6B - The Michigan Daily - KICKOFF 2000 - Thursday, September 7, 2000
Thursday, September 7, 2000 - KicKOF
ONE
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DEFENSIVE LINE &
LINEBACKERS
and Gold on the inside.{
outside, sophomore
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MARJORIE MARSHALL
DD
DEFNSIVE
By Mark Francescutti
Dily Sports Editor
It's not the same this time
around.
The defensive line, that is,
along with the linebackers
which are no longer a power-
ful, experienced unit.
Losing seven defensive stal-
warts including several NFLers
defensive lineman Josh
Williams and liberackers Ian
Gold and Dhani Jones, coordi-
nator JimH errmann and the
Volvennies will try to unify a
Young group of players with the
hope they can stop the raging
offenses of Purdue, Illinois and
Wisconsin.
V'e have to prove something
to ourselves:" linebacker Larry
Foote said. "We know that in the
Michigan family great players
lead the program every year.
And when thcv leave great play-
ers have to fill their shoes."
Foote, the leading returner in
sacks and tackles for a loss
along with defensive tackle Eric
Wilson need to provide the lead-
ership that is lacking.
Grant Bowman. Dave
Pearson and Shawn Lazarus
will also see significant time at
the tackle spots.
Junior Eric Brackins will join
Foote in trying to replace Jones
that role nicely.
On the line, senior Jake
Frvsinger looked strong against
Bowling Green, but reinjured
his right foot and will be out
indefinitely. Junior Evan
Coleman and sophomore Dan
Rumishek are in the mix, akng
with freshman Alain Kashama.
All eves, and translators,
though, are on Kashama:
The true freshman hails from
the same high school (Vieux
Montreal) as former running
back standout Tshimanga
Biakabutuka.
But "la probleme" with
Kashama is whether lie can
understand the plays - his
native language is French.
"He has a tough time with the
language barrier," Frysinger
said. "But it's amazing how
much he has picked up that last
two weeks. There is a lot of
slang in defense. _and he has
picked that up really quickly."
Kashama is seen as one of the
quickest big men on the field,
often doing cartwheels in prac-
tice. Coach Lloyd Carr showed
faith in Kashama by playing the
true freshman this season.
Michigan also is showing
collectiveness -_something
that at times last year's impres-
sive unit didn't have. And it
showed. giving up huge games
to Michigan State and Illinois
Michigan's only two losses
last season.
Now. with no standout big
names. most players have com-
bined efforts.
"It's definitely more of a
team. more so than last vear"
FIrsinger said.
(Continued from PREVIOUS page)
team's No. I runnmig back going into
the season replacing Montrell Lowe,
who hasbeen struggling with a shoul-
der injury.
The score in Ann Arbor will likely
be on the high end again, as questions
surrounds Purdue's defense.
"I think the biggest question is at
linebacke-." defensive coordinator
Brock Spack said. "We're going to
play guys that have never played
before."
But junior college transfer Akin
Ayodele had a standout year last sea-
son, leading the team with I I sacks
while learning to play defensive end.
The defensive backs are also an area
of concern for the Boilermakers.
Expect to see two or three freshmen in
the secondary. but Put-due's backs will
have over a month to gain expereince
before Da\id Terrell and Michigan
visit Ross-Adc Stadium.
But with the Wolverines slotted in
the middle of a five-week period that
includes four top 25 teams, it will be a
long road to Pasadena for Purdue-
who hasn't been there since 1967.
Ywphaliie- 0/eu
Sept. 4
Sept. 11
Sept. 18
Sept. 25
Oct. 2
Oct. 9
Oct. 16
Oct. 23
Oct. 30
Nov. 6
Nov. 20
Jan.1
Purdue 47, C. FLORIDA 13
PURDUE 28. Notre Dame 23
PURDUE 58, C. Michigan 16
PURDUE 31, Northwestern 23
MICHIGAN 38, Purdue 12
OHIO STATE 25. Purdue 22
PuRDuF 52, Michigan State 28
Penn State 31, PURDUE 25
Purdue 33, MiNNESoA 28
Wisconsin 28, PURDUEu 21
Purdue 30, INrtANA 24
Georgia 28, Purdue 25 (OT)
4-4 Big Ten, 75 overall
Lost to Georgia in Outback Bowl
No. 25 AP, unranked in coaches
after 1999
1999 result:*
SATURDAY OCTOER 14, 3:30 P. m. ABC
The Hoosiers haven't beaten Michigan in 13 yeals. Indiana has-'
n't had a winning season since 1994 and hasn't reached a bowl
game since 1993. Last year was supposed to change it all.
H1cisman candidate Antwaan Randle El was supposed to lead
Indiana out ofmediocrity and into the upper echelon of the con-
ference. But tough nonconference losses and close games that
slipped out of their grasp made 1999 more of the same.
Last season opponents scored at least 30 points nine times on
the Hoosiers and 40 points five times. Indiana allowed the most
points iii the Big Ten last season.
But in Indiana's defense, the Hoosiers offense was scoring 26
points per came, thanks to Randle El and running back Levron
Williams. Williams led the team in rushing with 817 vards, the
most for an Indiana running back in three years.
Uncertainty sur-ounds the line that will be protecting this
potent offense. Both offetisive tackles and the starting center
gr-aduated, moving fo-mer tight end Craig Osika to center.
Shaking up the lineup might be what it takes to give this team
that final nudge to where it wants to be.
"Last year we had a goal to go to a bowl game," Cameron
said. "If vou finish in the top seven of our league, you're going
to a bowl game. We came up fwo or three plavs short of that.
We wvere four or five plays away from having just a fabulous
year. so we're not that far away from where we want to be"
3-5 Big 7
did not p
unranked
1999 result
Sept. 4
Sept. 11
Sept. 18
Sept. 25
Oct. 22
Oct. 9
Oct. 16
Oct. 23
Oct. 30
Nov. 13
Nov. 20
t
Fr
'Number-crunching:
I.
vi
b
0:
Statistic'
Big Ten Rank
I I
that 4e Univericty of ilei r
V'L iot... (Do 50netli% e001ldi
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A CIS of CkicciCjo, rk kere in Ann. Arkori.
<:;:Z 61 e m 1AChurc-h Street near S. Universitv.
DEFENSIVE
BACKFIELD
By Stephanie Offen
Dailv Sports Editor
Suspicious as fans were of them last
season, the members of this year's sec-
ondarv are the strength of the defense.
They went from being best remenm-
bet-ed for blown coverage against
Michigan State to being the leaders of
this year's inexperienced defense.
"You learn from your mistakes and
how you play certain games such as
Notre Dame, Michigan State and
Illhinois and even the games vou play
well," sa fety DeWavne Patnon said.
"You trv to make all the corrections to
those mistakes."
Coach Lloyd (arr has labeled senior
James Whitley as one of the best cor-
ners in the country. After a great per-
formance over the sumiiiier-, he was
expected to lead not only the defense,
but the entire team the Wolverines
voted him a captain.
And the rest aren't far behind
Whitley in their drive for success.
There is fierce competition for the
starting strong safety spot, as Patmon
and JuIius Curry both had the best
summers of their careers.
CTrrV started in Michigan's victorv
over Bowling Green, but Carr said he
expects to see both making a great
impact this season.
Sophomore Charles Drake got the
starting nod at free safety and fresh-
man Jon Shaw also made great strides
this summer. Both stepped forward in
the absence of sophomore Cato June,
who ended his season with a knee
tijury.
"Drake and Shaw came to me
because of the opportunity on
defense," Carr said. "They have a lot of
learning to do but they are excited
about the opportunity."
While suspicions may have faded,
Patmon hopes the nicknames still
remain -- but this time for their suc-
cesses and not the mistakes.
"It's flattering to have nicknames,"
Patmon said. "I'm not shying away
from nicknames - if it comes because
we have a great year, I'm all for it."
FILMrSLW. coMe
Mie
SpN~tQS:
isls.0-
I
U
I
I
YEL'LOW CAB
130.2 YPG rushing 9th
332.2 YPG passing 1st
32.0 points per game 3rd
139.2 YPG allowed rushing 5th
227.3 YPG allowed passing 10th
Starters returning/lost: offense 8/3, defense 5/6
Purdue is just 16-9 in Drew Brees'two
years as the starferJoe Tiller brought his
WAC offense to Purdue -and apparently
his WAC defense, too.
Courtesy: Purdue Athletics
Number-cru
Statistic
191.4 rush
214.5 passi
26.5 points
211.1; YPG
219.0 YPG
35.1 points
Starters ret
defense 7/4
Remember
Indiana h
1987, but
won in Ar
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Vey 4 Arm 4iesm 00
1 by The Michigan Daily Readership Poll, an)
1 Please mf
One co
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