start of conference play. The loser starts the Big Ten season already wounded, and the winner has seven more tough games to slog through. So a party at either Bollinger's is probably out of the question. OFFENSE DEFENSE QB LT LG C RG RT TE RB FB FL SE Scott Kavanagh Chris McIntosh Bill Ferrario Casey Rabach Dave Costa Brian Lamont Dague Retzlaff Ron Dayne Chad Kuhns Ahmad Merritt Chris Chambers LE NT RE Rush OLB LB LB SS FS LC B RCB Ross Kolodziej Eric Mahlik Wendell Bryant John Favret Dan Lisowski Donnel Thompson Chris Ghidorzi Bobby Myers Jason Doering Jamar Fletcher Mike Echols SPECIAL TEAMS K Vitaly Pisetsky P Kevin Stemke KR PR LS Nick Davis Davis Costa DAILY SPECIAL: Favret. Favret takes over for Tom Burke, who led the nation with 20 sacks last season. If Favret can et half that total, the Badgers will have a formida- ble front seven. GRADE: We know Wisconsin can run the ball. We also know that the Badgers' non-conference schedule is rem- iniscent of a Hostess food product. And we also know that if Kavanagh and/or Brooks Bollinger can't get it done at quarterback, there will be no Rose Bowl repeat. B+ , j .t .. S. se " " U New Millennium. New Approaches. New Opportunities. Welcome and welcome bacl. We look forward to discussing the opportunities at Banc of America Securities on campus this fall. Stop by our (LL'c.Aip : Game Day tents open before and after each game across from the stadium at the corner of Main & Stadium AND 1 block north of the Stadium at Stadium I H CD Hoover "" " " 0 " " " " 0 " " S " " ," " " " s " s 0 " " " " " " " " " " " " " " 501 " e " Outlet Sh( Clearance price discontinued styles & garmer Located nex door to 711 N. University Mon. - Fri. 12-PM Sat. - Sun. 1OAM- Visit our Cla O Parkman Printing 5 he~ DIe t Uin 346icf igaap pavtd fm. pow The Ctton ~ Exchange &BUCK 2 Central et locatio, On 'q-he Dic 711 Al. University- ,Mon. - Sait. 9 lA4-762}V- Su came DCjay Weekends Open Near the Athletic 902 S. State - 66 Mon. -Sat. 10AUVl-6P/2 eS Banc of America Securities Bank of America. . 0 Investment banking and securities products provided through Banc of America Securities LLC, member NYSE/ NASD/ SIPC, a subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation. Bank of America is the marketing name for Bank of America Corporation and its affiliates worldwide. Copyright 1999 Bank of America Corporation. I