Gl~be Achd'iguz iliI ~TPORTS UETA January 6,2004 SECTION gIk Jackson: I'll be back at cornerback or I'm going pro By J. Brady McCollough Daily Sports Editor PASADENA, Calif. - The sun had already set behind the surrounding San Gabriel foothills as Marlin Jackson walked from the Rose Bowl lock- erroom to the Michigan team bus. On the way through the mob of fans waiting outside the gates, he gave the first indication of whether the sun will rise again on his Michigan career. "If I'm back here, I'll be at corner," Jackson said directly after his team's 28-14 loss to South- ern Cal. "I'm the best corner in the country. I'll be back at corner." Jackson, an All-America cornerback last sea- son, moved to safety in fall practice so that Michigan could get its three most seasoned defensive backs - Jackson and corners Jeremy LeSueur and Markus Curry - on the field at the same time. The switch seemed logical, given Michi- gan's inexperience at safety entering the sea- son. But after Jackson injured his leg at Minnesota and missed the next three games, young safeties Willis Barringer and Jacob Stewart proved more than capable of playing the position full-time. Jackson returned to action at Northwestern, and during Michigan's last three games, didn't make much of an impact at safety. After the Rose Bowl, the Preseason Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year's disappointment was obvious. "It's been frustrating," Jackson said. "It wasn't a good season for me at all." Jackson played in nine games - he missed three due to injury and one to suspension. He made 50 tackles, intercepted two passes, forced a fumble and blocked a field goal. He broke up just five passes, compared to 18 last season, when he broke Charles Woodson's Michigan single-season record. "(Playing safety) was just more physical than I thought," Jackson said. "I had to learn it very quickly, basically during two-a-days." So, the deal is on the table: If coach Lloyd Carr won't move Jackson back to cornerback, Jackson will declare for the 2004 NFL Draft. Even if Carr clears Jackson to return to corner next season, the Sharon, Pa., native will consider the pro ranks. "I have to think about what would be the best thing for me, not Michigan," Jackson said. The best thing for Jackson, whether at Michi- gan or in the pros, would be to return to the form of his sophomore season, when he shut down top wide receivers in Washington's Reggie Williams and Michigan State's Charles Rogers. Rogers, now with the Detroit Lions, tabbed Jackson the best cornerback he played against in college. The best thing for Michigan is for Jackson to return for his senior season and play cornerback, alongside Curry. Ernest Shazor, Barringer and Stewart would play safety. If Jackson left, current true freshman Leon Hall would likely be thrust into a starting role. In current NFL Mock Drafts, Jackson is being projected anywhere from the sixth pick overall to the middle of the second round. Most boards pre- dict Jackson to be drafted in the middle to late first round if he declares. "It's a life decision, so it's a very difficult thing to handle," Jackson said. "I just have to make sure I make the right decision and weigh all of my options." Jackson has until mid-January to declare for the draft. BRETT MOUNTAIN/Daily The Rose Bowl - much like the season - was disappointing for Marlin Jackson. I. 4 Buried alive SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 28, MICHIGAN 14 TONY DING/Daily Doak Walker Award winner Chris Perry was burled by Southern Cal. defenders all day, and when he was hit, it was usually by multiple unblocked Trojans - as seen above. Michigan needs four points for seat upgrade GONE BOWLIN' J. BRADY MCCOLLOUGH The SportsTuesday Column P ASADENA, Calif. - We will now begin boarding College Football Flight "Pecking order" with our elite customers only. Elite customers only. Suddenly, that damn Southern Cal. war chant started up again. Duh duh, da da da da, da da da, duh duh! The people in cardinal and gold strutted forward, looking at me as if I was a bum in rags. The Bayou Bengals followed right behind, carrying jugs of gumbo and wearing "GEAUX TIGERS!" shirts. Needless to say, they immediately began jockeying in line with the Tro- jan faithful. worst Heisman winner since Miami's Gino Torretta. The Miami contingent rode to the front of the line in tanks, dressed in infantry uniforms. All the passengers were glad to see that the 'Canes were sitting up near the front; there would be no terrorist activity on this plane. Not with Kellen Winslow and his fel- low soldiers on board. I ran up to the flight attendant with my Rose Bowl T-shirt on and held out my ticket. You're a Trojan then? No. I'm a Wolverine. Oh, hun, I'm sorry, but you 're just a Preferred Customer No, you don't get it, HUN. I go to Michigan. I am an elite customer. Young man, please calm down. After such a convincing loss to USC, College FootballAirlines isn 't willing to grant you elite status. Now wait a few seconds, and we 'll board Pre- ferred Customers. So, I waited there, stunned, frustrat- ed and hurt. Winning an outright Big Ten title wasn't enough to push Michi- Georgia fans joined me for two bags of those new buttery, twisty pretzels. This trip out to Pasadena was not about winning a game, but proving that Michigan was once again an elite program. Even an inspired perform- ance - you know, a seven- or three- point loss - would have given the Wolverines that respect as Big Ten champs. Instead, the Wolverines were outcoached, outplayed, out-every- thinged. Southern Cal.'s milkshake was ultimately much more flavorful, thicker and just plain better than Michigan's. The Michigan program hasn't sat in first class since 1999, and it still can't see past the drape separating elite from preferred customers on the long and grueling flight into next season. And with the new year in front of us, it's time to make some resolutions that will help this program arrive where every Michigan man and woman believes it should be: With its feet up in first class, sitting next to Vanna White, looking back at all the others. 1) Break up the monotony oflife do," Southern Cal. defensive tackle Shaun Cody said. "Coach (Pete) Car- roll came up with such a great pack- age today, blitzes and stuff he threw in. He had them very confused." Yeah, Michigan sure looked it. The perfect example of how well-versed the Trojans were on Michigan's offense was their treatment of the tra- ditional Michigan screen pass. Every time the Wolverines went to the well, the Men of Troy were waiting. And the war chant played. Duh duh, da da da da, da da da, duh duh! Surely I'm not the only person who wants to scream Macaulay Culkin- style every time Michigan goes to the shotgun and four wideouts late in the game and immediately has a touch- down drive. Surely, the laws of foot- ball would allow it to work in the first half, too. I've had John Navarre look me in the eye after the Minnesota game (a game salvaged by success in the shot- gun), and talk about how no matter what, Michigan is going to try and establish the running game and exe- S4 t With 28 different bowl games over the holiday season, one might wonder if there are about 12 too many games for teams that are barely over .500. But some of these lesser- known bowls do have some good qualities. The Daily takes a look at the best and the worst of the collegiate bowl season without having to rip on the BCS. PAGE 8B AP PHOTO Washington State running back Jonathan Smith a, i i