The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Friday, October 1, 2010 - 5
Breakdown: Blue should
expect shootout at Indiana
JAKE FROMM/Dai
Michigan coach Red Berenson begins his 27th season as the Wolverines coach on Saturday.
Berenson to go for 700th
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this team can actually be."
ith Mercyhurst Berenson will have the chance
to become the sixth member of
By MARK BURNS collegiate hockey's 700-win club
Daily SportsEditor tomorrow night. Michigan faces
Mercyhurst in the Wolverines'
higan hockey coach Red regular-season home opener, fol-
son will enjoy a luxury this lowed by an exhibition contest on
n that he hasn't had in 13 Sunday against Western Ontario.
he returns all of last year's While the Wolverines cer-
eniors. It tainly possess a deep senior class
eem like with nine returnees, Michigan
er simple Mercyhurst has a slew of underclassmen to
uninter- at Michigan complement the experienced
statis- crop of players, with defenseman
Macup:
ut having Indiana 17 7 Jon Merrill headlining the new
s Carl Michigant7-9 Wolverines.
in, Louie "Merrill has the chance to play
usso When: Salon- in our top four," Berenson said of
Matt Rust day at 4 p.m. the 6-foot-3 freshman, who was
he roster Where: selected in the second round of
well for Crisler Arena the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the
son, who Live Blog: New Jersey Devils.
win shy michigandaily. Caporusso added that it's fairly
700. com reassuring to know the coach-
a team ing staff can call on any number
as under- of players - even those who are
med in the past three years younger and less experienced,
roasts a talented trio of like Merrill.
duals as leaders, Michigan The coachingstaff is restricted
to claim its first national to two hours of practice per week
nce 1998. until Oct. 2, so Berenson said he
e understand that we're would know a lot more about the
AA-Championship team," makeup of his team after this
usso said this week. "We're weekend when his younger play-
ers could showcase their talent in
an actual game setting.
He also said that he expects
everyone to receive playing time
in the first two games of the sea-
son, including both netminders.
After practice on Wednesday,
it was announced that senior
Shawn Hunwick will receive the
starting nod over senior Bryan
Hogan against Mercyhurst.
Based on Hunwick's finish last
season, when he led the Wolver-
ines to a CCHA Tournament title
and a trip to the NCAA regional
final before losing to Miami
(Ohio), the tenured coach said he
thought Hunwick "deserved" the
start.
"I wouldn't say week-to-week,
but month-to-month, we'll keep
reviewing (the goalie situation)
and see where we are," Berenson
said. "We're trying to win games,
and it's not about being fair, it's
about what's best for the team."
NOTES: Senior forward Ben
Winnettt was hit in the head
with a puck last Thursday and
hasn't been practicing ... Beren-
son said he "probably won't play
Saturday, but maybe Sunday"...
Freshman defenseman Jacob
Fallon suffered concussion-like
symptoms last week after taking
a hit in practice. Fallon was taken
to the hospital for precautionary
measures, and Berenson said he
"could play one of the games this
weekend."
By TIM ROHAN
Daily Sports Editor
Everyone is predicting that Sat-
urday's game between Michigan
and Indiana will be a shootout.
The Wolverines have sopho-
more quarterback Denard Rob-
inson and an offense that has
produced on average more than
560 yards per game and more than
330 yards of rushing - both of
which rank second in the country.
And the Hoosiers have seasoned
veteran Ben Chappell back at
quarterback, who threw for nearly
3,000 yards in 2009. But Chap-
pell hasn't really had a tough test
just yet this season. Do Towson,
Western Kentucky or Akron scare
anyone?
Well, that's what Michigan fans
thought of Massachusetts, too.
Indiana has an offense that
might be able to keep up with
Michigan. In a battle of two poor
defensive units, the game could
come down to who lasts.
MICHIGAN PASS OFFENSE VS.
INDIANA PASS DEFENSE
Robinson only played for about
10 minutes against Bowling Green,
before bowing out with a minor
injury. But he has been cleared to
start Saturday, and he'll play as
long as it's not a blowout in Michi-
gan's favor.
Robinson has developed con-
nections with several Wolverine
receivers through the first four
games; junior Darryl Stonum, red-
shirt sophomore Roy Roundtree
and junior Martavious Odoms
each have had the hot hand in dif-
ferent weeks. The threat of Robin-
son and the other running backs
has opened up the opportunities
for the receivers on the outside.
And Indiana's rush defense hasn't
held up against lowly competition
to start the season. Expect them to
emphasize stopping the Wolverine
ground attack - this could be a big
day through the air for Michigan.
EDGE: Michigan
MICHIGAN RUSH OFFENSE VS.
INDIANA RUSH DEFENSE
Any time an aspect of your
game ranks second in the coun-
try, it has to be a strength against
any opponent. Michigan has an
experienced offensive line and
plenty of weapons to carry the ball
- starting with Robinson.
He ripped off runs of 46-and
47-yard runs against the Falcons
last week and has topped 100
yards in each of the Wolverines'
first four games.
And while jun'ior Mike Shaw
and redshirt freshman Fitzgerald
Toussaint are doubtful against
the Hoosiers, the Wolverines still
have sophomore Vincent Smith,
who has started two games this
season, redshirt sophomore Mike
Cox and freshman Stephen Hop-
kins.
Indiana has allowed an aver-
age of 177 yards rushing per game.
Robinson could have a field day,
even without Shaw and Toussaint
to hand the ball off to.
EDGE: Michigan
INDIANA PASS OFFENSE VS.
MICHIGAN PASS DEFENSE
The statistics are impressive:
Indiana averages more than 300
yards per game. Chappell has
thrown nine touchdown with-
out any interceptions, and he has
completed 72 percent of his passes
- but once again, that was against
Towson, Western Kentucky and
Akron.
Chappell had allof2009 tocome
into his own and the Hoosiers have
three quality receivers returning
in 2010 in Damarlo Belcher, Tan-
don Doss and Terrance Turner.
The good times for Indiana
could continue to roll. After all,
Michigan sports the worst pass
defense in the Big Ten.
EDGE: Indiana
INDIANA RUSH OFFENSE VS.
MICHIGAN RUSH DEFENSE
If this game goes as expected,
Indiana might not have time to
run the football. The Hoosiers'
run game isn't as big of a threat
as Michigan's, and in a shootout,
Indiana might have to rely on its
passing game to catch up.
Darius Willis is Indiana's lead
back, but he has taken a backseat
to Chappell and the passing game
so far this season. The Wolverines'
rush defense has been shaky, but
not as much as their pass defense.
Michigan's front seven could con-
trol the line of scrimmage and
make things hard on Willis.
The defensive line play was one
of the many bright spots in the
Wolverines' big win over Bowl-
ing Green last week and it's been
somewhat of a constant on an
overall porous unit.
EDGE: Michigan
SPECIAL TEAMS
Indiana has a significantly bet-
ter situation on special teams
than Michigan as Big Ten season
begins. The Wolverines are still
trying to find a placekicker. The
Hoosiers have one.
Nick Freeland is a perfect five-
for-five this season for Indiana,
but he hasn't attempted a kick lon-
ger than 36 yards. Michigan has
missed four of its five attempts,
and true freshman punter Will
Hagerup is going through some
growing pains. We'll see how he
matches up this weekend with his
brother, Chris, who punts for the
Hoosiers.
EDGE: Indiana
INTANGIBLES
Last year, Tate Forcier threw a
late touchdown pass to top Indi-
ana in the Big House. And Bill
Lynch famously threw his gum
after a call didn't go his way on a
ruling related to a Donovan War-
ren interception. Indiana probably
has had this game circled since
summer camp started.
It's the first game of the Big Ten
season. Michigan's offense looks
good and its defense doesn't. Dur-
ing Rodriguez's first two years,
this might have been a letdown
game. But with Robinson under
center, his explosive potential is
enough to keep it even.
EDGE: Push
FINAL SCORE:
Michigan 56, Indiana 38
SARAH SQUiRE/Daiy
Junior wide receiver Martavious Odoms has played a signiticant role in the Wol-
verines' pass attack this season, along with Darryl Stonorm and Roy Roundtree.
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