i 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 I I I 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.