8 - Tuesday, October 11, 2011
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Physicality, rushing attacks will lF Astart, strong
be key for Wolverines, Spartans finish again for 'M'
0
By TIM ROHAN
Daily Sports Editor
One spot in the Michigan Foot-
ball Museum in Schembechler
Hall has remained empty for the
past three years. In the trophy
case for rivalry games, one prize is
missing. Instead, a placard reads:
"The Paul Bunyan Trophy is tem-
porarily located in East Lansing
but will return next year."
Having made sure his count-
down clocks were synced with the
12:01 kickoff time, Michigan coach
Brady Hoke gathered his players
Sunday to discuss the history of
the Michigan and Michigan State
rivalry.
It's the battle for the state and a
battle for bragging rights, he told
the team. A win gives Michigan
alums the edge for an entire year.
Win it for them, he said.
He also told his players that he
won't have to do much motivat-
ing, the seniors and leaders under-
stand what the rivalry means.
They're fighting for the Paul
Bunyan Trophy - also known
as the Governor's Trophy - and
the trophy is won or lost on the
ground.
In 38 of the past 41 games, the
team that ran for more yards pon
the game.
"It was always going to be a
dogfight," Hoke said.
"It always was (the most physi-
cal game). ... They were going
to pound you off the football.
You had to match that intensity.
They're going to punch you in
the mouth and you better punch
back."
This year's version of the epic is
no different.
Michigan boaststhe No. 7rush-
ing offense in the country, led by
its star quarterback Denard Rob-
inson, who already has 720 yards
in six games. But the junior Rob-
inson was having similar success
on the ground a year ago in his
breakout season, and the physical
Spartans dragged Robinson down
from his high.
He threw three interceptions -
the most he would toss all season
and was held to four yards per
carry in a demoralizing blowout
loss.
"They just out-physicaled us
(last year)," said senior tight end
Kevin Koger. "They just play into
you well. ... If we don't push them
JED MOCH/Daily
Fifth-year senior defensive lineman Ryan Van Bergen has one sack and three tackles for loss in six games this season.
By KEVIN RAFTERY
Daily Sports Editor
In Saturday night's 42-24 win
against Northwestern, the Mich-
igan football team was faced
with a scenario the Tune Squad
from Space Jam could relate to.
The Wolver-
ines trailed at NOTEBOOK
halftime and
something needed to change.
But unlike the Tune Squad,
who put together an incredible
second-half comeback to beat the
hated Monstars, Michigan didn't
needa drink of "Michael's Secret
Stuff" to get itself going.
All the Wolverines needed
was good coaching - and they
got it.
"We've made some big adjust-
ments at halftime," said fifth-
year senior defensive end Ryan
Van Bergen. "(At halftime on
Saturday, defensive coordinator
Greg) Mattison and all the defen-
sive coaches sat us down by posi-
tion, and we went through some
different things and simplified
our defense.
"I don't know what it is about
this season, but we don't give up
many points after halftime."
The Michigan defense held
the Wildcats scoreless and forced
two turnovers in the second half.
In a 35-31 win against Notre
Dame earlier this season, the
Wolverines still gave up 14 points
in the final two quarters after
trailing 17-7 at the half, but the
offense stepped up in the sec-
ond half - just as it did against
Northwestern. According to
Michigan coach Brady Hoke,
sometimes it takes time for the
offense to adjust to the several
different looks that opposing
defenses are throwingatthem.
"I think we see something dif-
ferent pretty much allthe time in
how people defend us and really
defend (junior quarterback)
Denard (Robinson)," Hoke said.
"I think (the offensive coaches)
all do a tremendousjob of getting
together and talking during the
course of a game or the first half,
putting their ideas down and
making the appropriate adjust-
ments or changes."
Those adjustments led to 28
second-half points against the
Wildcats and the Fighting Irish.
Although the Wolverines
back, we're not going to control
the line of scrimmage. (Then)
we're not going to win.
"They had a great plan against
(Robinson). They really contained
him to the pocket, didn't let him
get outside. And they were push-
ing our linemen back and (our)
tight ends. So he really couldn't
get out. It's hard to get out when
you have players in your lap or
guys around your legs."
Since then, not much has
changed. Robinson still needs
space. The Spartans are still phys-
ical.
This season, Michigan State
has allowed just 64 rushing yards
per game and two touchdowns
on the ground, good enough for
the third-best rush defense in the
nation. The man in the middle is
one to watch. Junior defensive
end Jerel Worthy, perhaps one of
the best linemen in the confer-
ence, posted three tackles, a sack
and a blocked field goal against
Michigan last season.
"As a player I think he's physi-
cal, a very good athlete," Hoke
said of Worthy. "He's got a great
sense in timing from a fundamen-
tal side on movements and those
things, and he plays with a great
leverage."
Worthy's perfect for disrupting
any comfort Robinson has in the
pocket or running the ball.
Adding to Hoke's worries is
the fact that Worthy and the
rest of the Spartans' front four
is coached by Hoke's friend, Ted
Gill, the man who coached defen-
sive linemen while Hoke played at
Ball State. So Hoke knows they'll
play sound football.
. Hoke will have enough to worry
about with his own defensive line.
All fall camp, the coaches used the
defense's poor history and poor
reputation as motivation.
Trying to emphasize taking
pride in sound rush defense, the
coaches would mention how many
yards were allowed in some of
Michigan's poorer performances.
"Michigan State's one of the
teams that comes up because we
gave up so much yards rushing
to them," said fifth-year senior
Ryan Van Bergen. "They're going
to rush the football. That's what
they want to do. That's what they
are. They run the football and take
shots downfield. So it's going to
fall in our lap as far as the front
seven making sure we can take
control ofthe game and shut down
their rushing attack.
"When it comes to rushing, it's
all about up front - who's more
physical up front. It's always been
about who's going to hit who hard-
er and who's going to move guys
off the ball."
"Physical" might just be Hoke's
middle name. His team has played
with that mentality since he
stepped foot on campus, and two
of the strengths of the 11th-ranked
Wolverines have been the play of
their experienced offensive and
defensive lines.
Leading with their two lines,
Michigan's 6-0 start is different
from past year's fast starts poten-
tially because of Hoke and the
new coaching staff. But each of the
past three losses against Michigan
State began a downslide.
"It's definitely the turning
point in our season," Koger said.
"If you've seen, the last couple of
years, itreally makes or breaks our
season."
Hoke can take solace in that
this one is clearly in the hands of
his linemen - at least it has been
38 of the last 41 times.
would like to start hot from the
beginning, knowing they can
come back from a deficit has its
benefits, too.
"I really think you gain some
confidence because of how
you stay together and how you
respect each other," Hoke said.
"Probably the most significant
thing I've seen out of our guys
is the respect they have for each
other - the respectthey have for
their opponents."
COUNTESS'S IMPACT CON-
TINUES: Freshman Blake Count-
ess's coming-outparty continued
in Evanston on Saturday. After
the cornerback tied for a team-
high in tacklestwo weekends ago
against Minnesota, he recorded
five tackles and one pass break-
up against Northwestern.
Countess originally stepped in
for injured fifth-year senior Troy
Woolfolk, who has been battling
hand and ankle injuries all sea-
son. Though Woolfolk appeared
to be healthy against the Wild-
cats, yet Countess was given the
majority ofthe playing time.
"Blake's ayoungguy who plays
at a high rate," Hoke said. "Watch
him go down on kickoff. He plays
fast. Fundamentally he's pretty
sound. Good change of direction
and those things, and he has a
burstto him."
Hoke did mention that Wool-
folk has been "beat up," but didn't
specify whether that was the
main reason that the freshman
was given the nod over the fifth-
'year senior, or if it was because
Countess has outplayed Wool-
folk.
THE SHAW REDEMPTION:
Prior to Saturday's game, senior
running back Michael Shaw saw
limited playing time in impor-
tant situations.
Against Notre Dame, he had
just two carries for minus-three
yards. But in Evanston, Shaw
played his biggest role yet this
season, carrying the ball six
times for 25 yards.
Hoke teeter-tottered in his
rationale for Shaw's increased
role on Saturday.
"I think some of it's situ-
ational," Hoke said. "I think he's
fought himself back into playing
a little more and has been more
physical.
"He just practiced better. We
evaluate every day."
ICE HOCKEY
Former player Wiseman is Michigan's newest assistant
By MATT SLOVIN
Daily Sports Writer
In the early 1990s, a Canadian-
born player passed through the
hallowed wooden doors of Yost
Ice Arena and rewrote the Mich-
igan record books.
"I remember him beingspecial
- like really special," said Michi-
gan coach Red Berenson of his
new assistant Brian Wiseman.
But simply being "special"
wasn't enough to push Wise-
man's application to the top of
Berenson's desk. Berenson fig-
ured who better to bring on to
attempt to continue the record
streak of 21 consecutive NCAA
Tournament appearances than
the man whose team started it.
"We had a list of applicants
this long," Berenson said, gestur-
ing emphatically. "Once I knew
that we had an opening (for an
assistant coach), his name was at
the top of my list. We wanted it
to be a qualified individual with
a Michigan history."
Wiseman fit that bill. And ever
since Berenson first met h'm,
the former center had a certain
swagger about him that couldn't
be ignored and even Fielding
Yost would've admired.
"I remember he came in with
a real good class and he was the
smallest of them," Berenson said.
"But he was like a little general
with his classmates. They'd come
walking down State Street and
they'd all be following Wise-
man."
When his career ended, leav-
ing him as the third all-time
leading scorer for the Wolver-
ines, Wiseman couldn't help but
feel his time in Ann Arbor wasn't
quite over.
"It was always in the back
of my mind that this was a spe-
cial place for me and if I had
the opportunity to come back,
I would definitely jump at it,"
Wiseman said. "S loved my four
years - best four years of my
life."
But Wiseman hung up his
skates in 2005 after a pro career
that saw him float around the
ranks of professional hockey,
including a stint with the Toron-
to Maple Leafs. After a five-year
hiatus from the sport, he realized
that he couldn't stay away.
"I missed the competitiveness
of it, being a part of a team atmo-
sphere - something bigger than
yourself," Wiseman said.
He returned to find Berenson,
the same fiery, careful guardian
of the program that he was when
Wiseman graduated.
"He was agreat communicator
and a motivator and I see those
same attributes now working
alongside him," Wiseman said.
"He's still competitive, he's still
detailed, he's still prepared - all
of those things I experienced as
a player."
And Berenson was relieved to'
see his former standout hadn't
lost his passion.
"His leadership skills' are
excellent and he'S a good teach-
er as well," Berenson said. "He
loves to relate to the players and
he's got great communication
skills."
Back on the ice, Wiseman
treats the Wolverines fairly - as
his pupils, with whom he shares
the uncommon experience of
having played under Berenson.
"He' brings an enthusiasm
and a pride of Michigan that we
already have," Berenson said. "I
haven't been in pro hockey in 28
years. It's nice to have someone
who knows what it's like.
"He's brought some newness
and he's taking in excellently."
Although the Michigan teams
Wiseman played for came up
short - his squads reached two
Frozen Fours but failed to win
a title - he's yet to lose sight of
what drew him to Ann Arbor 21
years ago. And why the nation's
best talent still comes.
"That's why people come to
Michigan - to be-a part of cham-
pionship teams."
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