Wednesday
September 11, 2002
michigandaily.com
sportsdesk@umich.edu
tlhe M idlian iaiI
SPOR.TS
10
Travel plans for 'M'
unchanged by Sept. 11 attacks
By Joe Smith
Daily Sports Editor
Despite the tragic attacks of Sept. 11, 2001,
Michigan officials say there's been no major
changes in the way its
athletic teams travel.
But the way athletic
events are managed
has changed.
Michigan Athletic
Director Bill Martin
said the University
plans to spend
$115,000 annually to beef up security at home
football games - as the 110,000-seat stadium
could be a potential terrorist target. Martin
said there used to be about 130 uniformed
officers at the "Big House" on game days, and
this year, that number has increased to nearly
185.
Michigan also purchased two bomb-sniff-
ing dogs.
"We're in the fifth-largest stadium in the
world," said Associate Athletic Director Mike
Stevenson. "We have to take the proper pre-
cautions - you can never be too safe."
That's why Stevenson said the University
also spent a one-time fee of $125,000 to con-
struct large, black barriers at each of the four
main gates into the stadium. Such barriers
prevent cars or trucks from driving right into
the stadium and inflicting harm on fans.
Stevenson said the increased security most-
ly applies to football, basketball and hockey
games. For those events, there's usually a
shopping list filled with items fans cannot
bring into the games. Security officers at the
gates of each game are checking fans for
things such as weapons, binoculars, bags of
any size, seat cushions, bottles, cans or flasks.
"It's better to be safe than sorry," Stevenson
said.
But Stevenson said each of the 26 Michigan
sports teams travels in nearly the same fashion
as they used to.
"We travel just as much, and at the same
times we did last year," Stevenson said. "We
still fly as much as we used to, and will con-
tinue to do so."
Stevenson did say that there's tighter securi-
ty at airports, as airlines enforce "stricter"
fines if Michigan has to change the names on
tickets for who is traveling.
Some of the non-revenue sports may not
face stricter security measures for their events
because they play in smaller arenas. Several
coaches have said they bring their teams to
the airport at least two hours prior to flight
just in case, even though they say they usually
don't run into lengthy delays.
"Traveling is tougher with more security,
especially when you travel with a larger
group," said Michigan women's volleyball
coach Mark Rosen, who travels commercially
with 15 girls each trip.
Rosen's volleyball team plans to travel to
Nebraska this weekend for a tournament, but
isn't too worried about any major holdups due
to security.
"The airports are more efficient now than
they were right after last year's tragic attacks,
so we don't have to wait too long," Rosen
said.
While traveling procedures haven't changed
dramatically, Michigan football coach Lloyd
Carr said everyone's life has been altered by
Sept. 11, 2001.
"Our lives have changed forever. There is
an innocence when you are young and some-
thing like that happens - it's gone," Carr
said. "For all of us there is a memory of the
way things were before that will never be the
same. I don't have any answers. I have none,
but I wish I did. It's just not the same."
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lack offensive
By David Horn
Daily Sports Editor
It is inconceivable that a team
could not only win two games -
against legitimate ACC and Big Ten
opponents = but also be ranked No.
20 in the country without having
scored an offensive touchdown.
Somehow, thanks to a combination
of defensive and special teams
excellence, Notre
Dame is 2-0 with
wins over Mary- No. 7 MI(
land and Purdue. No. 20 No
The Irish have Stay tuned for1
scored a combined Daily's pregam
46 points, but are Thursday
concerned that
their run of non- sDan Rumishel
offnsie uccss Irish in himth
offensive success gan fans would
will end when the
No. 7 Michigan Friday
Wolverines march .A season-defi
into South Bend on Who is new Ir
Saturday. Tyrone Willingh
"When you did *What ever ha
as poorly as we did, Michigan-Notre
I don't think there
is one area (to be
concerned with)," Notre Dame
coach Tyrone Willingham said. "Our
reads by our quarterbacks, our
blocking ... if we don't touch up
everything, we won't have a lot of
success against Michigan. They're
very good."
The much-heralded Michigan
defense has had its own concerns in
its first two games, especially in
week one against the then-No. 9
Washington Huskies. Aside from
sophomore cornerback Marlin Jack-
son's Woodsonesque performances,
the Michigan secondary has looked
spotty, allowing a combined 517
yards in the air through two games.
The front seven - a unit that many
believe to be among the nation's
elite - has swallowed up the run,
but put little pressure on Washing-
ton quarterback Cody Pickett. Their
inability to close up the pocket
could be a major problem on Satur-
day, given the speed and athleticism
of Notre Dame quarterback Carlyle
Holiday.
"He can run just as well as he can
throw, so both our defensive line
CH
ITR
th
ne c
an n
lik
ni
ris
har
ip
and cornerbacks have to be ready to
execute," Michigan linebacker Vic-
tor Hobson said of Holiday.
Against Purdue last Saturday,
Holiday threw for a paltry 50 yards,
completing seven of 22 attempts.
Two weekends ago, Holiday lit up
Maryland, connecting on 17 of 27
attempts for 226 yards. He has no
touchdowns, obviously, but no inter-
ceptions either. Holiday has also
scrambled for a com-
bined 40 yards.
IGAN AT "That's not exactly
RE DAME what we call our
e rest of the passing game," Will-
coverage: ingham said. "Our
distribution was not
good. That was
has more
most Michi- reflective of the total
ke. we had. When you
have one completion
in the second half,
ng game that's not a good stat
h coach for us.
M? "I think you have
ened to the to look at the combi-
ame rivalry? nation of the two
weeks. One week you
had 270 yards pass-
ing, a very good day. The next week
you look up and we have 150 yards
rushing. If we can put those together
this weekend, that will be a very
solid performance."
Willingham also noted his team's
ability to control the clock. Against
Maryland, Notre Dame maintained
possession for 41:04 minutes. But
that was as much a result of Notre
Dame's defensive success and Mary-
land's own offensive failures as any
success the Notre Dame offense
had. But Michigan coach Lloyd Carr
is not taking Holiday, or the Irish's
offensive ineptitude, lightly. He
knows that their defense and special
teams have been outstanding, and
that on those fronts they match up
well with the Wolverines. The
degree to which Holiday is con-
tained will be highly indicative be
indicative of who will win.
"I like Holiday because he hasn't
thrown any interceptions," Carr said.
"He is so dangerous running the ball
... I like him because he is a big
guy, he is smart, and he's playing
within the scheme."
AP PHOTO
Notre Dame quarterback Carlyle Holiday impressed against Maryland, but wasn't effective against Purdue Saturday, throwing for just 50 yards.
Finding a way
Much has been made about new Notre Dame coach Tyrone Willingham bringing his West Coast
offense to the Irish. But his offense has done nothing thus far but control the football while the
defense and special teams put the points on the board. Kicker Nick Setta has kicked six field
goals, while the Irish offense has yet to score a touchdown. Here is the rundown of the crazy
ways the Irish have found the endzone.
TOUCHDOWN No. 1- AUG. 31, MARYLAND: The Irish entered the second half up 9-0 off three field goals
from Setta - then the Irish special teams took control. With just over 10 minutes left in the third
quarter, Notre Dame cornerback Vontez Duff slipped by two would-be tacklers, returning a punt for
76 yards and a touchdown to give the Irish a 16-0 lead.
TOUCHDOWN No. 2 - SEPT. 7, PURDUE: Early in the second quarter, defensive lineman Gerome Sapp
picked up a Montrell Lowe fumble and took it 54 yards to the house.
TOUCHDOWN No. 3 - SEPT. 7, PURDUE: On the ensuing kickoff, the Purdue returner muffed a squib kick,'
which bounced back to the 1-yard line. Notre Dame special teamer Justin Brown pushed another
Boilermaker into the returner, and the ball popped into the air for the Irish's Lionel Bolen, who ran it
in for four yards and the touchdown.
TOUCHDOWN No. 4 - SEPT. 7, PURDUE: Duff was back to his tricks from the week before, clinching the
game with a 33-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Noles in new situation, trying to retake ACC title
No more sitting.
"e
Bracken is back
after a trying year
By J. Brady McCollough
Daily Sports Writer
In the week before the 2001 season began, Tim Bracken went
from being named Michigan's starting running back to using a
walker to get to the bathroom in his dorm.
After redshirting his freshman season in 2000 and watching
fellow freshman Chris Perry take control of the backup duties
behind Anthony Thomas, Bracken beat out Perry and B.J. Askew
for the starting role to begin last season. That is, until he experi-
enced a career-threatening injury to his leg.
"It was really hard," Bracken reminisced. "Just sitting out one
year is hard enough, but having to sit out that second year, it was
... really stressful."
It was so stressful that Perry, his neighbor..............
last year, still "thanks God" that his nagging
injuries were nothing like Bracken's.
Bracken neglected to talk to anyone about
his heartbreak for about a month and a half
because "every time I did, it made me feel
bad," Bracken said. "I just stayed to myself"
The redshirt sophomore had to watch his
teammates contributing on the field while
he spent his time getting treatment in the
training room. He felt guilty that he wasn't Bracken
doing anything to "better the team."
It was especially tough to watch his fellow running backs
struggle to produce, finishing eighth in the Big Ten in rushing
offense.
"It was hard watching (last year's backs) take a lot of criticism
from everybody, saying that the running game was struggling
(and having) doubts about the Michigan backs," Bracken said.
"It made me really upset, but after a while, I learned to deal with
it, and the only way I was going to get better was to stay strong."
'With the help of Perry and other teammates and trainers,
Bracken regained the motivation that earned him the starting
role last August. He stopped keeping to himself and moping
about his situation and refocused his efforts on becoming
stronger in the weight room. He wanted to prove to the doubters
that Michigan could and would have a good running game in
2002.
"Everything that happened was something to motivate me,"
Bracken said.
This past Saturday at Michigan Stadium, Bracken, now in his
third year at Michigan, finally got that elusive first carry. He
By Jake Rosenwasser
For the Daily
This weekend's college football action
features four teams that are looking to make
a statement to the rest
of the country. Mary- ACROSS THE
land is out to show that
last year's ACC title run N AT I O N
was no fluke, and Mar-
shall is fighting for respect in its only big
game of the year. Two other teams, South
Carolina and Colorado have lost games
that they were favored to win, and
they want to get back on track as
soon as possible.
week. Even though the Terps are defending
champions of the ACC, they are looking to
avenge their only conference loss last sea-
son - Florida State.
The Seminoles find themselves in an
unusual situation. This is the first time since
entering the conference in 1992 that they
will be playing an ACC schedule without
holding at least a share of the conference
title. Before last year, they had lost just two
ACC games since 1992. Last year, they
inexplicably lost two ACC games (North
Carolina and North Carolina State), and it's
unlikely that Bobby Bowden will let that
happen two years in a row.
Florida State has taken every game in
the series since 1992, but last year the
Terps stuck with the Seminoles.
The game was tied 31-31 going
into the fourth quarter. Unfortu-
nately for Maryland, quarter-
back Chris Rix led his team on
a big fourth-quarter outburst
and a 52-31 victory. Look for
Rix to show even more
maitrity this vear and to
yards and four touchdowns against
Appalachian State. His first game was a
nice start to his Heisman Trophy campaign,
but this game will show a lot more about
what type of player he is. Leftwich needs to
show that he can put up big numbers
against a real defense, and this might be his
only chance to face legitimate competition.
This is Marshall's one chance to prove that
it belongs in the Bowl Championship
Series.
Virginia Tech will look to go an impres-
sive 3-0 with a win over the Thundering
Herd; The Hokies are coming off an impres-
sive win over SEC Champion Louisiana
State. Running back Lee Suggs is back after
being injured all but five minutes of last sea-
son, though he has run very well in his first
two games, averaging a whopping 6.1 yards
per carry. He, along with fellow back Kevin
Jones, should have no trouble running
through the porous Marshall defense that
ranked 106 against the run nationally last
season. In the end, the 1-2 punch of Suggs
and Jones will likely outdo Leftwich.
Virginia Tech 38. Marshall 28
Georgia travels to Columbia, S.C. with
hopes of ending a two-game losing streak
against South Carolina. The Bulldogs also
come in with a bit of a quarterback contro-
versy. Veteran pocket-passer David Greene
threw for a career-low 67 yards against
Clemson last week, and the highly touted
freshman D.J. Shockley saw some action. If
Greene struggles early it will be interesting
to see if coach Mark Richt goes with the
mobile freshman. Look for South Carolina
to exploit Georgia's quarterback issues and
upset the Bulldogs.
South Carolina 27, Georgia 24
No. 16 SOUTHERN CAL. (1-0) AT No. 19
COLORADO (1-1) - SATURDAY 3:30 P.M.,
ABC: Colorado will look to beat a very
good Pac-10 team with its backup quarter-
back this week in Boulder. Starter Craig
Ochs was injured in last week's 34-14 win,
and the Buffaloes will have to rely on sen-
ior backup Robert Hodge to do the throw-
ing. Fortunately for Hodge, he will have
touchdown machine Chris Brown to
carry a lot of the load at running back.
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