The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, October 26, 2004 - 13
Hensick's passing aids Icers
By Jake Rosenwasser
Daily Sports Writer
If sophomore T.J. Hensick was
a basketball player, he'd definitely
run the point. The Michigan cen-
ter's vision on the ice and knack for
being able to thread a pass between
defenders to a winger mirrors the
play of a stellar point guard, who
penetrates through would-be shot
blockers and finally dishes to an
open teammate at the last possible
second.
"When he gets the puck, he's
always looking to set someone else
up," junior Brandon Kaleniecki
said. "He obviously has the ability
to score, as well, but he's a playmak-
er - that's just what he does."
Recently, Michigan coach Red
Berenson reorganized the team's
lines, aligning Hensick with Kalen-
iecki on his left and freshman speed-
ster Chad Kolarik on his right.
"I played on a line with him most
of last year," Kaleniecki said. "It's
exciting to play with him because
he creates so many opportunities
for you, and it works out because
I'm more of a shooter."
Exciting is right. Last year Hen-
sick led the Wolverines with 34
assists while Kaleniecki scored a
team-high 20 goals.
On Saturday, Berenson's line
adjustments paid off - the new trio
combined to score Michigan's first
two goals en route to its 5-2 win
over Lake Superior State.
Hensick broke a scoreless tie in
the first period when he took a pass
from Kolarik and skated into the
Lakers' zone with a one-on-two dis-
advantage. The expert passer found
himself in unfamiliar territory with
no one to pass to, so he took a rare
trip down the ice by himself and
headed to the net. He zigged to the
left of the two defenders and zagged
to the right of the goalie before he
deposited the puck between the post
and the goalie's blocker.
"It was a good play by Kolarik
to get me the puck," Hensick said.
"From there, I just used my speed to
beat the guy wide."
The line's second goal came on a
more typical Hensick play. Kalen-
iecki passed to Hensick behind the
net - where he can be so dangerous
- and the sophomore skated to the
slot where he attempted a shot. The
goalie blocked his initial attempt,
but Kolarik, who was stationed in
front of the net, gathered the puck
and scored.
Later in the game, Hensick
notched his seventh assist and ninth
point - both of which are team
highs for the season.
"Most guys like to score the
goals," Hensick said. "But I like to
make the passes. I was the same way
growing up. If we score, I'd rather
have the assist than the goal.
"My teammates work hard to get
open and I like to take advantage of
that. I don't want them to come all the
way down the ice and feel bad when
they don't get a chance to score."
Hensick has scored in each of
Michigan's six games this season, but
he's been playing his best of late.
"I think I'm taking steps in the
right direction," Hensick said. "I
don't think I've played up to my
potential yet this season, but I'm
definitely getting there."
Though Hensick plays with a
pass-first mentality, if left alone,
he's shown he can definitely drain
the three and move the net.
RYAN WEINER/Daily
Michigan coach Red Berenson recently adjusted sophomore TJ. Hensick's line, putting him with Brandon Kaleniecki and Chad
Kolarik. In last weekend's game against Lake Superior State, the new line scored the first two goals in Michigan's 5-2 win.
Conference titles on the line
Florida's Zook fired
after two so-so seasons
By Mike Roarty
For the Daily
Several top-ranked teams face big
tests this week inside their respective
conferences. Here are some of Satur-
day's best games:
No. 2 OKLAHOMA (4-0, 7-0) AT
No. 20 OKLAHOMA STATE (3-1, 6-1)
with a 38-28 loss to the Cowboys.
Oklahoma's Jason White, last year's
Heisman winner, has thrown a com-
bined eight touchdowns in his last
two games and will try to shred the
undersized Cowboys' secondary.
The passing game for Oklahoma has
opened up because of freshman run-
ning back Adrian Peterson's domi-
nance on the ground.
After losing many players to the
NFL, the Cowboys have been a sur-
prise team in the Big 12 South, drop-
ping just one game this season. One
reason for their success has been
stud tailback Vernand Morency. He
is third in the nation in rushing with
1,153 yards.
- NOON, ABC
Oklahoma con-
tinues its quest for
the Orange Bowl
this week when the
Sooners pay a visit
to Stillwater, where
two years ago their
wa
C OS ; :.
. o
national championship run ended
Although Oklahoma States's run-
ning game has been fantastic, its
passing game scares no one.
The Sooners' front seven -
will shut down Morency
and force the Cowboy's
young quarterback, Dono-
van Woods, to beat them
throwing. The Cowboys
will not be able to stop the
balanced attack that Okla-
homa throws at them.
Oklahoma 45, Oklahoma
State 17
FLORIDA (2-3, 4-3) vs.'
No.7 GEORGIA (4-1, 6-1)
AT JACKSONVILLE -3:30
P.M., CBS+
Georgia has lost 13
of its last 14 games to
the Gators, but the
Bulldogs will try to
turn it around this
week. Florida is
going through some {
turmoil itself as its
coach, Ron Zook,
was fired yesterday.
He will remain the coach
for the remainder of the season, but
the commotion could leave the play-
ers unsettled.
The Bulldogs were heavily favored
to make it to the national title game
but slipped up against Tennessee
three weeks ago. They are lead by
senior quarterback David Greene and
a solid receiver corps.
Georgia 28, Florida 14
No. 21 ARIZONA STATE (3-1, 6-1)
AT NO. 8 CALIFORNIA (3-1, 5-1) - 10
P.M., TBS
This matchup is most likely a battle
for second place in the Pac-10. South-
ern Cal. beat each of these teams ear-
lier in the season, so if either Arizona
State or California has its eye on the
Rose Bowl, a win is essential.
Unlike the Bears, who battled the
Trojans thanks to Heisman contender
Aaron Rodgers, the Sun Devils got
anihilated by Southern Cal. - even
with star quarterback Andrew Walter.
Arizona State offers a one-dimen-
sional passing offense and does not
keep defenses on their toes.
Cal still has an excellent chance
of getting an at-large berth to a BCS
bowl, so it has more to lose. Califor-
nia's defensive front will not worry
about the run and will rush Walter
hard.
California 45, Arizona State 21
GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Florida
coach Ron Zook was fired yesterday after
two-plus years and a stack of embarrass-
ments on and off the field, satisfying a
growing groundswell for his ouster that
began the day he replaced Steve Spurrier.
Zook will finish out the season while
athletic director Jeremy Foley and
school president Bernie Machen search
for another coach.
The Gators are 20-13 under Zook with
four games left - that's just 14 losses
fewer than Spurrier had in 12 seasons.
Zook's latest debacle, a 38-31 loss to
Mississippi State, sealed his fate and
brought jubilation among those in Gator
Nation who turned www.fireronzook.
com into their Internet home page. The
site posted this message yesterday: "It's
happening! It's happening! Oh my God
it's happening!"
Spurrier's return would be welcomed
in Gainesville.
"I'll cross that bridge if it comes to
that," Spurrier told the Orlando Sentinel.
"The thing I've tried to do all this year
is not be lingering around, acting like
I'm waiting for another guy's job. I don't
believe that's the right way to do it. But'
now that he doesn't have a job, I guess
there will be some discussion. We'll see
what happens."
Foley planned to talk with Spurrier
soon but said he won't discuss the open-
ing with coaches with jobs until after the
season.
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops and
Utah coach Urban Meyer also could
be possibilities. Stoops was Spurrier's
defensive coordinator for three seasons
at Florida, and Machen hired Meyer at
Utah following the 2002 season.
Machen and Foley decided Sunday
morning that Zook's tenure was over.
They informed the coach yesterday
morning at Machen's home.
Zook agreed to coach the remaindej
of the season - something Foley was
counting on.
"I can't begin to tell you how much
I appreciate and respect these players,'
Zook read from a statement. "They work<
hard and they do what we ask. I take a
lot of pride in the fact that we leave this
program in very good shape, with a lot
of good young talent and good people.
"The future of Gator football is very.
very bright."
When Spurrier left for the NFL, Foley
shockingly hired Zook.
Almost all the concerns about Spurri-
er's former defensive coordinator - that
he was in over his head, had never been
a head coach and wasn't composed
enough to manage a game from the side-
line - became reality.
"When the situation starts going
downhill, it's hard sometimes to push it
back up," Foley said. "I think the situa-
tion got out of control, even for him."
Just weeks before the Mississippi State
loss, reports surfaced that Zook had a heat-
ed confrontation with fraternity members
on campus. Zook initially downplayed his
role, saying he went there to defuse the
situation, but Foley later acknowledged
that Zook yelled at students and called the
behavior "unacceptable."
Foley said the same thing about the
mounting losses - many of them late
collapses.
Foley said he kept Zook for the rest of
the season because it was "something he
deserves."
"The guy has been here for three
years; this is his football team," Foley
said. "He's worked extraordinarily
hard. It would be inappropriate foi
him not to finish the season. It would
be inappropriate for the kids, too. We
didn't think that would have been right
in our opinion."
No. 22 VIRGINIA TECH (2-1, 5-2) AT
GEORGIA TECH (3-2, 4-2) - THURS-
DAY 7:30 P.M., ESPN
This game pits the new age ACC
against old school ACC, as Virginia
Tech faces Georgia Tech for the first
time since the Hokies joined the con-
ference.
Virginia Tech is led by its streaky
quarterback, Bryan Randall. He has
thrived in some games and baffled
his team with terrible mistakes in oth-
ers. Luckily for Hokie fans, the team's
defense is fast and can shut down any-
one not named Reggie Bush.
Georgia Tech has also been plagued
with inconsistent play, but not from
just one player, rather the whole
team. The Yellow Jackets have been
unable to win consecutive big games
in the past few years. With losses to
Miami and North Carolina already,
Georgia Tech can't afford any more
conferences losses.
The Virginia Tech offense has
struggled because of inexperience,
but its defense will be too much for
its inconsistent opponent.
Virginia Tech 17, Georgia Tech 7
On November 2,
WCC asks you to put
last things first
WCC's millage renewal proposal
(Proposal B) is at the end of the
general election ballot.
AP PHOTO
Thanks in part to tailback Vernand Morency, who ranks third in the nation in rush-
ing, Oklahoma State has surprised the nation with a 6-1 overall record this season.
BREMMER
Continued from page 12
have been as good as anyone in the
country, including those two Heis-
man candidates.
Over his last six games, Hart has
arguably outplayed the 6-foot-2,
210 pound Peterson. It's true that
Peterson has carried the ball 18 less
times for a total of 24 more yards
(161 carries for 923 yards vs. Hart's
179 for 899 yards).
But Hart's all-purpose numbers
give him an edge. Adding Hart's
16 catches for 148 yards and a
touchdown into the equation gives
the Michigan back a nearly 120-
yard advantage in total offense.
Hart's five touchdowns (four on the
ground, one in the air) are just one
less than Peterson's six.
The comparison with the 6-foot,
225-pound Benson is a little harder
to judge, and the Texas senior may
take the overall edge. In their last
six games, Benson has outrushed
Hart by 76 yards, but Hart has
tntaled 70 more receiving vards.
He never falls backwards when he
gets hit at the line. And he's rarely
brought down by the first guy to
get to him.
At the start of the season, people
didn't even know who Mike Hart
was. Now, you compare his num-
bers to a bunch of valid Heisman
candidates, and Hart holds his own.
Okay, back to reality. I know what
you're thinking - those compari-
sons I made above only reflect the
teams' last six games, and Michigan,
Texas and Oklahoma have all hit the
field more than six times.
It's true - Michigan has played
eight, Texas and Oklahoma seven a
piece. Looking at their seasons as
a whole, Benson and Peterson both
have more yards and touchdowns
than Hart.
But these stats aren't meant to be
an indication of my Heisman ballot
- they're merely an illustration of
how far Hart, and Michigan's run-
ning game, have come in the past
eight weeks.
So while his total season stats
may not be as impressive as Peter-
son's or Benson's. it doesn't matter
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The ballot proposal is to:
Reauthorize 0.85 mills for 10 years
This funding is
needed to preserve
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" courses that
transfer to more
than 30 colleges
and universities,
including the U-M
and EMU
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