Lon fMgn a BAT? Looking for someone to blame for the Les Miles Fiasco? Look no further than Michigan's AD. Page 2 '1 The Michigan Daily I michigandailycom I December 3, 2007 Mobile QB awaits Carr and Co. By JACK HERMAN Daily SportsEditor Michigan still doesn't know who will coach it in its first game next season, but at least it now knows where Lloyd Carr will coach his last one. In a matchup between two teams embroiled in a National Champion- ship controversy last year, the Wol- verines will play No. 9 Florida in the Capital One Bowl in Orlando at 1 p.m. on New Year's Day. "Certainly for this team, we've had some obstacles and we've had some difficult times, but it is a group of outstanding leadership in that senior class," said Carr, who will lead the Wolverines into their NCAA-leading 33rd straight bowl game. "For me, certainly, I'll just be one of them, one of the guys that will be involved in his last game at Michigan. So we're all, I think, look- ing forward to that." Michigan (6-2 Big Ten, 8-4 over- all) was invited after Illinois accept- ed a bid to play in its first Rose Bowl since 1984. No. 1 Ohio State will play a Les Miles-coached Louisiana State See page 6B for a complete schedule of every Bowl Game this season team in the National Championship game. Although Michigan's coaching search will receive the most interest leading up to the game, last year's bowlisituation makes for an interest- ing subplot. Florida jumped Michi- gan the final week of the season to move into the National Champion- ship Game against Ohio State. A number of voters seemed to make an effort to put Florida in the title game, dropping Michigan artificially low in the rankings. One voter in the Harris poll ranked the one-loss Gators first on his ballot, ahead of undefeated Ohio State. Last year, Carr not-so-subtly crit- icized Florida coach Urban Meyer's actions leading up to the final vote. "I just think that based on some of the comments the Florida coach has made in the last two weeks - cam- paigning strenuously for a berth in the championship game - and mak- ing some statements about Michigan that I think were inappropriate," Carr said on "Michigan Replay" last year before the BCS standings were released. Florida beat Ohio State, 41-14, to win the title. In to the Rose Bowl, Michigan fell 32-18 to Southern Cal. But Carr had nothing but praise for Meyer during a conference call with reporters last night. "He's -one of the guys that I've always liked and a guy that repre- sents all the positive things in col- lege football," Carr said. Michigan won the teams' only previous meeting, 38-30, in the 2003 Outback Bowl. It also marks the last time Michigan won a post- season game. To send Carr off with his sixth bowl win, the Wolverines will have to stop a Florida team (5-3 South- eastern Conference, 9-3 overall) led by Heisman Trophy frontrunner Tim Tebow. Luckily for them, Chad Henne and Mike Hart will play, Carr said. This is the first time since 2001 Michigan has played in the Capital One (then the Capital One Florida Citrus Bowl). The Wolverines lost 45-17 to Tennessee. Frosh step up in tough weekend By NATE SANDALS Daily Sports Editor It was his team's first setback in seven weeks, but Michigan coach Red Beren- MICHIGAN 4 son saw OHIO STATE 2 enough issues to warranta significant line- up overhaul following the Wolver- ines' 3-2 loss to Ohio State Friday night. "I think we have to be willing to change," Berenson said. "Some- times change is better than staying the same. We were having a pretty good roll there for a while. And I think we have tobe able to adapt in terms of who's playing well, who's improving, who's not." Berenson adjusted three of his four lines, and, for the first time this season, skated a line of all freshmen. The changes-paid off, and Mich- igan bounced back to defeat Ohio State, 4-2, Saturday night in a game marked by end-to-end action. The trio of freshmen on Michi- gan's second line - Carl Hagelin, Matt Rust and Aaron Palushaj - got the Wolverines off to a fast start Michigan was shut out for 57 minutes Friday night, but the second line struck twice in the opening eight minutes Saturday, ensuring the scoring drought wouldn't be repeated. Rust scored Michigan's first goal, bouncing a puck off Ohio State goalie Joseph Palmer and into the net from behind the goal- line. Hagelin followed up with a goal less than four minutes later, tapping a puck in from the goal- mouth. Palushaj didn't register a goal, but he had the three assists and nearlybeat Palmer on a spin around backhander in the third period. "The line of Aaron, Matt Rust and Carl Hagelin played unbeliev- able," freshman Max Pacioretty said. "They had two quick goals that got us going. Hopefully that gives us some confidence, and we See BUCKEYES, Page 4B Michigan coach John Beilein didn't promise anything his first season in Ann Arbor. But no one saw aloss to former Wolverine coach Tommy Amaker's Harvard squad coming. Ugly doesn't describe it: Blue upset by Harvard Remember Tommy? Maybe he wasn't so bad By DAN FELDMAN Daily Sports Writer CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - Don't say he didn't warn you. Since being hired in April, Michigan men's basketball coach John Beilein has preached his team is young and that learning his system will take time. He said things would get ugly at times. But this ugly? A 62-51 to Harvard in cozy Levites Pavilion Saturday night ugly? A Harvard, that has beaten just 18 major conference teams in the program's 96 seasons. A Harvard, that lost 82-50 to the Wol- verines last year and was picked to fin- ish sixth of eight Ivy League teams this season. And of course, a Harvard now coached by Tommy Amaker, who Michigan fired after last season. "I don't think things like this are (unexpected)," Beilein said. "Are they unexpected in the long range of the program? Absolutely. But I don't think they're that unexpected right now in col- lege basketball." Beilein has maintained from the get- go that supporting his team this year shouldn't come down to wins and losses. Fans should look forward to the develop- ment of younger players and to the excit- ing, up-and-down style he brought with him from West Virginia would be fun to watch. But missing 42 shots, including 15 3- pointers, isn't fun. See CRIMSON, Page 5B CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - When the final buzzer sounded Saturday night it became obvious - firing Tommy Amak- er was the worst decision Michigan's Athletic Department4 could've made.' In eight games - which is plenty of time for one man to completely turn around a struggling H. JOSE program - Michigan BOSCH coach John Beilein has failed to do that. The Bosch Just look at what Watch happened Saturday. Amaker's Harvard squad, which has established itself as a juggernaut with four wins in eight games, defeated Beilein's Wolverines. This clearly means the Crimson and Amaker are destined to become a greater program than Beilein's Michigan squad. If you couldn't watch the game, trust me. The Wolverines were simply out- coached. Remember the finger twirl? With several swift spins of his index finger, Amaker's infinite coaching wisdom was on display for all to see. Amaker, now Harvard's coach, used it against Michigan. He twirled it up on four consecutive possessions near the end of the game, and Harvard proceeded to finish the contest on an 11-0 run. Figures. Even when he's the oppos- ing coach, Michigan loses when Amaker See BOSCH, Page SB Welcome to the Sweet 16: 'M' takes care of business By CHARLES CLINTON Daily Sports Writer This weekend, the Michigan vol- leyball team hosted the first and second rounds ofthe NCAA Tourna- ment for the first time in its history, and Crisler Arena was unwelcom- ing to opponents as the Wolverines advanced to the Sweet 16 of the tournament for the first time. The berth came thanks in part to a combined 33 kills in both games Pfromosenior Ratie Bruzdzinski ond a combined 77 assists from freshman Lexi Zimmerman. In the first round, Michigan met Miami (Ohio) - the Mid America Conference Champion. The Wol- verines came out strong after a slow start in game one with a 13-3 run to take a solid 22-12 advantage that they would never let go of, eventu- ally stomping the RedHawks 30-16. Game two was more competi- tive early on with five lead changes before either team had 10 points. But Michigan quickly pulled away, building up a 24-12 lead going into a Miami (Ohio) timeout. The Wolver- ines would close out the RedHawks with a 30-18 win. Bruzdzinski and junior Beth Karpiak had five kills each in the game and finished with 19 and 13 kills on the night, respec- tively. Michigan jumped out to a 13-S lead in game three, but then Miami (Ohio) gradually started to creep in. The RedHawks started to take advantage of the Wolverines' mis- takes, eventually cutting their deficit to 23-22. Bruzdzinski then reenergized the Crisler crowd with a service ace to give Michigan a 26- 23 lead, which gave it enough of an edge for a 30-27 win. "In the third game, we didn't get nervous," Michigan coach Mark Rosen said. "We just got a little relaxed and they were at a point where they had nothing to lose, which put pressure on us. Katie did a good job of serving us back into the game." Michigan took on No. 21aColora- do State Saturday night in a match expected to be much closer. The Rams won the Mountain West reg- ular season and conference tourna- menttitles. Michigan jumped out to a 15- 9 lead in the first game and never trailed at any point throughout the game. Helped out with four kills fromBruzdzinski and four digsfrom senior Stesha Selsky, the Wolverines controlled the tempo on their way to a 30-24 win that took less than half an hour to finish. In the second game, the Wolver- ines pounced on the Rams, build- log a seven-point lead, 20-13, but Colorado State didn't go quietly. The Rams scored six-straight poit and eventually took . 27-26 lead.- The Crisler crowd, which was con- siderably smaller than the previous cLIF REEDER/Daily See VOLLEYBALL, Page 4B Senior Katie Bruzdzinski led the Wolverines to their first Sweet 16 appearance ever.