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michigandaily.com
Monday, April 16, 2007
Grady's year
now in doubt
By KEVIN WRIGHT
Daily Sports Editor
The lack of depth at the running
back position was quite clear if you
glanced at the Michigan sideline in
the Big House on Saturday.
During the final spring practice
of the year, running back Mike
Hart wasn't dressed, and his fel-
low backmate, sophomore Kevin
Grady, paced the sidelines under
the assistance of crutches. ,
Grady is the most recent addi-
tion to the long list of injured Wol-
verines this spring. Last week,
he tore his ACL. Michigan coach
Lloyd Carr said the tailback would
undergo surgery to repair it today.
Carr went on to address Grady's
status for next season.
"We'll have to see how the sur-
gery goes this Monday, and he'll
begin the rehabilitation process,"
Carr said. "The good news for him
is he does have three years of eligi-
bility left (sic). Depending on what
happens this fall, we'll see where
that takes us."
Even though he was relegated to
the sidelines, Grady looked upbeat
as he sat on the bench. The Grand
Rapids native stayed for the entire
practice and even listened in on
some of the offensive huddles and
the running backs' meeting at the
conclusion of the practice.
After coming to the Wolver-
ines as a well-regarded prospect,
Grady has been stuck behind Hart
for two seasons. But Carr said that
Grady finally found his rhythm in
the offense this spring.
"Kevin was having an outstand-
ing spring, and he was develop-
ing the patience it takes to play at
that position - particularly in this
offense," Carr said.
But now Grady will have to wait
for a chance to reach the potential
he showed during high school. He
led East Grand Rapids High School
to two state championships (2003
and 2004).
The junior broke almost all of
the Michigan high-school rush-
ing records, but had yet to find his
See GRADY, Page 4B
Michigan freshman Vince Helmuth received a bulk of the carries at Saturday's final spring practice because of injuries to running backs Mike Hart and
Unknown faces star
in spring scrimmage
By JACK HERMAN
Daily Sports Editor
The season doesn't start for
another four-and-a-half months,
but Michigan football fans got their
first look
at the 2007 NOTEBOOK
Wolverines
in the Big House on Saturday.
Well, sort of.
With notable names like run-
ning back Mike Hart, wide
receiver Mario Manningham and
tackle Jake Long all sitting out,
it was up to new faces like Saline
native Vince Helmuth and can-
non-armed freshman quarterback
Ryan Mallett to entertain the
crowds as Michigan held an open
practice to conclude its spring
season. The practice/modified-
scoring scrimmage - played in
front of 5,500 people on a cold and
slightly windy day - capped off
what the Wolverines described as
a positive few weeks of play, even
if many of next season's starters
For more photos of the final
spring practice, go to
michigandaily.com.
saw limited to no action in the 15
practices.
"I don't ever remember being
100 percent as far as puttingateam
together in the spring," Michigan
coach Lloyd Carr said in a press
conference prior to Saturday's
practice. "The emphasis is always
individual improvement. I like
the attitude of this team. They've
worked as hard as any team we've
had. Practices have been very
physical. I think we've made a
lot of strides, but there's plenty of
time for dramatic improvement at
each position."
Said Hart: "I don't really think
it's going to make a difference
(that I missed practiced). Spring
ball is really for young guys. It's
for young guys to get better, for
young guys to learn things. We've
all played, we all have experience;
so it's not really for us."
The small roster might have
annoyed fans, but in a way, it was a
blessing for the Michigan coaching
staff. With veteran players resting,
the coaches had the opportunity to
evaluate the younger, less proven
Wolverines, some of whom will
compete for jobs this summer.
"It's been good; it's given our
younger kids a lot more reps,"
offensive coordinator Mike
DeBordsaid."It's made our young-
er guys better, so, it's improved
our depth."
SPECIAL EFFORT: Before practice,
Carr told reporters that one par-
ticular aspect he planned to focus
on was the kicking game. Looking
to replace the underappreciated
Garrett Rivas, three Wolverines
alternated booting kickoffs prior
to the scrimmage and field goals
and extra points during it.
The results were mixed.
Senior K.C. Lopata impressed
by starting the scrimmage with
See FOOTBALL, Page SB
BY THE NUMBERS
0
Number of snaps offensive stars Mike Hart
and Mario Manningham saw on Saturday.
Number of "points"scored in Saturday's
modified-scoring scrimmage.
Number of fans who attended Saturday's
spring practice at the BigHouse
RODRIGO GAYA/Daily
Junior Kevin Grady watched from the sidelines, as his teammates participated in the
Spring Game. The junior running back could miss the entire season with a torn ACL.
BASEBALL
Blue's fireworks
down Buckeyes
proud
.of it s
finish
By COLT ROSENSWEIG
Daily Sports Writer
STATE COLLEGE - Before the
start of the 2006-07 men's gym-
nastics season, Jerry Wright of
the College Gymnastics Associa-
tion summed up then-No. 8 Mich-
igan's prospects: "With (fifth-year
senior co-captain Justin) Laury,
the Wolverines have high hopes,
but the available material does not
appear to justify high hopes." He
went on: "Not expected to make
the top-six at Nationals, but may
be close."
On Friday night after the
NCAA team finals, Laury, whose
stellar performance earned him
fifth place in the all-around, stood
amid his teammates behind the
I stands. The All-American picked
up the Wolverines' enormous
fourth-place trophy, cradling it to
his chest.
"'Available material,' " he said,
spitting out the words scornfully,
"doesn't come home with this."
Michigan posted a 218.4 team
total - its second-highest score of
By ALEX PROSPERI
Daily Sports Writer
COLUMBUS - Michigan and
archri-
val Ohio MICHIGAN 6
State have OHIO STATE 3
had some
great games in the past, but they
will be hard pressed to match what
went down on Friday night in the
Wolverines' 10-4 extra-inning vic-
tory..
The score may have notscreamed
drama, but a closer look at the game
reveals that the game was more
exciting than any mid-afternoon
soap opera.
The lights were on, aslight breeze
swept over the playing field, the
2,471 in attendance were electric,
the weather was perfect and there
was even a guy running around
with a Chiquita Banana raised over
his head that read "Beat Blue."
The scene was set with the score
knotted at four in the bottom of the
ninth.
Two outs.
A full count.
Ohio State was threatening with
both runners in scoring position
when the Buckeyes' Ryan Dew
See BUCKEYES, Page 5B
The Michigan men's gymnastics team captured fourth place at the NCAA Championships this weekend.
the season, just half a tenth behind
third place Stanford, to finish on
the podium for the first time in
four years. Only Michigan's high-
est score of the year - a 221.6
- could have edged out eventual
National Champion, Penn State
(221.0).
"I couldn't ask more from
the guys," Michigan coach Kurt
Golder said. "It wasn't a perfect
weekend, but it was a damn good
weekend, and I'm really proud."
For the second night in a row,
the Wolverines began on the high
bar, the bench and cheering sec-
tion adding to the near-constant
roar of the huge Rec Hall crowd.
Michigan notched a 36.15 on the
event, putting it in second place as
it moved to floor.
But on floor, the Wolverines
were like trick-or-treaters on
October 30 - they arrived just
before the judges began award-
ing scores above 9.6 like they were
candy. Nonetheless, Michigan
improved on the previous day's
performance, and headed into
the bye rotation tied for first place
with defending champion Okla-
homa.
Following an average showing
on pommel horse that ended with
two of the final three gymnasts
coming off, Michigan needed a
pick-me-up.
Sophomore Joe Catrambone
led off with a beautifully smooth
set and stuck his landing (9.25),
and his teammates built from
there. Freshman Torrance Laury
and senior Aaron Rakes both
posted 9.4s. And senior co-captain
Andrew Elkind sent the Michigan
fan section into a frenzy with his
career-best 9.65 routine, topped
only when sophomore Ralph
Rosso hit his demanding set
almost perfectly.
He shouted in triumph, pump-
ing his arms - minutes later a
9.7 appeared, matching Rosso's
career best and the all-time Mich-
igan rings record.
Despite being in fourth head-
ing into vault, Michigan never
stopped believing. Its faith was
rewarded with freshman David
See NCAAS, Page 7B
SOFT BA LL
WolverinI-es fail to
sweep Illi11nois
By DAN FELDMAN doubleheader, the Wolverines
Daily Sports Writer missed out on a golden opportunity
to complete the sweep in the night-
CHAMPAIGN - The ninth- cap. The win would've extended
ranked Michigan softball team is Michigan's winningstreak to seven
at a cross- games and put the Wolverines in a
roads. MICHIGAN 3 tie with Ohio State atop the Big Ten
After ILLINOIS 5 standings.
defeating Instead, Michigan blew a 3-0
Illinois 5-0 to start off yesterday's See ILLINI, Page 48