0
8 - Friday, September 28, 2007
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
First road test should
end well for Michigan
By SCOTT BELL and
JACK HERMAN
Daily Sports Editors
Ryan Field hasn't been kind in the past to
the Michigan football team.
Anyone remember 2000, when running
back Anthony Thomas fumbled late in the
fourth quarter and Northwestern came back,
won the game and ruined Michigan's season?
Yeah, the Wolverines would like to forget
that ever happened, and Saturday is a first
good step against a Wildcatcsquadthathelped
Duke break its 22-game losingstreak.
See if Northwestern will put up enough of
a fight to ruin another Michigan Big Ten title
dream.
Michigan run offense vs.
Northwestern run defense.
What do you get when you combine the
nation's leading rusher with a bottom-tier
rushing defense? It depends who you root
for.
If you're a Michigan fan, it'll probably put a
smile on your face. r
A Northwestern fan?Shambles might serve
you better.
That's the case for thisweekend's matchup.
Michigan's Mike Hart enters Ryan Field as
the nation's top rusher. The Wildcat defense,
on the other hand, limps in as one of the Big
Ten's worst against the run.
The lone brightspot for Northwestern may
be that Michigan might go with a Hart Lite
attack on Saturday. The Heisman Trophy can-
didate has carried the ball 79 times in the last
two weeks and would benefit from a lighter
load. He suffered a thigh bruise earlier in the
month that could use time to heal.
But even if Hart only carries the ball 10 to
15 times, backups Brandon Minor and Carlos
Brown still pose a formidable enough attack
to exploit a weak Northwestern defense.
EDGE: MICHIGAN
Michigan pass offense vs. Northwestern
pass defense.
Whether it's Ryan Mallett or Chad Henne
taking snaps on Saturday, there will be one
constant that bodes well for Michigan fans:
the Northwestern pass defense.
Sure, Northwestern doesn't have the worst
pass defense in the Big Ten, but it's close (the
Wildcats'10th-place spotin pass defensetrails
only Minnesota's embarrassing 407 yards per
game). Even worse, Northwestern is yield-
ing the second-most passing yards per game
while facing the second-fewest attempts.
Michigan's aerial attack hasn't been what
many predicted it would be going into the
season, but the weapons are still there.
Even with a limited playbook if Mallett
makes his third-straight start, Michigan
should have its way with a weak Wildcat sec-
ondary.
EDGE: MICHIGAN
Northwestern run offense vs. Michigan run
defense.
If Northwestern wants any shot at coming
out of Saturday with an upset victory, it will
have to start with the legs of running back
Tyrell Sutton. The Wildcats' running back,
who missed most of the team's last three
games with an injury, is expected to return
against Michigan.
Two years ago, Sutton was the Big Ten's
consensus freshman of the year after an
outstanding first season with Northwest-
ern. He was effective last year, but didn't
build on the flashes of greatness he showed
as a freshman.
Now, if he wants to get his junipr sea-
son back on track, he'll have to start against
Michigan's tough front four.
Terrance Taylor and Will Johnson are big
bodies to contend with in the middle, and the
emergence of sophomore Brandon Graham
STAFF PICKS
The Daily football
writers welcome
Engineering sophomore
Joseph Janiak as their
second guest picker this
season,
at defensive end will give the Northwestern
offensive line even more fits.
If Michigan's front four can win the battle
in the trenches like it did against Penn State,
then the Wolverine's linebacking corps should
be able to contain Sutton.
EDGE: MICHIGAN
Northwestern pass offense vs.Michigan
pass defense
,Through his first three games this sea-
son, Northwestern quarterback C.J. Bacher
appeared to be leading a somewhat-potent
spread offense. He threw for 838yards, tossed
eight touchdowns and ran for two others.
Then he met Ohio State.
TheBuckeyesbattered Bacher, sackinghim
five times and intercepting him twice. Bacher
fumbled once and threw for just120 yards.
Although the Michigan defense struggled
with the spread earlythis year,ithas rebound-
ed by terrorizing quarterbacks with backfield
pressure the past two weeks.
We should probably give Bacher some
advice: Talk to Notre Dame quarterback
Jimmy Clausen.
He can probably give you the number of
a good Ann Arbor doctor. That is, if he still
remembers.
EDGE: MICHIGAN
Special Teams
Whenever Michigan has set up for a field
goal this season - no matter how long or
short - one constant remains: Wolverine fans
tremble in fear.
Missed blocks killed the Wolverines in their
loss to Appalachian State. But kicker Jason
Gingell has done nothing with good blocks,
either. He's just 3-for-7 this year, including a
29-yard clanker against Penn State.
Northwestern's Amando Villareal, on the
other hand, has been a perfect 4-for-4.
But to be fair, Michigan has received some
nice punting from Zoltan Mesko.
Too bad it doesn't count for three points.
EDGE: NORTHWESTERN
Intangibles
If Michigan and Northwestern have any-
thing in common this weekend, it's their
motivation: neither wants to be embarrassed
again this year.
Michigan, as fans need no remind-
er, lost to Appalachian State and took
a pounding from Oregon. Ohio State
clubbed the Wildcats 58-7 last week.
The Wolverines have presumably learned
from their mistakes and hope to make up for
them with increased concentration, determi-
nation and focus.
Northwestern has likely learned a thing or
two from its blowout, too. Unfortunately, it
can't add more skill.
EDGE: MICHIGAN
0
0
I
Freshman Ryan Mallett will likely make his third career start tomorrow against Northwestern. The Wolverines are 2-0 with him under center.
No looking ahe'ad for 'M'
By JACK HERMAN
Daily Sports Editor
Before any game against no-way-we-
can-lose-to-them opponents, favored
teams trot out the typical cliches of not
overlooking, working hard and focusing
on things one game at a time.
Usually, it's tough to take them seri-
ously.
But after this Michigan's team start to
the season, the promises it made leading
up to this weekend's game against North-
western are almost, well, believable.
"They came in prepared for us, we took
them lightly and they got the win," said
sophomore Brandon Graham of the early
losses after this Saturday's win against
Penn State. "And I'm glad it happened.
Because it's like this: We woke up to see
that we could lose. We just took it, we
ate it up, and we're looking forward to
Northwestern."
Considering this season already fea-
tured a loss to Appalachian State at home,
a match-up with Northwestern provides
as a good for a chance of a trip-up game as
any other. Michigan will likely start quar-
terback Ryan Mallett, a freshman play-
ing his first Big Ten road game. Because
of Mallett's inexperience, running back
Mike Hart has carried the ball 79 times
Michigan 25
Northwestern 58
Before every football game this sea-
son, two of the Daily's football writers
will take the weekend's matchup to
the PlayStation 2 and then let you
know what happened.
- Play of the game - After Michigan
jumped out to a 7-0 lead on the first
offensive play of thegame, Northwestern
marched down the field and answered
with its own touchdown, using a mixture
of ground and aerial attacks. Northwest-
ern coach Scott Bell then set the tone for
the rest of the game and went for two,
taking a lead he wouldn't relinquish and
showing the aggressive gameplan that
would lead to a dominating win.
- Player of the game - Everyone on
Northwestern. Seriously, two quar-
terbacks threw for more than
100 yards, both QB #12 and RB
in two weeks, an excessive number even
for a featured back.
And, of course, there's Northwestern's
style of play: the dreaded spread offense.
Spread teams Appalachian State and
Oregon devastated the Michigan defense,
slicing the line, outmatching linebackers
and blowing by defensive backs. These
teams scored 73 points against Michigan;
it took six games for the Wolverines to
concede that total lastyear.
Skill, coaching and mismatches all cre-
ate problems when the Michigan defense
tries to stop the spread.
But oddly enough, so may the Michi-
gan offense. Because the Wolverines
don't run the system, they don't fill their
roster with players who do, either, mak-
ing it difficult to field an effective scout'
team.
"You do have (wide receiver) Junior
(Hemingway) work against us some-
times to get used to that running quarter-
back, but it's still a different game speed,
because Junior doesn't run the spread
offense," safety Jamar Adams said.
"But Northwestern, they run the spread
offense. They've been running it since
spring ball, so they know what they're
doing."
If the last two games are any indica-
tion, though, the Wildcats aren't doing it
Procrastination
station
very well.
Two weeks ago, Northwestern fell 20-
14 to a Duke team that had lost its last 22
games. The Wildcats racked up506 yards,
but scored just 14 points. As the final
seconds dwindled down, Northwestern
failed to score despite four attempts from
the Duke 7-yard line.
Ohio State rolled over Northwestern
58-7 last week. It held the Wildcats with-
out a rushing yard and forced three turn-
overs. Northwestern quarterback C.J.
Bacher threw for just 120 yards, and the
Buckeyes sacked him five times.
But the Wildcats do have some hope.
Running back Tyrell Sutton could return
from injury this week, boosting the
offense. Sutton ran for 108 yards and
touchdown in the team's first game this
season, a27-0 win over Northeastern.
In any case, the Wolverines know, in
certain circumstances, that the Wildcats
have proven they can compete. Last year,
a then-2-and-7 Northwestern took advan-
tage of adverse weather conditions and
fell just 17-3 to an undefeated Michigan.
"They have a lot of players returning
from a year ago," Michigan coach Lloyd
Carr said. "You remember on a cold,
windy day here in Ann Arbor, it was an
excellent ballgame. I was very impressed
with how hard Northwestern played."
0
4
#19 ran for more than 100 yards and the "I might start playing with a blindfold or
Wildcat defense had a handful of forced something. This isn't fun at all."
turnovers (user ones, too.)
PREDICTION: MICHIGAN 35,
NORTHWESTERN 17
- Press Conference
Northwestern coach Scott Bell:
"I made a guarantee last week, and I
followed through. Is it a tainted victory
because it was against a poor, defense-
less old-man look-a-like who is horrible
at video games? Not really."
"RB #20 was a Heisman candidate?
Wow. Nine yards on 19 carries isn't
exactly awe inspiring."
"At least WR #86 had a good game for
coach Herman. 274 yards receiving is
quite a lot. All he needed were about
400 more yards and five more touch-
downs and I might have broken a bit of
a sweat."
"Ok, how about a blindfold and just one
hand? "
Michigan coach Jack Herman:
"I thought I was doing something nice
for a relative. I should have checked the
spelling of Jim Herrmann's name before
hiring him as my defensive coordinator."
"Even Tommy Amaker got six years
here, so I can't be in too much trouble."
"What else can I say? It feels like I just
got home and found my wife had run off
with a drummer."
"Well, if there's any good news, at least
this means Eastern Michigan has hired
my friend Daniel Bromwich."
6
BEN SIMON/Daily
Mike Hart is just
139 yards away
from becoming
Michigan's all-time
leading rusher.
Scott Daniel
Bell Bromwich
JacK
Herman
Wright
Josepn
Janiak
Michigan (-16.5)vs. NORTHWESTERN Michigan Michigan Michigan Northwestern Michigan
So. Cal (21) vs. WASHINGTON Washington Washington Washington Southern Cal Southern Cal
Louisiana St. (-40) vs. TULANE Tulane Louisiana State Louisiana State Louisiana State Louisiana State
Oklahoma (-22.) vs. COLORADO Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma Oklahoma
FLORIDA (-18) vs. Auburn Florida Florida Florida Auburn Florida
W.Va.(-7)vs SOUTH FLORIDA South Florida West Virginia West Virginia South Florida West Virginia
California (+5.5)vs. OREGON.California Oregon.........Oregon Oregon California
TEXAS('14.5) vs. Kansas St Texas Texas Texas Kansas State Teas
Ohio State -23.5 vs. MINNESOTA QOhi.oate Ohio State Ohio.Sate Ohio.State OhioState.
WISCONSIN (-7.5) vsMichigan St .. MichiganState Wisconsin Wisconsin......Wisconsin Wisconsin
RUTGERS 06.5) vs. Maryland.Rutgers Rutgers ....Rutgers. Rutgers.. ,Rutgers
BOSTON COLLEGE (NL)vs. UMass Boston College .Boston College.. oStonColege. BostonCollege.Boston College
Clemson (-) vs. GEORGIA TECH Clemson Georgia Tech Georgia TechGeorgia Techlemson
KENTUCKY (-22) vs. Florida Atlantic Kentucky Kentucky Kentucky Kentucky Florida Atlantic
GEORGIA (-15) vs.Mississippi Georgia Georgia Mississippi Mississippi Mississippi
SOUTH CAROLINA (-13.5) vs. Miss. St. South Carolina South Carolina Mississippi State South Carolina Mississippi St
VIRGINIA TECH (-18) vs. North Carolina Virginia Tech Virginia Tech North Carolina Virginia Tech North Carolina
Hawaii (-25.5) vs. IDAHO Hawaii Hawaii Hawaii Idaho Hawaii
Penn State (-3) vs. ILLINOIS Penn State Penn State Illinois Illinois Penn State
Alabama (+2.5) vs. Florida St. Alabama Alabarna.....................Alabama A .aama Alabama
Arizona St. (-14)vs. STANFORD Stanford A._a.tt Arizona State StaAford.ArizonaSt.
Cincinnati(14).vs.,SANDI.EGO ST Cincinnati .Cincinnati Cincinnati Cincinnati Cincinnati
NEBRASKA(-21) vs.lowa State ....Iowa State Nebraska IowaState. IowaState Nebraska
Indiana (+11) vs.IOWA Indiana Iowa Indiana Iowa Iowa
PUR DUE(22)vs.Notreame.N.tr.. DaNotrePame . Notre Dame.Notre Dame Purdue Purdue
Best Bet .Ohio State .Florida Alabama Cincinnati. Oklahoma
Record Last Week ......... 1-0.......116-9-0((0 )....15-9-0( . 0-9-0(0 1) . .16-91 )N/A.......-..--.....
Overall Record 47-33-4 (1-2) 46-34-4 (3-0) 46-34-4 (1-2) 46-34-4 (2-1) 49-31-4 (1-2)
0
S