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Friday
September 6, 2002
michigandaily.com
sportsdesk@umich.edu
P eORTSig n tilg
12
4
The
Aftermath
4
Broncos catch Blue
after uplifting victory
By Jeff Phillips
Daily Sports Editor
After an emotional win last week,
Michigan hopes not to suffer a let-
down against Western Michigan,
which will once agin finish in the
middle of the MAC. But barring a
complete collapse, the heavily
favored Wolverines should roll in
this mismatch.
MICHIGAN PASSING OFFENSE VS.
WESTERN MICHIGAN PASSING DEFENSE:
Quarterback John Navarre looked
good in his first start of the season
by passing for more than 250 yards
and to multiple receivers. The trend
should continue against the Broncos,
but they have the size - with three
cornerbacks at 6-foot-2 - to defend
Tyrece Butler and Braylon Edwards,
each of whom is 6-foot-3. Michigan
coach Lloyd Carr indicated that
freshman Jason Avant will likely see
the field this Saturday as well.
Western Michigan safety and for-
mer walk-on Jason Feldpauch was
named MAC defensive player of the
week last week for his, stellar play in
the Broncos 48-17 victory over Indi-
ana State. But Western Michigan will
need more than a MAC player of the
week to win this battle.
Edge: Michigan
MICHIGAN RUSHING OFFENSE VS.
WESTERN MICHIGAN RUSHING DEFENSE:
After a year break, Michigan estab-
lished a solid running game last
week with Chris Perry rushing for
120 yards and three touchdowns. He
is running much harder than he ever
did last season and still had gas in
the tank in the third and fourth quar-
ters.
Rushing defense is the weak link
for the Broncos. Of the nearly 200
yards of offense gained by Indiana
State, 150 came on the ground along
with the Sycamores only offensive
touchdown.
Needless to say, Michigan's rush-
ing front will be more imposing than
that of Indiana State.
Edge: Michigan
WESTERN MICHIGAN PASSING
OFFENSE VS. MICHIGAN PASSING
DEFENSE: If there is an edge in this
game for the Broncos, it might be
passing offense. Western Michigan
sports a spread offense that Michigan
has had trouble with in the past,
including last season against the
Broncos.
But Michigan will be looking for a
way to prove it can defend well
against the pass and Western Michi-
gan may be its first victim. Corner-
backs Marlin Jackson and Markus
Curry are too athletic for the Bron-
cos. Above all, Western Michigan is
just not as talented as Washington
and won't have the same success that
the Huskies did.
Edge: Michigan
Sandwich
could hurt
'M' against
Western
By David Horn
Daily Sports Editor
Tomorrow's game against West-
ern Michigan (1-0) at Michigan
Stadium was going to be somewhat
of an afterthought anyway. Sand-
wiched between two high-profile
games in last week's home game
against Washington and next week's
matchup in South Bend against
Notre Dame, the nonconference
game against the regional "rival"
Broncos was never the sort of thing
guys were getting psyched up about
during summer two-a-days. And
just to make sure tomorrow was as
ho-hum as possible, Michigan (1-0)
is now coming off its most dramatic
home game in four years.
"I do not think I will ever forget
that game," defensive lineman Nor-
man Heuer said on Monday.
The lingering memory of the
Washington game is the primary
hurdle the veteran Wolverines will
need to. clear as they suit up again
for tomorrow's showdown. The
question is, how do they move on,
and come down from the emotional
high of last weekend? Coach Lloyd
Carr doesn't want them to.
"I wouldn't want to bring them
down," Carr said. "But by the same
token we didn't play well in terms
of the standards we have ... One of
See BRONCOS, Page 13
S *O'S
MICHIGAN STADIUM
Who: No. 7 Michigan (1-0) vs. Western Michi-
gan (1-0)
When: Noon
Latest: Michigan is focused on improving on its
pass defense against Washington. The Bron-
cos' open attack should do just fine testing it.
4
DAVID KATZ/Daily
Michigan has all the advantages when its meets up with in-state rival Western Michigan. The Wolverines will try to avoid a
letdown after last week's dramatic win.
WESTERN MICHIGAN RUSHING
OFFENSE VS. MICHIGAN RUSHING
DEFENSE: Last week Western Michi-
gan was subdued by Indiana State's
rush defense, rushing for just 73
yards on 30 attempts. It should have
more trouble against a bigger,
stronger and faster group of defen-
sive line and linebackers. The
Wolverines should succeed in mak-
ing the Broncos one-dimensional,
but luckily for them, rushing isn't
their bread and butter.
Edge: Michigan
SPECIAL TEAMS: Michigan will
need a kicking game for the rest of
the season, and this game could be
one to work all of the kinks out.
Western Michigan has a solid
kicker in Robert Menchinger, who
knocked in two field goals last week.
On returns, Michigan has the
advantage with Julius Curry and
Jeremy LeSueur both showing a
strength in kick and punt returns.
Last week, the Broncos allowed a 95-
yard kick return to Indiana State.
Michigan will also try to establish
pressure on the punter.
Edge: Michigan
Big House and Western Michigan is
in the MAC. Its coach is telling the
media Michigan has no weaknesses.
There is just too much intimidation
for the Broncos to go up against.
Edge: Michigan
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MICHIGAN 42,
WESTERN MICHIGAN 24
INTANGIBLES: The game is in the
t 9;
All clinics are held at the Intramural Sports Building.
man 4.Em--- ca.~aa nth 7JIAflnu
0-line jelled' as game progressed
By J. Brady McCollough
Daily Sports Writer
Michigan running back Chris Perry and
his offensive line had a reciprocal relation-
ship last Saturday against Washington.
The line opened up a monstrous hole for
Perry on just the second offensive snap - a
hole that forced a united
cry of "I could have run FOOTBALL
through that" from the
Big House crowd. Then Notebook
the junior made quick
work of the Huskies' secondary, running for
a 57-yard touchdown while reminding many
of the promise he showed as a freshman.
"It was a statement for the offense," Perry
said. "All last season, we had problems run-
ning the ball. Everyone keeps harping on
running the ball better, and the linemen
came out there and blocked well."
Fans and media harped for good rea-
son. The Michigan running game fin-'^
ished eighth in the Big Ten last
season without the services of an
NFL caliber line and
Rookie of the Year
Anthony Thomas.
After Perry's initial
scamper, the Washington
defense put the clamps
down, forcing Michigan into
countless third-and-longs and
making many wonder if Perry's run was just
a fluke.
"We just weren't executing as well on first
down by not getting enough yardage, which
See LINE, Page 13
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