The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - September 8, 2003 - 5B
X's
AND (ky(e)O 'S
Michigan Daily Sports Editor Kyle O'Neill is not a collegiate athlete, nor is
he a collegiate coach. But he was a starting wide receiver for his winless
team at Garber High School, was third in Bay County in receptions his sen-
ior year and claims to know something about the game of football. So each
game, we'll let him and his 5-foot-10, 158-pound frame break down why
Michigan either succeeded or failed.
tns Key play
>e the
3 Observatio
1. Michigan's guards might b
fastest t'ey ve ever been. Their
speed and ability to help double-
team the nose tackle with center
Dave Pearson, and then break off
to the linebacker, is one of the
overlooked things as to why Michi-
gan is running the ball so well.
2. Braylon Edwards caught two
consecutive out routes at the end
of the first half. This is encourag-
ing, given his recent struggles
with catching short routes. Until
Edwards can make these catches,
there is no point to try and throw
deep to him. Safeties will be all
over him deep (as Houston's
were) until he can be a short-
range threat.
3. Usage of Marlin Jackson could-
n't have been much better on Sat-
urday. Playing much as a nickle
back against Houston's large pass-
ing attack, Jackson - officially a
safety - was freed to play man-to-
man or underneath in zone cover-
age. Having him hidden with
linebackers in zone coverage will
probably create more opportunities
for Jackson on mid-range (five to
eight yards) third down situations.
x.
x
'x
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Importance: Though it is not
as flashy as a key play should
be, it emphasizes how domi-
nant Michigan's offensive line
has been. No gimmicky plays
have been needed thus far,
because the line has been
doing the simple things so
well. In an age where the long
ball has become king, Michi-
gan is working its offense in a
way that would make Bo
proud. Fans wanting the
bombs to Braylon Edwards
should be happy that Michi-
gan can run these basic plays
better than any other team
thus far in the nation.
Hype-meter
Ohio State fans
game last year
- Lloyd's proud
You'll be a fine
Michigan alum
Shaking--eys
Sorority girls
on cell phones
Empty seats at the Big House?
What is this, Spartan Stadium?
We're looking at you here, fresh-
men. Cherish every second of it.
Being a Michigan fan isn't a
privilege, it's a right. Consider
yourself lucky that you aren't a
Michigan State or Penn State
fan, where you have to worry
about "rebuilding years." So
next time you think about leav-
ing a game earlier than the five-
minute mark of a 30-point
blowout, remember that you
could be stuck wearing Aber-
crombie & Fitch in East Lans-
ing. Be ready next week.
Ask the
Football Writers
EDITOR'S NOTE: On page
5B of SportsMonday, the foot-
ball writers will answer your
questions about anything, and
we mean anything. E-mail us
with questions or just to vent at:
askthefootballwriters@umich.edu
Q
A
I hate Bobby Bowden,
his sons and Tallahas-
see. So can someone
please explain to me
why we do the toma-
hawk chop after the
other team fails to con-
vert a third down?!?!
Instead of imitating the
Seminoles, we should
form our hands
into Wolverine claws
and make the same
motion the MICHIGAN
way! Go Blue!
- Varun Shetty, senior
Varun,
Considering the fans
are doing the chop
even when opponents
are converting fourth
down attempts, we
don't really know why it
is a tradition at Michi-
gan. Maybe fans should
ust try being loud first,
but wed rather see
foam claws than chops.
Explanation: As simple as it looks, Michigan was utilizing this type of pulling-guard running all game. As
seen on this Chris Perry eight-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, both right guard Matt Lentz and
center Dave Pearson pull through the hole that was started with a clearout by the tight end and right
tackle. This was almost the same play that was called for David Underwood's five-yard touchdown in the
second quarter. The only difference was that Lentz and fullback Kevin Dudley led through the hole and
Pearson stayed at home to block.
Boiled over: Falcons get one for the MAC
WEST LAFAYETTE (AP) -
Charles Sharon made the game-
winning play.
Josh Harris made a statement.
Harris led Bowling Green on a
game-winning drive, finishing it
with an improbable
32-yard touchdown
pass to Sharon with
2:08 left and giving
the Falcons a 27-26
victory over No. 16
Purdue.
$ ,G
"If Josh Harris isn't a legitimate
Heisman Trophy candidate, I don't
know who is," Bowling Green
coach Gregg Brandon shouted exu-
berantly.
The wild celebration started
before Falcons receiver Cole Magn-
er backed out of the end zone as
time expired.
Bowling Green players mobbed
Sharon after his catch and bounced
up and down anxiously on the side-
lines as Purdue (0-1) tried to rally.
When the game ended, the Fal-
cons (2-0) raced off the field with
their helmets raised. Even Brandon
couldn't contain himself as he
clapped his hands and patted his
players on the back near midfield,
thanking them for producing Bowl-
ing Green's first victory over a
ranked opponent since Sept. 16,
1972. That victory came against
No. 18 Purdue, 17-14.
The day belonged to Harris,
though, who delivered a brilliant
performance in a rare opportunity
against a top-rated team.
Harris was 22-of-40 for 357
yards with three touchdowns and
one interception. He also ran 19
times for 34 yards and continually
put his receivers in position to
make plays.
OHIO STATE 16, San Diego
State 13: Defending national
champion Ohio State stayed perfect
despite an imperfect game.
Will Allen returned a tipped pass
100 yards for a touchdown for one
of the few highlights as No. 2 Ohio
State barely slipped past 32-point
underdog San Diego State 16-13
Saturday.
"We were ready to play. I'm not
sure about the national champions,"
Aztecs linebacker Kirk Morrison
said. "I've never been a moral vic-
tory guy, but no one expected us to
be in the game. Thirty-two point
underdogs? I took offense to that."
The Buckeyes won their 16th
game in a row, but were in trouble
throughout as quarterback Craig
Krenzel had the worst day of his
career. Krenzel went 5-of-20 for 76
yards with one interception and
three sacks.
"Fortunately we found a way to
win," Krenzel said. "Great teams
have to win ugly some times."
Michigan State 44, Rutgers
28: Jeff Smoker threw for 351
yards and three touchdowns and
Michigan State returned a kickoff
and an interception for scores in a
44-28 win over Rutgers on Saturday.
It was the 1,000th game for
Michigan State (2-0), which wore
throwback uniforms and placed its
original nickname - the Aggies -
- on the Spartan Stadium score-
boards.
Probably not too many of the pre-
vious 999 games featured as many
big plays.
There was a 94-yard kickoff
return for a TD, a 61-yard intercep-
tion return for a touchdown and
three TD passes of better than 50
yards.
And that was just the first half.
Rutgers (1-1), outscored 224-59
in road games last season, was up to
the challenge in the first two quar-
ters with Ryan Hart throwing for
206 yards and two scores.
But Monquiz Wedlow picked off
Hart on the first possession of the
second half and returned it 29 yards
for a 38-21 Michigan State lead.
Hart was ineffective the rest of
the game, finishing 14-of-31 for
266 yards, two TDs and two inter-
ceptions.
The Scarlet Knights were expect-
ed to test Michigan State's run
defense, but they were unable to get
anything going on the ground.
Michigan State, which held West-
ern Michigan to six yards rushing a
week ago, limited Rutgers to
minus-2 yards on 36 attempts.
COUGARS
Continued from Page 11B
quarter for a touchdown to put
Michigan up 36-3, the duo's first few
attempts to connect read: Broken up
pass, overthrown/drop combo, one-
handed drop and overthrow. But in
Michigan's final drive of the first
half, the play calling became sim-
pler, as Navarre hit Edwards with an
11-yard out to the left and a 16-yard
out to the right.
"You want to establish a rhythm every
time you're out there," Navarre said. "If
you don't get the deep balls and the big
plays, you still want to run your offense.
You want to get sure plays."
Some of the sure plays early on,
much to the disapproval of some fans,
were avoiding flashier long-distance
plays and just going to what the defense
was allowing in the flats to Perry -
who led the team in receptions with five
(all in the first half).
"They got in a defense where they
took away our primary reads, then
you've gotta make a play: Either getit
down to the back, scramble or throw it
away," Navarre said. "Chris was just
in the area, and we just made a com-
pletion that the defense didn't want on
that play."
AF mU,
Bowling Green's Josh Harris led the
Falcons to a win over Purdue Saturday.
A e fidgan ai
STAFF PICKS
Predictions against the
spread for 9/6/03
Houston at No. 5 MICHIGAN (-28)
Boston College at PENN STATE (-10)
San Diego State at No. 2 OHIO STATE (-32)
Buffalo at IOWA (-37)
Bowling Green at No. 16 PURDUE (-10.5)
Air Force (-7.5) at NORTHWESTERN
Akron at No. 18 WISCONSIN (-26)
Rutgers at MIcHIGAN STATE (-19)
Indiana at No. 22 WASHINGTON (-24)
Troy State at MINNESOTA (-25)
No. 21FRodda at No. 3 MIAMI(-14)
Maryland at No. 11 FLORIDA STATE (-15)
No, 14 N.C. State (-7.5) at Wake Forest
No. 15 Virginia (-3) at SOUTH CAROLINA
WashkitonState at No.19NOTRE DAME (-6)
UCLA at No. 24 CoLoRADo (-3)
No. 17 Auburn (-8) at GEOAGIA Tsc
No. 1 Oklahoma (-8) at ALABAMA
te t bet
Total season record (Best bet record)
Courtney
Lewis
Michigan
Boston College
Ohio State
Iowa
Purdue
Air Force
Akron
Rutgers
Washington
Minnesota
Miami
Maryland
N.C. State
Virginia
Notre Dame
Colorado
Auburn
Oklahoma
Iowa
7-11 (1-0)
J. Brady
McCollough
Houston
Boston College
San Diego State
Iowa
Purdue
Northwestern
Wisconsin
Rutgers
Washington
Minnesota
Florida
Maryland
Wake Forest
Virginia
Notre Dame
Colorado
Georgia Tech
Oklahoma
Colorado
10-8 (0-1)
Kyle
O'Neill
Michigan
Boston College
Ohio State
Iowa
Purdue
Northwestern
Akron
Rutgers
Washington
Troy State
Miami
Maryland
N.C. State
Virginia
Notre Dame
UCLA
Auburn
Oklahoma
Rutgers
8-10 (1-0)
Naweed
Sikora
Michigan
Penn State
San Diego State
Iowa
Purdue
Northwestern
Wisconsin
Rutgers
Washington
Troy State
Miami
Florida State
Wake Forest
Virginia
Notre Dame
Colorado
Georgia Tech
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
9-9 (0-1)
Michigan's Lauren Kathleen of
Playboy's "Girls of the Big Ten"
Houston
Boston College
Ohio State
Buffalo
Purdue
Air Force
Akron
Michigan State
Washington
Troy State
Florida
Florida State
N.C. State
Virginia
Notre Dame
Colorado
Georgia Tech
Oklahoma
Oklahoma
5-13-0 (0-1)
Bunny loses to four
Daily turtles
Although some writers thought
of taking a dive so the Playboy
Bunny could win, all the football
writers were happy to escape a
rough first week above Lauren
Kathleen.
J. Brady McCollough found his way
to the top of the leaderboard with
a not-so-impressive 10-8 record.
But a win's a win, and given his
vow to not become the next Joe
Smith of collegiate-football pick-
ing, McCollough is on track for an
embarrassment-free season.
Naweed Sikora at least managed
to get to .500, something the
once-national-title-favorite Auburn
Tigers will struggle to do against
a tough SEC.
Much like his beloved Detroit
Tigers, Kyle O'Neill found his way
into the loser's column more
than once. And like the Tigers,
he promises improvement over
his Randy Smith-assured five-
year plan.
Courtney Lewis, though 7-11, still
can claim herself a genius. We say
if people still call Maryland coach
Ralph Friedgen an offensive
genius for being 0-2 without
cracking 25 points total for the
season, then Courtney has as
much of a right to hype herself as
a football intellect as he does.
Sudent igital Photo
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