PRfTdSi michigandaily.com/sports sportsdesk@umich.edu WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2002 8 0 Carr chooses Loeffler to lead passers By J. Brady McColough Daily Sports Writer It came as no surprise yesterday when Michi- gan coach Lloyd Carr announced the hiring of Scot Loeffler, a former Michigan quarterback and graduate assistant, as the Wolverines' new quarter- backs coach. Loeffler 4 replaces Stan Parrish, who; stepped down as offensive coordinator and quarter- backs coach last week. Carr has traditionally hired from within the pro- gram, and with the addi- Loeffler tion of Loeffler and new special teams coach Bill Sheridan to the staff in the past week, more than two-thirds of Carr's staff has ties to the University. Loeffler, who has spent the past two years coaching signal callers at Central Michigan, began his career at Michigan, where he served as backup to Todd Collins in his first two sea- sons. But after a serious shoulder injury cost him his chance to start for the Wolverines, his life took a new direction. "The day that he got injured at Michigan, he began to prepare himself to be a football coach," said Central Michigan coach Mike DeBord, who was Michigan's offensive coordinator when it won the national championship in 1997. Loeffler served as graduate assistant for the Wolverines in 1998 and 1999, coaching the scout team offense and aiding in the develop- ment of former Michigan quarterbacks Brian Griese, Tom Brady and Drew Henson. In his two years at Central Michigan, he impressed DeBord with his passion for the quarterback position and his knowledge of how to attack coverages. "All of our quarterbacks, they're unbelievably better today than two years ago when he came here;' DeBord said. "He's a great quarterbacks coach, and at Michigan, he's going to have to develop some young guys." Loeffler will have his hands full during Michigan's spring practice session, as Carr has indicated that there is no clear starting quarter- back. At last Wednesday's signing day press conference, Carr did not endorse John Navarre, who has started 16 games at the position in the past two seasons. Navarre's struggles this season began At Michigan State on Nov. 3, when he threw two costly interceptions in Michigan's 26-24 defeat. From that point forward, his confidence never recovered, and his season hit a low point when he threw four interceptions in Ohio State's 26- 20 upset of the Wolverines in Michigan Stadi- um. The sophomore was consistently unable to look off his first option - usually All-America receiver Marquise Walker - and lacked the instincts in the pocket to feel pressure and deliv- er the ball on time. Not only will Loeffler be working to repair the confidence of Navarre, but he'll also be evaluating Jermaine Gonzales and Spencer Brinton in the spring. Gonzales was not used much in dropback passing situations this season - the coaching staff utilized him mostly as a runner and a receiver. Meanwhile, Brinton underthrew his only pass of the season against Miami of Ohio. Incoming freshman Matt Gutierrez will join the competition in the fall. j DAVID KATZ/Daily New quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler may be able to teach John Navarre how to feel the pass rush, look off his primary receiver and get rid of the ball quickly, none of which he is doing in this photo. Keady at end of his rope Vancik's physical style earns conference award By Steve Jackson Daily Sports Editor In 1991, Michigan coach Tommy Amaker played for Purdue coach Gene Keady's Unit- ed States squad that took the bronze medal at the Pan-American Games. But, as they prepare to face each other tonight at 6 p.m. in West Lafayette, neither of the two is having much of success in the college game this season. Purdue is riding a three-game losing streak, and at 11-14, this may be one of Keady's worst MACKEY teams in years. Michigan, on the Who: Michiga other hand, is coming off a dis- Ten, 10-12 ov appointing road loss at Colorado Purdue (3-8,1 State, the worst team in the When:6 p.m. Mountain West Conference. TV: ESPN-Plus The Boilermakers' season has atest:The wo been so frustrating that Keady, a havewon ust seven-time Big Ten Coach of the last 384 days.l Year, has even hinted at retiring, possibly as soon as the end of this season. "It's puzzling," Keady said. "What hap- pened to our legacy of Purdue pride, playing hard, working hard and finding ways to win?" Despite opening up an 18-point lead at No. 18 Illinois last Saturday, the Boilermak- ers found a way to lose. The team seemed helpless in the second half, as Frank 1 'o tt Williams led the Fighting Illini to a dramatic come-from-behind win. One recent bright spot for the Boilermak- ers has been the play of senior forward Rod- ney Smith. After leading Purdue in scoring last sea- son, Smith started slow and lost his spot in the starting lineup. Smith came off the bench to score 15 points in the Boilermakers' 79- 75 loss to Michigan on Jan. 5. During the Boilermakers last two games, he has scored 14 points per game, well above his ARENA season average of 9.6. n (5-6 Big "I think that Rodney is start- erall) at ing to see that he thought he 1-14) was playing hard before, but he wasn't," Keady said "I'm not sure what caused that." Iverines Smith was a part of some wo games winning teams at Purdue, so the ler in the coaching staff was surprised to see him lacking effort early on. "You would think that that would have set in by osmosis from the classes ahead of him, guys like (the Detroit Pistons' Brian) Cardi- nal that he played with," Keady said. "He really thought he was playing hard and had no idea he was lethargic. That was amazing to us." Whether or not he can bring Purdue back to its prior success, Keady has not looked as AP PHOTO Purdue coach Gene Keady has been frustrated with his team's lack of pride this season. angry on the floor as he did during his glory days. "I'm probably more positive than I've ever been," Keady said. "Getting negative now and downgrading your players isn't going to help now when you're in a funk. It's going to make it worse." Forward Brett Buscher did not travel with the Boilermakers to Champaign last week- end due to bronchitis. But he and guard Maynard Lewis (knee) are both expected to return to action tonight for Purdue. By Chris Burke Daily Sports Writer Time and again throughout this hockey season, opponents' forechecking attempts have been thwarted thanks to the physical play of Michigan defenseman Jay Vancik. "Players don't like to come down his side because he's playing like he is," fellow blue- liner Andy Burnes said. "He takes the body and plays good defensive hockey." But as stellar as Vancik's play has been recently, senior Craig Murray offered a dif- ferent take on why people might avoid Vancik on the ice. Said Murray: "He likes to poke people a lot. He's a pretty strong kid, and he'll just come by and poke you - it hurts a lot." Regardless of the method, Vancik (2 goals, 6 assists on the year) has been one of the Wolverines' most consistent players all sea- son. He was finally rewarded for his play when he was named CCHA Defensive Player of the Week on Monday after his one goal, one assist performance in Michigan's sweep over Nebraska-Omaha last weekend. "It's usually goalies that win (the defensive award) anyway, but when a defenseman wins it it's because he gets a couple of points," Vancik said. "So that's what gets you noticed I guess - or that's what got me noticed." After piling up a plus-four rating against Nebraska-Omaha, Vancik's season total sits at plus-16, highest on the team. He led Michi- gan in plus-minus two years ago as well with a plus-29, and is plus-47 in his four-year career. "I just want to be known as a solid, reliable and physical defenseman," said Vancik. "A defenseman that could match up with any offensive line in the league and shut them down for a night." Michigan coach Red Berenson understands that the style that Vancik plays is exactly the type of effort he needs for his team to be suc- cessful. Berenson went on to describe Vancik as a quiet leader - someone who takes the game very seriously. But that characteristic shows up off the ice as well. "He's about as serious as they come," said a smiling Burnes. "You don't mess around with him because you know if you do, you're going to have to pay the consequences." As for Murray's allegations? "I don't know what he's talking about," said Vancik with a chuckle. "I have no idea - it's not me." 4 Medal tracker As Michigan's'D' Th Country U.S.A. DA ust ria "Germany Norw ay #Russia hrough 19 events Gold Silver Bronze Total 3 4 2 9 1 1 5 7 2 3 1 6 3 3 0 6 1 2 2 5 By Jim Weber Daily Sports Writer Stephanie Gandy is looking for a partner. Known as the "Gandy Dancer" by her teammates and coaches, she is the only Wolverine that has played good defense consistently this season. "Gandy's really athletic," coach Sue Guevara said. "If, a mistake, her athleticism ma it. But I think she is puttinge she can - her effort and he - into her defense." Gandy did her part on def in Michigan's 88-75 loss to { on Sunday, earning praise f State coach Beth Burns for h both ends of the floor. Unf her teammates didn't show intensity, as Ohio State shot' from the field and scored m on Sunday than it has against Big Ten opponent this season u Make the Martial Artsc , AB - SOLUbTsION reak .66r *. a. Lose 10 Ibs before Spring Break struggles, Gar Michigan "You can see the way they just she makes scored at will basically, and there was kes up for no effort at all on defense," Gandy everything said. er emotion Senior captain Heather Oesterle hopes that Gandy's defensive intensity ense again will rub off on the rest of the team. Ohio State So far, it hasn't. from Ohio "We have worked on team stuff day- Ler play on in and day-out and that doesn't seem to ortunately, be the problem," Gandy said. "It's just the same individual efforts now." 53 percent Oesterle said the team's lack of lore points intensity is a result of frustration. t any other "Everyone comes out to put in the 1. effort," Oesterle said. "I think some- times when you get beat (to the basket), or when they keep shooting over us, we led get down on ourselves. And then, I °ds think we just relax for a second." The Ohio State game was typical of structors the Wolverines' problems in the con- ference, as they were ineffective in both man-to-man and zone defense. After Michigan took an early 10-7 lead on Sunday, its zone defense had a meltdown. Ohio State forward DiDi Reynolds hit two unopposed 3-pointers in transition, something Guevara found "unbelievable." *CO "People are going down to their spots in the zone instead of looking around to see where the open people are," Guevara said. "By the time our player reacted, (Reynolds) had the ball in her hands. Up it went, and it was too late. That is ady shines just poor defense, not even a matter of communication. Just a matter of bad defense." Whether the Wolverines used the 3-2 or 2-3 zone, the Buckeyes had success throwing the ball inside to Courtney Coleman, who finished with 21 points. Michigan's man-to-man defense also was not effective. Ohio State guard Tomeka Brown, who is still nursing a sprained MCL, drove straight through the Michigan defense on several occa- sions en route to a career-high 21 points. "How she can just drive right down to the basket and nobody rotates over to help?" Oesterle asked. She answered the question herself, saying the team lacked communication. Said Oesterle: "It's not team defense." Michigan hasn't played good team defense often since Big Ten play started on Dec. 28 against Illinois, when the Wolverines were fresh off a school- record 10 game winning streak. The Wolverines lost the game despite shoot- ing a school-record 67 percent from the field because they couldn't stop the Illi- ni from scoring in an 85-81 loss. Michigan is ninth in the conference in scoring defense, allowing opponents to score an average of 75 points per game - 10 points more than last sea- son. 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