t
Wednesday
October 23, 2002
michigandaily.com
sportsdesk@umich.edu
SPORTS
9
. ......... . --
Griese, Brady go head-to-head
By David Horn
Daily Sports Editor
In the '90s, Michigan became a
football factory for the NFL. This
weekend, after John Navarre plays in
the national spot-
light on Saturday,
two former FOOTBALL
Michigan quarter- Notebook
backs square off
in one of Sunday's
biggest games. The Denver Broncos
head up to eastern Massachusetts to
take on the defending Super Bowl
champion New England Patriots.
The Broncos are led by former
Michigan quarterback Brian Griese,
who was at the helm for Michigan's
1997 national championship team.
Meanwhile, the Patriots' offense is
run by former Michigan quarterback
Tom Brady, who emerged last year to
replace the injured Drew Bledsoe.
"I wish I could see it," Michigan
coach Lloyd Carr said. "I wish I
could be there. It's a tremendous
thing for Michigan, because both
those guys represent this University
so well, and they both had outstand-
ing careers here, and are both gradu-
ates.
"They both have been very suc-
cessful in their careers in the NFL; I
know there will be a heck of a lot of
Michigan people watching that
game."
Two-POINT STANCE: Penn State has
been involved in three overtimes
games in its history, two of which
have come this year. A 42-35 loss to
Iowa and a 27-24 loss to Michigan
are the lone blemishes on the 2002
Nittany Lions' record, and Penn State
coach Joe Paterno thinks that the cur-
rent overtime system - whereby
each team runs its offense from the
opposing 25-yard line until one fails
to match the score of the other - is
correcting for something that has
already been corrected for:
"My feeling is, 'why do we need an
overtime when we have two-point
(conversions) in?"' Paterno said. "We
played Michigan, and Michigan prob-
ably would have gone for two points
at the end of the game (if there was
no overtime); I probably would have
done the same. The two-point play
was put in to break up ties and then
we stuck in overtime. (If overtime
were eliminated) people would be
more willing to go for two points at
different times in the ballgame, and
that's why the two point tries were put
in, in the first place."
GRAND-MAMA: This week's Big Ten
Offensive Player of the Week was
Penn State tailback Larry Johnson.
Johnson's 257 yards rushing and two
touchdowns - nearly all of which
came in the first half - led the Nit-
tany Lions over Northwestern last
Saturday. Johnson broke a 21-year-
old Penn State rushing record for
yards in a single game, which was
previously held by Curt Warner (coin-
cidence? Absolutely). Johnson ranks
second in the nation in all-purpose
yards with 187.6 per game, and is
10th in the nation in rushing average,
with 125.1 yards per game.
Iowa linebacker Grant Steen, who
had three redzone interceptions in the
Hawkeyes' thumping of Indiana last
Saturday, earned Big Ten Defensive
Player of the Week honors.
Ohio State punter Andy Groom
was named Big Ten Special Teams
Player of the Week after booting for
301 yards (not on one punt - that
would be a record). Groom is averag-
ing 45.2 yards per punt on the season.
GOPHERS LURKING: While most fans
and writers around the Big Ten see a
three-team race between Ohio State,
Iowa and Michigan, the Minnesota
Golden Gophers are quietly playing
solid football.
The Gophers are waiting patiently,
with just one loss in the conference
(and on the year), to make their move.
But the upcoming schedule is a
blessing and a curse for Minnesota;
the Gophers face each of the above-
mentioned three in consecutive
weeks, beginning with a trip to
Columbus before hosting Michigan
and Iowa in Minneapolis.
"I really do like this team," Min-
nesota coach Glen Mason said.
"We're not the most talented, by any
stretch of the imagination, but (my
players) prepare. They've been a very
eager lot.
"Right now, we don't have any
marquee names for the media to write
about. What we've got is a bunch of
scrappy kids who are playing pretty
hard."
AP PHOTO
Brian Griese won a college national championship, but is still
searching for that Super Bowl ring.
The Griese file
Denver Broncos quarterback Brian Grese piloted the
Michigan 1997 national championship team, and
became Denver's quarterback in 1999.
MICHIGAN CAREER NFL CAREER
Led the Wolverines to a Entering fourth season as
perfect 12-0 record and a Broncos starting quarterback.
national championship in Earned Pro Bowl honors in
1997-98. 2000, leading the NFL in passer
Threw for 17 touchdowns rating (102.9) and touchdown-
and over 220 yards in '97-'98. to-interception ratio (19/4).
AP PHOTO
Tom Brady won a Super Bowl ring last season, but failed to
win a national championship in college.
Man named Brady
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady led Michi-
gan to back-to-back 10-win seasons before capturing a
Super Bowl title with the Patriots last year.
MICHIGAN CAREER
Guided the Wolverines to
their only BCS bowl win in
1999-2000, a 35-34 over-
time win over Alabama.
Threw for 35 touchdowns
and more than 5,000 yards.
NFL CAREER
Replaced the injured Drew
Bledsoe in the second game
of 2002 and led the Patriots
to a last-second Super Bowl
victory over the heavily
favored St. Louis Rams.
USCHO. cor
Division I Poll
As of Oct. 21, 2002
Team Record Points
1. New Hampshire 2-0-1 591
Shouneyia returns to practice, skates with teammates
By Kyle O'Neill
Daily Sports Writer
2. Denver 3-1-0 507 He wasn't wearing his usual maize practice jer-
3. Minnesota 1-1-1 505 sey, nor was he taking part in regular drills.
4. Boston College 3-0-0 487 But Michigan hockey alternate captain John
5. MICHIGAN 34-0 424 Shouneyia was back on the ice yesterday for the
6. Boston Univ. 1-0-2 374 first time since fracturing his right hand in an
7. North Dakota 2-0-0 296 exhibition game against Toronto on Oct. 5.
9. Maine 2-1-0 283 "I hate watching so I've really been trying to
10. Colorado College 3-1-0 279 get back out there," Shouneyia said. "It gets kind
11. Providence 4-0-0 119 of boring passing the puck off the boards to your-
12. Michigan State 24--0 118 self. It was good to get back out with the boys,
13. St. Cloud 1-1-0 116 get a little chatter going and get back in the swing
14. Harvard 0-0-0 112 of things."
15. Northern Mich. 2-2-1 100 Though restricted from doing much physical
contact, it was Shouneyia's presence on the ice
Others receiving votes: Massachu- that was most comforting for the team.
setts-Lowell 72, Notre Dame 54, With alternate captain Andy Burnes out due to
Ferris State 28, Ohio State 16, mononucleosis, the Wolverines could have been
Wisconsin 7, Clarkson 6, Miami without two of their top leaders for most, if not
(Ohio) 5, Wayne State 4 all, of November. Now, with Shouneyia sched-
Size simply not an issue
for defenseman Werner
uled to be back as early as Nov. 8 against Bowl-
ing Green, Michigan will only have to survive
this weekend against Alaska-Fairbanks without
its original two alternate captains. Sophomore
Eric Nystrom has worn the "A" in their absence.
"Given the information we have from the doc-
tors and Rick Bancroft, the trainer, I think Bowl-
ing Green is a good date to shoot for," said
associate head coach Mel Pearson, who noted
that they would have to wait for more X-ray
results before any comeback date was finalized.
Though Shouneyia was kept away from much
of the practice's contact - he'd sprint along with
the drills, but not get involved -- he could not
avoid participating in the team's five-on-five
drills as forwards Charlie Henderson and Joe
Kautz needed a linesmate. He also could not
avoid making his coaches cringe with every time
he skated into other players.
"His wrist could just get hit," Pearson said.
"Somebody not watching where they're going
and run into him, and that's how guys usually get
hurt. So yeah, I wanted him to stay out of the way
and not get hit and mainly get some skating so
he'll get some game-type conditioning."
Although not much has changed since he's
been gone, Shouneyia may have a problem get-
ting back into the line that he practiced with
before his injury. Sophomore Dwight Helminen
has filled in nicely for the senior captain with
Nystrom and freshman Jeff Tambellini. The three
have the most points combined out of any line for
the Wolverines.
"Dwight's obviously done a nice job with the
group he's with," Pearson said. "It's early in the
year, so we're still going to be tweaking with a
lot of different combinations. We'll just see
whenever he comes back where there's an open-
ing, but we know he's going to add something to
this team.
"The thing about Johnny is that he makes the
people around him better, so there might be some
guys who are struggling that we can throw John-
nie with."
Sitting in the north bleachers every day at prac-
tice, Shouneyia admitted it was tedious to just
watch, but he was thankful for being able to see
the team in a way no other player could.
"With every player you get a different view, a
different perspective than when you're down on
the ice," Shouneyia said.
With that, he can better use his leadership role
as a captain in helping the younger players like
Tambellini, whom he had been taking under his
wing before the injury.
Shouneyia's wasn't the only good news
revealed yesterday, as Burnes' health was also
improving.
"I know (Burnes) is enjoying his vacation,
although he's not real happy with it," Pearson
said. "He comes around the rink, he sits in on our
meetings just so he can stay in-tune a little bit. At
least he's here showing his face so we know he's
still here and not down in Florida relaxing. But
he's doing well, and it's just a timing thing -
hopefully sooner than later."
'
By Dan Rosen
Daily Sports Writer
Coach Red Berenson said that soph-
omore defenseman Eric Werner plays
like he doesn't know how small he
actually is.
Despite being just 5-foot-10, the
Grosse Pointe Woods native isn't intim-
idated by bigger players. He is a con-
stant physical presence for the
Wolverines on the blue line.
"Actually to tell you the truth, when I
was little, I was kind of big for my
(age)," Werner said. "Then I think I just
stopped growing. But I still try to go
out there and be a physical presence. I
like to hit, so I try to throw it in there
when I get a chance."
With junior defenseman and alter-
nate captain Andy Burnes sidelined for
at least three weeks with mononucleo-
sis, Werner's contribution has become
increasingly important for the Wolver-
ines.
This past weekend against Merri-
mack, Berenson paired Werner with
redshirt freshman Reilly Olson - who
was playing for the first time in his
Michigan career - because of the sta-
bility and presence the sophomore
would provide.
"I think Werner can play with any-
one," Berenson said. "He can take con-
trol with the puck, without the puck."
Olson was appreciative of the
coach's decision.
"He's definitely a great player to play
with," Olson said. "He's so smart and
so good with the puck. You know that
for the most part he's always going to
be joining the rush, so the coaches just
told me to make sure I'm always back
t, hack him un Rut I mean. he's so
his aggressive play gave fellow
defenseman Danny Richmond the first
goal of his Michigan career. Werner
stole the puck from Merrimack along
the blue line and moved it to a wide-
open Richmond, who was able to
bounce it into the net off of an oppos-
ing defender.
On the season, the sophomore has
already accumulated four points -
good for fourth on the team and first
among Michigan defensemen.
Even with his offensive success
though, Werner sees room for improve-
ment.
"I think down low defensively I
need to be stronger," Werner said. "On
offense, I've just got to pick my areas.
I'm still kind of relaxed back on
defense, which last year I wasn't. I've
got to get more into it."
With the arrival of the CCHA season
this weekend, Werner sees no reason
DANNY MVULU5UKaly~ ~U
Michigan's Eric Werner leads all
defenseman with four points.
for his intensity not to pick up.
"Things are getting started, now it
becomes competition," Werner said.
"Now is when my game needs to be
where it (should be). I'm kind of look-
ing at this week to bring my game up."
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