8A - Wednesday, April 13, 2011
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Hoke and Mattison have D' improving this spring
There were a lot of ques-
tions to be answered that
Monday afternoon, and
the Michigan defense's unofficial
spokesman was clearly baffled by
the truth himself.
Ryan Van
Bergen stood
in the hallway
at the Junge
Champions
Center, hav-
ing already
withstood
more than
five minutes TIM
of inquiry. ROHAN
And he had to
keep talking
about it - Michigan's 48-28 loss
against Wisconsin.
What was it like during that
second half when the Badgers
called one pass play during the
final 30 minutes of the game?
How could Wisconsin - already
missing John Clay - rush for
357 yards?
What happened?
As a student of the game, Van
Bergen had already watched the
tape - he was just disgusted
with what he saw.
Van Bergen and his team-
mates knew what Wisconsin
was going to do. The Wolverines
had practiced against the play
the entire week. That Saturday,
Wisconsin kept running it.
The same damn play.
They bullied the Michigan
defense until it said uncle.
Watch the film for yourself.
The guard on the backside of the
play pulls to the strong side and
the entire line pushes downfield
- it has many names, but Brady
Hoke and Al Borges call it the
"power" play.
Ironically, that's going to be
an important part of the Michi-
gan offense this season.
As for the defense, this spring
has Van Bergen and the rest of.
the unit ready to make some big
changes - starting with the lit-
tle things. If you piece together
the evidence from this spring,
the defense will be significantly
better this fall, thanks to the
two coaches at the top. And you
can guarantee, with Hoke and
Greg Mattison around, that and
no team will bully the defense
around.
"We will hit as much as any
team hits," Mattison said. "And
that'll be our trademark before
we're done."
No way anyone's going to
push Michigan around in 2011 -
not when Michigan has its big-
gest and best defensive players
on the defensive line. Not with
Hoke challenging the unit every
single day, expecting more of
them than anyone else.
The former defensive line
coach holds Mike Martin, Van
Bergen, Will Campbell and
Craig Roh to higher standards.
And they're the first line of
defense. The first one's who get
a chance to get after the football.
Michigan is going to be the bully
this fall.
"The defense will be slightly
more aggressive," Van Bergen
said. "We'll put more people in
the box and are more inclined to
bring the pressure on third-and-
long than we might've been in
the past.
"There's definitely a change in
attitude that we're going to get
after people and take our shots
when we get a chance."
No more sitting back and
getting manhandled. Hoke and
Mattison want their guys to
throw the first punch, to be the
aggressors. That's why tech-
nique and fundamentals are
being shoved down the defense's
throat this spring:
Blow delivery - "Everything
in defense starts with delivering
a blow," Mattison says - escap-
ing blocks, shedding blocks and
getting to the football, which
was sorely missed last season.
And if the 2010 Wolverines
did shed a block, they probably
missed the tackle.
"We've got to teach stance,"
Mattison said. "We've got to
teach alignment. We've got to
teach punch. We've got to teach
Fifth-year senior Ryan Van Bergen (right) says the difference between last year and this year for the Michigan defense will b
tackling.
"And that's how great defens-
es become great again. You do
that so you can run to the foot-
ball."
No one's cutting corners,
either. Mattison lives by the
motto that, "It's going to be per-
fect, or it's not good enough."
On Tuesday, Van Bergen men-
tioned the sense of urgency that
everyone on the team feels. They
need to get up to speed, and then
they need to get better while the
whole Big Ten builds off what it
did a year ago.
As evidence, look no further
than the resurgence of the prod-
igal son, Will Campbell. He was
lost, gone to the offensive side
of the ball, probably wasting a
unique skill-set that talent eval-
uators saw when they slapped
him with that five-star recruit
label. This spring, he's worked
hard and Hoke says he will cer-
tainly have an impact this fall.
Van Bergen said Campbell
has an improved work ethic and
attitude this time around. He's
putting in the extra time, paying
attention to details and improv-
ing on a daily basis. And, the
best part? Campbell has been
coachable - everyone's listening
and improving this spring.
As Hoke and Mattison are
testing the defense, the coaches
can hold it accountable too. No
longer is Michigan handcuffed
by a lack of experience.
Take a quick look at the very
unofficial depth chart: there are
the big names like Martin, Roh,
Van Bergen; Kenny Demens and
Cam Gordon at linebacker; and
Troy Woolfolk, J.T. Floyd and
Jordan Kovacs in the secondary.
And the key is the depth
behind all of these veterans.
Hoke wants his whole team to
play with a toughness - and he
said the seniors are leading by
example in that way.
Van Bergen's one of them.
And he and the rest of the class
don't have much time left.
There's only one year left to turn
it around.
Hoke's personally seeing to
it. As Rich Rodriguez would
spend time with the offense,
Hoke's fingerprints are leaving'
marks all over this defense. He
puts pressure on the defense in
practice situations. During Sat-
urday practices, he simulates the
game-day experience and lets
the players figure their problems
out on their own.
That would've been nice
against Wisconsin last fall.
Ever since Michigan Athletic
Director Dave Brandon declared
he wanted the ball boys to be
0
MARISSA MCCLAIN/Daily
e its new agressive attitude.
defensive-minded, the fate of
the Michigan football team has
been redirected. It's a transfor-
mation on defense that has been
occurring this spring - as Mat-
tison slows down his defensive
install to teach the younger play-
ers the fundamentals and make
sure everyone understands the
plays before they move on to the
next set.
That's a journey that has
started this spring and could
end this fall.
At practice on Tuesday, after
the defense had completed a
drill, the entire unit gathered in
a huddle, with one arm raised.
"We're getting better every
day, 'D,"' one voice exclaimed.
And it sounded like he truly
meant it.
-Rohan can be reached
attrohan@umich.edu
Blue offense comes alive
with season-high 13 runs
Speierman pitches five strong
innings, 'M' cruises past Broncos *
By DANIEL WASSERMAN
Daily Sports Writer
After Bowling Green scored
two runs in the top of the first
inning, it seemed as if it was a
microcosm of Michigan's sea-
son.
The Wolverines' momentum
- stemming from a four-run
come- BOWLING G N 3
back MICHIGAN 13
over
Pur-
due on Sunday - seemed to
slip away before many fans had
taken their seats in Ray Fisher
Stadium, just as it has all season
whenever something has gone
right for Michigan.
But thanks to an offense that
finally woke up, the Wolver-
ines made a statement with six
runs across the plate before the
Falcons could register a second
out. Michigan (2-4 Big Ten,
9-21 overall) didn't stop after
the first inning either, scoring a
season-high 13 runs en route to
a 13-3 rout.
"It's huge," Michigan coach
Rich Maloney said. "Now what
you have, after a game like that,
is you start feeling a little more
confident and relaxed a little bit,
instead of feeling so tight. It's
hard when you're going through
a tough funk for a long period of
time, so it's nice to see them as
a whole team. A lot of different
guys got hits today and that's
encouraging."
Bowling Green (5-4 MAC,
11-17) opened the game with a
walk, before Andrew Kubus-
ki's single was misplayed by
freshman rightfielder Michael
O'Neill, which scored the lead
runner and allowed Kubuski to
take third. He later scored on a
sacrifice fly.
The Wolverines instant-
ly responded with hits from
seven of their first eight hitters.
Freshman designated hitter
Alex Lakatos and freshman left-
fielder Tyler Mills each doubled
in the
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ai
And
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ing the
Ove
combit
inning. Sophomore right-hander Ben
ght now, I feel pretty Ballentine started for the Wol-
ent," Lakatos said of his verines in a scheduled short out-
hit game. "It was big for ing. He pitched three innings,
answer - they scored two giving up two earned runs.
n the first inning. Junior Kevin Vangheluwe
r us to be able to answer pitched four scoreless innings to
ix, it was a definite emo- garner the win.
boost for our team. So "I was struggling a bit, so
there, we knew we were this was good to bring up my
good." confidence again, bounce back,
atos and Mills were joined get a couple zeros up there (on
phomore second baseman the scoreboard) and hopefully
Krantz and catcher Coley carry this into the (series with
with a game-high two Illinois) this weekend," Vanghe-
ach. Crank's RBI's came luwe said.
third-inning homer, his Michigan has now won back-
d of the year. to-back games for the first time
since March 20. From March
18-20 - a three-game win streak
- is the only other win streak of
You start the Wolverines' season.
But Maloney had a positive
eling a little spin on the matter, even if it
re confident caused him to burst into laugh-
Ore onfient ter
rd relaxed." "I definitely think it's improv-
ing, without question," Maloney
said. "I think a lot of guys are
contributing.
"We're just trying to get bet-
i redshirt-junior first ter. The halfway mark was three
an Gerrett Stephens games ago, and we're 2 and 1 -
I like he was over his mid- that's our record right now, 2
slump. and 1."
hero of Sunday's game Freshman right-hander
perfect 3-for-3 with a Jake Engels will start tomor-
stolen base and three runs row against Toledo (7-2, 16-15).
t the Falcons. The Rockets have a win streak
eill continued his effi- of their own, having won 10
with two hits, two runs straight.
stolen base. But finally with momentum
it was the warning-track of its own finally, Michigan will
the right fielder made look to build upon Tuesday's
crashing into the wall offensive output on Wednesday.
ally impressed his coach. "It's all about confidence,"
chael O'Neill keeps mak- Vangheluwe said.
lays," Maloney said. "I "It's not like we're a bad team.
he had that one error, but It's just that we haven't been
hat dude's (got) a Gold doing it, we haven't been seeing
That play he ran against good things, but today was defi-
nce to make that thing, nitely a good thing. Everyone's
vas special. That's a big- starting to see that we're actual-
play and he's been mak- ly a good team when we all play
em all year." together and we all contribute.
rall, 10 Michigan players I think this time it's going to
ned for 16 hits. carry into the weekend."
ByMATT RUDNITSKY
Daily Sports Writer
With Western Michigan vis-
iting Ann Arbor for a Tuesday
evening non-conference show-
down, the
No.2 Michi- WESTERN 1
gao softball MICHIGAN 6
team wasn't
exactly bursting with excite-
ment.
But the Wolverines (5-1 Big
Ten, 36-3 overall) avoided a let-
down, jumping on the Broncos
from the beginning to earn an
easy 6-1 victory.
"Itold them before the game,
'Don't play the opponent,'
because the mid-week game
against non-rivals is just harder,"
Michigan coach Carol Hutchins
said Tuesday.
"But just play with your Mich-
igan pride and your passion, and
I thought we did a pretty good
job with it today because I've
seen our energy be better but
I've seen itbealot worse."
Sophomore right-hander
Stephanie Speierman (17-0)
got the win pitching five strong
innings, giving up just four hits
and a walk. The sole run she
allowed was unearned.
"I came out, just working
on getting better," Speierman
said. "That's the goal the whole
season, to be the best at the
end of the season ... There were
moments where I was a little bit
wild, and I was able to recognize
that I'm not that focused on this
one pitch, and I think I was able
to do a good job getting back to
that one-pitch focus."
Michigan's best hitting per-
formance came from the bat
of freshman left fielder Nicole
Sappingfield, who went 3-for-4
while scoring a run and tallying
two RBI.
"I just think that everything
just kind of started to work,"
Sappingfield said.
"I practiced my hitting a lot
yesterday, trying to get the ball
on the ground, and it just worked
today."
In the first inning, junior cen-
S
PAKsteOMM/oaily
Pitcher Stephanie Speierman allowed one unearned run against the Broncos.
ter fielder and leadoff hitter Bree
Evans got things started for the
Wolverines. She scored after
junior third baseman Amanda
Chidester reached on a fielder's
choice.
Michigan added two more
runs in the second inning - one
coming on an RBI-single from
Sappingfield - and three more
in the fourth.
Chidester finished 0-for-2, but
she recorded two RBI. The Wol-
verines had 10 hits in the game,
leaving eight runners on base.
"It's really nice to have the
run support," Speierman said.
"But even in the games where
we aren't scoring runs, I trust
that they're'gonna get it done on
offense. So, if we don't have any
runs, it's just a matter of time
and I just have to keep the team
in the game."
Still, the Broncos (4-4 MAC,
10-24) didn't produce much
offense.
They left five runners on
base, but Speierman was perfect
through three innings and, out-
side of a rocky three-hit fourth
inning, Western Michigan's bats
were stifled.
After five innings, junior left-
hander Hilary Payne relieved
Speierman. And in just her sec- a
ond appearance of the season, 1
Payne was impressive.
She struck out three in just
two innings and allowed just one
Bronco to reach base.
"I thought Hilary (Payne) did
a great job," Hutchins said. "I
was really pleased." W
Hutchins was able to go deep
into the bench in the non-con-
ference tilt, playing six reserves. W
Despite the inexperience on the
field, the Wolverines never let
Western Michigan make a come-
back.
"I told them after the game
that some of those kids don't
get to play a lot, so go in there
and get after it," Hutchins said.
"It's nice to give them a chance
to play, and it's not like it was a
giveaway game, it was a game."