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8 - Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
CHRis DZOMOAK/Daily
Junior Lowe Caporusso was a unanirnous pick for the preseason Al-CCH A irst tear.
T Preseason A1-CCHA Team
SAID ALSALAH/Daily
Senior Carlos Brown is leading the Wolverines' high-flying offense with 336 yards rushing, four total touchdowns and 8.4 rushing yards per attempt.
Blue aims to be more physical
with in-state rivalry game up next
Forward, Louie Caporusso,junior, Michigan
Forward, Carter Camper, junior, Miami
Forward, Mark Olver, junior, Northern Michigan
Defense, Ian Cole, junior, Notre Dame
Defense, Erik Gustafsson, junior, Northern Michigan
Goalie, Brian Stewart, senior, Northern Michigan
Forward, Calle Ridderwall, junior, Notre Dame
Forward, Billy Maday, sophomore, Notre Dame
Forward, John Albert, junior, Ohio State
Defense, Eddie DeGrosso, senior, Nebraska-Omaha
Defense, Kyle Lawson, senior, Notre Dame
Goalie, Bryan Hogan, junior, Michigan
H0 N*2ABLEM
Forward, Ryan Thang, senior, Notre Dame
Forward, Greger Hanson, junior, Northern Michigan
Defense, Zach Redmond, junior, Ferris State
Defense, Chris Summers, senior, Michigan
Defense, Tyler Ludwig, senior, Western Michigan
Defense, Chris Wideman, sophomore, Miami
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ByANDY REID physical is a mentality and a state
Daily Sports Editor of mind with your players, not a
system."
Since Rich Rodriguez and his Rodriguez's critics grew louder
coaching staff at Glenville State after his terrible 2008 debut, saying
came up with the crazy idea to run his brand of football wasn't tough
a two-minute offense for the whole enough for the Midwest. Michi-
game, he has had to deal with com- gan couldn't run, throw or, well, do
mon perceptions about the spread. anything when it got the ball.
The offense is about speed. It's But those naysayers have been
about finesse, style points and quieted thisseason. The Wolverines
flash. are eating up enormous chunks of
It's not about toughness. yards, and they're doing it in a way
When he took the Michigan that would make Bo Schembechler
job after Lloyd Carr's retirement, proud - on the ground.
Rodriguez was berated with ques- Michigan leads the Big Ten in
tions about how his high-octane rushing offense, racking up more
offense could possibly work in the than 240 yards per game. That's
Big Ten, still home to 320-pound almost 50 yards more per game
linemen and the "three yards and a than second-place Wisconsin. The
cloud of dust" philosophy. Wolverines have also scored 12
"I've heard that quite a bit ... that touchdowns on the ground, which
if you're a spread team, you're not is greater than or equal to the num-
as physical," Rodriguez said at his ber of total offensive touchdowns
Monday press conference. "Being put up by five conference counter-
parts: Ohio State, Indiana, Iowa,
Minnesota and Illinois.
"If you run for 350 yards or
400 yards in the spread offense,
you have to be a little bit physical
at some point," Rodriguez said.
"That part is probably played up
too much. I don't think it's the style
of play. But there is no question, in
this game, the physicality of both
teams."
But once again, with his team
traveling to East Lansing this week-
end, Rodriguez was questioned
about his team's toughness.
That'sbecausethe Spartans have
garnered the reputation of being a
very physical team since Michigan
State coach Mark Dantonio strolled
onto campus three seasons ago.
Last year, on the legs of Javon
Ringer, the Spartans were one of
the most physical, ground-churn-
ing teams in the Big Ten, if not the
nation. But Rodriguez doesn't want
to focus on the toughness of Michi-
gan State, but of the intensity of the
conference as a whole.
"Wetrytopreach the importance
of the Big Ten games in particular,
how intense they are," Rodriguez
said. "Some of the schools in the Big
Ten, if you ask them, they may tell
you their biggest game is against
Michigan."
On the defensive side of the ball,
the Spartans are giving up a scant
113 yards per game on the ground,
which means hard-nosed football
is going to be the key to the Wolver-
ines' offensive success this week-
end and in the future.
"We've played pretty physical at
times this year, but we're going to
challenge our guys this week to be
more physical, and not just because
we're playing Michigan State,"
Rodriguez said. "We're doing it
because I think we can play more
physical."
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Wle.
Michigan 28
\4 n State 35
Michigan 21
Since Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio's first season in 2007, there has been no love lost between the
Wolverines and Spartans.
You probably remember Mike Hart's infamous "Little Brother" comment - and Dantonio making fun of Hart's
height in response - but there are plenty of chalkboard-worthy quotes for both sides from the last few years, including
some pretty startling quips from a few Spartans at yesterday's press conference. Needless to say, this annual in-state
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room:It's not over, and it'll
4 ovrhere. It's just starting."
Michigan defensive end Brandon Graham before the 2008 Mich
game: "We gonna come out, we gonna work hard this week. Because
we are going to ever lose to State. I'm feeling like we're not gonna
because that's just - we're not going to lose to State. We are goi
We're gonna win."
°
f
defensive end Trev-
or Anderson: "After about 15 seconds,
I realized why I didn't like them. Just
the total lack of respect that they have
for our school in general. Not just the
program, but the general lack of respect
they have for us."
quarterback Kirk
Cousins: "This game is personal, and we
need to win it. And we better win it."
left tackle Rocco
Cironi: "Yeah, I think everybody has a
hatred for Michigan."
Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez:
"I'm friendly with everybody ... I'm a
nice guy. I'm closer with some other
coaches. (Dantonio andI) don't share tea
and crumpets ... we don't trade text mes-
sages every day, but we'refriendly,."
Michigan cornerback Donovan
Warren: "This past year (in January)
I was going back home and I was at
the airport and a guy - I had nothing
Michigan on - but the guy just came
up to me and said, 'We're gonna beat
your ass this year again.' I said, 'What?'
He's like, 'Yeah, those Wolverines, we're
going to give it to you this year again.' I
said, All right, all right, sir.' "
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