18A - The Michigan Daily - SportsTuesday - September 7, 2004 MICHIGAN 43, MIAMI (OHIO) 10 7 1 . n a .. 1 . A U = n IU, nAr ?nrnWner n Practice makes pertect for opportunistic defense IAMVL SMA11Ml~fC Team Stats First Downs Passing Yards Offensive Plays Total Offense Return Yards Comp/Att/Int Punts/Avg Fumbles/Lost Penalties/Yards Time of Poss MIAMI 13 25/33 217 65 250 280 19/40/5 2/31.5 0/0 7/46 27:56 MICH 14 40/132 159 8 274 72 16/28/1 6/33.2 0/0 1/10 32:04 By Shmud Mattu Daily Sports Editor If Michigan's defense continues to play as well as it did Saturday, maybe the offense won't have a difficult time breaking in a new quarterback and running back. Throughout training camp the Wolverines focused on tactics to create turnovers. They practiced drills like pok- ing at the ball while making a tackle or staying alert on a pass in case the ball is deflected into the air. "We go out there and we want to cause as many turn- overs as we can," linebacker Roy Manning said. "That was a big emphasis of our camp this year, causing turn- overs and just getting the ball back. "It kind of felt natural, just like a transition from foot- ball camp to the game." The Wolverines' defense was opportunistic against Miami (Ohio), forcing seven turnovers (five intercep- tions, two fumbles). The last time Michigan forced seven turnovers in a game was in 1985 against Wisconsin. Last season, the Wolverines forced 21 turnovers. Michigan clinched the win when safety Ernest Shazor scored on an interception return in the fourth quarter to give Michigan a 30-10 lead. On the other six turnovers, Michigan's offense began its drives inside the Miami 30- yard line. Thirty-six of the Wolverines' 43 points came off turnovers. "Whenever we needed a play, they made it," wide receiver Braylon Edwards said. "If they can do that for 11 more games, who knows what can happen." Michigan's overall speed on defense overwhelmed Miami's offense. RedHawks quarterback Josh Betts rushed some throws and as a result was inaccurate. And BURKE Continued from Page 13A Truth is, if Michigan is going to win at Notre Dame on Saturday and challenge for the Big Ten title and a national championship, then everyone, in addition to Henne, is going to have to do his job. Fortunately, that fact seems to be something that the Wolverines already know. "The defense has to carry the team this year," safety Ernest Shazor said. "We've got to carry this team until the offense can get going." The other members of the offense are ready to sup- port Henne, too. "I just told the rest of the offense that we just have to come out here and support (him)," wide receiver Braylon Edwards said. "(We have to) do what we're supposed to do and play better than normal to make sure that he was comfortable." Said offensive lineman Adam Stenavich: "We just figured with a guy coming straight in from high school, we have to do our jobs even better. It puts more pressure on us - that's the way we like itC" The fact that Henne knows his teammates have full confidence in him, and are ready to help him out, is as valuabl6as anything else'he learned ini te openr. 'They said they're behind me and that's the biggest seemingly every time, more than one defensive back was ready to pounce. "Ithink the key defensively was that we played collec- tively"Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "In most cases, I A think that we had people around the football." Cornerback Marlin Jackson, who recorded three tackles before sitting out the second half with a shoulder Q injury, also marveled at how well the team made the tran- sition from practice to a game. 'That is what was going on in camp," Jackson said. "We were getting turnovers like that all the time. We practice that every day. We practice strip drills and we do a lot of interception drills. . "Practice makes perfect, so we just go out everyday in practice and focus everyday on getting turnovers and getting the ball back for our offense." Michigan shut down Miami's running attack so thor- oughly that the RedHawks abandoned it in the first half and tried to put pressure on Michigan's passing defense. 'All the DB's played great today," Ryan Mundy said. K "Every play we were where we needed to be. We were working together real well": What makes the defense even scarier is the fact that the players believe they can be even better, particularly: on the defensive line. Though Michigan eventually wore Miami's offensive line down, the Wolverines had trouble reaching Betts at first. LaMarr Woodley, who will play a key role in Michigan's pass rush, also sat out the second half with a shoulder injury.' "It was decent," defensive end Pat Massey said. "We got to him a lot, but we need to get more sacks. I think we had two on Saturday; we definitely have to improve a on that" thing," Henne said."Knowing that they're behind me r and they're confident in me, you've just got to go out and show them that you're right where you need to be." Saturday's victory over Miami was a nice start to the season. Michigan was able to break in a true freshman quarterback, who played very well in front 3 u' of the home fans. The defense forced seven turnovers, and the Wolverines took advantage of their opportu- nities. Still, Michigan has bigger fish to fry. It starts on Sat- urday in front of a hostile crowd at Notre Dame. Put what Henne said after the win over Miami aside. We don't really know how well he'll react the ' first time the Notre Dame crowd gets on him, or the first time he gets criticized by the home fans. We don't really know if Michigan's other question marks - the running game, the offensive line, the pass rush and special teams - are capable of helping tor ease Henne's transition from high school to college. Heck, we don't even know what's going to happen when Gutierrez is healthy and ready to challenge for his starting spot again. And it's a bad idea to look to Henne - and Henne alone - for all the answers. RYAN WEINER/Daily ' Chris Burkercnt beedcft d at Michigan defensive Ii elfarG0blWitson hurries Miami (Ohio) quarterback Josfr Betts during the chrisbur@umich.edu. Wolverines' 43-10 win on Saturday.. M I C H I G A N PASSING Player Henne Richard Totals RUSHING Player Underwood Jackson, J. Hart 'Rembert Dudley Bradley Edwards Henne Totals RECEIVING Player Edwards Breaston Massequoi Avant Underwood Hart Rembert Totals C-A 14-24 2-4 1 8.28 Att 22 7 3 1 1 1 1 4 No. 6 4 2 1 1 1 18 Yds 61 25 20 9 0 -1 -6 132 Yds 91 33 19 11 8 -1 -2 159 No. 6 6 Yds 142 17 169 Avg 2.8 3.6 6.7 9.0 7.0 0.0 -1.0 -1.5 2.9 Avg 15.67 8.25 9.5 11.0 8.0 -1.0 -2.0 9.94 TO 2 0 2 Lg 9 7 20 9 7 0 -1 7 13 Lg 25 15 16 11 -1 -2 25 It 0 1 TO 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 TO 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 PUNTING PlayerI Finley Totals KICKOFF RETURNS Player No. Rambert 1 Totals 1 PUNT RETURNS Player No. Breaston 3 Mason 1 Totals 4 DEFENSE Player Reid McClintock Shazor Curry Mundy Barringer Jackson, M. Massey Crable Engleman Hall Sarantos Manning Harris Burgess Woods Of i Mason Jamison Fisher Branch Watson Stewart Tabb Dudley Paul Totals I Yds Avg Lg 15 15.0 15 15 15.0 1s TD 0 0 TO 0 0 0 Yds Avg Lg 271 45.2 56 271 46.2 6 Yds 40 17 87 Solo 5 4 3 3 2 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 46 Avg 13.33 17.0 14.26 Lg 20 17 20 f Asst Tot 1 5.5 0 4.0 1 3.5 1 3.5 2 3.0 o 3.0 0 3.0 1 2.5 o 2.0 0 2.0 0 2.0 b 0 2.0 1 1.5 1 1.5 1 1.5 0 1.0 o 1.o 0 1.0 0 1.0 0 1.0 1 . 0.61 10 51 *'? i .l -'' Cil . C!1 x;. ' . }E , - .1 3 it OfficeMax® \Jb~k;;, c),Uy v- 4 Don't waste time running from store to store... OfficeMax has the tools you need to help you do your thing: * Notebooks, pens, paper, binders " Computers, printers, copiers " PDAs, calculators, phones * Software and computer accessories " Desks, chairs, bookcases All at Guaranteed Low Prices! Plus FREE delivery on most orders of $50 or more. 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