8 - Tuesday, October 27, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 8 - Tuesday, October 27, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Molk done for'09 after ACL tear By COURTNEY RATKOWIAK Daily Sports Editor Somehow, David Molk's bad break just got worse. Five weeks after breaking his foot against Eastern Michigan on a fluke play, the center tore his right anterior cruciate ligament during his first drive back on the field, Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez confirmed Monday. The new injury, suffered on the fourth play of Michigan's 35-10 loss to Penn State on Saturday, means Molk will be out for the remainder of the season. Rodriguez said the redshirt sophomore will have knee surgery as soon as the swelling goes down. Molk will also miss spring prac- tice, but could participate in sum- mer workouts if the surgery goes as planned. "He was running really well all week in practice, and I talked to him about it this morning, and he said it's kind of crazy, he felt good, running good," Rodriguez said. "I just feel bad for Dave because he's had so much bad luck." Rodriguez said the tear was a non-contact injury where Molk "planted funny on one of the run plays," and it was not related to any possible or lingering pain in his foot. He walked off the field on his own after the injury. After Saturday's game, Molk was standing and walking without help, though he was terse when asked abouthow it felt to be hurt so early in the game. "Do I really have to spell that out for you?" he said derisively. After breaking his foot in the first half of the Eastern Michigan game on Sept. 19, Molk played for much of the restof the game. He also didn't seem to know the extent of his knee injury immediately after Saturday's game, saying, "Uh, it's not bad. I'll be back." Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Ryan Van Bergen, Molk's roommate, said Molk had told him the same thing - that he would be back and ready to play this week. But yesterday, Molk went to Van Bergen's room to share the bad news. "(Molk) got a phone call from Rust sparks offense by skating on two lines Berenson ready to goals per game, but they know that mix and match lines they are missing opportunities. "We have full faith in Coach to find right combos Berenson," Brown said. "He knows his stuff. He's been around long enough that he can gel some guys By TIM ROHAN together so we can start scoring Daily Sports Writer some goals instead of just getting chances.....500 is not going to cut it Three minutes into the third for Michigan." period of the Michigan hockey GIDDY UP: Caporusso, Michi- team's loss to Boston University on gan's top returning scorer (24 goals Saturday, freshman Chris Brown and 49 points last season) and a pre- was given a game misconduct and season All-Conference first team five-minute major for checking selection, is under pressure. from behind. Brown was ejected And through the first four games with the Wolver- of the season, he hasn't registered a ines down 2-0. NOTEBOOK single point. The penalty "I'm surprised," Berenson said forced Michigan coach Red Beren- of his lack of scoring. "After four son to play junior Matt Rust on two games, you would've thought with lines, a rare occurrence at this level the power play time we've had (that of hockey. he would have scored)." The move paid off. Rust scored Berenson acknowledged Capo- the game-tying goal later in the russo has had a strong presence third period while playingleft wing on offense with his passing and instead of at his usual position at playmaking abilities, but he and center. his teammates haven't been able to No. 5 Michigan (2-2-0) lost the capitalize. game 3-2, but the line changes Berenson said rest could play a sparked the stagnant Wolverine role in rejuvenating him, too. attack. "I think it's actually a good thing Berenson made even more drastic that Louie doesn't have a goal yet, line changes in yesterday's practice. because we know it's going to kick "You don't want to stay with your in some day and he's going to get same lines if your team is under- on a roll," Hagelin said. "We know achieving," Berenson said. "And I he's a dangerous threat for us. He think we are underperforming in didn't have that many points after (every) area. And it's early in the four games last year either, so we year. So we're still not sure who the know he's going to pick it up. When best combinations are." he picks it up, he's going to be great The Michigan offense has strug- for us." gled, except for the line of Rust, Caporusso could benefit from Brown and junior Carl Hagelin. Hagelin's presence on his line, and The trio has combined for 11 of the Berenson is confident it won't be Wolverines' 30 points this year. long before Caporusso is back to That means Berenson is moving scoring goals. Hagelin to join junior Louie Capo- "Is he a bit of a concern? Yeah. russo's line and shifting sophomore He'll work his way through it," David Wohlberg to play with Rust Berenson said. in order to spread the wealth. INJURY NOTES: David Wohlberg "We don't know if (that line) was held out of practice because he is gone for sure," Hagelin said. "I was "sick to the stomach," accord- think we play well - me, Rusty and ing to Berenson. Junior Ben Win- Brown - but they want to get Louie nett, who pulled his groin during and Wohlberg going and get some practice a week and a half ago, is points for those guys." about 90 percent healthy, according The Wolverines average 2.75 to Berenson. " Redshirt sophomore David Molk receives attention from Michigan trainers after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament Saturday. the doctors saying, 'You're prob- ably not going to be able to play the rest of the season,' " Van Bergen said. "He's really good at hiding emotions. I think he's obviously upset. Anybody would be upset if you weren't going to play the rest of the season. "But he took it really well, and he just says, 'You gotta pick up the slack for me a little bit.'" Picking up the slack for Molk will be fifth-year senior David Moosman, who moved from right guard to center for the four games during Molk's absence. Redshirt sophomore Mark Huyge will again shift from right tackle to right guard, and redshirt jutiior Perry Dorrestein will take over Huyge's spot at right tackle. When Moosman was called to switch to center after Molk's inju- ry Saturday, the offense appeared to lose rhythm gained during the opening touchdown drive. The struggles were especially evident on a second-quarter miscommuni- cation that led to a snap out of the Michigan end zone for a Penn State safety. "It was loud down there and Moosman didn't hear me, and I didn't say anything so I don't know why he snapped it, but he did," quar- terback Tate Forcier said Saturday. The team experienced similar growing pains against Indiana, the first game after Molk broke his foot, where the Wolverines record- ed six dropped snaps. Moosman seemed to find his groove by the Iowa and Delaware State games, though, and putting a veteran back at the position will likely make the Wolverines' tran- sition easier before they head to Illinois this weekend. But echoing what Rodriguez said the Monday after the Eastern Michigan game, Molk is one of the team's best play- ers, which makes the loss especial- ly tough for the team. "It's not an individual thing for him, which is why the coaches and everybody loves him so much,"Van Bergen said. "He went out there on a torn ACL and a bad foot to play for the team." NOTE: Michigan's home game against Purdue on Nov. 7 will be at 12 p.m. on the Big Ten Network, the conference announced Monday. 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