0 0
shouldn't line up - no disrespect to Mar-
cus Knight andKevin Bryant and all those
guys - you and Tai Streets should be out
there," Marcus said. "All you have to do
is learn the plays, keep your mouth shut
and be a freshman. Just don't play like a
freshman."
"Marcus, I'm from Richmond, Virgin-
ia," Dave said flatly. "I don't know what it
is to be scared of anything.
"I want to do what y'all did last year."
Win the national championship.
Whenever Dave would ask Marcus a
question, he'd contort his face the same
way every time - he'd raise his eyebrows
and twitch his lips at the same time, and
smile while he did it.
Marcus saw that face a lot that summer,
and when training camp started, he made
sure to get a glimpse of it every time they
sat down to eat.
Dave's look had a frustrated twistto it
lately - he was dealing with going fromthe
No.1 receiving recruit in the country to No.
4 on Michigan's depth chart, and the rea-
son was simple: he didn't know the plays.
Marcus told him: Meet up with Tai
Streets, Marcus Knight, some of the older
receivers, and Tom Brady, and learn the
offense, learn the plays. Once you under-
stand what you're doing, you'll play. You'll
be great.
"I don't think he understood how to
compete and go from a second-team or
third-team guy," Marcus says. "As a fresh-
man, I don't think he understood what that
meant as far as climbing up the ladder.
There were other guys that waited their
turn as well."
During his freshman year, Marcus
didn't know the plays - the other safeties
hadn't had much interest in him taking
their playing time and his position coach
Hoke needs to prove he-s
more than a good talker
WMU's Carder
will be first real
test for defense
Dub-Nik served asa training ground for four freshman, including Dave Terrell, before their first football season in 1998.
knew he wasn't going to play, so there was
no sense in bothering.
"At Michigan, they don't throw you into
the fire unless they have to, so they don't
have to deal with (you) - they don't want
to fight the monster they helped create,"
Marcus says. "That's why a lot of talented
freshmen won't play, so they won't become
a star."
So Dave did as he. was told. He needed
to learn the plays, so he approached the
older wide receivers. But Dave wasn't just
any old guy, holding a number, waiting his
turn. He was holding THE number.
'I don't know if the guys he (sought)
help from really wanted to give him help,
because he was a better wide receiver,"
Marcus says now. "And it's kinda like, they
didn't want him to take their job. I don't
think he truly got the guidance from the
receiving corps, the older receivers.
"That's why he was a little frustrated
or he didn't know who to trust. He didn't
know who to go to, who to look up to.
"I think he probably got it more from
Brady because he knew Dave was going to
be one of those targets that makes a quar-
terback look pretty good. And that's where
I think he and Tom Brady really developed.
a close bond, when Dave finally went to
him and said, 'Teach me the plays. Where do
I need to be?"'
Two years later, Marcus had graduated,
but he still called Dave on a monthly basis,
just to check in. This time, he wanted to
crawl inside Dave's head before the biggest
game of his life: the 2000 Orange Bowl,
Brady's senior year. This was it.
"These are the types of games that you
showcase yourself in," Marcus said, as if he
were sitting across from Dave in Dub-Nik.
"And do whatever you have to do to make
sure your team wins. If you want to get to
this level, they rise, they perform well on
these types of stages.
"Catch every pass if you can. Go to work.
This is the type of the game that would put
you, in your junior year, at the top of the
list."
Dave didn't disappoint - he caught 10
passes for 150 yards and scored Michigan's
first three touchdowns of the game.
Each drive, Dave found a new way to get
open.
"Terrell's got another one!" the TV
See Dave Terrell
that's the best~
wide receiver in
the country.
announcer exclaimed, as Dave moved
Michigan down to the 20-yard line late in
the third quarter. He had already caught
two touchdowns by that point.
Brady went back to him on the very next
play, on a curl route, and Dave muscled his
way through the cornerback and ran for
daylight. Touchdown, Michigan.
Brady set a Michigan bowl record that
day with his 369 yards passing, as he led his
team to a thrilling 35-34 win. But Dave was
the Orange Bowl MVP.
Marcus watched from California. He
was playing for the Raiders at the time, and
he told anyone who'd listen: See Dave Ter-
rell, right there, that's the best wide receiver
in the country.
Brady Hoke used six words to
shift the feelingof Michigan
football.
It was in response to a question
about Michigan still being an elite
job. After being nationally embar-
rassed on a consistent basis, those
words were just
what Michigan
fans wanted to
hear.
"This is
Michigan, for
God's sake."
Hoke then
proceeded to
wrap every MICHAEL
Wolverine fan FLOREK
in a verbal hug
the past seven
months with sound bites including
"physicality" and "fundamentals,"
bringingback Michigan football and
the ever popular: "This is Michi-
gan."
The alumni believed. They told
us to believe. We did.
It wasn't a hard sell. A fanbase
so battered from staring at 52-14,
37-7 and 48-28 in a three-game span
needed some glimmer of hope. Fans
needed a leader to rally around,
someone to blindly follow back to
the prosperity they signed up for. So
why not Hoke?
He understands the traditions.
Clocks are around Schembechler
Hall counting down the Ohio State
and Michigan State games.
He's extremely passionate about
Michigan. Just listen to him talk.
He's a genuinely good dude. He
responds to people by name and has
self-deprecating humor.
Asked to describe Hoke in one
word, freshman linebacker Frank
Clark told MGoBlue.com, "Epic."
"Sometimes coaches are standoff-
ish or kind of hard to approach, but
Coach Hoke's not like that at all,"
fifth-year senior center David Molk
said on Monday. "He's just a great
guy that you put your arm around
and say, 'Hey, how ya doin?"'
Fans decided that somehow these
traits were going to help him win
football games. Without a single vic-
tory to his name, he's nice-guyed his
way into Michigan fans' hearts.
Now on the eve of Brady Hoke's
first game, he doesn't feel much
like a new coach, unproven at a
big-time college football program.
He's the son who never left, the one
*who reminds fans of the days when
Michigan coach Brady Hoke has sky-high expectations in his first season at the helm.,
Michigan won Big Ten Champion-
ships and were guaranteed a good
bowl game.
But as you watch this season
wearing your "This is Michigan"
student t-shirt, realize that those old
days are gone - at least temporarily.
Michigan lacks depth, has a few
weak spots and is undergoing a
change of system both on offense
and defense. And no matter how
many recruits Hoke pulls from Ohio
or how technically sound Kyle Kalis
is at run blocking, it's not going to
have an effect this fall.
Despite talking all camp about
findinga featured running back,
Michigan still doesn't have one.
Hoke can talk about the good com-
petition between senior Mike Shaw
and redshirt sophomore Fitzgerald
Toussaint, but if they were both
game-breakers wouldn't he say they
were both too good to keep off the
field?
The Wolverines are starting a
former walk-on in Will Heininger
at strong-side defensive end. Brady
Hoke cited experience as the biggest
reason he's starting. Heininger's ,
backup, redshirt sophomore Nathan
Brink, is a walk-on that's 32 pounds
lighter than Heininger is.
The kicking game that was so
atrocious last year returns redshirt
sophomore Brendan Gibbons as the
starter in all his 1-for-5 glory.
The punting situation isn't
any rosier with sophomore Will
Hagerup suspended for the first
four games. While freshman Matt
Wile and redshirt sophomore Seth
Broekhuizen having taken over
the duties, the shankopotamus has
crashed Michigan practice on more
than one occasion.
And just how much cana defense
that was 110th last year improve?
Michigan will win some games
because of experience, far superior
talent and Denard Robinson. Hoke
could even motivate a few wins out
of the Wolverines in games they
maybe shouldn't have won.
But we have no idea how much
of an effect Hoke and his coaching
staff will have. A 9-3 record is a pos-
sibility. So is 4-8.
Hoke's press conference quotes
don't win games. Don't carry over
what you felt into the season. You're
only setting yourself up for disap-
pointment when Michigan doesn't
reach the Big Ten title game. Be pre-
pared for anything.
This is the new Michigan.
-Florek can be reach at
florekmi@umich.edu. Follow him
on Twitter, @michaelflorek.
By TIM ROHAN
Daily Sports Editor c:
ea
If you asked Brady Hoke or Greg ti
Mattison, Alex Carder is eight-feet ft
tall and can throw a football more a:
than 400 yards, in the air, against sh
the wind..n
To be fair, the h,
Western Michi- W n
gan quarterback Michigan
threw for more ar
than 3,300 yards Matchup: s
last season attd 30 Michigan 0-0; 0
touchdowns. So Michigan 0-0 is
he'll be the Michi- When: Satr- W
gan defense's first day 3:30 P.M. s
true test of the ft
season. With him Where: Michi- h:
at quarterback, gan Stadism re
the Broncos won't TV/Radio: bt
go down easily. ABC or
"I'd like to see de
who's a better quarterback in the o
Midwest," Hoke said. "I think
Alex, he throws the ball well. He
manages the offense well. He's
got great timing. He's got a quick
release. He's tough and he's a dura-
ble guy. Because when you see him
on tape last year, getting hit some-
times and he gets right back up
and goes to work."
Mattison, the man charged
with confusing Carder, echoed
Hoke's comments.
"I think he's a great quarter-
back," Mattison said. "I think this fir
guy's special. I think you're going ju
to see this guy playing on Sunday's
some day. He's got an arm that he bt
can throw it from hash to the side- th
line ... He's got mobility. He can m
run when he has to. This guy's the w
real deal." hr
Michigan's defense is supposed
to be revamped and refocused, H
after allowing 450 yards and 35 of
points per game last season. Mat- w
tison has his unit, which has li
nine returning starters from that It
porous defense, playing his NFL- (C
like schemes the way he likes. The
players say they have got it down. ht
And Mattison is quick to brag ex
about their willingness to get it R
right.
But none of that offseason buzz in
matters if Michigan can't stop ut
Carder, his 63-percent comple- be
tion rate, and his top wide receiver
- senior Jordan White caught 94 H
passes for more than 1,300 yards dt
and 10 touchdowns last season. g
The secondary that was often
riticized a year ago will have an
arly shot at changing its reputa-
on. Fifth-year senior Troy Wool-
blk and redshirt junior J.T. Floyd
re back from injuries and red-
hirt junior safety Jordan Kovacs
ow has the self-proclaimed ball-
awking Thomas Gordon playing
ext to him.
Sophomores Courtney Avery
nd Carvin Johnson surely will
ee some playing time as well. All
f the inexperience and depth
sues were cured by last season's
voes. It'll be up to Mattison's blitz
chemes and the Michigan front
ur to make sure Carder doesn't
ave enough time to find open
ceivers. As last season snow
alled, lost in the blame on the sec-
ndary was how Greg Robinson's
efense rarely got pressure on
pposing quarterbacks. Michigan
"I'd like to see
who's a better
quarterback in
the Midwest."
nished the 13-game season with
st 18 sacks.
Carder led the nation's 16th-
est passing attack and was under
re guide of coach Bill Cubit, a
an entering his seventh season
ith the Broncos, and a man Hoke
as tremendous respect for.
"Bill Cubit is a smart man,"
oke said. "He's always had good
fenses. He uses his personnel
ell. I think when you've got a guy
ke Carder as your quarterback,
think it's an advantage for what
ubit) has in his tool chest."
Yet, Western Michigan still
as to deal with Michigan's own'
plosive offense and Denard
obinson's unique skill set.
A reporter asked Hoke, tongue
cheek, "You'd rank (Robinson)
p there with Carder, among the
st in the Midwest?"
"Oh, well, you know what,"
oke said, "I think he's a pretty
aggone good quarterback. I'm
ad he's at Michigan."
Dave Terrell holds the bail high after a touchdown catch against Wisconsin his Junior year.
10 1 FootballSaturday - September 3, 2011
TheMichiganDaily - www.michigandaily.com j 3