I
8A - Tuesday, November 1, 2011
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Hoke pleased with play of linebackers At long last, Toussaint
ByT.fimROHAnamed Blue's top back
Daily Sports Editor
You get the feeling talking to
Michigan football coach Brady
Hoke that Desmond Morgan and
Jake Ryan are two of his favorite
players.
Ryan, the longhaired 6-foot-3,
230-pound redshirt freshman,
plays like a ball
of energy and NOTEBOOK
like a tough kid
who doesn't know any better.
And after Hoke said his line-
backerswere too hesitant against
Michigan State, he inserted the
true freshman Morgan in the
starting lineup.
"I think what I like best about
themisthatthey're football play-
ers," Hoke said. "I mean, they
understand and - my boy Jake
can be - what's the right word?
"He makes plays unorthodox
sometimes."
Howso, coach?
"I've got an example, when
he knifed through and (got a)
tackle for a loss," Hoke contin-
ued. "That's a guy being a foot-
ball player. That's a guy saying
I'm not going to (go to) the edge
because I'm going to get knocked
out. But if I take the guys knees
and go up through, I've got a
chance.
"He just makes plays."
Instead of playing his assign-
ment by the book, Ryan made
the play. That's why he's second
on the team with five tackles for
loss.
"He just seems to find the
football all the time," said fifth-
year senior defensive end Ryan
Van Bergen. "If you're going to
make a mistake, make it going
1,000 miles per hour. That's what
Jake does and that's why you see
so many plays with him disrupt-
ing something. He might not be
in the right spot, but he's going
fast so it looks good."
Against Purdue, Hoke said
Michigan's linebackers played
more downhill, running to the
ball - movingvertically, not hor-
izontally.
Their reaction time and play
recognition were too slow when
the Spartans ran all over the
Wolverines. Simply put, this time
they made an "impact."
In his second-career start,
Morgan made a team-high nine
tackles, and afterwards, Hoke
praised his physicality and
instincts as a linebacker.
"I think he's going to play a
lot of football here at Michigan,"
Hoke declared.
Morgan would've played more
earlier in the season had he not
tweaked his hamstring in the
TERRA MOLENGRAFF/Daily
Redshirt freshman linebackerJake Ryan (right) ranks second on the team with five tackles for loss this season.
last week of training camp. His
production has grown as he has
grown more comfortable. He
has 18 tackles in the past three
games.
"Desmond does a great job of
self-critiquing and self-criticiz-
ing and making sure he doesn't
(continue to make mistakes),"
Van Bergen said. "He really
understands, for a freshman,
(he) has a maturity to know how
Michigan defense is supposed to
be played. He has the best effort
- as good an effort as anybody
else on the field."
With two freshmen starting at
linebacker - the position Hoke
played himself - it took two spe-
cial players to usurp the gang
of veterans who are still vying
for playing time at the position.
Hoke said he'd never had to rely
on so many starting freshmen
- Ryan, Morgan and true fresh-
man cornerback Blake Countess
- on a team that could still wina
conference championship.
"The best players have to
play," Hoke said. "If we don't play
the best players, not matter who
they are, where they're from,
what age they are, then we're
cheating the program. And we're
not going to cheat the program."
HAGGLING OVER HAGERUP:
When sophomore punter Will
Hagerup returned from his
four-game suspension against
Minnesota, there wasn't much
discussion about whether he'd
lost his job.
Hagerup was coming off a
fantastic freshman season - he
averaged 44 yards per punt and
had 11 punts inside the 20-yard
line. He lessened the pain of
losing all-time great Michigan
punter Zoltan Mesko to gradua-
tion.
But four games after his 2011
season debut, Hagerup has
underwhelmed and now may
have to fight off freshman Matt
Wile, who handled the punting
duties while Hagerup sat out.
Though he's punted the ball
just 12 times in four games, Hag-
erup has averaged just 35 yards
per punt, compared to the fresh-
man Wile's 41-yard average.
"I think he had the one - the
first punt was a good punt," Hoke
said of Haegrup's first 49-yard
punt. "The second punt (which
went 32 yards), the inconsistency
there. ... We've got good compe-
tition because Matt (Wile) there
is competing at both (punter and
kicker). So we'll compete there
like we do any other position."
Could the time off have left
Hagerup rusty?
"No," Hoke said flatly. "He's
punted. He might be pressing a
little bit, which I think he does."
In fairness to Hagerup, Hoke
praised him for placing four
punts inside the 20-yard line
after a windy game in East Lan-
sing.
PINK'S OUT: Iowa's Kinnick
Stadium is famous for its pink
visitors' locker room - the walls,
the floors - even the toilet - are
pink.
When Van Bergen was asked
about it, his answer dripped with
sarcasm.
"I love the pink locker room,"
Van Bergen said. "I've never had
an issue with the pink locker
room. I think it gives it a nice
decor. The Feng Shui feels real
good before a game.
"As you get in there and you
see the pink, it warms you up.
It's very welcoming. I think more
teams should go with pink. I
have no problem with it. I think
it's a great touch and better than
the oft-white jail cell look. So, I
say paint them up."
"You really know what feng
shui is?" one reporter asked.
"It's a word," Van Bergen said,
cracking a smile.
KOVACS, BARNUM AND
LEWAN UPDATES: Redshirt
junior safety Jordan Kovacs
(knee) and redshirt junior left
guard Ricky Barnum (ankle) are
day-to-day, Hoke said.
Barnum has missed three
games already this season with
an ankle injury, and he hurt his
other ankle midway through last
Saturday's game aganst Purdue.
Hoke wasn't concerned about
redshirt sophomore left tackle
Taylor Lewan.
"Taylor's fine," Hoke said. "An
ankle a little bit. Knee a little bit.
But he's fine. He did everything
(Sunday), too."
Kovacs missed the first game
in his Michigan career Saturday.
Up until the final minutes before
kickoff, his teammates thought
he might suit up.
"Thursday we found out (he
might be out)," Van Bergen said.
"It was still - the doctor said he
wasn't going to play. If you asked
Jordan, he was going to play. I
think there was probably a fight
right before we went out on the
field and they were like, 'No,
you probably shouldn't.' ... You
could tell he was hungry to be
out there. He probably could've
played but it wasn't in his best
interest.
"Jordan's a competitor. I know
he'll be back this week. He was
running around yesterday, look-
ing pretty good."
By STEPHEN J. NESBITT
Daily Sports Editor
For the first time since he
arrived in Ann Arbor in January,
Michigan coach Brady Hoke has
named a definitive starting run-
ning back: Fitzgerald Toussaint.
Toussaint, a redshirt sopho-
more, ran all over Purdue on Sat-
urday, tallying 170 yards and two
touchdowns in the No. 13 Michi-
gan football team's 36-14 victory
over the Boilermakers.
Entering the season, Hoke and
his staff refused to name a starter,
proclaiming it an open competi-
tion in the backfield behind junior
quarterback Denard Robinson.
The pack quickly whittled down
to a three-man race between
Toussaint, junior Vincent Smith
and senior Michael Shaw.
Smith seemed to have the job
wrapped up after a 118-yard per-
formance against Eastern Michi-
gan on Sept. 17.
"Vince probably right now has
earned that right (to start)," Hoke
said two days later.
But the decision was far from
final. Hoke admitted the backfield
would still be more likely to fea-
ture arunningback-by-committee
look rather than Smithexclusively.
Against San Diego State the
following week, Toussaint was in
the starting lineup and carried the
ball four more times than Smith.
Hoke isn't flip-flopping any-
more. During his weekly Monday
press conference at the Junge
Family Champions Center, he con-
firmed that Toussaint had taken
over the starting job.
"I think it's Fitz right now, I
don't think there's any doubt,"
Hoke said. "He's earned that
opportunity."
Toussaint's 170 rushing yards
against Purdue were the most by
a Michigan running back in a Big
Ten game since Mike Hart's 195
W ,e a
yards against Minnesota on Oct.
30, 2006.
His 20-carry workload was
heavier than that of any Wolver-
ine running back in a single game
since Carlos Brown rushed 25
times against Illinois on Oct. 31,
2009. Toussaint's breakout per-
formance could also be attrib-
uted to the bye week. Against
Michigan State two weeks ago, he
received just two carries.
He looked refreshed and ready
from the outset against the Boil-
ermakers, matching Robinson's
170-yard passing performance.
The most impressive touch was
Toussaint's 59-yard touchdown
rumble late in the third quarter.
He took a pitch to the left, cut
inside a pair of blocks, split the
safeties and outran everyone to
the end zone.
"(On) the 59-yarder, he sepa-
rates the safeties and has a tre-
mendous burst as he does it,"
Hoke said. "And the other credit
goes to our wide receivers block-
ing down field like nobody's busi-
ness."
The burst, which was missing
all season, was a welcomed sight.
With his 503 yards on 82 car-
ries (a 6.1 yards per-carry aver-
age), Toussaint is Michigan's
second-leading rusher, behind
only Robinson.
After eight games, Hoke has
seen enough to name Toussaint
the definitive starter, but the oth-
ers will certainly see the field.
"I don't know what (Toussaint
being the starter) does, besides
the continuity of it," Hoke said.
"But I think they're so interchang-
able to some degree. Vince (Smith)
was a little beat up so he didn't
get as many opportunities. Mike
(Shaw) comes in and gives you a
different gear to some degree.
"But right now, Fitz definitely
will be the guy."
So, for now, the case is closed.
TODD NEEDLE/Daily
Redshirt sophomoreFtzgeraldToussadnt ran for 170 yards and two touch-
downs in Saturdays 36-14 win over Purdae.
ICE HOCKEY
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Michigan sets new mark at Yost Injuries, youth doom Wolverines
Wolverines riding
program-record
20-game home
winning streak
By MATT SLOVIN
Daily Sports Writer
If Yost Ice Arena could talk, it
would save its stories of unparal-
leled drama and celebration for
the weekend. It would tell sto-
ries of Hobey Baker winners and
National Championships and
future NHL stars.
But it's never seen a winning
streak like this before. The Wol-
verines have won 19 straight at
Yost and 20 straight at home,
counting the win over Michigan
State in The Big Chill at the Big
House. The home winning streak
is the program's longest ever.
But during the week, Yost is a
completely different place.
Coaches' voices echo to each
unoccupied corner of the his-
toric venue as the Wolverines
practice. Nine National Cham-
pionship banners hang from
the rafters, serving as the lone
reminders that these walls are
home to a special program.
In the old brick building, the
dark concourses and worn metal
bleachers are cold, lonely places
during the week.
When the weekend rolls
around, Yost comes alive. And
all of its intricacies tantalize the
A 4
fans, from the wide-eyed young-
ster taking in his first game, to
the old alumnus filled with sto-
ries from decades past.
Even the smell of Yost - a dis-
tinct aroma that every regular
can identify - seems more pro-
nounced when it's hockey night
in Ann Arbor.
In the midst of the program's
longest home winning streak of
all time, the small things that
make Yost a special place are
appreciated by Michigan's play-
ers and coaches, as much as by
its fans.
But Yost wasn't always the
place to be on Friday and Satur-
day nights in the winter.
"When I first came here, you
could sit anywhere you wanted,"
said Michigan coach Red Beren-
son, who started coaching in
1984.
"Finally, we got that turned
around and generated more inter-
est. Then the students got into it
and the fans got into it and it just
took off."
Today, scalpers seem reluc-
tant to let their prized tickets
go to anyone not wearing maize
and blue. Berenson recalls some
embarrassing series against
rivals in which Michigan fans
were in the minority.
"We filled the building for
Michigan State, but more than
half the people were from Michi-
gan State," Berenson said. "It was
insulting, really, to the Michigan
people."
Berenson describes the pro-
cess that forever changed Yost
as an education. After becoming
aware of the impact fan bases
can have on a game's outcome,
the students pulled together to
restore honor to one of the sport's
most storied programs.
During their time as Wolver-
ines, skaters forge relationships
with the venue.
It becomes a home - a safe
haven that treats its kind well.
And its intruders are met with
immediate hostility.
"When you're a team or a play-
er, when you have confidence in
a certain building ... part of it is
because of the environment,"
Berenson said. "Whether it's
the student section or the band
or the overall rink or all of the
above, it's been a positive thing
for this hockey program for a
long time."
The nurturing atmosphere
that Yost has provided isn't
tangible. From the outside, the
building on State Street doesn't
look like a hockey arena. Inside,
though, it's hallowed ice.
As Berenson puts it, if you
want to play in most state-of-the-
art arena, you should look else-
where.
When he brings recruits inside
the arena, he's helping them find
a potential home for four years
- a supportive environment that
will cheer you at your worst and
make your opponents wish they'd
stayed home.
These recruits may also be
finding their family.
By STEVEN BRAID
Daily Sports Writer
There was so much promise.
The Michigan women's soccer
team had shown up to its pre-
season workouts in mid-August
equipped to improve on its strong
showing the year before. It was
poised to bounce back from a
heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Oklaho-
ma State in the first round of the
2010 NCAA Tournament.
Yes, the Wolverines entered
the season as a young squad with
18 underclassmen, but they didn't
care. Almost the entire start-
ing lineup returned. Forward
Nkem Ezurike, the team's top
goal scorer as a freshman, spoke
excitedly of a sophomore encore
and redshirt junior goalie Haley
Kopmeyer was ready to reprise
her role as one of the Big Ten's
best keepers.
"I think, hands down, every-
one (believes) that we will get
back to the tournament," said
redshirt junior Clare Stachel
before the season. "We are not
goingto go backwards onthat."
And early on, Michigan ful-
filled that potential. The Wolver-
ines put aside their shutout loss
to Akron to start the season and
won eight of their next 12 games,
starting the season with a record
of 8-3-2. During that period they
jumped to second place in the Big
Ten with a 3-1-1 record after five
conference games.
Michigan also scored 21 goals
during that timespan and worked
hard to shed its "offensively chal-
lenged" label, one that had clung
to past years' teams. The team
was aggressive on the attack and
was on pace to tally the most
goals in a season during Michi-
gan coach Greg Ryan's four-year
tenure. As the offense became
a weapon for the Wolverines,
Kopmeyer anchored a stifling
defensive unit. She limited the
opposition to just 11 goals in the
first 13 games and posted six shut-
outs during that period. But even
in its wins, Michigan suffered
losses. Midway though the sea-
son, the team lost starting sopho-
more midfielder Meghan Toohey
to a season-ending leg injury just
three games after starting junior
midfielder Holly Hein played her
last game of the season due to
treatment of thyroid cancer.
With the loss of key contribu-
tors disrupting the dynamic on
the field and taking an emotional
toll on the team, Michigan strug-
gled mightily towards the end
of the season. Players shuffled
positions to try to fill the void left
by Toohey and Hein, but their
absence was too much to over-
come. The team lost all but one
of their last six games and was
shut out in four of those contests,
including crippling home losses
to Northwestern and Ohio State.
Staring junior midfielder Emily
Jaffe was also sorely missed
over the final three games, as
she underwent an appendec-
tomy. The offense became ane-
mic and one-dimensional. Until
senior. defender Kim Siebert's
goal against Illinois with about
five minutes left in the season,
Nkem Ezurike was the lone Wol-
verine to score since a Sept. 23
loss to Minnesota at home - a
span of roughly nine games, dur-
ing which Ezurike scored seven
goals. The only other player who
scored more than two goals on
the team was Stachel, who tallied
five.
"We're not the same team
without Meghan on the field and
we're not the same team without
Holly," Ryan said
Michigan's late-season slide
can also be attributed to its youth.
With multiple injured players and
very little upperclassmen, Ryan
played a consistent lineup of
seven underclassmen in the final
games.
Defensive lapses and crucial
blunders - turning the ball over
deep in their own zone - made
by the young back line also gave
opponents ample scoring oppor-
tunities near the end of the sea-
son. During its late-season swoon
Michigan gave up critical goals
late in games, typical of a young
team. The Wolverines will enter
the offseason with just three
graduating seniors and will once
again return almost their entire
starting lineup next season.
Though it will be slightly more
experienced, the team will enter
next season just like it started
this one: A talented and exuber-
antbunchintentontakingthe Big
Ten by storm.
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