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8A - Wednesday, November 2, 2011,
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
- Douglass, Novak alleviate worry
about letdown for Wolverines
MARISSA MCCLAIN/Daily
Fifth-yearsenior Troy Woolfolk has been moved to safety for the second time in his career.
Woolfolk on the move again
By MICHAEL FLOREK
Daily Sports Editor
'Troy Woolfolk is a man who's
been kicked in the face. But that
barely squeaks into the top five in
painful things that have happened
to him over the past two years. The
fifth-year senior's football career
has gone in circles. Recently, he's
traveled the carousel unusually
often with one constant turning
the wheel: injuries.
As a starting cornerback, he
broke his ankle before the start of
last season and missed the entire
year. Healthy and back to com-
peting for playing time, Woolfolk
won back the cornerback job. But
he sprained his ankle in the sea-
son opener, then fell awkwardly
in practice before the Notre Dame
game and broke a bone in his hand.
On Saturday, another malady
allowed the fifth-year senior to
show that he's back to competing
for playing time. Luckily for Wool-
folk, it had nothing to do with his
face. Or hand. Or ankle.
With redshirt junior safety
Jordan Kovacs out with an a knee
injury, Woolfolk made his season
debut at safety. Freshman Blake
Countess had replaced him at
cornerback, so Woolfolk willingly
moved to safety during the bye
week, a position he played for six
games his junior year.
The Purdue game was the first
game Kovacs missed in his entire
career. Itwas the healthiest Wool-
folk had been all season.
"I'm so happy I had that (bye
week)," Woolfolk said. "It was a
time for me to start fresh. No ankle
injuriesnothing. Ifeel great, likea
regular person for once."
Having previously played the
position, Woolfolk didn't need
much adjustment time. He prac-
ticed at the position the previ-
ous two weeks and was ready for
kickoff. But he wasn't ready for
the fifth play of the game. Wool-
folk couldn't get off a block and
then lost a race to the endzone on
a 48-yard screen pass that turned
into Purdue's first touchdown.
Even with the error, Michigan
coach Brady Hoke thought Wool-
folk played well enough.
"I'd like for him to be a tad more
physical at times, but I thought he
did a good job," Hoke said after
the game. "(But) he did a good job
of getting us in and out of what
we needed to be looking like back
there."
Though Hoke said during his
Tuesday conference call that
Kovacs "was going to be fine,"
Woolfolk is at safety permanently.
According to the coaches, he was
going to move there before the
injury to Kovacs due to the emer-
gence of Countess at cornerback.
Woolfolk's great make-up speed is
an aspect the Wolverines had been
missing at the position.
Woolfolk is fine with the
change. He's been back to square
one before. He's just mad he
couldn't showcase his speed.
"Right now, I just like the ver-
satility and being able to cover
more ground at safety than I do at
corner," Woolfolk said. "I feel like
I can make a better impact on the
team.... They didn't really test me
deep, so I wish they would have
done that so I could show it and
ensure a spot."
Kovacs, Woolfolk and redshirt
sophomore Thomas Gordon will
compete for the two safety spots.
But Gordon has also played as
Michigan's nickel back in certain
situations, which allows opportu-
nities for all three to see the field
at the same time.
"We kind of look at it like all
three of them being in there," said
defensive coordinator Greg Mat-
tison. "It's just when they play....
You've got to have more than four
guys, so they'll all get a lot of play."
All this barring injuries, of
course.
By DANIEL WASSERMAN
Daily Sports Writer
With expectations mounting
and an already solidified buzz on
campus, the Michigan basketball
program is attempting to reach
the NCAA Tournament in back-
to-back seasons for the first time
since 1995 and 1996.
Crisler Arena received a make-
over, student ticket sales have
skyrocketed from a season ago.
Fans who still can'tget over losing
four straight games to Michigan
State's football team are begin-
ning to remember that the Wol-
verines have won two straight on
the hardwood against their in-
state rival.
But there's still the skeptic,
who will point out that this year
feels a lot like two years ago,2009,
when the team - and all of its
preseason glory - proved to be an
utter disappointment.
That year, Michigan - led by
guard Manny Harris and forward
DeShawn Sims - returned four
starters and its statistical leader in
every major category.
This year, the Wolverines
return four starters, including
their leading rebounder, shooter
and scorer during conference
play.
That year, Michigan entered
the season ranked No. 15 in both
national polls.
This year, the Wolverines are
ranked No. 18 in both polls.
That team was coming off a
season that began with minimal
preseason expectations, but for a
half it looked like they might upset
Blake Griffin-led Oklahoma in
the NCAA Tournament's second
round.
This year, the Wolverines are
coming off an improbable run to
the tournament that nearly saw
them knock off Duke and advance
to the Sweet 16. But that's where
the similarities end.
that year, Michigan lost its
leaders - the heart and soul of its
team - senior guards C.J. Lee and
David Merritt.
This year, the Wolverines bring
back their senior leadership, for-
ward and three-time captain
Zack Novak, as well as guard and
two-time captain Stu Douglass.
That year, Michigan finished
15-17, failing to qualfy for postsea-
son play.
This year, Novak and Douglass
promise that what happened two
years ago won't happen under
their watch. Novak and Doug-
lass's veteran leadership repre-
sent everything that was missing
from the 2009 team.
"We had a lot of talent on that
team, but that team and that year
was evident that talent doesn't
equate to wins," Douglass said.
"You've got to bring the leader-
0
a
Senior guard Stu Douglass will be a vital team leader for the Wolverines.
ship, you've got to bring the moti-
vation to stay hungry. I think with
this team, we don't really have to
say much. These guys are moti-
vated and ready for the season to
start."
Although Michigan coach
John Beilein partially blames a
hamstring pull to Harris early in
the 2009-10 season, it's no secret
- to anyone inside or outside the
program - that the team's chem-
istry was lacking at times.
"C.J. Lee and David Merritt
were the missing components
from the team that went to the
NCAA Tournament to the team
that didn't," Beilein said. "I don't
know if(Novak and Douglass) can
make sure (sophomore forward)
Tim Hardaway doesn't have a
hamstring pull like Manny Harris
did. ... They can't do everything,
but I feel good going to practice
everyday with those guys out
there."
The Wolverines' basketball
program has fallen accustomed
to producing surprising results -
good and bad - in recent years.
Former Michigan coach
Tommy Amaker's teams often
entered seasons with high expec-
tations but could never seem to
live up to them.
Three years ago, lowly Michi-
ganupset two No.4 teams (UCLA
and Duke) on its way to the pro-
gram's first tournament bid in
11 years. And after the following
year's disappointment, last year's
squad - picked by some to fin-
ish last in the Big Ten - proved
that strong leadership, coaching
and chemistry, sprinkled in with
enough talent, could be a missed
floater away from a Sweet 16
berth.
As the comparison between
the two teams has drawn a great
deal of attention, both Novak and
Douglass have been cautious with
their words.
"Dave and C.J. just were so
good at what they did," Novak
said. "I think guys just never
really had to lead at all - they just
took it all under control. When
they left, there was just this mas-
sive void and no one really knew
what to do.
"I'd hate for (our younger play-
ers) to go through something like
that."
To make sure that year doesn't
happen this year, the duo has
preached the values of winning,
and to a greater extent, not los-
ing. Novak, in particular, made
a lesson out of several open-gym
practices throughout the sum-
mer, in what he called the team's
most competitive offseason in his
career.
"My team would lose and it'd
be stupid mistakes, we really
shouldn't have lost that game so
I'd just go nuts, like off-the-wall,
way more than I needed to for an
open gym - but I'd just lose it,"
Novak said. "I just wanted them
to see that passion for winning."
Coaches and players inside the
program aren't the only ones tak-
ing notice of Michigan's senior
leadership, though. Even the
Spartans' head coach, Tom Izzo,
had high praise for Novak.
"I love the kid," Izzo said. "I
would think Zack Novakisstillthe
most important player on Michi-
gan's team because some of those
guys - (Hardaway Jr.) doesn't
know what it's like to through the
bad times. Zack Novak does and
I think that makes you a bigger
commodity."
Led by Hardaway Jr. - a
Wooden Award watch list player
- the Wolverines have the tal-
ent to match the 2009 team, but
thanks to Novak and Douglass,
have the leadership of the 2008
team. But even for the skeptics
that are still out there, when
Michigan opens against Wayne
State on Friday, two familiar
faces that were absent two years
ago willbe back in the building.
Merritt, Michigan radio's color
commentator, and Lee, who sits
behind the team's bench and
stands inside the huddle as the
program's administrative spe-
cialist, will be with the Wolver-
ines as a constant reminder for
just how far senior leadership can
carry a team.
ICE HOCKEY
Di Giuseppe off to quick start
By LIZ VUKELICH
Daily Sports Writer
The No. 3 Michigan hockey
team had multiple players to
thank for the nine goals it scored
against Ferris State in last week-
end's series. The CCHA, though,
thought one stood out.
Freshman forward Phil Di
Giuseppe was named the CCHA
Rookie of the Week and Rookie
of the Month after he tallied four
points in the Wolverines' sweep
of the Bulldogs.
Not bad for a freshman who
was uncertain about how well the
transition from the non-confer-
ence games to the more aggres-
sive style.of CCHA play would go.
Di Giuseppe's stats certainly
set him apart. So far this season,
he's tallied nine points - the
third highest number for any
freshman player in the country.
His five goals tie him for second
most in the country for a rookie
and third on the Wolverines' ros-
ter.
"Anytime you have a good
weekend, you're susceptible to
being named something," said
Michigan coach Red Berenson.
"Good for (Di Giuseppe)."
Berenson did not seem all that
surprised at the recognition, and
he was quick to point out that
many Michigan players before Di
Giuseppe have been recognized
by the conference - the honor
isn't particularly exceptional.
But no one can deny that the
Wolverines (2-1-1 CCHA, 6-1-1
overall) have something special
in Di Giuseppe. His presence
has been a welcomed surprise
for a team that wasn't certain
about where its scoring would
come from after the graduation
of last year's seniors. Berenson
has known about Di Giuseppe's
potential since before the season
even started - he mentioned Di
Giuseppe as a freshman who he
thought was "flying out of the
gate."
At times, Di Giuseppe does
appear to fly. He characterizes
himself as someone who "plays
with speed, takes the puck to
the net and (tries) to do simple
things."
"The games at Northern
(Michigan) were a little big of a
wake-up call for a lot of players,"
Berenson said. "I thought this
weekend (against Ferris State)
was (Di Giuseppe's) best week-
end. He really responded well."
Part of Di Giuseppe's success
is due to his line pairing with
junior forwards Chris Brown
and A.J. Treais. The trio's com-
bined 28 points are the most
amond of Michigan's lines, and
Di Giuseppe suggests that their
success comes from the unique
strengths of each of its members.
"Treais is a playmaker
and (Brown) is a finisher," Di
Giuseppe said. "I'm a little of
both, so (our line) has a good
variety."
But chemistry can only carry a
player so far.
"Chemistry is intangible,"
Berenson said. "Some nights it
might be a factor in a game and
other nights it might not. But just
playing well with good team-
mates is half the battle."
Berenson said the hardest
thing for any freshman is to keep
the consistency level up each
week and expressed that it may
prove to be a challenge for Di
Giuseppe.
But Di Giuseppe has a unique
sense of humility to help him
along. He immediately dismisses
his personal success on the ice
and credits Brown and Treais
with making him look good night
after night.
Take the Ferris State game
as an example - when Brown
passed the puck to Di Giuseppe
on a breakaway to give him the
chance to score on an open net,
Di Giuseppe immediately wanted
to give it right back. It was only
after Brown curled away from
the crease that Di Giuseppe took
the shot.
"I think he's grounded,"
Berenson said. "He doesn't get
too carried away with himself."