8 - Wednesday, November 4, 2009 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Rodriguez talks about lack of depth By MICHAEL EISENSTEIN Daily Sports Editor Everyone wants an answer: What is wrong with the Michigan football team? With four consecutive confer- ence losses - the most recent an embarrassing loss to a terrible Illinois team - the Wolverines are unraveling during the sea- son's most critical stretch. Michigan coach Rich Rodri- guez said Monday the team's struggles stem from a lack of execution on the field and a lack of talent on the current roster. But changing schematics and moving around personnel are short-term Band-Aids. He knows success is still far away and the team's lack of long- term solutions - improving talent and depth - is what frustrates him the most. "Some of our issues did not occur overnight and will not be solved overnight," Rodriguez said Monday. "Sometimes it takes a little longer than I would like or any of you like. I am less patient than any of you or any fans that we have." It is easy to point a finger at the massive adjustments needed to run Rodriguez's spread-option offense as the culprit for the Wol- verines' struggles. But the coach doesn't think that the offensive systems itself is the root of Michigan's woes. After all, schemes will often change under one coach, sometimes as frequently as week-to-week dur- ing a season. "The transition, more than anything, is going from not play- ing to being on the scout team, to being a second-or third-team guy, then all of a sudden being a starter and playing 70, 80 plays a game," Rodriguez said Tuesday. Rodriguez didn't foresee that type of transition before he came to Ann Arbor. When asked Mon- day if he thought success would come sooner, he had just a five- word answer: "Not after I got here." Rodriguez said that was because 20 defensive recruits from the last five classes have left the program, and just four of those departures were due to graduation. A moderate level of attrition is natural after a coach- ing transition. But when over 40 percent of players leave on one side of the ball, it is particularly difficult for Rodriguez to develop the depth he wants - three guys at every position he feels comfort- able with. What he saw in personnel led him to start two defensive walk- ons against Illinois. It isn't necessarily an issue if one walk-on is playing regu- larly - the player simply could have been underrated in high school - but it's usually a bad sign when two defensive starters are current or former walk-ons. Especially when one, redshirt sophomore linebacker Kevin Leach, grades out the highest of any defensive player against Illi- nois after replacing Michigan's active leader in career tackles, redshirt junior Obi Ezeh. "If we do the right job recruit- ing and developing, three or four years from now we won't have as many true freshmen coming in as playing, particularly in key roles," Rodriguez said. "If you've been there for a while and developed a program through the right guys, you're not going to have nine, 10, 11 true freshmen suiting up and playing. That's just a difference in age. "That's not an excuse, that's just kind of where we're at. As coaches we've got to figure out, 'Okay, how do we make sure that this issue and that issue is not an issue two, three years from now.'" A quick fix to this problem would usually be looking to junior college players. With a couple years of playing experience, those players can transfer to a FBS team and make a more immediate impact than a freshman. But with Michigan's academic policies, that isn't really an option. A lot of the junior-college credits simply won't transfer, according to Rodriguez. That means there is no short- term solution to the bigger issues at work in the program. If Michigan makes a bowl game, which it can qualify for with one more win, then the Wol- verines get 15 extra practices - a small way to boost the team's experience. "It's almost like an extra spring practice (which also lasts 15 ses- sions)," Rodriguez said. "And you 0 Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez has started two walk-ons onthe defensive side of the ball this season. get a chance to develop those young guys." But for Rodriguez, turning around Michigan's recent fate still comes down to restoring depth. And that takes time. "We are not good enough to play poorly and win - we're not at that point experience-wise and talent-wise," Rodriguez said. "it goes back to, if you ask this guy to do this, maybe he's not capable of doing that. So we've gone through all those issues. "My defensive staff and my offensive staff, they have a lot of experience in dealing with this, and they've been in similar situations. So they're all coming together and thinking about it and doing the best we can with it." 'M' takes 15th at last tourney of'09 K IGA THETC 555055O F F AR IEL BOND/Daily Junior Matt Rust and unior Louie Caporusso who take many of Michigan's faceoffs, will need to be at the top of their games this weekend against No.1 Miami (Ohio). Faceoffs and puck control will be key against M.\-iami dSi U '. i I}.f a ir Loi . 1ond.efort ting, its.beinready Ashley Bauer ties Michigan tournament record By MICHAEL LAURILA For the Daily The Michigan women's golf team finished its fall season in convincing fashion yesterday at the Challenge at Onion Creek, led by a standout performance from senior captain. Ashley Bauer. Bauer finished tied for eighth overall at the Onion Creek Golf Club in Austin. Her performance was strong even though the Wolverines, with a score of 877, were far out- matched by teams like Texas A&M, who won the two-day tournament with a score of 839. Bauer shot a 212, which tied the Michigan 54-hole tournament record.' Fellow senior Andrea Ratigan finished tied for 27th, shooting a 216. Ratigan was in 47th place com- ing into the final day, but the senior rebounded by shooting par and moving up 20 places. Even though Bauer's score tied a Michigan record, Michigan coach Cheryl Stacy said the senior still didn't feel that was good enough. "Our seniors played pretty well," Stacy said. "Ashley was disappoint- ed, but that is because she has high expectations. With this event being par 70, she has some goals that she just missed." The Wolverines finished 15th out of 21 teams and posted a season-best score. Improving its combined team scores each round, Michigan never gave up and kept fighting during the tournament to improve. "I thought our team played a little bit better than the results showed," Stacy said. "Our scores weren't that bad, but they could have been better." Also placing for Michigan were junior Min Yean Tan, junior Kate- lin Davis and sophomore Meagan Bauer. Tan shot a season-best 222, and Meagan Bauer tied her 54-hole career best with 228. With the con- clusion of this tournament, the Wol- verines won't compete until they hit the links for the spring 2010 season. "We know what we need to work on," Stacy said. "We know what our strengths and weaknesses are and we are going to do what we can to improve on both this winter. We are going to take a little bit of time off, but then come right back and get back to work preparing for the spring season." S, nus play if S an U1UaporU1Usso nd effort thing, it's bigray imit's being focused and bearing ~important role down." a Wolverines' Michigan has two centers that have experienced great success uccess on ice on the draw this season - Rust and junior Louie Caporusso. So By TIM ROHAN far this season, Rust sports a Daily Sports Writer 52 percent win percentage and Caporusso has an impressive 60 can overpower him quick him, you ca effort him. Someti lift his stick and 1 with your foot. Th technique to it." Berenson said th be his choice for f defensive zone beca on the penalty kill, so would be his pit in the attacking zot Matt Rust had just played a bad game, and Michigan hockey coach Red Berenson knew how to fix it. Then-No. 2 Michigan had lost to Northern Michigan 2-0 in its third game of the 2008-09 season and Rust was 2-for-14 on faceoffs. Despite his performance, the team still finished the game 31-for-60 on the draw. "I had to get all over him about his faceoffs," Berenson said. "He didn't have a good game. The next night he was wired, and he was (6-for-14). And he scored two goals and had a great game. It all starts with faceoffs." Berenson has made sure his players know the importance of face offs, and the players practice them weekly. As Rust saw firsthand, win- ning faceoffs can set the tone for a player's game. "I knew I would have a good game if I started by winning faceoffs," Berenson said of his playing days. "Some players think they have to work hard or play the body. But with me it started with faceoffs. Because if you're winning the faceoffs, it's a bit of a one-on-one battle. It's not just a skill thing. It's a sec- percent success rate through six games. Those two players are powerful weapons in maintaining puck control. As the team struggles to find consis- tent third and fourth line centers, hav- ing veterans like Rust and Ca more valuable. In a tight gam can often be key.] the penalty kill, a potentially give one on the pow team has a great Knowing this iml son teaches tech to anticipate th moves. "You should I what the other do so that you him and make su his way on thec said. "And some matter of you k what you're goin w it "If you're wnning f the faceoffs, it's a a bit of a one-on- a one battle." w o] (S R porusso is even his faceoff goals for "Miami's so talent e, special teams you want to maint Lose a faceoff on specifically on the nd the team can or on the PP." up a goal. Win Rust and Cap er play, and the played against Mi chance to score. Carter Camper and portance, Beren- gels on faceoffs be tnique and how familiarity is some e other team's centers will use to g tage on the faceoff. have an idea of But it's not an ex guy is trying to "It's kinda tough can go against russo said of what re he doesn't get good at faceoffs. draw," Berenson there's going to b times it's just a just clash with yt nowing exactly sometimes you've; g to do and you (the matchups) up , you can out- I've noticed playing in the NCAA in out-second - some guys I'll clean out, and imes you just other guys I'll use the same style kick the puck and won't do anything against ere's sort of a them." Faceofftechnique is something at Rust would that can be adjusted even during aceoffs in the games. use of his role The Wolverines monitor their and Caporus- faceoff statistics throughout ck for faceoffs games, and Berenson keeps an ne. eye on them between periods to Both players address a "glaring stat" for a key vill need to be matchup on faceoffs later in the n peak form game. or this week- Set plays are also important nd's series factors involved in faceoffs. Rust gainst No. 1 said that Michigan had three or Miami (Ohio) four good scoring chances off of t Yost. faceoffs in the Wolverines' sweep "As a team, of Lake Superior State last week- ve need to be end. n a 60-percent Those set plays had a large role success rate)," last year, and Rust thinks it's just ust said of a matter of time before they can the weekend. take advantage of one of those ed offensively, opportunities in the attacking tain the puck zone. (penalty) kill Miami features an attack that has four players who have 'orusso have tallied eight or more points ami forwards through the team's first eight Tommy Win- games, including Camper and fore, and that Wingels. thing that the Winning faceoffs could sti- gain an advan- fle that attack and provide an offensive advantage for the act science. Wolverines. to tell," Capo- "It just jacks it up to another it-takes to be level," Berenson said. "When "Sometimes you look at Miami coming in this me styles that weekend you know every part of our style and the game is going to be impor- got to switch tant. Faceoffs could be the differ- . That's what ence in the game." Jung to compete at ITA Nationals By ZELL ZOERHOF For the Daily Tomorrow, Michigan tennis player Jason Jung will be the only Big Ten player in the field of 32 at the ITA National Intercollegiate Indoor Championships in New Haven, Conn. Jung has been on fire this fall after learning to play consistent- ly. Nothing has fazed him in his junior campaign. Coming into this year with a pedestrian .500 record in singles, Jung has vastly surpassed those numbers in the fall season. "The previous two years, I have played well but not consistent," Jungsaid. "Practice hasbeenbetter by makingsure I focus on the right things and play the same way." Jung is currently 8-3 in singles and 8-5 in doubles, and those wins have come in impressive fashion. On Oct. 16, he dominated against Ohio State 6-1, 6-2. Then, partner- ing with George Navas, he beat the 26th-seeded Buckeyes doubles team 9-7. "I always have high expecta- tions for myself," Jung said. "I didn't expect it, but liked to think I could do well." Jung scares his opponents by moving into the court when he can and taking his chances well. He knows his strategies and executes them on a point-by-point basis. The wins have started to pile up thanks to a strong all-around game and exceptional speed. "Jason puts in the hard work," assistant coach Sean Maymi said. "Sometimes it takes time to see results. Tennis is a funny game. If a couple things turn your way, it givesyou confidence, and with more focus, things have went his way." . With Jung's deep run into the singles semifinal and the doubles final of the ITA Midwest Regional, he earned the right to become one of 32 players selected to the ITA National Indoors where he will play the best in collegiate tennis. "The goal of every tournament is to win," Jung said. "I know all these guys playing, and I've got a pretty good chance to do well. " As the only Big Ten player to qualify, Jung will need to keep his confidence high as he heads into his first match tomorrow. When asked what will be his key to success, Jung answered, "By playing the same way I've been playing." 6 0 0