8A - Friday, October 27, 2006
Fitzgerald
returns to
Big House
By SCOTT BELL
Daily Sports Editor
Eleven years ago, a heralded linebacker from North-
western entered the Big House for the final time in his
playing career.
Pat Fitzgerald, a junior at the time, helped lead the
underdog Wildcats to an upset victory over No. 6 Michi-
gan. The win spurred Northwestern to a Big Ten title
and a trip to the Rose Bowl - and was the last time
Northwestern won at the Big House.
Now, more than a decade later, Fitzgerald will make
his return to Michigan Stadium, on Saturday.
"I remember Pat Fitzgerald as being an outstanding
player, a great competitor and a leader on the team,"
Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "They won the cham-
pionship and went to the Rose Bowl, so he was a guy
that I thought represented himself and his school, the
Big Ten Conference, intercollegiate football, I think in a
very positive way."
But Fitzgerald has assumed a new role for his
return.
The 31-year-old was named head coach of the foot-
ball team this
summer after Northwestern
the tragic at Michigan
death of then-
coach Randy Matchup: Northwestern (0-;
Walker. 4, 2-6); Michigan (5-0, 8-0)
Though the When: Tomorrow, noon
Wildcats (0-4 Where: Michigan Stadium
Big Ten, 2-6 TV/Radio:ESPN
overall) have
struggled in
their first sea-
son under Fitzgerald, teams around the Big Ten know
the impact Fitzgerald can have.
"It was obvious that he had some special ability,
and I'm sure that's a big part of why they felt confident
enough to name him the head coach there despite the
fact that he's so young," Carr said.
Though Fitzgerald is known for his defensive prow-
ess, the Wildcats displayed the potential explosiveness
of their offense last weekend at Ryan Field.
Northwestern scored 38 points against Michigan
State's defense in less than three and a half quarters.
Unfortunately for the Wildcats, games last 60 min-
utes.
The Northwestern defense allowed 38 points in the
game's final 25 minutes. The collapse opened the door
for the Spartans to make the largest comeback in Divi-
sion I-A history on their way to a 41-38 victory.
Northwestern will need a similar offensive perfor-
mance (sans defensive meltdown) to have even a chance
against No. 2 Michigan (5-0, 8-0). The Wolverines have
waltzed through their schedule unscathed so far, and
seem destined for a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup with rival
Ohio State on Nov. 18.
But Carr continues to stress to his players that media
hype and accolades are worthless unless the team con-
tinues to win.
"We know we can't listen to stuff like that," lineback-
er David Harris said. "We just have to take it one game
at a time, because in college football anybody can beat
anybody on any given day. We just have to stay humble
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Schaetzel
finishing
fall with a
flourish
By JESSICA ASBILL
Daily Sports Writer
As the Michigan men's golf team winds down
its fall tournament season, junior Tim Schaetzel
has ignited the squad's momentum. Heading into
the find weeks of play, he has earned three top ten
finishes inthe last four tournaments.
Schaetzel's top-10 finishes, along with his tie
for 30th in the Rich Harvest Farms Intercolle-
gitate (Sep. 9-10), have'helped the Wolverines to
four straight top-ten finishes this fall.
Schaetzel, agraduate ofPaceAcademyinAtlan-
ta, did not have to qualify for the 49er Collegiate
Classic (Concord, N.C.) because he has finished so
high in recent play. He finished tied for eighth at
the Wolverine Intercollegiate Classic (Sept. 16-17),
tied for seventh at the Wolf Run Intercollegiate
(Oct. 7-8), and, most recently, he tied for third at
the Oklahoma Intercollegiate (Oct. 15-17).
"I am hitting the ball very well, and giving
myself a lot of tries to make birdies," Schaetzel
said. "... I feel like when I am playing well I can
compete with almost anyone in the field."
His start this week at the 49er Collegiate Clas-
sic was his 23rd career tournament and 20th con-
secutive since he started the last four tournaments
of the 2004-05 season. He currently leads Michi-
gan with a 74.27 scoring average this season. Last
season, Schaetzel was one of just two Wolverines
to start all 12 tournaments.
Senior Kevin Dore and sophomore Bill Rankin
accompany Schaetzel as the only three Wolver-
ines to start all four tournaments this season. The
trio has posted six top-20 finishes and has record-
ed seven rounds of par or better.
Schaetzel's solid play has increased his expec-
tations.
"Most each and every week I try to treat it as an
individual week - that way I never get too high
or too low and never put too much pressure on
myself," Schaetzel said. "The best thing I can do
to help the team is to tryto playthe very bestI can
individually."
The team competed inthe 49er Collegiate Clas-
sic on Oct. 23-24 and finished fourth of 15 teams.
Schaetzel led the field after one day of competi-
tion, but, on the last day, he faltered with his
putting. Schaetzel finished 12th with a total tour-
nament score of 225.
"We are going to work a lot on our putting,"
Michigan coach Andrew Sapp said to the Atheletic
Department after the 49er Intercollegiate Classic.
"I saw a lot of missed putts (during the tourna-
ment). I saw a lot of three-putts from five feet."
The team and Schaetzel now turn their focus to
their last tournament this fall, the Aloha Purdue
Collegiate Invitational in Hawaii.
"I think I can win individually, and (we) as a
team canwinthe upcomingtournamentin Hawaii
on Thanksgiving," Schaetzel said. "We have about
three weeks we can prepare here for, ultimately,
both an individual and a team win."
EUGENE ROBE RTS(
Sophormore Brandon Harrison and the rest of the Wolverines have their eyes on the Northwestern and its spread offense.
and keep trying to execute."
The task of facing Northwestern's spread offense
should be enough to keep Michigan focused.
Though the troubles the Wolverines had against
spread offenses during the 2004 season seem to be long
gone, Michigan and its coaching staff still recognize the
big-play capability an offense like Northwestern's pos-
sesses.
"If you don't do the things in pass defense that you
needed to, then you create huge seams with your cover-
age, and, of course, that creates other problems," Carr
said.
The spread offense also gives running backs more
room to run the ball. Michigan has won six of the last
seven games in this series, but in its last loss to North-
western (a 54-51 thriller at Ryan Field in 2000), the
Wolverines allowed Wildcat running back Damien
Anderson to rush for 268 yards.
This season, the Wolverines have the nation's lead-
ing run defense. But don't expect Michigan to look past
Northwestern's talented running back Tyrell Sutton,
last season's consensus Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
"He's a great, elusive running back," defensive end
Tim Jamison said. "He's kind of fast, he's not a power
back, so he can wiggle through tackles, so you have to
wrap him up."
Beside all the questions Carr faced at his weekly
press conference on Monday about spread offenses and
overlooking Northwestern, the one that stumped him
most stemmed back to Northwestern's leader.
"What do you remember about Pat Fitzgerald as a
player? And how do you think you would have been as a
head coach in your thirties?" one reporter asked.
Carr spoke highly of Fitzgerald, then paused and
smiled.
"And the rest of that question I'll pass on," he said.
Icers hoping to get back on track
By IAN ROBINSON
T h( Daily Sports Writer
Friday's loss to Miami (Ohio)
revealed more than just the problems
with special teams and forechecking.
It showed a Michigan team that was
not mentally ready to win.
"We have to play with more inten-
sity, with more will, with more grit,...
determination, perseverance," Mich-
igan coach Red Berenson said.
A day after knocking off the ninth-
ranked RedHawks, 6-3, for the team's
first win against a ranked opponent
in almost a year, the Wolverines came
out flat against a fired-up Miami
(Ohio) squad. In Thursday's game,
FILE PHOTo Michigan created numerous odd-
man rushes and beat its opponent
to loose pucks, but it was a different
story on Friday.
"To beat a team like (Miami
(Ohio)), you really have to get ready
for a tougher game the next day,"
Berenson said. "I don't know if our
team understood that. So we paid the
price."
To avoid paying that same price
against Northeastern at Yost Ice
Arena tonight and tomorrow night,
Michigan (1-1-0 CCHA, 3-1-0 over-
all) needs to bring energy and hustle.
Following the lossto Miami (Ohio),
senior Tim Cook said the team must
flip the switch and turn up the inten-
sity when the puck drops so the prob-
lem does not become habitual.
"We have to nip it in the bud,"
Cook said. "You can work on other
skills. You can work on battling, but
everyone - myself included - has to
make that mental decision that we
are not going to get out-worked."
Northeastern (0-2-1 Hockey East,
1-2-1 overall) is the type of opponent
that could come out and surprise a
higher ranked team. The unranked
Huskies come into the weekend
series with a less than stellar record,
but they have held their own against
some of the nation's best.
Northeastern kept pace with then-
No. 1 Boston College for half a game
on Oct. 10, tied then-10th-ranked
Vermont on the road on Oct. 14 and
held a one-goal lead in the third peri-
od at then-No. 6 Boston University
before losing on Oct. 20.
Not to mention that the last time
Michigan played Northeastern,
the Huskies prevailed over the top-
ranked Wolverines 4-2.
"We've got to build off where we
are and, hopefully, be a better team
in both games," Berenson said.
If they don't bring the tenacity
both nights, it could be another rough
weekend for Michigan hockey.
Senior Tim Cook believes Michigan's mental game needs work.
University of Michigan
Dance Marathon and 1I4llel
Present
3TANWINGROOMA ONLY
Charity Variely Show
Saturday October 28th 2006
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre 7:3opm
Proceeds go to Mott Children's Hospital and
Beaumont Hospital
Tigers fall,
now aloss
away from
elimination
ST. LOUIS (AP) - With some help from a
soggy field and two big hits by little David Eck-
stein, the St. Louis Cardinals took control of the
World Series with a wild comeback win.
Eckstein's tie-breaking double glanced off
the glove of a diving Craig Monroe in left field in
the eighth inning, and the Cardinals capitalized
on Detroit's sloppy defense for a 5-4 victory last
night in Game 4.
After Curtis Granderson slipped in center
field on a key play trying for another ball hit by
Eckstein, rekindling memories of Curt Flood in
the 1968 Series between these teams, St. Louis
took a 3-1 lead to move within one win of its first
championship in 24 years.
Jeff Weaver can wrap it up Friday night at
Busch Stadium when he pitches against rookie
Justin Verlander. Each lost his first start in this
Series.
One word of caution, Cardinals fans: St. Louis
had a 3-1 lead in '68, too, before Detroit rallied to
win behind lefty Mickey Lolich.
The decisive hit that time came when Flood,
a Gold Glove center fielder, slipped on Jim
Northrup's two-out, two-run triple off Cardi-
nals ace Bob Gibson to break a scoreless tie in
the seventh inning of Game 7 - right across the
street, where the old Busch Stadium stood.
This time, the 5-foot-7Eckstein hit three dou-
bles and a single as St. Louis overcame an early
4
Tiger outfielder Craig Monroe dives for a ball during last night's 5-4 loss to St. Louis. Detroit will face elimina-
tion tonight when they once again face the cardinals in St. Louis.
3-0 deficit to close in on its 10th World Series Eckstein hit a drive to right-center that Grand-
title. erson appeared to have in his sights before he
The last team to squander a 3-1 lead, however, slipped to the slick turf, kicking up a huge divot.
was the 1985 Cardinals against Kansas City. The ball fell for an easy double.
After a rainout Wednesday night, only the Pinch-hitter So Taguchi dropped down a sac-
second World Series washout in 20 years, show- rifice bunt, and reliever Fernando Rodney threw
ers were expected again Thursday. But theheavy the ball way over the head of Placido Polanco
stuff stayed away on a 53-degree nightand much covering at first base, allowing Eckstein to score
of the back-and-forth game was played in a light the tying run.
mist that obscured the Gateway Arch beyond It was the fourth error by a Tigers pitcher in
center field. four games, a record for one pitchingstaff in the
The mist got heavier in the sixth, however, World Series.
and the Tigers began to struggle with the ele- After an intentional walk to Albert Pujols and
ments. two strikeouts, Preston Wilson singled to left
With St. Louis trailing 3-2 in the seventh, against Rodney to give St. Louis a 4-3 lead.
I