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8 - Friday, September 23, 2011
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
IkL
Michigan fifth-year
senior center David Molk
is well known for both
his fiery play on the field
and his contempt for the
media during press con-
ferences.
On Monday, when
fifth-year senior defen-
sive end Ryan Van Ber-
gen exited the press
conference, he explained
Molk's attitude rather
simply: "He just hates
people."
A few minutes later,
Molk had a chance to
defend himself with the
media. And he had a
strong showing, laugh-
ing andjoking more than
ever before:
Question: (Van Bergen) said
it's nothing personal against us.
David Molk: No, I don't actu-
ally hate you guys. I actually like
you guys.
Q: When did that change?
When you became captain?
Molk: When I had to.
I don't hate people. I don't sit
at home like a hermit and just toil
about how much I hate the world.
That's not what I do.
Q: So there's no book coming
out?
Molk: No, there's not a book:
"Why David Molk Hates the
World."
Q: But you have to admit, the
last couple years you came out,
and there was a little tension at
these press conferences.
Molk: Sure, there's no doubt
about that, especially when you
guys ask bad questions.
Q: What's a bad question?
Molk: When you kept asking
about my injury. I hated that.
That's what turned me on you
guys.
Q: So you didn't have an inju-
ry?
Molk: I did, but you guys kept
asking me.
I probably shortcut you guys.
Q: Looking at the running
backs, is there something differ-
ent or unique that Vincent Smith
does?
Molk: They each have their
different style of running. They
approach each play in a differ-
ent way. It seemed like Vince
came out in the end and had some
pretty good runs, but again some
of that's how the offensive line
blocks - maybe we didn't do as
well at the beginning of the game
as we did at the end. It's just kind
of how the holes open up and who
hits them.
Q: Is he easier to block for
because he's rather short?
Molk: I don't think there's any
difference. It's more like it's easi-
er for him to hide from defenders.
Q: Despite his size, he's a pret-
ty tough guy, isn't he?
Molk: He's really tough. He
likes to hit, that's the weird thing
about him. As a little guy, you'd
think he'd shy away from it or cut-
block some guys to get away from
heavy contact. But he will seek
out and go find the biggest guy on
the defense and just nail him. I
love that about him.
Q: Do you remember the first
time you saw Vince go after the
biggest guy on the field?
Molk: He goes after the big
guys in practice all the time. You
usually see a running back take a
shortcut and cut a guy below the
knees, but he'll actually get down
and pop up and hit a guy right
below the chin. It's great.
Q: The first time it happened
in practice, did the guy even see
him?
Molk: No, you can't see him.
No one can see him.
Q: When you see Smith take on
bigger guys, what does that do for
you and the rest of the offense?
Molk: Usually you don't
see it until you watch the film,
because I'm going this way and
he's (behind me) somewhere. But
when you see that on film, when
you have a guy that's so under-
sized just manning up and taking
on anything that comes, it's really
good to see.
Q: How good is San Diego
State?
Molk: They're a good team, a
valuable opponent. They have a
very good defense. They really
have an interesting scheme on
defense that will be fun to see.
It's just a different scheme,
something that no one else does.
If you see it on film, you'll under-
stand why it's different.
Q: If you were facing Rich
Rodriguez, like San Diego State
is now facing their former coach,
how would you approach that?
Molk: I don't really know. I'm
sure it would be weird, but at the
same time, I respect what he did.
He made a decision, made a move
on his own decision. It's truly
becoming a business, and that's
what his career path took. I can't
fault a guy for doing that.
Q: How does this 3-0 start
feel different from similar starts
you've had the past two seasons?
Molk: It feels about the same.
We've just got to make sure we
maintain this level of play we're
at and improve as we get into Big
Ten season.
Obviously, we're happy for
three wins in a row, that's always
a good thing, having no losses.
At the same time, we're more in
tune to what our issues are. We
know what they are, we know
how to fixthem. We're really put-
ting in a valiant effort to fix those
- -rrt - -'PI
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ERIN ItIRKLANO/Daily
Fifth-year senior David Molikhas been known to be a little gruff with the media in the past. But as a senior this season hes
said he's committed to treating the media better.
Wolverine offense will push team past Aztecs
KEVIN RAFTERY
Daily Sports Editor
San Diego State is off to its first
3-0 start since 1981. The Aztecs
are amped up with the chance to
beat their former coach. Michigan
will be just as excited, hoping to
give Michigan coach Brady Hoke
a win against his former team.
Everybody is aware of the
coachingsituation - Hoke, offen-
sive coordinator Al Borges and
assistant coaches Dan Ferrigno,
Darrell Funk, Jeff Hecklinski
and Mark Smith all coached for
the Aztecs in 2009 and 2010. But
what about the players? Here's a
breakdown of Saturday's game:
Michigan pass offense vs. San
Diego State pass defense
Junior quarterback Denard
Robinson has had problems with
his consistency so far this sea-
son. Most of his troubles have
stemmed from footwork issues.
Robinson has been at his best
when he's on the move, not think-
ing, just reacting to whathe has to
work with. But that might bode
well for Robinson and the Wol-
verines - San Diego State fre-
quently blitzes and likes to put
pressure on the quarterback. The
Aztecs have recorded nine sacks
so far this year, good for 22nd in
the nation.
San Diego State is ranked 36th
in the nation in pass defense and
has allowed 186 yards in the air
per game. In a 42-24 win over
Washington State last week,
senior cornerback Larry Parker
recorded seven tackles, one forced
fumble and two interceptions.
Look for him tobe a big factor in
the Aztec secondary again this
week against the 68th-ranked
Michigan pass offense.
With Michigan still search-
ing for a lead running back and
with Hoke trying to limit Rob-
inson's carries after he tallied 26
last week, Robinson could have
a breakout performance in the
air against an average San Diego
State secondary.
Edge: Michigan
Michigan rush offense vs. San
Diego State rush defense
Hoke and Borges have said for
months that they'd like one fea-
ture running back to carry the
load. Week one, that back was
sophomore Fitzgerald Toussaint.
Week two, senior Michael Shaw.
Week three, Toussaint. Andnow it
appearsathat junior Vincent Smith,
who notched 118yards on just nine
carries against Eastern Michigan,
willgetthenod against theAztecs.
With so much uncertainty
at running back, Robinson has
continued to take the majority
of the carries for the Wolverines
- he has just eight fewer carries
than all of the backs combined -
exactly what Hoke didn't want.
Regardless, Robinson is still one
of the most elusive runners in the
nation and will no doubt cause
problems for the Aztecs. San
Diego State gives up 197 yards per
game, 98th in the nation.
Look for Robinson to find the
holes often on Sunday, and if
Smith and the rest of the running
back corps can get it going, it could
be along day forthe Aztec defense.
Edge: Michigan
San Diego State pass offense
vs. Michigan pass defense
The Michigan pass defense
is 26th in the nation and fourth
in the Big Ten. Not counting the
rain-shortened game against
Western Michigan, the Wolver-
ines have given up an average
of 172 yards in the air. That's an
improvement from last year's
passing defense which finished
last in the Big Ten.
But on Saturday, Michigan will
be facing a quarterback whom
Borges calls "the best we've faced
this year." And Borges would
know - he coached senior quar-
terback Ryan Lindley for two
years. Last week, after throw-
ing for 273 yards and two touch-
downs against Washington State,
Lindley became just the second
player in schoolhistory to pass for
more than 10,000 career yards.
He's also first in career touch-
downs with 74.
Lindley has connected with
sophomore receiver Colin Lock-
ett, a former defensive back, 12
times so far this year for a total of
254 yards. Lockett isn't the only
receiving threat, though - the
Aztecs have five receivers with
five receptions or more this sea-
son.
With Lindley under center and
a strong receiving corps, it might
be a little too much for a still
unproven Michigan pass defense.
Edge: San Diego State
San Diego State rush offense
vs. Michigan rush defense
Sophomore running back Ron-
nie Hillman is the Robin to Lind-
ley's Batman. It could even be
argued that Hillman takes the
title of Batman. He's a Heisman
Trophy candidate this year and
has already put up monstrous
numbers.
Hillman is second in the nation
in rushing yards per game with
166, and he's first in scoring per
game. Last week, he rushed 32
times for191yards and four touch-
downs; that's equal to the number
of touchdowns Michigan's run-
ning backs have, combined.
There are few defenses in the
country that have a legitimate
chance of stopping Hillman. The
Wolverines, who rank 103rd in
the nation in rushing defense and
give up an average of 202 yards
per game, can only hope to slow
him down.
Look for defensive coordinator
Greg Mattison to throw several
different kinds of defensive looks
and blitzes at the Aztecs to put the
brakes on Hillman. Don't expect
any ofthem to be effective.
Edge: San Diego State
Special Teams
Michigan freshman kicker
Matt Wile was going to be an
Aztec. But when Hoke left last
January, Wile followed him.
That leftsenior Abelardo Perez
with the kicking duties for the
Aztecs. But Perez is no slouch -
he received second-team Moun-
tain West Conference honors last
season after posting a league-best
28 touchbacks, and he finished
the season 17-for-22 on field goals,
including a career-long 53 yarder.
Senior punter Brian Stahovich
has been one of the nation's best
and is third in school history in
career punting yards.
Wile has yet to attempt a field
goal for the Wolverines, as red-
shirt sophomore Brendan Gib-
bons has been given the nod as
the field goal kicker. Wile has
taken control as a kick-off spe-
cialist, and he has also been the
Wolverines' punter in place of
the suspended sophomore Will
Hagerup. Gibbons is 1-for-1 on
the year, with a 21-yard chip shot
last week against Eastern Michi-
gan. But Gibbons and Wile both
remain unproven, snd until they
have a chance to prove they can
convert a field goal in important
situations, they'll almost always
lose this one.
Considering Perez and Stahov-
ich are one of the better kicker/
punter combos in college football,
this one's a no-brainer.
Edge: San Diego State
intangibles
This one will mean a lot to
Hoke, and he'll have his players
ready to go against his former
team. Not to mention, he and
several of his coaches know a lot
about the Aztecs.
Edge: Michigan
Final Score: Michigan 35, San
Diego State 24
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