2B -- January 5, 2011 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 28 - January 5, 2011 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom 'M' secures 14th GLI title with offensive surges Coaching gossip Brandon's indecision hurting Blue Captain Glendening named Tournament MVP after three- point tourney By CASANDRA PAGNI Daily Sports Writer DETROIT - While the stage for the Great Lakes Invitational wasn't quite as grandiose as the outdoor hockey game at Michi- gan Stadium earlier this month, it was still Joe Louis Arena - home of the legendary Detroit Red Wings. And in just its COLORADO COLL. 5 second MICHIGAN 6 game after playing MICHIGAN TECH 2 in the MICHIGAN 4 record- setting Big Chill at the Big House, the No. 7 Michigan hockey team showed its flare for the dramatic once again on Dec. 30. Michigan finally secured its 14th MacInnes trophy with a 6-5 win over No. 20 Colorado College in the Great Lakes Invitational championship game after relin- quishing the lead three times. While the Dec.29 4-2 semifinal victory over Michigan Tech fea- tured a stagnant first two periods before a combined four goals in four minutes in the third period, the title bout was a different kind of chaotic. Senior forward Ben Winnett got the Wolverines (12-5-4) off to a hot start, scoring his third goal of the season just 39 seconds into the first period. Winnett banged home a rebound after a scrum in front of the Colorado College net for the early 1-0 lead. When junior forward Luke Glendening scored a shorthanded goal - his fourth goal of the sea- son - 10 minutes into the first period to put Michigan up 2-0, the majority of the fans at Joe Louis Arena erupted, as the GLI was virtually a home game for the Wolverines. "You can't plan things like (Winnett's goal)," Michigan coach Red Berenson said. "That was an important goal. And the next goal, the shorthanded goal, that was another important goal. You've got the lead, you've got some confidence, and you're hav- ing at least a good start Our team is a team that really thrives on good starts." But unfortunately for Michi- gan, it was the Tigers who got started next. Michigan's penalty kill let up its first goal of the night just 34 seconds after Glendening's score in the first period. Colorado College scored four power play goals on the night. Their first two man-advantage goals came just over three min- utes apart in the first, as the Tigers (12-9-1) tied the game at two heading into the first inter- mission. Associate head coach Mel Pearson called the Wolverines "resilient" after the game one victory, and it was a characteris- tic that Michigan had to embody even moreso to come away with a victory against Colorado College. The Wolverines couldn't hold on to a lead in the second period and beginning of the third period. Michigan goals by senior forward Louie Caporusso and Glenden- ing were quickly equalized by a strong attack from the opposi- tion. The Tigers scored just over four minutes into the third period to tie the game at four. And this time, Michigan didn't have a quick-fire response ready. The Wolverines gave up their first lead of the game to Colorado College less than six minutes into the third period. "That's where games are won and lost - the end," Berenson said. "But still, you can make a big momentum shift by a good start. Our team, I think they're confident they can come back in a game." Taking on the resilient per- sona, the Wolverines found the puck-luck they needed late in the third period. Sophomore defenseman Lee Moffie netted his first goal of the season to tie the game up at five with six minutes to play in the third. And as if it was on cue, sopho- more forward A.J. Treais took advantage of some good luck to net his second game-winning goal in two days to cement the Wolverines' 14th GLI Champion- ship. "I lost the draw pretty clean, really clean, actually," Treais said. "I went into the corner, took a peek over my shoulder and threw it at the net and hoped that it would go in. Lucky bounce, I guess." Treais's goal came less than two minutes after Moffie's equal- izer, but this time, the goal put the Wolverines up for good. "Our team battled hard," Berenson said. "We battled hard at the start of the game to get the lead (but) they came back. "It was a great game. ... That third period was really an excit- ing period." fter nearly a full day (or week or month) of specu- ation, reports, rumors, anonymous sources, inklings, best guesses and gut feelings, the hap- penings of Rodriguez-Brandon- Harbaugh-gate seemed to be coming to a crescendo. That escalation centered around the parking lot of Schembechler Hall on a blustery, bone-chillingly cold Tuesday afternoon, where media - some as early as 11 a.m. - waited on anything with a pulse that could tell them whether Rich Rodriguez was no longer coach ofthe Michigan football team. But for all RYAN the sure bets KARTJE and things we know (or say we know), there seems to be only one painfully obvious thing that I took from that parking lot: We have absolutely no idea what Athletic Director Dave Brandon is thinking. The natural thing, we all said, would be to part ways with the embattled, three-year coach before the Wolverines' Gator Bowl matchup. That way, the Athletic Department could focus all of its efforts on a coaching search - one that didn't feel rushed and didn't result in the school's third, des- perate choice. When that didn't happen, it all suddenly made sense again. Brandon must have wanted Stan- ford coach Jim Harbaugh. It was a match made in heaven for any Michigan fan: an athletic direc- tor hoping to settle the debacle of unsuccessful, unpopular'head coach and a former "Michigan Man" quarterback who coached a bad team into a national power. The pairing had Michigan fans salivating, and for a while, it looked like it was going to happen. Then, Harbaugh wasn't an option and Rodriguez was still there. Two hours later, Rodriguez was fired and there was no Plan B. Shortly after, Rodriguez was back and maybe Harbaugh too. And so on, and so forth. By now, I'm sure, Lou Holtz has been rumored to be the next coach of the Wolverines, while Greg Rob- inson is rumored to get a pay raise - who knows. I stopped following Twitter updates on this hours ago. The point is, no matter what the media may have reported so far on this, it's not 100 percent either way right now. And it probably won't be until sometime on Wednesday. That kind of time and specula- tion, whether spent sitting in the parking lot of Schembecher Hall or googling and re-googling Rich 0 0 0 Michigan Athletic Director Dave Brandon will makea decision in the coming days regarding Rich Rodriguez's future. Rodriguez's name to check on his job status, is damaging to a college football program, and it's espe- cially damaging to the fans' public opinion of said program. Remember, Michigan fans have gone through this once before - when Rodriguez was hired and Les Miles wasn't - and all that did was turn the Wolverines into a laughingstock. Three years and 22 losses later, Michigan will not be able to brave that kind of public humiliation in the same fashion. Whatever Brandon's solution is, it better work. But no one knows what that solution will be. Will Brandon cut ties with Rodriguez? Probably. But again, that's not much more than a gut feeling and a host of specula- tion. After all the gossip and the waiting and the awkward ques- tions, bringing Rodriguez back would be a shameful admission of failure. We couldn't get that Har- baugh guy, soI guess you'll do. Sure, he could've put his embattled coach out of his misery after the Ohio State game. But the further speculation and multiple media sources citing his dismissal . leave Rodriguez in an awfully awkward position if he were to return to the helm of the program. This has the peculiar feel of an on-and-off high school relation- ship. And if any of us have learned anything from a handful of those, it's that they're never the same after the first time you break up. So if that does indeed happen as planned, if Rodriguez is on the first train out of town tomorrow night following the team's 4 p.m. meeting, then that leaves Brandon with an overqualified candidate who will probably forgo the Wol- verines for the NFL and ... Brady Hoke, San Diego State's head coach. That's an obviously disappoint- ing position to be in today, after sources earlier this week might as well have spotted Harbaugh wear- ing a Denard Robinson jersey and singing Hail to the Victors on his front porch. But the truth here is that Michi- gan fans may have out-Michigan- ed themselves this time. And the media may have proven that speculation is a drugbest used in moderation. Maybe Jim Harbaugh was never going to coach the Wolverines. Maybe Brandon has a legitimate backup plan. Maybe Urban Meyer is back out of retire- ment and on his way to Ann Arbor. I'm sure you could find an anony- mous source for all three of those claims. or maybe Michigan just isn't as great of a job as it used to be. Maybe a lateral move from Stan- ford to Michigan doesn't make sense for Harbaugh and his fam- ily. And maybe, just maybe, the Wolverines aren't above hiring coaches from smaller FBS schools like San Diego State - after all, Bo Schembechler was a coach at Miami (Ohio) before he carne to Ann Arbor. Now, because of this Michi- gan centrism, the long decision- making process and the gossiping Twittersphere, any candidate not named Harbaugh is going to have a tough time garnering support in Ann Arbor. That is, until he wins. Either way, the speculation needs to stop Wednesday. Bran- don needs to announce a decision - one that's taken much too long already - and the Wolverines need a coach within a week, whether it's Harbaugh, Hoke, Miles or my roommate Dillon. Because every day that Michigan's coaching troubles remain the talk of college football is another day we all look stupid. Whatever happens, Black Wednesday is upon us. And I cau- tion you, follow Twitter at your own risk. Kartje is forced to brave the Twitter speculation storm tomorrow under @Ryan_Kartje. He can be reached there or at rkartje@umich.edu. Badgers' slow-paced offense poses problem By ZAK PYZIK each possession, it has the patience Daily SportsEditor to wait for the right opportunity to drive or shoot. And when that oppor- Thirty-five seconds is about to feel tunity finally presents itself, the like longtime for the Michigan men's offense strike. But Ryan's blueprint basketball team. causes a lot of problems. Defenses The Wolverines (1-1 Big Ten, 11-3 are forced to work for long periods overall) will have to defend Wiscon- of time. Such length normally allows sin (1-1, 11-3) for about that length of the Badgers to dry out opponents - time whenever making more time for mistakes. And the Badgers con- as if 35 seconds wasn't enough to deal trol the ball at the Michigan at with, Wisconsin has a knack for dou- Kohl Center on Wisnin bling their time of possession. Wednesday. "(Last year), they ran the swing On every offen- Matchup: for about 30 seconds, took a shot, got sive possession, 11-3; Michi- an offensive rebound, ran the swing the Badgers work gan 11-3 another 30 seconds, got a basket," the ball until the Michigan coach John Beilein said. shot clock dwin- en "And it was like, we guarded it for one dles down then 830 P.M. minute, and it was a long rebound - they hoist their weboxed out, we did everything. But shot. That's Wis- Where: Kohl right now, they're better than us at Center consin coach Bo taking care of theball." Ryan's unique TV/Radio: If Michigan allows the Badgers offensive scheme. BTN to collect offensive rebounds, the "They get down Wolverine defense will find itself the shot clock time, just like they do in a hole early. But so far, Michigan to everybody," junior guard Zack hasbeen impressive on the defensive Novak said on Tuesday. "I mean they glass, averaging 27 defensive boards wear you down, wear you down. agame - second mostin the Big Ten. Kind of rip your heart out because But in the end, Wisconsin's ability they score with two seconds left on to sustain long possessions can also the shot clock, and you spend 35 sec- hinder the Michigan's offense. onds guarding. It just kind of wears The Wolverines are second-to- you out." last in the conference in terms of Ledby junior guard Jordan Taylor scoring, tallying about 69 points per and senior forward Jon Leuer, Wis- game. And if the Badgers control the consin runs the swing offense. On, pace of the game, which tgey're quite adept at doing, Michigan will have even fewer opportunities to score than usual. "We've got to play our game," Novak said. "You don't want to play Wisconsin's game just because we're at Wisconsin. We want to play Mich- igan basketball. At the same time there are going to be some shots that we might use a little bit more discre- tion with ... "You don't want to come and guard for 35 seconds and then jack one and come right back and guard. We need to be patient and work a little bit. We've got to take what they give you. If you've got an open shot, you've got to take it and knock it down." Every offensive decision that Michigan makes will be critical. The Wolverines will be in a lot of trouble if they allow Wisconsin to get on a roll. The Badgers are 153-16 all-time at the Kohl Center, with only six losses in the past decade. But being on the road may not pose too much of a threat for this young Michigan squad. "I think our lack of experience might help us in a place like this," Novak said. "I mean you go into a place like Madison where they lost like six games since Bo Ryan has been there, our guys don't know about that really. It's not something they'll be thinking about, I don't think so. That might help us." GATOR BOWL From Page 1B Wolverines, since a change to Har- baugh or any other coach would probably mean a change from the zone-read spread offense that Rodriguez brought to Ann Arbor. Asked after the game whether he would play for Michigan next year if Rodriguez doesn't return as the program's coach, sophomore quarterback Denard Robinson said, "No response." "That's my coach. That's who recruited me, so that's it." It was Robinson who gave the Wolverines a chance in the game's opening minutes, pioneering an impressive 10-play, 78-yard drive to open the scoring in Jacksonville. Then, after a 3-and-out and a sti- fling blocked punt, Robinson again marched his offense down the field, lobbing a perfect touch pass to a healthy Martavious Odoms in the corner of the endzone. The touchdown gave Michigan a 14-10 lead at the end of the first quar- ter, as Robinson remained perfect through the air - 7-of-7 for 98 yards and two touchdowns - and electrifying on the ground - aver- aging12.8 yards per carry. But the next three quarters, which yielded 42 unanswered Bulldog points, ended the Wolver- ines' season on a sour and frustrat- ing note. "I guess we didn't take our level of preparation seriously," sopho- more defensive end Craig Roh said. Not known for his passing prowess, Mississippi State quar- terback Chris Relf torched Michi- gan's young, struggling secondary for 281 yards and three touch- downs on 18-of-23 passing. His dominance in the passing game and threat to convert first downs with his legs had the Wolverine defense reeling, as the Bulldogs' 52 points were the most they scored in a game all season and the sec- ond-most Michigan has allowed. With so much time to prepare for the New Year's Daybowl game, redshirt freshman lineman Tay- lor Lewan agreed the loss was "an embarrassment." "7-5 was a great turnaround," Lewan said. "We were in a Janu- ary 1st bowl game. And yeah, it was embarrassing ... but this team's going to come together and we'll be just fine." Added Roh: "It's not the end of anything. It's the beginning of something new." For the program, however, this loss could certainly mean an end - the end of the Rich Rodriguez era. Mississippi State quarterback Chris Relf torched Michigan JAKE FROMM/Daily aturday afternoon and took home the Gator Bowl MVP.