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10C - The Michigan Daily - KICKOFF 2001 - Thursday, September 6, 2001
DAILY SPORTS.
A B..B. Party
(Bring your own Boo-Yah!)
I U
Wolvennes target of
Big Ten opponents
By Arun Gopal
Daily Sports Writer
Consider the following accolades: >
Three bowl appearances (all victo-
rious) in three seasons.
Preseason Big Ten Defensive
Player of the Year honors, as voted by
the media.
Nationwide recognition as one of
the elite defensive linemen inscollege
football.,
Sounds pretty impressive, doesn't it?
These are just some of the credentials
possessed by Wisconsin senior defen-
sive tackle Wendell Bryant. Entering
his fourth year as a starter in Madison,
Bryant has a resume that would make
just about any college football player
envious.'
Judging by what he has already
accomplished, one might think that
there isn't much else for Bryant to
achieve as he begins his final year of Wendell Bryant is looking forwar HOTO
college football. But, there is one lack-
luster statistic in the 6-4, 302-pound his last chance at beating Michigan.
All-American's portfolio: in three years
at Wisconsin, Bryant has yet to taste Ten faster than anybody else: Michigan.
victory'against Michigan. The reasons for this obsession are
That might not seem like a big varied. In Johnson's case, he is a
deal - despite losses to the Detroit native who was
hated Wolverines, Wisconsin passed over by Michigan in
still won back-to-back Big the recruiting process
Ten championships in 1998 (Johnson was in the same
and 1999. The Badgers high school class as David
advanced to (and won) the Terrell and Marquise
Rose Bowl in each of those Walker). As a result, he can't
seasons. wait to play in front of his
So, Bryant has nothing to be home fans and show the
MI1IESOTA
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, TBA
A fier leading Minnesota to back-
to-back bowl appearances, coach'
Glen Mason tried his best to
replace John Cooper as coach of The
Ohio State University.
When he didn't get the job, he justi-
fied his acts by
saying that the
Ohio State
University was
the only job he'd
leave for and that he
never openly campaigned
for the job.
Yeah, and Danny
Almonte really was 12.
While Mason looked bad in cam-
paigning for the Ohio State position -
and even worse when he didn't get it -
he now needs to string together a third-
straight bowl appearance, or risk falling
from grace with the Minnesota faithful.
Returning to the postseason will be a
daunting task for Mason this season, as
the Golden Gophers return only two
starters defensively, and are still waiting
for a quarterback to emerge as a starter,
after last year's rotation between Travis
Cole and Asad Abdul-Khaliq.
The one thing Minnesota has going
for it is the return of senior receiver
Ron Johnson, who considered
entering the NFL Draft
last spring.
"I had the paper-
work filled out, I called
up the school for a tran-
script, I did everything I had to
do," Johnson said. "I talked to
Damien Anderson, and we talked
about a few things. I talked to David
Terrell once or twice. I just sat at home,
and it just came to me. I was having too
much fun in college.
"I wasn't ready to leave yet."
At least one Golden Gopher says that.
- Raphael Goodstein
L ast year, Michigan fired two State faithful know where his mind
coaches: Basketball coach when he announced - on the
Brian Ellerbe and Ohio State that he was hired - that Buck
football coach John Cooper. fans would be proud of that te
Cooper's putrid 2-10-1 record 310 days later in Ann Arbor.
against the Maize and Blue, Tressel adopts a team retu
along with a 3-8 bowl record ing 13 starters, including qu
were enough to have a coach with terback Steve Bellisari and a s<
an otherwise impressive track defense with All-America stro
record run out of town. .: safety Mike Doss leading the v
The Buckeyes brought in The Buckeyes also return all th
Youngstown State's Jim Tressel to right linebackers. But after that, the te
the ship. The new coach let the Ohio lacks the depth that Tressel would lik
OHIO STA
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1 P.M., A
f T1CHIGAEMESTU
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 3, TBA
A
(~;.
A fer a long 2000 season,
Michigan State is looking for-
ward to a new start in 2001.
Leading the Spartans is Heisman
Trophy candidate T.J. Duckett. At 6-
1, 250 pounds, Duckett is built
like a linebacker but plays run-
ning back. Last year, he suf-
fered on an inexperienced
offense where he was the s
only real threat.
But with the matura-
tion of quarterbacks Jeff
Smoker and Ryan Van Dyke
and the now-eligible Charles
Rogers at wide receiver,
Duckett will have some of the
offensive pressure relieved.
"I thought last year
(Duckett) primarily carried
the load," Michigan State
coach Bobby Williams said. "He didn't
have the benefit of big plays in the
passing game like he had in 1999."
The offense will be helped by senior
tight end Chris Baker when he returns
from an injured knee in two weeks.
Baker ranked third on the team in
receptions last year with 33.
On defense, the Spartans are led by
senior linebacker Josh Thornhill -
who is a potential All-American
- and tackle Josh Shaw.
Shaw ranked second on the
team in tackles for loss
last season with eight
and should improve on
that this season.
The secondary may be
even less experienced than
the defensive line. Junior
strong safety Thomas
Wright is the only returning
starter.
Senior DeMario Suggs
will likely fill one of empty
cornerback spots with
classmate Lorenzo Guess getting his
first full-time starting position at free
safety.
- Jeff Phillips
regretful about, right? Think again.
When asked at this year's Big Ten
media gathering what his thoughts were
on Michigan, Bryant smiled.
And rolled his eyes.
And clenched his fists.
"I've got one last crack," he said.
"I've got one last crack, it's Senior Day,
and let's just say I'm going to try and
make that a very memorable perfor-
mance in Camp Randall Stadium."
But Bryant was by no means alone in
his feelings. Minnesota wide receiver
Ron Johnson was equally anxious to
face the Wolverines.
"I think this is going to be a fun game
for me," Johnson said in regard to the
Golden Gophers' Nov. 10 visit to Ann
Arbor. Johnson, who is generally
regarded as the best receiver in the Big
Ten this year, added that, "anytime any-
body says the Michigan game, I just get
the biggest smile. I could've just failed
a test, if somebody says Michigan, it
picks me up and I'm ready to go."
And on and on it goes. Illinois quar-
terback Kurt Kittner, Purdue tailback
Montrell Lowe and Penn State quarter-
back Matt Senneca, to a man, each
pointed to last year's Michigan game as
the turning point - for better or worse
- in their teams' seasons.
After a while, it became evident that
the league-wide fixation on Michigan
is at a level that Freud would be proud
of. Despite the recent success of
Wisconsin and Purdue and the storied
traditions at Ohio State and Penn State,
one school gets blood boiling in the Big
Wolverines what they gave up.
But the other aforementioned players
have no strong ties to Michigan. Their
feelings about Michigan were best
described by Bryant.
"The name says it," Bryant said.
"When you hear Michigan, you hear
pride, tradition and things like that.
That just always motivates you to go
out there and play them."
The Wolverines wear a huge bulls-
eye on their chests whenever they step
onto the field, whether it is for a non-
conference game or a Big Ten tussle.
The winged helmets, the famous fight
song and the mammoth crowds at
Michigan Stadium have all contributed
to making Michigan one of the most
recognizable names in college.
As a result, the Wolverines aren't
fazed by all of the attention they
receive. On the contrary, they seem to
thrive on it.
"That's the history of Michigan foot-
ball," senior defensive end Jake
Frysinger said. "Everybody shoots for
Michigan. That's how it's always been
and how it always will be, and that's one
of the reasons you come here, because
everybody's coming out to get you.
You've got to be that much more pre-
pared every week."
Out of all of the opposing players,
Bryant had maybe the best line about
what it means to play Michigan. Instead
of a profound explanation, the
Wisconsin standout was to the point.,
"I don't know," Bryant said. "There's
just something about them."
" Chicago Deep Dish
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" Pasta Wings
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" Lunch Specials
" Kids' Menu
" Reservations Taken
for Large Groups
Good Food & Great Service...You
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@ WISCONSIN
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 17, TBA
H eading into last season,-
Wisconsin was the
near-unanimous
favorite to win its third-
straight Big Ten title.
But, as is so often the
case, what looked good on
paper didn't look so good1
on the field. Wisconsin
had a decent season and
beat UCLA in the Sun
Bowl. Still, the Badgers
weren't satisfied with
last year's results and
have something to prove
this season.
"I think it's always "
going to be a situation-where
we're trying to prove ourselves,"
senior defensive tackle Wendell
Bryant said at the Big Ten media gath-
ering last month. "I think that will
help us as a football team."
What will really help
. Wisconsin as a football
team is if Bryant main-
tains his level of play
from the last three
years. He will have to
anchor a defense that
lost several starters,
including All-America
cornerback Jamar
Fletcher and linemen
Ross Kolodziej and John
:. Favret.
:..On offense, Jim Sorgi
has the quarterback job due
to an injury to Brooks
Bollinger. He will have the
benefit of handing off to Anthony
Davis, the Badgers' new tailback.
-A run Gopal