The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Friday, November 10, 2006 - 9 Blue one away from Bucks Lewis, Hoosiers could scare M' By SCOTT BELL and KEVIN WRIGHT Daily Sports Editors One more win. That's all Michigan needs to head into Columbus with an undefeated record and a shot at the Big Ten Championship and a possible National Championship bid on the line. But before the Wolverines turn their focus to Ohio State, they have to take care of business against an upstart Indiana team that has already surprised Iowa and is one win away from its first bowl bid since 1993. Michigan rushing offense vs. Indiana rushing defense With Michigan, it's the same story every week. The Wolver- ines are going to run, whether or not the opposition puts eight men in the box. Michigan coach Lloyd Carr doesn't care, especially after he hammered in improving the running game as a must before the season. And the commitment has paid off. Junior Mike Hart has racked up 1,281 yards on the sea- son, and the Wolverines' ground attack totaled 352 yards against Ball State last week. Meanwhile, the Indiana defense gives up an average of 170.6 yards on the ground per game. Edge: Michigan Michigan passing offense vs. Indiana passing defense Now that quarterback Chad Henne has his favorite target wide, receiver Mario Manningham, back, look for the Wolverine pass- ing attack to return to its early- season form. The last few weeks, Michigan struggled to stretch the field without a deep-ball threat. As Manningham works himself back into the lineup and Adrian Arrington continues emerging, Michigan will able to throw at will - especially with Indiana forced to stop the run. Edge: Michigan Michigan rushing defense vs. Indiana rushing offense The stats speak for themselves. Michigan is No. 1 in the nation against the rush, and the Wol- verines are on pace to break the record for fewest yards allowed on the ground during a season. The defense has let just one back to rush for more than 100 yards against them so far, and don't expect Indiana to be the second. Even though the Hoosiers aver- age more than 100 rushing yards per game, they rely more heavily on the passing attack to move the ball. Edge: Michigan Indiana passing offense vs. Michigan passing defense The Wolverine passingdefense was exposed last weekend - kind of. Yes, Michigan allowed two long touchdown passes against lowly Ball State, but don't be too swayed by this stat: Michigan's first-string defense was respon- sible for allowing just three of the Cardinals' 26 points. Indiana super frosh Kellen Lewis has emerged as a super- star in the making as the signal caller for the improving Hoo- siers. His arm, coupled with the receiving prowess of last year's freshman All-American James Hardy, gives Indiana a potent aerial attack. But Michigan's front seven gets constant pressure on oppos- ing quarterbacks, and Davis will have to rely on his legs to buy time against a ferocious pass rush. Edge: Push By STEPHANIE WRIGHT DailySports Editor Usually a Big Ten doormat, Indi- ana has made quite the turnaround this year. The Hoosiers finished last season with just one conference win, a 36-13 victory over fellow bottom-dweller Illinois. With two games left in its 2006 campaign, Indiana has already tri- pled its Big Ten win total from a year ago, and sits one victory away from earning its first trip to a bowl game since 1993. No. 2 Michigan could have its hands full tomorrow when it goes for its 15th straight win over the Hoo- siers. "They've proven that they can make some big plays and knock off some big opponents," said defensive end Jeremy Van Alstyne, who grew up 45 minutes north of Bloomington in Greenwood, Ind. "They're having a great season." Indiana can thank quarterback Kellen Lewis for that. In his last five contests, includ- ing all three of the Hoosiers' Big Ten wins, Lewis has amassed 1,383 all- purpose yards and 11 touchdowns. His 255-yard, three-touchdown per- formance in Indiana's surprising 31- 28 win over then-No. 15 Iowa on Oct. 14 earned him co-Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors. Even though the Hoosiers (3-3 Big Ten, 5-5 overall) struggled against Minnesota last weekend (the Golden Gophers pummeled Indiana, 63-26), Lewis set a career high with 396 total yards. "I think this young quarterback, Kellen Lewis, is destined for star- dom," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "He's got great ability to run the football, but I think he's even more impressive as a passer. He's got a great release, a strong arm, and (he's) a guy that has really brought this team together." Not bad for a player who expected to see the field on just a handful of trick plays when the season began. A redshirt freshman, Lewis start- ed the year as Indiana's third-string signal caller. Then the Hoosiers lost both of their top quarterbacks (Blake Powers and Graeme McFarland) by halftime of their second game, and Lewis was thrown into the starting lineup. He's had college football buzzing ever since. "We know that he's a very good quarterback," said linebacker Chris Graham, who hails from Indianapo- lis. "Just sit yourself down and watch the games that he played in - he's a very good leader for their team." Even so, Lewis probably wouldn't have made such a splash without Indiana's standout receiving corps. The Hoosiers' top seven receivers are each averaging at least nine yards per catch, and they've all grabbed a mini- mum of 14 passes. But redshirt sophomore James Hardy is unquestionably the star. Rivals.com named him to its fresh- man All-Americateam lastyear after he caught 61 passes for 893 yards and 10 touchdowns, and a number of sea- son-preview magazines placed him on their preseason All-Big Ten first teams this year. Even with so many Indiana receiv- ers nabbing balls, Hardy has amassed 534 yards and nine touchdowns on 38 receptions this year. "He's definitely going to be one of the biggest, one of the hardest guys I've gone against this year, and same with the other corners," senior cor- nerback Leon Hall said. "He is defi- nitely a special talent." Indiana's big-play ability might be striking a little extra fear into Michi- gan's defense after its sluggish show- See HOOSIERS, Page 10 Junior running back Mike Hart will look to addto his 1,281 yards for the season as the-Wolverines take on Indiana tomorrow. Special teams Carr sang the praises of Hoo- sier return man Marcus Thigpen, calling him the fastest player in the Big Ten. His speed gives Indiana an edge over Michigan in the kick return game, where Michigan's Steve Breaston hasn't yet shown the explosiveness of years past. But give Michigan the nod in the kicking department. Kick- er Garrett Rivas finally added some hardware to his mantle after picking up Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honors on Monday. He will look to add to his 339 career points, which broke Michigan's all-time mark. Edge: Michigan Intangibles Both teams have a lot to play for. Michigan needs to right the ship after struggling in its last few games. With their big matchup against Ohio State on the horizon, the Wolverines will look to send a message to their rivals. But Indiana is fighting for bowl eligibility. After years of mediocrity, the Hoosiers finally have a chance of breaking into the postseason. Sitting at 5-5, Indiana needs to win one of its final two games. The Hoosiers would just as soon get that task out of the way on Saturday. Edge: Push Michigan 31, Indiana 17 Cagers open season with reunion By H. JOSE BOSCH for the season (12 point Daily Sports Editor Wolverine seniors C Petway have to be aw This weekend, the Blue Devils are in town and shiftier counterparts w Michigan basketball coach Tommy Amaker will ing out down low. Desp be celebrating a reunion. Blue Devils out-reboun Unfortunately for the fans, these Blue Devils season, and under hea hail from Central Connecticut State, not Duke, man, the team has out- and Amaker will reunite with a former assistant, for eight straight seasoi Eastern Michigan coach Charles Ramsey, not his The key to the rebou college teammates. guards. Against the sm The Wolverines hope to start a streak similar Dion Harris and Reed to last season's 7-0 start when they open their third, respectively, in ri 2006-07 season against Central Connecticut Amaker attributed State on the first day of this weekend's John a smaller team to sho Thompson Challenge at Crisler Arena. instead of banging bodi The matchup marks the first time the two translate into long rel schools have played each other. rebounding abilities be The Blue Devils start a small lineup; their tall- those of the forwards. est player is 6-foot-7 forward Jemino Sobers. In Michigan will playtv the Wolverines' first exhibition game, they faced end during the John' a similar opponent in Wayne State, which also Saturday afternoon, th didn't have a player taller than 6 foot 7. off against Davidson. But Central Connecticut State's best player The Wildcats are co: could still pose a threat in the paint despite his which included their' small stature (for a forward). Senior Obie Nwa- Tournament and third dike, a first-team preseason All-Northeastern McKillop. Against Ohi sTEVEN sI/Day Conference selection, was the only player in the of last year's tourname Senior wing Lester Abram tips off the season at Crisler Arena tonight. conference last year to average a double-double point lead in the first Power-play magicians come to Yost s,10 rebounds). ourtney Sims and Brent are of their smaller and rhen posting up and box- ite their smaller size, the ded their opponents last ad coach Howie Dicken- -rebounded its opponents ins. nding battle could be the aller Wayne State, guards Baker were second and ebounding. this to the tendency of ot around the perimeter es in the paint. Long shots bounds, and the guards' come just as important as wo other games this week- Thompson Challenge. On e Wolverines will square rming off a 20-win season, eighth trip to the NCAA d under head coach Bob o State in the first round nt, Davidson took a four- half before dropping the game, 70-62. The Wildcats are led by a trio of junior tri-cap- tains: Boris Meno, Jason Richards and Thomas Sandler. Meno and Sandler are the two biggest threats, figuratively and literally. Both are the tallest returning starters (6 foot 8) and the top two returning scorers (5.6 and 6.5, respectively). The two bigger forwards down low will allow Sims and Petway to stay around the basket, play- ing to their strengths rather than chasing long rebounds. Michigan concludes its weekend against East- ern Michigan in the "Border Battle" with the university next door. The game will feel like a reunion for the head coaches. Ramsey was an assistantunder Amaker from 2001-05. The Eagles return eight lettermen who sur- vived a disastrous 7-21 season, including a gut- wrenching 3-15 conference record. Guard Carlos Medlock is their main scoring threat after aver- aging 20.1 points per game last season. The reunion may not feature Amaker's old teammates Johnny Dawkins or David Henderson and tonight's game may not feature the Blue Dev- ils, but the weekend will remain just as important for the Wolverines as they try once again to earn an NCAA berth. 0 m 0 m 0 0