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September 19, 2009 Football Sa-tujrdav
WELCOME TO
THE SEASON
Unlike last season's Wisconsin game, Michigan's tri-
umphant, last-minute victory over Notre Dame feels like
it could be the springboard for a memorable season..
That is, if the Wolverines can avoid a monumental let-
down against Washtenaw County's other football team,
the Eastern Michigan Eagles. Although he's still a fresh-
man, Tate Forcier seems like he can get past the emo-.
tions of last week and focus on the Eagles. Plus, if the
Wolverines get a big enough lead, fans will be treated to
more of Denard Robinson's ridiculous athleticism in the
second half. That should be enough of an incentive for
Michigan to come out strong, right?
Michael Eisenstein - Ruth Lincoln
Courtney Ratkowiak - Andy Reid
HIGHLIGHTS
Roy Roundtree and Mike Shaw have played football
together since Pee-Wee. Find out how they wound up at
the same college.
7]Although Michigan and Eastern Michigan are in the
7 same county, these two teams are worlds different.
What's Eastern Michigan quarterback Andy Schmitt's most
awkward school picture? Biggest fear? Favorite class? Flip to
the back page to read our Q & A.
2009 MICHIGAN FOOTBALL SEASON
Sept. S Western Michigan: Before this win, it had been a while since Michigan
fans had anything to cheer about during the opening weekend.
Sept.12 Notre Dame: So charlie Weis doesn't like Big Ten officials. Boo hoo. Formal
complaints must be part of his "five-year internship" process or something.
t" ' Sept.19 Eastern Michigan: We expect former Michigan defensive coordinator Ron English, now
Eastern Michigan's head coach, to get a warm cheer from Wolverine fans. The Eagles, not so much.
Sept. 26 Indiana: Wait, what? Indiana still has a football team? We'll believe it when we see it.
Oct. 3 at Michigan State: Well, hey, Little Brother proved he's at least the
third best team in the state of Michigan this year. Watch out, Sparty - we
heard Detroit Country Day is fielding a pretty tough squad this year.
Oct. 10 at Iowa: Say what you will, Michigan fans, at least Iowa
pulled out a win in its close game with an FCS team.
Oct.17 Delaware State: As if Michigan students needed more motivation to
skip this game, the Athletic Department scheduled it during Fall Break.
Oct. 24 Penn State: There's only one college football coach in America that
leeks back fondly on the late Cretaceous Period - Joe Paterno.
s Oct. 31 at Illinois: The Fighting Illini are almost as lethargic as chief
Illiniwek, the school's mascot that was discontinued in 2007.
Nov. 7 Purdue: Think the Wolverines still have that hook-and-lateral on their minds?
Nov.14 at Wisconsin: Nothing beats a fall afternoon in Camp Randall - that is, of course, if
the Wisconsin Health services can nab that pesky H1N1 virus floating around. Madison.
Nov. 21 Ohio State: Remember when Matt Barkley led a game-winning drive on
you, Buckeyes? There's another freshman QB waiting for you on Nov. 21.
More thanjust miles
separate 'M' and EMU
MICHIGAN DEPTH CHART
VS.
EASTERN MICHIGAN
By ANDY REID
Daily Sports Editor
Only six miles separate Rynear-
son Stadium and the Big House,
second only to Rice and Houston
for the shortest distance between
two Division-I football programs
in the country.
Figuratively,
the two pro- t
grams couldn't
be farther apart. MihIgam
EasternMich- Matchup:
igan suffers from Eastern 0-2;
a lack of tradi- Michigan 2-0
tion, having When: Satur-
changed its nick- day 12 P.M.
name from the Where: Michi-
Normalites to gan Stadium
the Men of Ypsi
to the Hurons to TV: BTN
the Eagles over Blog: www.
the past cen- michigandaily.
tury. And as the com/the game
Western Mich-
igan-Central
Michigan battle thrives, the Eagles
are left stranded without a mar-
quee rival. Michigan is arguably
the most tradition-rich program in
the country, and its marquee rivals
go without saying.
Eastern Michigan suffers from a
lack of stability. They've had 40 all-
time coaches, including just two
that made it past the 10-year mark.
The Wolverines have had just 17
coaches in 130 years of collegiate
play, with famous names like Bo
Schembechler, Fielding Yost and
Lloyd Carr.
And, worst of all, Eastern Mich-
igan suffers form a lack of suc-
cess. The Eagles have won just 43
percent of their games all-time,
lost 37 since the beginning of the
2005 season and won just one Mid-
American Conference crown in the
program's history. Michigan is the
winningest program in the nation
and has claimed 42 conference
championships, 11 national cham-
pionships, three Heisman Trophy
winners and 150 All-Americans.
All signs point to a blowout, just .
like all eight previous meetings in
the Battle for Washtenaw county,
an epic - and somewhat sarcastic
- nickname for the game between
these two neighbors.
Even so, the Wolverines, after
their first 2-0 start since 2006, say
they aren't looking past the Eagles.
"Losing to Appalachian State
(in 2007) and Toledo (in 2008)
just makes us go into every game
regardless of who our opponent is,"
junior safety Troy Woolfolk said.
"We're going to go 100 percent,
because as you can see, you let your
guard down, a little bit, everyone's
good enough to come back. It's D-1,
and everybody's good."
The threat of a letdown always
looms after an emotional game,
and no game in Michigan recent
memory has been quite as emo-
tional and exciting as last week-
end's upset of rival Notre Dame.
To avoid disaster, Michigan coach
RichRodriguezhaspreachedtohis
young squad the necessity of prep-
ping as hard for Eastern Michigan
as it did for the Irish - every game
is the same.
First-year Eastern Michigan
coach Ron English, who spent the
2006 and 2007 season as Michi-
gan's defensive coordinator, has
the same mindset. The Eagles lost
to Northwestern last week 27-24,
will play Michigan on Saturday
and face lowly Temple next week.
English says he won't change his
coaching techniques for any of
them.
"As a player, I grew to really
dislike coaches who coached one
way one week and one way the
next week based on whatthey per-
ceived to be a bigger game than
another game," English said dur-
ing his Thursday press conference.
"So what we try to do is just stay
focused on being consistent.
"They're all big. And you only
get 13 chances to compete a year."
TheEagleshavestruggledtograsp
English's pro-style offense after exe-
cuting the spread fairly well under
former coach Jeff Genyk toward the
end of last season. If senior quarter-
back Andy Schmitt gets in a rhythm,
he can be dangerous, especially with
Michigan's documented concerns in
the secondary.
But with English's commitment
to the ground game, the Eagles
have managed just 165 passing
yards per game through their first
two games.
"They are playing with great
intensity," Rodriguez said. "You
can see that. Fundamentally, they
are blocking well, they are tackling
well. They obviously could have
won the last game (against North-
western). They lost on a field goal
in the last seconds,
"They are making improve-
ments. They made great improve-
ment from week one to week two in
several areas, and I'm sure they're
looking for the same progress this
week."
OFFENSE
QB
RB
FB
1. Forcier, Tate Freshman
2. Robinson, Denard Freshman
1Minor, Brandon Senior
2. Brown, Carlos Senior
1. Moundros, Marl Redshirt iunior
2. Grady, Kevin Fifth-year senior
W R 1. Mathews, GregSenior
2. Stonum, Darryl Sophomore
W R 1. Hemingway, Junior Redshirt sophomore
2. Savoy, LaTerryal Redshirt sophomore
LOT1.Odoms, Martavious Sophomore
2. Grady, Kelvin Redshirt sophomore
T E 1. Koger, Kevin Sophomore
2. Webb, Martell Junior
DEFENSE
E Hg esophomore
'j" Van Bergen, Ryan Redshirt sophomore
2. Banks, Greg Junior
1. Martin, Mike Sophomore
N Ti 2. Sagesse, RenaldoJunior
B 1. Roh, Craig Freshman
2. Herron,Brandon Redshirt sophomore
L B I. Ezeh, Obi Redshirt junior
2 Fitzgerald, J.B. Sophomore
W L .Mouton, Jonas Redshirt iunior
W L ac'Kevin Redshirt sophomore
1. Brown, Stevie Senior
2. Simmons, Floyd Redshirt freshman
LC' 1. Warren, Donovan Junior
2. Turner, J.T. Freshman
S 1.Woolfolk, Troy Junior
2Van Slyke, Jared Redshirt sophomore
S 1. Williams, Mike Redshirt sophomore
2.Kovacs, Jordan Redshirt freshman
1. Cissoko, Boubacar Sophomore
2. Floyd, J.T. Redshirt freshman
LT
1.Ortmann, Mark Fifth-year senior
2. Dorrestein, Perry Redshirt junior
- Like our pictures of
~Michigan football?
Get your own.
LG 1.Schilling, Steve Redshirt junior
2. Mealer, Elliot Redshirt freshman
C
1. Molk, David Redshirt sophomore
2. Khoury, Rocko Redshirt freshman
1.Ferrara, John Redshirt junior
2. Barnum, Ricky Redshirt freshman
RT 1. Huyge, Mark.Redshirt sophomore
2.Omameh, Patrick Sophomore
Commemorate the Wolverines' unforgettable
upset of Notre Dame by buying The
Michigan Daily's photos from the game.
Visit photo.michigandaily.com.
SPECIAL TEAMS
P
K
KR
1. Stonum, Darryl Sophomore
2. Odoms, Martavious Sophomore
1. Olesnavage, Jason Fifth-year senior 1. Mesko, Zoltan Fifth-year senior
2. Gibbons, Brendan Freshman 2. Wright, Bryan Redshirt junior
Note: Depth chart as predicted by Daily football writers.