8A - Wednesday, September 26, 2007
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Big weekend for
Big Ten matchups
By MARK GIANNOTTO
Daily Sports Writer
Heading into the 2007 season,
the top of the Big Ten looked like
more of the same from last year.
Michigan, Ohio State, Penn
State and Wisconsin made up the
top four in 2006, and all of them
were expected to compete for a
conference crown this season.
The Buckeyes and Badgers have
held up their ends of the bargain,
startingthe season a combined 8-
0. The Wolverines have suffered
some well-documented setbacks
early on and went on to deal the
Nittany Lions a conference loss
last week.
Overlooked amid all the pre-
season hubbub were teams like
Purdue, Illinois and Michigan
State, who now sit atop the con-
ference standings. All three have
pivotal games this weekend, and
with wins, could elevate them-
selves from pretenders to con-
tenders in the Big Ten conference
race.
Michigan State (4-0 overall)
at No. 9Wisconsin (1-0Big Ten,
4-0) - 3:30 p.m., ABC
Michigan State blew a late lead
to then-ranked Notre Dame just
a year ago. Spartan fans want to
forget the freefall that ensued,
culminating in Michigan State's
4-8 final record.
Having already matched
their win total from a year ago,
the 2007 Spartans aren't in the
national consciousness yet. But
they have the chance to put an
emphatic stamp on the new
reign of coach Mark Dantonio
this weekend.
To do so, Michigan State must
travel to Madison and defeat
Wisconsin, whose record also
happens to be unblemished.
The Badgers haven't exactly run
through the competition this
season, coasting to some closer-
than-expected wins in their first
four games.
If Wisconsin doesn't bring its
'A' game this weekend, the Spar-
tans could sneak into Camp Ran-
dall Stadium and grab ahuge win
in terms of conference position-
ing. Let's not forget, though, that
with Appalachian State's loss to
Wofford last weekend, the Bad-
gers now have the nation's lon-
gest winning streak of 13 games.
Being a student at Michigan,
I want to pick Wisconsin out of
pure hatred for the Spartans.
And my knowledge of football
is screaming at me to remem-
ber that new coach or not, this is
still a Michigan State team full
of players coached at some point
by the legendary John L. Smith.
That makes this pick obvious.
Wisconsin 24, Michigan
State 20
No. 21 Penn State (0-1, 3-1) at
Illinois (1-0, 3-1) - Noon, Big
Ten Network
Before last weekend, there
were some in the media (cough
cough Buckeye apologist Kirk
Herbstreit) that wrongly
assumed Penn State would cata-
pult itself to Big Ten supremacy
because of its impressive win
last season over Tennessee in the
Outback Bowl. After Michigan's
14-9 win over the Nittany Lions,
it's clear this is just another typi-
cal Penn State squad. There's a
great defense, but no offense to
speak of.
And the prime reason for its
struggles on offense has been
the inconsistent play of quar-
terback Anthony Morelli, who
can't seem to take advantage of
dangerous playmakers like wide
receiver Derrick Williams.
Illinois has sophomore Juice
Williams taking the snaps, and
through four games, he has made
significant strides from his disas-
trous freshman season. Thanks to
Williams's newfound poise, Ron
Zook's team has won two straight
road games, including a 27-14 vic-
tory over Indiana last weekend.
The win was the Fighting Ilini's
first win in a Big Ten opener in 14
years.
The Nittany Lions present the
first big home game for Illinois
since it last won the Big Ten in
2001, so the crowd should be
decent. But if there's anything
I've learned about Ron Zook's
teams over the years, it's this: If
it's a fight against a fraternity,
take Zook. If it's a football game
of any consequence, take the
other team.
Penn State 27, Illinois 17
Notre Dame (0-4) at Purdue
(1-0,4-0), Noon, ESPN
Now that Michigan has right-
ed its ship with two consecutive
wins, the Irish are the new favor-
ites to bash in college football.
In its illustrious history, Notre
Dame has never before started a
season 0-4. The 10-year contract
extension given to Charlie Weis
back in 2005 just seven games
into his college coaching career
is beginning to look a little too
proactive.
It hasn't helped that there are
rumblings about the racial impli-
cations of Notre Dame's decision
to give upon former coach Tyrone
Willingham, while showing Weis
nothing but love from the get go.
The only way to get the attention
off all this is with a win.
But it won't come easy against
Purdue, which defeated Minneso-
ta 45-31 on the road lastweekend.
In the process of its undefeated
start, quarterback Curtis Painter
has emerged as a quality Big Ten
signal caller. There are still ques-
tions about the Boilermakers'
defense, but against the anemic
Irish attack. that shouldn't really
be an issue.
Notre Dame needs this win
badlyor elseitwillmorethanlike-
ly begin the season 0-8 because of
upcoming games at UCLA and at
home with No. 12 Boston College
and No. 1 Southern Cal. Still, I just
don't see it happening, especially
since it's a road game. Whether
this launches Purdue into the
upper echelon of the Big Ten
remains to be seen since it seems
just about anyone can beat the
Irish these days.
Senior Jamar Adams gained Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors against Penn State.
Despite critcisms enior
defensive back thrives
By DANIEL BROMWICH
Daily Sports Editor
Senior safety Jamar Adams
began this season a contender for
the Thorpe Award, given annually
to the nation's top defensive back.
Experts ranked him the No. 2 safety
entering the NFL Draft next year,
while others thought he would lead
the defense of a National Champi-
onship contender.
But that all changed quickly.
Against Appalachian State,
Adams was caught out of position
and couldn't make a tackle on the
touchdown pass that tied the score
at 14. Later in the game, both he and
cornerback Johnny Sears covered
the same player, leaving a receiver
wide open at the goalline. Had the
receiver not dropped the pass, the
lead would have been extended to
34-20.
But those mistakes were not
because of Adams's inadequacy at
his position.
He spent most of the first game
trying to position his teammates,
distracting him from realizing his
potential.
"I think sometimes a guy wants to
be a leader," Michigan coach Lloyd
Carr said. "He gets focused on some
things that detract from his ability
to perform well at his position."
In the season opener, it seemed
Adams was giving out instruc-
tions before almost every play. The
Charlotte native heard about it after
the game, albeit from an unlikely
source.
"My mom was like 'You have to
work with those young boys so they
know what they're doing before the
play!' " Adams said. "It was funny
when she called me because I was
caught off-guard. My mom knows
football a little bit, but it was weird
to me that she knew that. I was like
'Wow, that's kind of impressive."'
Things improved for Adams in
the second half of the first game.
Fifth-year senior Brandent Engle-
mon replaced sophomore Stevie
Brown, who had struggled through-
out the first half. With a veteran
beside him, Adams could focus on
just his job.
"It's a difference," Adams said.
"It's a senior guy out there who
knows what he's doing. He knows
how to control his side of the field,.
and likewise with me. It's great to
have two guys backthere who know
exactly what they're doing and have
experience playing in games."
Englemon hasn't missed any sig-
nificant time since halftime of the
Appalachian State game. While he
has played well, perhaps his most
important contribution has been
to allow Adams to play up to his
potential.
Saturday, Adams was named
Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of
the Week. He deflected five passes
against Penn State, the second-most
ever by a Michigan player (Mar-
lin Jackson, deflected six in 2002).
He broke up passes on the Nittany
Lions' final two downs and matched
his career-high with eight tackles in
the game.
Carr said Adams played the best
game of his career Saturday, but
the senior wouldn't have heard
that anyplace else. This season, he
has stayed away from ESPN and
the newspaper. In fact, he's stayed
away from almost everything and
everyone.
"This year, it's a different ball-
game," Adams said. "I try not to
listen to the media, I try not to do
the text messagingthing or answer
phone calls, unless it's somebody
like my grandmother. She's always
going to say something pretty
good."
Michigan picked fourth by coaches and media
By ANDY REID Michigan State received second
Daily Sports Writer place in the coach's poll but the
media voted them the Spartans
DETROIT - The coaches and No. 1. Miami (OH) was predicted
media agree. Michigan should fin- to take the top spot by the coach-
ish fourth in the CCHA this sea- es.
son. Michigan's relatively low rank-
The preseason conference polls ing can be attributed to the Wol-
were released yesterday at CCHA verines' lack of upperclassmen.
Media Day. The Wolverines have They have three seniors, just two
been placed in the top two since its of whom have won multiple varsi-
conception. ty letters. Twelve players will don
But the two sets of voters the maize and blue sweaters for
couldn't agree on a team to top the first time this season.
to be stars right away, but he says
he thinks they'll get the job done.
"I don't think any of these kids
will be outstanding," Berenson
said. "But if they're not notice-
able, then they're playing well.
Right now, I think they'll be in that
bracket where they're not notice-
able, and they'll be able to mini-
mize mistakes."
Berenson noted this year would
be a different challenge from last.
After a season in which the Wol-
verines had stars like seniors T.J.
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Andrew Cogliano, the switch to
fielding so many inexperienced
players will be "interesting,"
Berenson said.
Most CCHA coaches ques-
tion Michigan's green talent, but
they're not all writing the Wolver-
ines off just yet.
"They do a great job with young
kids," Michigan State coach Rick
Comley said. "I expect Michigan
to be a lot better than some people
perceive them to be."
The freshmen who have just
two hours per week right now to
practice with their coach because
of NCAA rules are looking up to
senior captain Kevin Porter to
lead the team. Porter has played
a crucial role so far this season
because he leads practice while
Berenson is not allowed to be on
the ice.
So far, Berenson said he is
impressed with how Porter has
shouldered the added responsi-
bilities.
"Right from day one, as soon
as we told Kevin he'd be captain
(I've been impressed with his
leadership)," Berenson said. "He
says the right things and does
the right things."
The highest returning scorer
Senior captain Kevin Porter and the Michigan Wolverines were picked to finish
fourth this year in the CCHA regular season.
in the NCAA, Porter is not only received honorable mention.
expected to be a great leader, but But even with all the questions
also a great player on the ice. The about the upcoming season still
coaches elected him to the pre- unanswered, to Berenson, it's still
season All-CCHA team. Senior Michigan.
Chad Kolarik made the second "Nothing has changed at Michi-
team, and junior Mark Mitera gan," Berenson said.
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