Ah A Amk s 14 - The Michigan Daily - Kickoff '99 - Thursday, September 9, 1999 Thursday, September 9, 1999 - Young Bucks face growing pains in conference, quest Illini looks to surprise Big Ten IL L INOI F I G H T I N G 2-6 Big Ten, 3-8 overall Michael Wiley and the Buckeyes found that life without players such as David Boston and Joe Germaine - along with the Miami (Fla.) defense - can be pretty painful. AP PHOTO By Rick Freeman the Buckeyes found themselves 0-1 Daily Sports Editor for the first time since 1986 - and Oops, so much for those "presea- for the first time since 1994, a team son" games Buckeyes' coach John from a state other than Michigan has Cooper likes so much. derailed the Buckeyes' national title After Ohio State lost, 23-13, to hopes. Miami, Fla. in the Kickoff Classic, Cooper has said before that he . . ................................................................. . ................................... . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . OHIO STATE B U C K E Y E S , 7-1 Big Ten, 11-1 overall defeated Texas A&M, 24-14, inthe Sugar Bowl I - 6ovmbr0.annarbo noo, AB OFFENSE QB Austin Moherman LT Tyson Walter LG Mike Gurr C Kurt Murphy RG Ben Gilbert RT Henry Fleming TE Steve Wisnewski TB Michael Wiley FB Matt Keller SE Reggie Germany FL Ken-Yon Rambo DEFENSE DE Rodney Bailey DT Ryan Pickett DT Joe Brown DE Brent Johnson BLB Na'il Diggs ILB Jason Ott WLB Courtland Bullard SS Donnie Nickey FS Gary Berry CB Nate Clements CB Ahmed Plummer SPECIAL TEAMS K Dan Stultz P B.J. Sander KR PR LS Rambo Berry Kevin Houser ----------- -- ..-- --------... - ......._________________ -- ---- --- DAILY SPECIAL: C'mon, his name is Rambo. Expect lots of over-the-top action - if his QB's can find him. GRADE: Some thought the Bucks would flourish with the pressure off - well, if it wasn't before, it is now. B likes to play an early game because it allows an early start to practice. "It also helps in the accumulating of stats," Cooper said at his weekly media luncheon before the Miami game. "In the end of a season, if we are pushing for one of our players to be all-Big Ten, that extra game can give them better stats. The Buckeyes' bonus: Junior quarterback Austin Moherman com- pleted 10 of his 22 passes for 107 yards. Michael Wiley tore off 72 yards on his nine carries, but that figure includes a 69-yarder. And their quarterback situation isn't firmed up just yet. Moherman's bland performance has by no means made him a lock for the job. Ohio State's quarterback situation is similar to Michigan's except for one small detail - talent. Before the Buckeyes' season, sophomores Austin Moherman and Steve Bellisari had combined to throw less than five passes in a game. Cooper named Moherman his starter the week before the Miami game. Now, Cooper has a mess on his hands, and UCLA on the schedule next week. After their loss, several Buckeyes voiced their displeasure with the amount of effort they saw from their teammates. But starting the season with a loss means Ohio State will be playing for just the Big Ten title, and a measure. of respect. On Nov. 20 this year, the Buckeyes can redeem their season by beating Michigan, something Michigan did by beating the Buckeyes in 1995 and 1996. (Incidentally, Ohio State's pro-style offense hadn't scored so few points since they lost to Michigan 13-9 in -that 1996 game.) And don't forget Ohio State's visit to East Lansing Nov. 6, in which the Buckeyes look to take revenge on the team in Michigan that did beat them last season. The Buckeyes still have hope for this season. Their Big Ten record, of course, is still unsullied. They have another fearsome linebacker in Na'il Diggs. And if Moherman or Bellisari suddenly start clicking with the offense, they have a pair of fleet, venomous receivers. Ken Yon Rambo and Reggie Germany have been touted by teammates. There's still plenty of potential in Columbus - just because the national title rug has been yanked out from beneath the Buckeyes' a lit- tle earlier than usual doesn't mean their season's over. There's plenty of opportunities to take satisfaction out of this season. And a different team in Michigan for revenge. By T.J. Berka Daily Sports Editor Illinois' second home game against San Diego State is Salute to Education day in Champaign. But the Illinois foot- ball team has failed the first two semes- ters of Winning 101 under Ron Turner. Turner hasn't had too much to work with in his first two seasons as the Illinois coach. With a 3-8 record last season and a woeful 0-11 mark in 1997, expectations for the Illini in 1999 aren't exactly high. But don't tell Turner that. Although winning four games in a season - HoOsilerS are hungry By Rick Freeman Daily Sports Editor The professors of Indiana University's English department want him to return for graduate school. The NFL just plain wanted him. And Adewale Ogunleye wanted to smash heads in the Midwest for another year. So Indiana's 6-foot-4, 265-pound defensive end returned to play for a school where football is second fiddle. A Dom DiMaggio in the school's athlet- ic lineup. Cain Cameron, a former Michigan quarterbacks' coach, wants to change all that and make Indiana a football school. The Hoosiers have grim odds against them for a Big Ten title this year. A bowl will be just fine. Make it on New Year's Day, and those crimson and cream taith- ful that aren't simply biding time until hoops season will be pleased that the profs and the pros had to wait. "The team's excited about it," Cameron said before the beginning of the season. "He thinks some things are going to happen with Indiana football this year." Maybe it's the location. Central Indiana may not have all the attractions of Gotham, but the folks sure are nice. Ogunleye has lost his wallet twice -- and had it returned each time. "No money missing. No credit cards used," Ogunleye said. "Driver's license still where I left it." Of course, with the height and wieght listed on that license, would you touch it? Antwaan Randle El is a different story. Those in Ogunleye's line of work would love to touch him - hard, with both arms and a shoulder. Tough to do. With Ogunleye on defense, Randle El is the other prime mover of this Indiana team that has its sights set high this year. He can shake, too. His talent is under- estimated when people apply the "ath- letic" label to him. He's Teflon lightning in a bottle. Hence, Cameron is thinking about playing him at tailback, and use 6-4 freshman Tommy Jones at quarterback. "We sneaked up on some people with our different style with the option, but you don't sneak up on people more than once," Cameron said. something Illinois hasn't accomplished since 1995 - could be considered a great feat, Turner thinks the Illini can do more. "I sense a different level of confi- dence going into this season," Turner said. "We have lots of players who have played a lot of games." If playing a lot of games wasn't enough, the whole Illinois team has been in Champaign working out togeth- er since June 1. The Illini is hoping that the practice translates into an improved passing attack. INDIANA H O O S I E R S 2-6 Big Ten, 4-7 overall October 30 bloomington TBA "We want to throw the ball more and spread people out more," Turner said. That would mean improved play out of the wide receiver, a problem during Turner's reign. Illinois shouldn't have as much of a concern on defense, a perenial strength for the Illini. The secondary, led by sophomore Muhammad Abdullah, is what is causing the most of the excite- ment in Champaign. But will this excitement get the Illini to the elusive four-win barrier? It's hard to tell. OFFENSE QB LT LG C RG RT TE HB FB WR WR Kurt Kittner Marques Sullivan Jay Kulaga Luke Butkus Ray Redziniak Chip Nicastro Josh Whitman Steve Havard Elmer Hickman Greg Lewis Lenny Willis OFFENSE DEFENSE QB T G C G T TE RB FB WR WR Antwaan Randle El Pita Elisara Matt Snyder Chad Miller James Broyles Craig Robeen Craig Osika Levron Williams Jason Spear O.J. Conner Versie Gaddis DE DT DT DE MLB SLB WLB SS FS CB CB Adewale Ogunleye Paul Mandina Jason Czap Kemp Rasmussen Devin Schaffer Justin Smith Joslin Goodman Greg Yeldell Mike McGrath Maurice Tucker O.J. Spencer SPECIAL TEAMS KR Derin Graham K Andy Payne PR Graham P Drew Hagan LS Trevor Abbs -------------------------------------------------------------------- DAILY SPECIAL: Tommy Jones, a redshirt freshman quar- terback, could play with Randle-El moving to tailback. GmDE: Hoosiers still need more big-time talent. B- S I Oer23 anabo SPECIAL TEAMS K Neil Rackers P Steve Fitts ---------------------- DAILY SPECIAL: Abdulla his secondary this seasor why. The sophomore pla freshman, compiling 26 1 GRADE: Illinois should bE hard not to improve whe games in the past two SE .. " Short term and sei " Free Aerobics, spir * Free racquetball ai " Free child care " Friendly and helpf * Tai-boxing and car " Area's top persona " Less than 2 miles I " Effective weight k Call or stop- start your i Stanley Cup isn't the only cup that needs to get passed along. Check out our Web Site @2BeAPriest4Christ.com Anyone who feels called to the priesthood, can contact his parish priest or call Fr. J. Munley, Director of Seminarians Diocese of Lansing 517-342-2507. A loving heart and a willingness to learn is all it costs. PrT'ies A OODLFE IT'S A GOOD LIFE OMIE o (7 N.E. w