U The Michigan Daily michigandaily.com I September 7, 2010 Sophomore Denard Robinson broke the single-game rushing record for a Michigan quarterback, running for 197 yards and a touchdown against UConn on Saturday. He also completed 19 of 22 passes for 186 yards. Robinson flashes speed in seasonopening Mwin By TIM ROHAN 197 yards on 29 carries and a run his spread. Robinson's skill sophomore Vincent Smith. Daily Sports Editor touchdown. He also completed set is one that is unique to past With an experienced offen- 19 of 22 passes for 186 yards Michigan teams lacked, and sive line and talented players After sophomore quarter- and a touchdown, accounting one that will bring a different who can effectively run the back Denard Robinson zipped for more than 80 percent of the flavor to this Saturday's rivalry ball, Michigan controlled the through Connecticut's defense offense. game against Notre Dame. clock for much of the game. all day, setting a single-game "UConn The Wolverines started the The team did falter toward the record for rushing yards by a wasn't ready to , game strong and set the tone end of the first half, hanging Michigan quarterback, Robin- see a quarter- early. Michigan's defense on to a 21-10 lead at the break. son said that in a pile, the Hus- back back there forced a quick three-and- But Michigan started the sec- kies' defense tried to take off with 4.3 speed," out. Then, Robinson led a ond half with a 19-play, 75-yard his shoes. junior running 14-play, 96-yard drive drive that lasted 8:05 and ended Maybe that's the only way back Mike Shaw that lasted nearly six with a field goal. Connecticut could have slowed said Monday. "As minutes and ended When the Huskies respond- him down. Robinson and the of Sept. 4 it wa with a touch- ed with a lengthy drive of their Wolverines ran through the Denard's show. I had down run by own and a trip to the red zone, Huskies and won their season no problem being the sup- redshirt sophomore cornerback opener, 30-10, before an NCAA- porting cast if that's what J.T. Floyd forced a fumble and record 113,090 in attendance it takes to get a'W."' gave the ball back to Michigan's for the reopening of the reno- Connecticut coach clock-mongering offense. vated Michigan Stadium. Randy Edsall said Rob- "When something went The quarterback, known as inson fit the mold of the wrong, you didn't see any- "Shoelace" for his tendency to quarterback who Michigan body hang their head," keep his shoes untied, ran for coach Rich Rodriguez likes to See ROBINSON, Page 8B SAM WOLSON/Daily Connecticut running back Jordan Todman is tackled by a host of Wolverines on Saturday. Wolverines secure win in the trenches Players say "Bigger" House is much louder By JOE STAPLETON Daily Sports Editor Sensational sophomore Denard Robinson, along with fellow sopho- more Vincent Smith and junior Michael Shaw, ran all over the hap- less Connecticut defense during Saturday's game, racking up almost 300 rushing yards. But for every spectacular run - and there were many - there was a big, bulldozing offensive lineman clearing the path. Sometimes it was a sliver (which was all Robinson or his running mates needed) and sometimes it was so big all three Wolverine quarterbacks could have fit through it. On defense, the extremely inex- perienced secondary allowed a few big plays but played reasonably well overall. For what was undoubtedly every Michigan fan's greatest worry before the game, the young defen- sive backfield held their own, barely giving up any big plays and tackling much better. But behind almost every incom- plete pass, there was a charging defensive lineman ready to eat Husky quarterback Zak Frazer as a pre-dinner snack. Time and time again, the linemen were pressuring Frazer into rushing an off-balance throw. The game was filled with tremen- dous plays for the Wolverines, but none of them would have happened if the men in the trenches hadn't excelled like they did all game. On the offensive line, it was senior tackle and team captain Stephen Schilling, as well as center David Molk, paving the way for Robinson. "One of our goals this week was to play physical, so we came out and ran See TRENCHES, Page 3B By RYAN KARTJE know. But it was loud." Daily Sports Editor The $226-million renovation project included luxury boxes on the Randy Edsall had heard all of the east and west sides of the stadium rumors. and a new press box, among other The Connecticut coach knew changes. Athletic Director David that Michigan Stadium had been Brandon said this summer that the declared "the quietest 100,000 fans finished towers - standing 85 feet in America" on more than one occa- above the stadium's concourse - sion, were expected to make the stadium But after NOTEBOOK around 30 percentlouder. Michigan's Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez 30-10 victory over Edsall's Huskies said earlier this week on his telecon- on Saturday, a game that debuted ferencethatplayershadtoldhimlast a newer and allegedly louder Big year - while the stadium was under House, Edsall made sure to squash construction - that it was louder, those rumors. but when the team scrimmaged last "I'll tell you what, it was loud," week, it became much more obvious Edsall said. "When people told me, that the sound would be noticeably that we're coming to Michigan to different. play, that's it's not loud, I don't know "It's a whole lot different," sopho- what they were saying. Maybe it was more running back Vincent Smith the new additions that they put on said on the field after the game. "It's that kept the sound in there, I don't See BIGGER HOUSE, Page 3B SAM WOLSON/Daly Players on the Michigan football team celebrate after defeating UConn 30-10 in front of an NCAA-record crowd of 113, 090 at the newly renovated Big House. MISSED OPPORTUNITIES U The Michigan men's soccer team had plenty of chances to seal the game against Drake on Friday, but failed - and failed - to convert. Page 4B The Daily sat down with Rich Rodriguez last week. In his first SportsTuesday Column, Ryan Kartje shares his opinion of the embattled coach. Page 2B