4B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - October 1, 2001
MICHIGAN 45, ILLINOIS 20
GAME STATISTICS
Team Stats
First Downs
Rushes/Yards
Passing Yards
Offensive Plays
Total Offense
Return Yards
Comp/Att/Int
Punts/Avg
Fumbles/Lost
Penalties/Yards
Time of Poss
MICH
21
45/178
220
69
405
127
16/30/0
8/40.4
1/1
5/30
32:16
ILL
12
27/68
374
83
300
134
24/46/1
10/46.6
4/1
7/79
27:44
Blown play on fourth down
costs 1Ilini redemption game
M I C H I G A N
PASSING
Player
Navarre
Gonzales
Cross
Walker
Totals
RUSHING
Player
Askew
Cross
Bell
Underwood
Navarre
Totals
RECEIVING
Player
Walker
Bellamy
Seymour
Joppru
Gonzales
Askew
Roses
Thompson
Totals.
C-A
13-26
1-2
1-1
1-1
16-30
Y
1
2
Att
19
10
6
8
45
No.
6
2
2
2
1
1
16
Yds
80
50
28
14
-33
178
Yds
108
41
24
13
51
17
9
5
268
No.
8
8
'.Yds
? 48
48
Yds
187
9
21
51
268
Avg
4.2
5.0
28.0
2.3
-4.1
3.0
Avg
18.0
20.5
12.0
6.5
51.0
17.0
9.0
5.0
16.8
TD
O
1
O
2
14
11
28
8
2
28
Lg
35
33
19
9
51
17
9
5
51
Int
0
0
O
0
0
TD
O
2
4
TO
1
0
0
0
0
0
2
By Arun Gopal
Daily Sports Writer
What started as a day of redemption for Illi-
nois ended in heartbreak.
The Fighting Illini came into Michigan Sta-
dium on Saturday with visions of revenge
dancing through their heads. Illinois wanted
payback for Michigan's 35-31 win in Cham-
paign last year, when two blown calls by the
officials led to two fourth-quarter touchdowns
for the Wolverines.
Instead, the Fighting Illini were thoroughly
whipped, losing 45-20. In fairness, Illinois
controlled the first quarter and was only trail-
ing 14-10 early in the second quarter. That was
when the wheels came off.
Facing a fourth-and-one play at their own
33-yard line, the Fighting Illini chose not to
punt and tried for a first down instead. Illinois
quarterback Kurt Kittner was stuffed by
Michigan's Shawn Lazarus for no gain, and on
the next play, Michigan quarterback John
Navarre hit Ron Bellamy for a 33-yard touch-
down.
Just like that, Michigan led 21-10, and the
rout was on. After the game, the hot topic was
Illinois' controversial decision on fourth down,
and Illinois coach Ron Turner was direct about
where the blame should lie.
"Our. guys came in and they were ready to
play, emotionally and mentally," Turner said.
"They were playing their tails off, really doing
some good things, and I took that away from
them. I'll take total responsibility for it - it
was not very smart."
According to Turner, the play was designed
to be a quarterback sneak by Kittner. But Kit-
tner had the option to take a timeout if he did-
n't like the way Michigan's defense was set
up.
But a miscommunication between Kittner
and center Luke Butkus led Butkus to snap the
ball before Kittner was ready, which led to the
botched play.
"Kurt was trying to take a timeout, and Luke
snapped the ball," Turner said. "But, it's not
on Luke. It's totally on me. It took the game
away from our players."
Although Turner felt the loss was entirely
his fault, his players felt quite different.
Butkus was especially disconsolate. The stand-
out is in his senior year, and this was his final
chance to knock off the hated Wolverines.
As he answered questions from reporters,
Butkus never took his eyes off of the floor. His
disappointment was obvious.
"I knew the count, I knew the cadence, I
knew everything," Butkus said. "I just fucked
it up. Coach Turner says he shouldn't have
made the call, but I'm a senior in college. I
should be able to hold my water better."
Regardless of who is to blame for the mis-
cue, the fact remains that after that play, the
Fighting Illini completely fell apart. Whether
or not Turner sapped all of the momentum
from his players is debatable, but after playing
some inspired football for a quarter and a half,
Illinois disappeared.
What made this even more difficult for the
Illini to take is the fact that Illinois - as evi-
denced by players like Butkus and Kittner -
is an experienced football team. Many of Illi-
nois' players took part in the Fighting Illini's
PUNTING
Player
Epstein
Totals
KICKOFF RETURNS
Player No.
Howard 2
Totals 2
PUNT RETURNS
Player No.
Curry 7
Totals 7
DEFENSE
Player
Foote
Drake
June
Hobson
E. Brackins
Jackson
LeSueur
Howard
Curry
Rumishek
Curry
Manning
Orr
Dubuc
Stevens
Bowman
P. Brack ins
Epstein
Kill ian
Cross
Casseus
Willams
Lazarus
Yds Avg Lg
323 40.4 46
323 40.4 46
Avg Lg
24 34
24 34
Yds Avg Lg
79 11.3 15
79 11.3 15
Solo
5
5
S
4
3
4
4
4
2
3
3
2
2
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
Yds
27
0
0
0
0
0
27
Asst
0
O
0
2
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
TD
FO
3TD
iO
T O
Tot
6
5
5
5
4
4
4
4
4
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
TO
O
0
0
0
0
0
0
35-29 upset victory at Michigan Stadium two
years ago.
But as befits a veteran football team, the Illi-
ni vowed to come back strong next week and
to not let this loss ruin their season.
"It's a tough loss," Kittner said. "We played
hard today, but things didn't happen the way
MARJORIE MARSHALL/Daily
Kurt Kittner (left) and the Illinois offense were second guessing themselves after the Michigan defense
stopped them on fourth down.
we wanted them to. But, we need to make sure
that we come to practice Tuesday ready for
Minnesota."
"Tomorrow, we're going to come in, watch
some film and learn from our mistakes, and
we're going to bounce right back," Butkus
added. "There's no doubt in my mind."
Up by 18 at the half? Not a
PASS DEFENSE
Player
Willams
Howard
Foote
Curry
Orr
Spytek
Totals
Int
0
0
0
1
Lg1
27
0
0
0
0
0
27
Brk-up
1
2
7
ILLIO IS
PASSING
Player
Kittner
Totals
RUSHING
Player
Harris
Davis
Harvey
Lloyd
Kittner
Totals
RECEIVING
Player
Davis
Young
Lloyd
Lewis
McGoey
Harvey
Harris
McClellan
Moorehead
Totals
C-A
20-39
4-7
24-46
Yds
244
31
275
Att
7
4
7
8
27
No.
7
3
3
3
2
2
2
1
1
24
Yds
31
14
17
0
-23
68
Yds
27
60
54
45
25
14
11
30
9
275
Avg
3.7
3.5
2.0
-6
-2.9
0.9
Avg
3.9
20.0
18.0
15.0
12.5
7.0
5.5
6.0
9.0
11.5
Td
TO
1
Lg
15
9
3
-6
4
15
Lg
9
48
42
34
15
11
11
6
9
48
Int
0
1
TD
0
0
0
TO
0
1
TD
0
0
0
0
0
1
worry for
SCHWARTZ
Continued from Pge lB
time with a 28-10 lead. Likewise, D
went into halftime at Purdue last y'
10 lead. But in that Purdue game, D
32-31.
This year, Michigan held it out -
much in the fact that the offense sc
points, but look at it this way: Mic
just 10 points in the second half. If
were equal (which they're often no
worth mentioning) that's still a 28-
"We were pumped up for this ga
inside linebacker Larry Foote said.
reading stuff, what they were talkir
that just fueled our tank. We just c
to have a great game.
"We were talking about the Pur
this is a different team, a different4
mentioned it in the lockerroom."
Defenses are often measured in1
up and turnovers. The reason for th
statistics is that fans need means o:
ment. The stats are important - it
know that the Michigan defense ha
just seven touchdowns this season,
1.75 per game (two of those came
time, so the first-string defense has
given up five touchdowns.)
The team is also giving up 19.31
game.
So here's where the problemcot]
year's defense gave up 2.3 touchd
and just 19.1 points per contest.
Michigan in 2001
Sure, this season is only four games old, but is
anyone ready to compare this year's defense to
last season's group?
Michigan No. And the reason is confidence. It's not a
ear with a 28- measurable statistic by any stretch of the imagi-
Michigan fell nation, but this year, fans are willing to place the
games in the hands of the defense.
- not so There's a reason that Michigan fans were
ored 17 more optimistic when Illinois was going for it on
higan gave up fourth and one.
all things Michigan has shown an ability to control the
)t, but it's still line of scrimmage on the defensive side of the
20 win. ball this year, an ability that was non-existent
ame all week," last season.
"We were Michigan is giving up 88 fewer rushing yards
ng about and per game than a year ago, holding opponents to
ame out ready just 59 yards on the ground per contest.
Also, through four games last year, the
due game but Wolverines had tallied the same 36 tackles for
defense. We loss as it has so far this year. But last year, the
losses totaled 93 yards. This year, the Michigan
points given defense has set offenses back 153.
hese arbitrary "The guys up front are bigger, stronger, faster,
f measure- so we're just trying to stop the run," Foote said.
's good to "You can do some things after you stop the
as given up run.
an average of The truest test of defense is confidence. This
in garbage year, Michigan fans have confidence in the
really only defense. This year, the Michigan defense has yet
to blow a game.
points per The defense is shutting teams down. And
more importantly, it's keeping them down.
14
14
0
PUNTING
Player
Fitts
Totals
KICKOFF RETURNS
Player No.
Lewis 5
Wilson 2
Total 7
PUNT RETURNS
Player No.
Wilson 5
Morton 2
Totals 7
DEFENSE
Player
Schumacher
Strong
Abdullah
Washington
Jackson
Wilson
Moore
Holden
O'Brien
Morton
Myers
Ruffin
Schaefering
Kautter
Sinclair
Smith
Clark
Bevis
Long
Fitts
Piazza
Gawelek
No. Yds
10' 466
10 466
Yds A
69 1
40 2(
109 1
Yds
26
-1 -t
25
Solo
9
5
5
5
4
3
2
2
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
Avg Lg
46.6 68
46.6 68
Avg Lg
3.8 27
20.0 22
5.6 27
Avg Lg
5.2 10
0.5 2
3.6 10
Asst 1
O
1,
10
1
1
2
2
0
0
0
0
O
0
0
0
0
0
0
TO
0
0
0
TO
0
Tot
9
6
6
5
5
4
4
4
3
3
3
3
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
STO
1
MARJORIE MARSHALL/Daily
Calvin Bell (left) scored his second touchdown of the season on a 28-yard reverse in the second quarter
against Illinois. Michigan has run the reverse with Bell four times this season.
Dominating rushing defense
"0
again keys victory for Blue
Wideout Calvin Bell scores another touchdown off the reverse
mnes in - last
awns a game,
Jon Schwartz can be reached
atjlsz@umich.edu.
IO
Not this year
Last season Michigan built up large first half leads only to lose a
close game in the end. Michigan travelled to Northwestern, Purdue'
and UCLA and each met the same fate - a loss in a game that was-
n't decided until the very end. Here is a look at the leads and and
the leads blown.
MICHIGAN VS. UCLA BIGGEST LEAD: 13-34
FINAL scwRE: 20-23 ~ ~ 2
By Jeff Phillips
Daily Sports Editor
Knowing that the passing game of Illinois
is its offense's strength, Michigan forced the
Fighting Illini's hand by making it one-
dimensional - just as it did against Western
Michigan.
Illinois gained just 25 FOOTBALL
yards rushing -by far
its worst rushing produc- Notebook
tion of the season.
"When you can make it difficult to run the
football, (the opposing team is) going to have
a hard time scoring lot of points," coach
Lloyd Carr said.
Linebackers Larry Foote and Victor Hob-
son have played a huge part in the Wolver-
ines allowing just 59 yards per game on the
ground. Foote and Hobson lead the team in
tackles for loss with 11 and five, respectively.
The defense has made a total of 22 tackles
for loss, excluding sacks.
The credit can't be completely given to the
linebackers as the defensive line has also
played much better than it did a year ago. It is
putting pressure on the quarterback as well as
creating holes for the rushing linebackers.
potentially one of the next great running
backs for the Wolverines.
But Cross has been stuck on the depth chart
behind Anthony Thomas for his first three
years and now behind B.J. Askew and Chris
Perry. All the while, Cross hasn't com-
plained.
"I can't say enough about Walter," Carr
said. "Here is a kid that is a senior and he
hasn't moped or pouted when things haven't
gone his way and that's what a football team
is all about."
Against Illinois, Cross showed his versatili-
ty as well as his running ability. Cross threw
a touchdown pass to Marquise Walker and
also ran for a touchdown late in the game. He
ended the game with 10 carries for 50 yards
- his best game since he ran for 104 yards
and two touchdowns against Syracuse his
freshman year.
"He stepped up today and I'm proud of
him," Carr said.
MR. REVERSE: In the fury of trick plays on
Saturday, Michigan also pulled out something
that has become almost common-place this
year - a reverse to sophomore wide receiver
Calvin Bell.
Bell scored his second rushing touchdown
..C . . _,.,. _- ' , .,-A...ti . o, 1^1. ;.A
MICHIGAN VS. PURDUE
MICHIGAN Vs. NORTHWESTERN
BIGGEST LEAD: 28-10
FINAL SCORE: 31-32
BIGGEST LEAD: 2840
FINAL SCORE: 51-54
I
FILE PHOTO
Henson after Northwestern
PASS DEFENSE
Player
Strong
Wilson
Totals
I
"t Yds Lng Brk-up
0 O 0 1
0 0 0 1
0 0 0 3
I
... . H.................. .............. ............ ...........
PLAYERS O THE GAME:&
;: 1
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