The Michigan Daily I michigandaily.com I September 21, 2009
MAX COLLINS/Daily
Senior Carlos Brown tallied 187 rushing yards on 13 carries. He also had two touchdowns, including a 90-yarder, the third-longest rushing touchdown in the history of Michigan football.
MICHIGAN 45. EASTERN MICHIGAN 17
Gotta eel goodfor Carios
Carlos Brown sat calmly on the
sidelines in the waning minutes
of Michigan's
45-17 win over Eastern
Michigan. Looking es-
pecially cool and col-
lected, the senior run-
ning back chatted with
teammates as they trot-
ted over to offer high
fives and congratula-
tions. RUTH
His 187 rushing LINCOLN
yards, including a 90- LINCOLN_
yard touchdown run,
that was the third lon-
gest in Michigan history, made him the
hero of a Michigan offense that rushed for
380 yards, the most since 2003.
His teammates definitely knew it. But
Brown didn't seem to.
"Our sideline was nuts," sophomore wide
receiver Darryl Stonum said of Brown's 90-
yard score. "I was actually trying to get to
him to celebrate in the end zone and he took
off on me, so I was like, 'All right, forget it.
I'll jog. I'll catch you on the sideline: "
He may have shunned the celebration,
but it's on the sidelines where Brown has
spent most of his career. Whether it was
because of any number of nagging injuries
or former Michigan running back Mike
Hart's enormous shadow, we have only
seen flashes of the real Brown.
It'smuch too soon to say Brown is"back"
and finally emerging as the five-star run-
ning back that he was expected to be out
of high school. If classmate Brandon Minor
returns soon, he should solidify his spot as
Michigan's No.1 tailback. Sure, Brown had
a spectacular game. But throughout his ca-
reer, he's had many one-game wonders.
Illinois in 2007 -113 yardson 25 carries,
the first back to break the century mark
against the Illini that season. Minnesota
that same year -132 yards.
And last season against Northwestern,
See LINCOLN, Page 3B
Ground attack dooms EMU
By ANDY REID
Daily Sports Editor
Just a week after Tate Forcier cemented
his status as the Michigan football team's
poster boy in a comeback win over Notre
Dame, T-shirts boasting,"May The Forcier
Be With You" began to show up in the Big
House.
In the student section, an enormous sign
stating "We Love Tate!" appeared Saturday
against Eastern Michigan, announcing the
fans' unbridled adoration for the young-
ster.
And with highlights galore on ESPN and
a Sports Illustrated cover story, it was gen-
erally assumed that the Wolverines' future
rested squarely on his shoulders.
Hold on.
Just as Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez
repeatedly reminds himself that Forcier
is still a freshman, everyone in Michigan
Stadium needs to be reminded that Rodri-
guez's offense is based around a bruising
ground game.
That was more apparent than ever on
Saturday, with the sluggish defense giving
up 128 rushing yards and Forcier's less-
than-stellar 7-of-13, 68-yard performance.
Forcier, who until Saturday had looked
nearly unstoppable, had a few freshman
miscues but was bailed out by the relent-
less run support, which was too much for
the Eagles in Michigan's 45-17 romp.
With the win, Michigan (3-0) matched
its win total from last year's disastrous 3-9
campaign.
"I think, going into the Big Ten season,
See EAGLES, Page 3B
Freshman Tate Forcier eludes an Eastern Michigan defender during a 21-yard run in the third quarter.
M' upset in season's first loss
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Luck on Wolverines'
side in win over Miami
No.6 Michigan upended
by Oregon State in
straight sets despite
early lead
By MARK BURNS
Daily Sports Writer
For the Michigan volleyball team, ad-
versity has been a non-issue so far this
season.
The team sprinted out to a 12-0 start,
including a win over then-No. 3 Nebraska
three weeks ago. During that stretch, the
team lost just three sets.
But after unranked Oregon State swept
the Wolverines
Saturday (27-25, OREGON STATE 3
25-22, 25-23) at MICHIGAN 0
the Michigan/
Adidas Invitational, adversity is what ev-
eryone, especially coach Mark Rosen, is
talking about.
"We've had very limited adversity so
far this year," Rosen said. "Adversity -
it's what builds teams, it's what builds
athletes, it's what builds players . We can
get a lot stronger because of the adversity
we faced tonight"
The Wolverines (12-1) began the tour-
nament with two three-set victories over
Marquette and Dayton on Friday.
Late first-half penalty
gives golden opportunity
By TIM ROHAN
Daily Sports Writer
His teamgotlucky,and Michiganwomen's
soccer coach Greg Ryan knows it.
With less than aminute left in the first half,
sophomore Courtney Mercier chased down a
ball on the leftside and a Miami player fouled
Mercier near the corner flag.
"I was amazed,because the girl didn't need
to foul Courtneyin
the corner - there MIAMI (FLA.) 0
was only 2p, sec- MICHIGAN 1
onds to go,"lyan
said. "And Courtney wasn't going to go any-
where, and we got lucky that she fouled her"
Junior Jackie Carron lofted a picturesque
pass off the free kick towards the back goal-
post. Freshman Holly Hein headed the ball
straight into the crossbar but launched the
rebound into the net, scoring her team-high
third goal of the season.
"Holly's a gamer," Ryan said. "She gets a
chance (to score), she sticksathem in!'
It was the only score of the day, enough
for the Wolverines to beat the Hurricanes 1-0
yesterday at the U-M Soccer Complex. Yes-
terday's victory, coupled with last Wednes-
day's 3-0 win over Oakland marked Michi-
gan's first back-to-back shutouts since the
beginning of the 2007season.
With the win, the Wolverines (5-5) sur-
passed last season's win total. And after the
game, Ryan said that the girls could startbe-
lievingin themselves.
Before the lone goal, the match had been
somewhat even. Michigan had its chances
but Miami's attack seemed relentless, with
10 shots and three corner kicks in the first
half alone.
But when the ball got deep in their half of
the field, the Wolverine defense held its own
and forced the Hurricanes to take most of
their shots from outside the box.
Miami threatened even more in the sec-
ond half.
With just over 18 minutes left to play,
goalie Haley Kopmeyer tried to cradle the
ball, but it took a funny bounce and got away.
A Miami player took the ball, but sophomore
Kim Siebert was in position to get her foot
in, to give time for Kopmeyer to recover and
make the save.
Ryan said it was the only mistake that
Kopmeyer made on the day, and Carron de-
scribed Kopmeyer's play as "phenomenal."
See HURRICANES, Page 2B
HMV - - - -- - -
Sophomore Alex Hunt and the Wolverines lost in straight sets in Crisler Arena Saturday
The following day, however, could Instead, an hour-and-a-half match later,
prove to be a turning point in the team's the maize-and-blue faithful were left
season, for better or for worse. stunned inside the arena.
For the first time since 2007, Michigan The Wolverines jumped out to a com-
played at Crisler Arena rather than the fortable 12-2 lead in the first set, but fell
usual home venue Cliff Keen Arena. from there.
The change of scenery was designed "(Oregon State) served really aggres-
to draw a larger-than-normal crowd af- sively," senior right side hitter Megan
ter the football game - which it did. The Bower said. "We didn't take care of the
turnout was moderately successful, with ball tonight. Their outside hitters were
2,673 people in attendance. great, and they shut down ours.... They
At the same time, switching arenas just took us out of system."
for one day was a move to celebrate the one of the outside hitters that exposed
undefeated team and its No. 6 ranking. See BEAVERS, Page 2B
HIGH-FLYING BLUE REID: SETTLE DOWN
After shooting practice Friday, the Is it really great to be a Michigan Wolverine
Wolverines piled five goals on Western : after beating a middling MAC program? Stop
Michigan in Kalamazoo. Page 2B. overusing the big-win cheer. Page 2B. ,