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8A - Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Cissoko's quick emergence
no surprise to teammates
SAID ALSALAH/Daily
Sophomore defenseman Scooter Vaughan's impact goes beyond the stat sheet.
After injuries
to 'D' Vaughan
sees bigger role
Sophomore
blueliner expected
to emerge as leader
By GJON JUNCAJ
Daily Sports Writer
So far in this young Michigan
hockey season, Scooter Vaughn's
statistics don't jump off the page.
The sophomore defenseman
has tallied just one point, an
assist, through six games.
His plus/minus rating is an
unremarkable minus-3. Butthose
statistics aren't always the best
indicators of a blue liner's impact
on the ice.
Two other numbers better tell
the story of the Placentia, Calif.
native's presence this season.
Vaughan leads the eighth-ranked
Wolverines with five blocked
shots. And on a Michigan team
that is tied for second in the
CCHA with 20.2 penalty minutes
per game, Vaughan has taken just
one penalty. Those statistics are
a testament to his discipline aid
defensive prowess.
"(Scooter's) a tough kid,"
Michigan coach Red Berenson
said. "But he doesn't play stupid.
He doesn't take stupid penalties,
but he plays a physical brand of
defensive hockey."
Coming into the season,
Michigan's defensive corps was
arguably the Wolverines' greatest
strength. Butaslewofinjurieshas
forced three blueliners out of the
lineup. Two ofthe Wolverines'top
defensemen, senior Mark Mitera
and junior Steve Kampfer, are
out indefinitely. Having played in
39 career games, Vaughan is one
of the most experienced healthy
defensemen, and he now has
much less margin for error. His
improvement has indicated as
much.
"I think he developed more of
a sense of urgency with Mitera
and Kampfer out," Berenson
said. "He knows he's one of our
top four defensemen. He has to
play well every night or we're not
going to be as good."
Even without the injuries,
Vaughan's playing time was
expected to increase. Among
his primary objectives during
the offseason were improving
his endurance and adding some
muscle to his frame. And while
that summer conditioning seems
to be paying off for the six-foot
195-pound defenseman, Vaughan
said his further development
as a defender will hinge on
fundamentals and technique.
"I knew I was going to be out
there with a lot of top lines on
the other teams," Vaughan said.
"So just make sure I shut that line
down and make sure I keep the
puck out of the net. ... I've got to
battle more in the defensive zone.
Offense will come."
Sotoo,astheseasonprogresses,
will Vaughan's intangibles.
Summers has taken Mitera's place
as acting team captain. Of the six
active Wolverine defensemen,
Greg Pateryn is a freshman and
junior walk-on Eric Elmblad
played in just three games last
season. Brandon , Burlon, the
third injured blueliner, is also a
freshman. Though Vaughan often
plays alongside Summers, his
partners on the blue line vary.
Vaughan has already made
quite an impression on Pateryn,
though the two are rarely pair'ed
See VAUGHAN, Page 9B
Freshman corner
gives Rodriguez
another option
By DAN FELDMAN
Daily Sports Editor
As a true freshman last year,
Donovan Warren took then-red-
shirt sophomore Johnny Sears's
starting cornerback job for the
Michigan football team.
Warren was asked before this
season if freshman cornerback
Boubacar Cissoko would steal his
spot.
"I would like for him to actually
have that mentality that he's going
to take my job," Warren said.
Cissoko didn't take Warren's
spot, but he split time with fifth-
year senior starter Morgan Trent
in the Wolverines' loss to Michi-
gan State on Saturday. t
Although Cissoko took a few
more weeks to take time from a
starter than Warren, who was
starting in the team's second game
last year, the Detroit native didn't
waste time impressing Warren
with how he listens and asks ques-
tions in the film room and his on-
field demeanor.
"He has a lot of heart," War-
ren said. "That's what I really like
about him."
Senior strong safety Brandon
Harrison also took notice of Cis-
soko early. In fall camp, Harrison
was asked separately about the
safeties, young receivers and the
defense's front seven. He didn't
distinguish between any players
in of'his answers.
But he had a quick response for
which of, the freshmen defensive
backs had caught his eye.
"Boubacar," Harrison said. "I
like the way he plays. He's just
physical, and he's fast."
Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez
said he considers Warren, Trent
and Cissoko starters, even though
Cissoko has started just one of the
Wolverines' games.
It's no secret Michigan's sec-
ondary has struggled this year.
Rodriguez said Monday there
really aren't any backups that
could make a difference right now.
So retooling the Wolverines who
are playing could be the solution.
Fifth-year senior Charles Stew-
art plays strong safety in nickel sit-
uations, and Harrison, who starts
at strong safety, slides to nickel
back. Redshirt freshman free safe-
ty Michael Williams has often been
the dime back, but he suffered a
concussion against the Spartans.
Rodriguez may start to play the
speedy and athletic Cissoko with
Warren and Trent more often, rather
than rely on a third or fourth safety.
4
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Freshman Boubacar Cissoko returns a kick against Michigan State. During the game, he also split time with fifth-year corner-
back Morgan Trent, and Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez expects Cissoko to play a lot against Purdue this weekend.
"We're just trying to get a lit-
tle bit more speed on the field,
and obviously with all the spread
offenses that are now in the league
and that we're playing, a lot of
teams will use a third corner-
back as a nickel," Rodriguez said.
"We've already done that at times
this year, and we've got to con-
tinue when we're playing, particu-
larly this week, a spread team that
will throw it around a bit. So we've
got to try to get some more speed
on the field."
Of the Wolverines' Big Ten
opponents, the two with the most
wide receivers who average mul-
tiple catches per game (four each)
are still on the schedule - Purdue
on Saturday and Northwestern
two weeks later.
The Boilermakers and Wildcats
are the only two Big Ten teams that
pass more than they run. Purdue
throws the ball on a conference
high 58 percent of its plays.
Cissoko, who was one of the few'
bright spots in Michigan's loss to
Toledo and had the secondary's
lone pass breakup against Michi-
gan State, might be the most effec-
tive answer to those aerial attacks.
"He's going to continue to play'
quite a bit," Rodriguez said. "He's
a very active player, very competi-
tive."
I
I
Harris gets preseason accolades, but
Beilein says honor doesn't matter yet
Going low: Rankin ties
school-record score
with second-round 64
Purdue's Hummel
not a typical pick for
player of the year
By ALEX PROSPERI
Daily Sports Writer
CHICAGO - Three years ago,
former Michigan guard Daniel
Horton was the first Wolverine
since 2003 to be named All-Big
Ten first team. Now Michigan
has another standout in a strong
position to earn the award -
sophomore Manny Harris.
Harris was N
named to the NOTEBOOK
Preseason All-
Big Ten first team on Sunday at Big
Ten Media Day. The sophomore
averaged 16.1 points per game and
was named to the 2007-08 Big Ten
All-Freshman Team last season.
He's the first Wolverine to earn
the preseason honor since Horton
in 2004. Harris will be asked to
carry the team offensively like
Horton was.
"He's a great player," Wisconsin
senior and Preseason All-Big Ten
first team selection Marcus Landry
said. "He's hot right now, (and) he
can get the job done."
Despite Landry's praise, Harris'
selection is just that - a selection.
"I think it's a great honor for
him," Michigan coach John Beilein
said. "But the preseason stuff,
with so many coaches and so many
players, it is nothing. It is absolutely
nothing."
In2005and 2007,just two players
from the preseason team made the
first team at the end of the season.
The biggest surprise last year was
the decline of Michigan State's'
then-senior Drew Neitzel, who
was tabbed the Preseason Big Ten
Player of the Year. Neitzel averaged
four points per game fewer than
the previous year and never found
a rhythm offensively.
Harris, like Horton, will be
asked to carry the team offensively.
If he fulfills his duty, Harris should
be the most recent Wolverines to be
named All-Big Ten first team.
ROBBIE WHO?: Michigan State's
Neitzel, Wisconsin's Alando Tucker
and Illinois' Dee Brown were
the last three Preseason Big Ten
Players of the Year. All three were
nationally known the year before..
So where does Purdue's Robbie
Hummel fit into that mix?
He doesn't. At least not yet.
The sophomore, who was named
the Big Ten Preseason Player of
the Year Sunday, averaged just 11.4
points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists
per game last season.
He had a few breakout games,
includinghis24-point performance
against Michigan State. But few
players have been named the
conference'spreseasonplayer ofthe
year after averaging just 7.5 shots
per game the year before. Each
member of the aforementioned
trio averaged more shots per game,
with the closest being Brown (9.2),
who was primarily a distributor
and leader of the fast-break.
"Rob is a guy who a lot of coaches
admire because of how he plays the
See HARRIS, Page 9B
After building lead,
Blue struggles and
falls to third
By ANDREW CLAUW
For the Daily
Going into its final tournament
of the fall, the Michigan men's
golf team aimed for a strong
finish to the season and senior
co-captain Bill Rankin led the
way, tying a program record with
an eight-under 64 in the second
round.
His performance helped
Michigan establish a lead at the
conclusion of Monday's play, but
the Wolverines let that lead slip
away early in the final round and
finished third overall.
The Wolverines competed in
the Bridgestone Intercollegiate
at Greensboro, N.C. with 13
other teams as a part of a two-
day, three-round competition.
Michigan's excellent second
round gave them a four-stroke
lead after Monday's 36 holes, but
Duke and Michigan State passed
them in the final round.
"Obviously finishing third
is respectable, but it's still
disappointing," Michigan coach
Andrew Sapp said.
Duke finished first with
869 strokes, four lower than
Michigan State and five lower
than Michigan.
AlthoughtheWolverinesdidn't
win, there were bright spots in
the competition.
After an average first round oft
play, Rankin left little doubt that
he can compete among the best
in the country, finishing third'
overall.
"I expect our leaders to play
well, and he played tremendous,"
Sapp said.
Rankin's second round -tied
Michigan's school record.
He now shares the distinction
with Michael Harris (1997-2000)
and Christian Vozza (2003-
2006).
Rankin was proud of the,
accomplishment but was quick
to point out that it was just one
round.
The last round saw the team
struggle to deal with cold and'
windy weather in the morning.
"We just sat back on our heels,"
Rankin said of the lackluster
finish. "I was pretty frustrated
when I hit some bogeys because'
every single shot matters toward
the team total."
With the fall season complete,
Rankin and his teammates must
now concentrite on academics
and conditioning during the off-
season.
Despite falling short in the
season's last event, Sapp isn't
worried about that carrying over
to the spring season.
"You can't win the NCAA
tournament in the fall," he said.
Sophomore Manny Harris spoke with reporters at Michigan Media Day on Oct.14.