'4B - The Michigan Daily - SportsMonday - September 27, 2004 MICHIGAN 30, IOWA 17 Stanford transfer stars in nickleback position GAME STATISTICS Team Stats First Downs Rush/Yds Passing Yards Offensive Plays Total Offense Return Yards Comp/Att/Int Punts/Avg Fumbles/Lost Penalties/Yards Time of Poss IOWA 16 28/-15 270 60 255 110 24/32/2 4/40.5 5/3 9/48 27:45 MICH 18 39/93 236 65 329 50 16/26/0 6/4&.0 2/2 5/62 32:15 44 By Sharad Mattu Daily Sports Editor Leon Hall learned on Saturday what Markus Curry experienced during Michigan's first three games: Playing cornerback alongside Marlin Jackson makes you an inviting target. "Marlin is such a great corner that the other (defen- sive backs) on the field have to know the offense is going to come after you," Hall said. "He sees the ball every once in a while, but usually it's on us, and we have to be ready to make plays." Opposing teams threw the ball Curry's way so often that - despite three interceptions - he had given up numerous long completions. Michigan coach Lloyd Carr considered replacing him with Hall in the start- ing lineup, but an injury sidelined Curry. Carr made one other adjustment in his secondary. Senior Grant Mason, who had played primarily on special teams, played a significant role on defense. Iowa quarterback Drew Tate threw at both corner- backs with mixed success. Although Tate finished 24- of-32 with two touchdowns, Hall and Mason recorded important interceptions that led to touchdowns. Midway through the third quarter, Tate overthrew Clinton Soloman and Hall made a diving intercep- tion at Iowa's 40-yard line. Two plays later, Michigan scored a touchdown. "I just saw the ball coming and knew it was over- thrown and only I could get the ball, so I just reached out and got it," Hall said. "On the sideline they were telling me I should switch to receiver and things like that." Because Jackson and Curry are both seniors, Hall knew that his time as a starter would come, but he didn't expect it to come so soon. "Anytime I think I have a chance to start - whether it's in the nickel package or whatever - I have that little extra effort," the sophomore said. "I concentrate a little bit more. I get nervous a little bit more. Then after that first play, it's just like practice. I settle down and just focus on making plays." Mason, who was a receiver at Stanford but trans- ferred after his sophomore year, intercepted Tate in the fourth quarter and put the game away. With Michi- gan ahead 23-10, Mason pulled down a pass intended for Soloman at Iowa's 25-yard line. From there, he zig- zagged his way into the endzone with some help at the end. "I just grabbed it and headed up the sidelines," Mason said. "I picked up a couple of blocks, and once I got inside the five I just felt (Michigan linebacker Roy Manning) grab me and throw me into the endzone. I'll have to thank him for that." Despite revamping their cornerback rotation, the Wolverines continued to force turnovers. Michigan now has 11 interceptions this season, the most in the nation. "Every week, everybody gets reps in practice," Mason said. "We all know we'll get a chance some- where along the way and we're a] I ready. This week it happened to be Leon and me." Though the Wolverines are practically fighting each other for interceptions, Jackson of all people is still waiting for his first of the season-If teams continue to avoid throwing at him, the wait may have to continue. "He tries to bait the quarterbacks once in a while so he can jump in and get the interception, but they're smart," Hall said. "They know they're better off just never looking his way." MICHIGAN PASSING Player Henne Totals RUSHING Player Hart Jackson, J. Bracken Breaston TEAM Henne Totals RECEIVING Player Edwards Avant Breaston Hart Ecker Gonzales Totals C-A 16-26 16-26 Att 26 2 2 7 a 39 No. 6 3 3 2 1 1 14 Yds 99 5 4 2 -4 -13 93 Yds 150 42 18 14 1 4 179 Yds 236 236 Avg 3,8 2.5 4 2 -2.0 -1.9 2.4 Avg 25.0 14.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 4.0 8.51 YD 1 Lg 16 3 4 2 O 3 16 Lg 68 16 7 12 a 4 54 Int 0 TO TD 1 0 0 O * 1 2 TO 0 0 2 0 KLEPTOMANIACS Michigan's defense has been its best offense this season, forcing 19 turnovers in four games. Here's how the Wolverines have stolen the ball away from their opponent so many times and taken advantage: PUNTING Player Finley Totals KICKOFF RETURNS Player No. Breaston 2 Tabb1 Totals 3 PUNT RETURNS Player No. Breaston 1 Totals DEFENSE Player Manning Shazor Harris Watson Mundy Woodley Hall Mason Reid McClinton Burgess Campbell Jackson Englemon Woods Massey P Of i Nienberg Totals Yds 40 10 50 Yds 0 0 Solo 6 6 6 5 3 4 3 3 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 50 Avg 20.0 10.0 16.6 Lg 28 10 38 TD 0 TD 0 0 Turnovers (19): vs. Miami (Ohio) (7): Markus Curry (2), Ryan Mundy, Ernest Shazor and Jacob Stewart interceptions, Prescott Burgess and Pierre Woods fumble recoveries. at Notre Dame (4): Curry, Mundy and Lawrenence Reid interceptio ns, Burgess fumble recovery. vs. San Diego State (3): Sharor interception, Reid and Alex Ofili fumble recoveries. vs. Iowa (5): Leon Hall and Grant Mason interceptions, Hall, Scott McClintock and Shazor fumblerecoveries. No. Yds Avg Lg 6 276 46.0 54 6 276 46.0 54 Points off Turnovers (79): vs. Miami (Ohio) (36): Garrett Rivas fiei goal, Braylon Edwards reception, Shazor interception return, two David Underwood runs. at Notre Dame (9): Three Rivas field goals. vs. San Diego State (7): Reid fumblle return vs. Iowa (27): Edwards reception, Chad Henne run, Mike Hart run and Mason interception return. Avg Lg 0 0 o o Asst 1 1 0 1 2 O 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 Tot 7 7 6 6 6 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 0 TONY DING/Daily Grant Mason runs for a touchdown in the second half of Satruday's game against Iowa. The senior took advantage of the most playing time of his career. Captain goes fom left guard to center 10 so . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0 BIG TEN STANDINGS Team Bi Ten Overall By Gennaro Filice Daily Sports Editor A two-time first-team All-Big Ten selection and second-team All American in 2003, senior left guard 'David Baas seems like the last play- er you'd want to move positions. But the offensive team captain played the entire game at center on Saturday. "This allows us to have a really strong, powerful line," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "We really have to run the foot- ball to be effective. He worked (at cen- ter) all summer. I just think it enables, us to get a lineup in there that is very, very physical and is going to get movement and knock people off the ball. If we can run the football, we stay out of all those third down and long situations where all the pres- sure is on the quarterback. It's what you want to avoid with a young quar- ferback." Entering this weekend, Baas had started 30 consecutive games at left guard. He replaced sophomore Mark Bihl at center. "It shows great leadership by Baas - it doesn't matter where they put him," junior Matt Lentz said. "If he can help the team in any way, he'll play that position." Lentz went on to really stress Baas's versatility: "If they. want him at defensive tackle, defensive end, secondary - he'll play there." Secondary? "Baas, he's got some wheels," Lentz said with a smile. Leo Henige Jr. filled in for Baas at left guard, making his first col- legiate start. "Coaches always say that they're going to put their best five out there and 'that was it," Lentz said. SACKED up: For the second straight game, the Wolverines recorded four sacks. Pat Massey, Gabe Watson, LaMarr Woodley and Alex Ofili were credited with one each. "I think (defensive coordinator) Jim Herrmann did a great -job in terms of coming up with a scheme that gave us an opportunity to get some pressure," Carr said. The Wolverines seemed to employ their most aggressive attack this year, bringing extra men on many occasions. Senior Marlin Jackson caused Iowa quarterback Drew Tate to get rid of the ball prematurely through multiple corner blitzes, including the play that led to Leon Hall's second quarter interception. "Personally, I love (the aggressive gameplan)," Massey said. "Speaking for the defense, we all like it. We all like to get after it, we've got great athletes, good speed and it definitely works to our advantage when we're getting after them like that." The Wolverines' defensive line also held Iowa - a team that bases its offense around the run - to negative 15 yards on the ground, four yards shy of tying the Michigan record for fewest rushing yards allowed. ROTH THE (BIG) HoUSE: Although Iowa's play against Michigan was far from stellar, one Hawkeye left a huge impression on the Wolverines. Senior defensive end Matt Roth was in the Michigan backfield all day, recording seven tackles, including two tackles for loss and a sack. "He's pretty good," Lentz said. "I give him all the credit in the world. He played his butt off today." The 6-foot-4, 270-pound Roth used his speed to record 12 sacks en route to being named first team All- Big Ten in 2003. Minnesota 1 0 4 0 Wisonson 1 0 4 0 Purdue 1 0 3 0 Michigan 1 0 3 1 Michigan State 1 0 2 2 Ohio State 0 0 3 0 Indiana 0 1 2 2 Iowa 0 1 2 2 Penn State 0 1 2 2 Illinois 0 1 2 2 Northwestern 0 1 1 3 THIS WEEKEND'S RESULTS Michigan State 30, INDIANA 20 Purdue 38, ILLINOIS 30 MICHIGAN 30, Iowa 17 WISCONSIN 16, Penn State 3 MINNESOTA 43, Northwestern 17 WHO'S NEXT: INDIANA Michigan travels to Bloomington to take on a Hoosier program that is coming off a heartbreaking loss to Michigan State. The Hoosiers took a 20-7 lead into the locker- room, before yielding 23 unanswered points in the second half to the Spartans offense, which was spearheaded by quar- terback Drew Stanton. Indiana could only muster up 41 yards of total offense in the second half and the Hoosiers saw their Big Ten opener slip through their hands. 'M' SCHEDULE al Date Sept. 3 Sept. 11 Sept. 18 Sept. 25 Oct. 2 Oct. 9 Oct. 16 Oct. 23 Oct. 30 Nov. 13 Nov. 20 Oooonent Time/Result Miami (Ohio) W. 43-10 at Notre Dame L, 20-28 San Diego State W, 24-21 Iowa W, 30-17 at Indiana 3:30 ' Minnesota TBA at Illinois TBA at Purdue TBA Michigan State TBA Northwestern TBA at Ohio State Noon Michigan players spill onto the field just before kickoff on Saturday. I WEEKEND'S BEST TROJANS SURVIVE: No. 1 Southern Cal. overcame a 28-17 halftime defi- cit en route to a 31-28 victory over Stanford. The Trojans trailed by four points with 6:15 left in the fourth quarter before a two-yard touchdown run by running back Lendale White. The score was set up by an impres- sive 33-yard punt return by all-pur- pose back Reggie Bush. Inability to move the ball in the second half (43 total yards) prevented Stanford from pulling off an upset that would have ended the nation's second longest winning streak. HOW THE AP TOP 25 FARED Associated Press Poll for the week of Sept. 21 NEW AP TOP 25 (first-place votes in parentheses) Games updated through Sept. 25 Team: 1. Southern Cal. 2. Oklahoma 3. Georgia 4. Miami 5. Texas 6. West Virginia 7. Ohio State 8. Florida State 9. Auburn 10. California 11. Tennessee Last week: beat Stanford 31-28 DNP DNP beat Houston 38-13 beat Rice 35-13 beat James Madison 45-10 DNP beat Clemson 41-22 beat The Citadel 33-13 DNP beat Louisiana Tech 42-17 This week: Idle Texas Tech LSU at Georgia Tech Baylor at Virginia Tech at Northwestern North Carolina at Tennessee at Oregon State Auburn TEAM 1. Southern Cal. (46) 2. Oklahoma (18) 3. Georgia (1) 4. Miami 5. Texas 6. West Virginia 7. Ohio State 8. Auburn 9. Florida State 10. California 10. Tennessee 12. Virginia 13. LSU 14. Utah REC 4-0 3-0 3-0 3-0 3-0 4-0 3-0 4-0 2-1 2-0 3-0 4-0 3-1 4-0 PTS 1,605 1,570 1,452 1,435 1,365 1,176 1,113 1,093 1,074 1,033 1,033 927 842 764 Pvs 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 8 10 11 12 13 14 fl UW -V>.U .. -,-Z V >E.