The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com November 28, 2011 - 3B The ichganDail - ichganailyom oveber 8, 011- 3 GAME STATISTICS Robinson paves the way to victory Team Sats Frst Downs Rush/Yds Passing Yards Offensiv Plays Total Offese Kik returns/ Yds Pteturns/ Yds Comp/Aft/Alt PuInt/Avg Fmbles/Lost Penalties/Yards im of HHPoss MICH 23 50/277 167 67 4447 4/77 0/0 14/17/0 2/47.5 3/1 3/29 35:10 OSU 18 31/137 235 57 372 3/76 1/0 14/26/1 3/40 1/0 5/47 24:50 M I C H I G A N PASSING Player C-A Yds TD Int Robinson, D. 14-17 167 3 0 Totals 14-17 167 3 0 RUSHING Player Att Yds Avg .g TO Hopkins 1 3 3.0 3 0 Shaw 1 3 30 3 0 Hagrp 1 -17 -170 -17 0 Totals 50 277 5.5 46 2 RECEIVING Payer NA. Ys Avg Lg TO HHeingway 2 41 22 26 1 Koger 4 40 100 26 1 Dileo 2 32 16 28 0 Hd*"rsp 25 15 20 4 Roundtree 1 8 8.0 8 0 Toussaint 1 6 6.0 6 0 Totals 14 167 11.9 46 3 PUNTING Player No. Yds Avg . T KICKOFF RETURNS Py No. A Av g T Gallon 1 20 20.0 20 Totals 4 7 1.3 25 6 PUNT RETURNS Player No. Yds Avg L.g TD Totals 0 0 0 0 0 TACKLES Player Solo Asst Tot Morgan 3 7 10 Demens 2 6 8 Van Bergen 5 2 7 Floyd 3 3 6 Martin 3 3 6 Kovacs 3 1 4 Gordon T. 3 1 4 Heininger 1 3 4 Ryan 1 2 3 Woolfolk 1 1 2 Gordon C. 1 0 1 Avery 1 0 1 Hawthorne 1 0 1 Hollowell 1 0 1 Black 0 1 1 Totals 29 30 59. 0 H 10 S T A T E By KEVIN RAFTERY Daily Sports Editor When Denard Robinsonsmiles, chances are, Michigan fans can't help but smile, too. But when Robinson smiles the way he did after a 40-34 victory over Ohio State - the Wolverines' first in seven years against the Buckeyes - well, that's a smile that Michigan fans have been waitingto see for what felt like an eternity. "I want to be nowhere else except with these guys," Robin- son said after the game. Then he paused, and flashed his pearly whites. "I'm glad I stayed." After a season in which fans and critics alike have questioned Robinson's ability, even going so far as to say sophomore Devin Gardner should start at quarter- back over Robinson, it's safe to say after Saturday's performance there are few, if any, Michigan fans that aren't happy Robinson stayed, too. Robinson did it all against the Buckeyes, rackingup 181yards on 26 carries for two touchdowns, while completing 14-of-17 pass- es for 167 yards and three more scores. He climbed the rankings in the record books as well. After his first touchdown pass of the day to fifth-year senior wide receiver Junior Hemingway - Robinson's 36th of his career - he passed for- mer quarterback Tom Brady on the all-time passing touchdowns list. When it was all said and done, Robinson was sixth in pass- ing touchdowns and fifth on the all-time rushing touchdowns list, passing former quarterback Rich Leach after his 35th-career score in the second quarter against the Buckeyes. "(Robinson) did great," said senior center David Molk. "It's apparent how he's matured throughout the season. We were always composed, we were always ready for another drive. "There was nothing that was goingto stop us today." And there truly was little that could stop Robinson and the Michigan offense - especially when the Wolverines needed to score to keep momentum in their favor. After Ohio State began the game with a six-play, 80-yard touchdown drive, there's Wol- verine fans already began to see flashbacks of the previous seven losses. Michigan had to answer - and it did. On 2nd-and-4 from the Ohio State 41-yard line, Robinson faked the handoff to sophomore running back Fitzgerald Tous- saint. Robinson then took one jab step right, cut back left and was off to the races. There aren't many football players in America that will beat Robinson in a foot race. And there certainly were no Buckeyes that could do it. Robinson took off for the 41-yard touchdown run, eve- ning the score at 7-7. "You got a guy that fast - he makes plays," Molk said. "Same with Fitz, those two can hit a hole and they know where to go, and they know how to read a defense." On Michigan's next drive, Rob- Junior Denard Robinson passed Tom Brady for seventh on Michigan's all-time career passing touchdowns list. inson showed off his arm - the same arm that critics have said all year isn't good enough. On 2nd-and-7 from the Ohio State 26, Robinson dropped back to pass. He looked ... and looked ... and looked. He could've made lunch, tweeted about how good his lunch was (on his defunct Twitter account, even), and called his mother with the amount of time he had. Finally, Robinson fired a strike across the middle, completing with Hemingway for the 26-yard score. Earlier in his career, Robin- son may have panicked with that much time to throw - or he may have just taken off and ran. But on Saturday, he proved how much he's matured as a quarterback. "He's calm, patient with the ball," Hemingway said. "He didn't force anything. If it wasn't open, he ran it. If it was open, he threw it." Robinson showed off his arm again in the third quarter, firinga bullet across the middle to senior receiver Martavious Odoms for the 20-yard score on a critical third down. But it was Robinson's easiest pass of the day that was arguably the most important. With Michi- gan up by just three and in seri- ous need of some breathing room early in the fourth quarter, Robin- son found senior tight end Kevin Koger wide open in the endzone off a play-action fake for a four- yard touchdown pass - Robin- son's third of the game. "It was a great play call," Koger said. "I was fortunate enough to slip inside the defensive end, and ran into the corner and Denard found me." The play gave Michigan a 37-27 lead with 8:32 to play and proved to be the game winner. But Robinsonnever onetotake credit for himself, credited the offensive line for his success both in the air and on the ground. When asked why Michigan was so successful in the rushing game, Robinson didn't have to say anything. All he did was point to the big man sitting next to him - Molk. "The big guys up front, they open holes," he said. Then he smiled. And after Saturday, Michigan fans are smiling, too. : PASSING Player C-A Yds Miller 14-25 235 Totals 14-25 235 'RUSHING Player Aft Yds Avg P4sey 3 58 16 Mlbler 1 200 26 Hrron 15 23 2.5 TD Int 2 1 2 1 Lg TD 7 1 24 2 -- MARISSA MCCLAIN/Daily Senior defensivetackle Mike Martin tallied six tackles against the Buckeyes on Saturday. Lg 54 43 36 20 TO 1 1 0 0 Senior tight end Kevin Koger had a game-high four receptions and a touchdown against Ohio State. Four years later, Koger spurns OSU again Plain No. Yds Avg Lg KICKOFF RETURNS Player No. Yds Avg Lg Hallan 3 06 2. 3 1 Tas 3 6 5 3 TACKLES e NSolo Asst To ESabino 6 2 8 shazier 4 4 8 Smn 2 5 7 Johnson 3 .3 6 Kli 0 4 4 Domicone 2 1 3 Hankins 1 2 3 Hale 1 0 1 Rice 1 0 1 Bennett 1 0 1 Ebner 0 1 1 JOIN T H E STAFF MEETINGS ARE EVERY SUNDAY FOL LOW US ON TWIT TE R @miChdailysports @mIChdailyf ba|| @michdailyhockey @michdailybball By STEPHEN J. NESBITT Daily Sports Editor As a kid,senior tight end Kevin Koger never missed The Game. On that crisp weekend every November, he would join his father and N brother in the NOTEBOOK living room in Toledo, Ohio to watch the Michi- gan and Ohio State football teams do battle. But he was never a Buckeye fan. Koger's father was raised in Detroit, and his passion for Mich- igan rubbed off on his sons. When Kogerwas beingrecruit- ed as a four-startight end, he held scholarship offers from four Big Ten schools, but it was always between Michigan and Ohio State. The Wolverines won out. Thenthe Buckeyes beathimthree straight seasons. "I never second guessed my decision," Koger said last Monday. Even when Ohio State was going to national title games? "Never." When he lined up alongside redshirt sophomore offensive tackle Taylor Lewan at the four- yard line midway through the fourth quarter on Saturday in Michigan's 40-34 victory, Koger had his chance at redemption. He didn't miss it. On 3rd-and-1, Koger ran five steps forward, angled to the cor- ner of the endzone and turned back toward the line of scrim- mage. Junior quarterback Denard Robinson was coming out of a play-action fake and spied Koger running free in the flat. Robinson lofted a pass over two defenders and into Koger's hands to give Michigan a 37-27 lead. The touchdown turned out to be the game winner. Surrounded by 114,132 hys- terical fans at Michigan Stadium, Koger was right at home. "I've always said my dream has always been to catch a touch- down in the Michigan-Ohio State game," Koger said, beaming in the postgame press conference. "I finally did that, so it means a lot to me and my family." This time, his family wasn't sit- ting in the living room in Toledo, they were there to see it live atthe Big House. Koger finished as Robinson's favoritetarget, rackingup a game- high four catches. After being named a captain in August, Koger grew into the spotlight and earned a more prominent role in the offense. Teammates tabbed him with the nickname "Hypeman 86" early in the season to match his ener- getic personality, and that charm hasn't left the senior. For his entire senior season, Koger and Michigan said, "Beat Ohio" after every team meeting. Countdown clocks were installed in Schembechler Hall. Koger couldn't forget about Ohio State if he wanted to. And finally, for the first and last time in his career, Hypeman 86 faced the Buckeyes and walked away a victor. 1K CLUB: One thousand yards. It's a number that won't put either Robinson or redshirt soph- omore Fitzgerald Toussaint into Heisman contention this season, but it's a big reason the Wolver- ines are sitting at 10-2 and on the brink of a BCS-bowl berth. Witt Buckey Toussa yards Robins season added tM a to The two 1, same se don B for 1,39 tively. "I di h banner days against the igan coach Brady Hoke when told 'es, both Robinson and of the two rushers on his team. int eclipsed the 1,000- "That's good." rushing on the season. Hoke attributed the success to on's 170 yards boosted his three factors. total to 1,163. Toussaint "The ability of the guys up 120 yards for 1,011 total. front and what they've done," Hoke said. "I think the offensive staff and what Denard has done in this kind of makeshift, kind of Y dquasi-offense that we have. S sbeen "And then I think Fitz (and) Y Dthe growth and maturity that c tch (that) he's shown." catc tat CATCHA GRENADE: After )uchdown." Robinson took a knee to drain the clock and end the ballgame at 40-34, he decided to goahead and do it. When the team rushed off the last time Michigan had home sideline and gathered at 000-yard rushers in the midfield, Robinson tossed the ball eason was 1975, when Gor- straight up in there air, and when ell and Rob Lytle rushed the ball fell to the ground, the 0 and 1,030 yards, respec- entire team mimicked a grenade explosion and fell backward onto dn't know that," said Mich- the turf. The antics certainly drew a few laughs around the stadium, but it wasn't a first-time stunt. "That's something that we've done every Friday," senior cap- tain David Molk said. "We have a little short practice, and atthe end of the practice we ... take a knee, we all get together and Denard throws the ball up toward the ceiling and once it hits..." Molk threw his hands apart to mimic an explosion. "Like a bomb blowing up and we all fall," Molk finished. Not everyone was so pleased with the celebration, though. "I lost so much respect for Michigan after they won (and) threw the ball in the air acting like it was a grenade," Ohio State fullback Zach Boren wrote on Twitter. "This is a great rivalry and to take it to that level of dis- respect is just so uncalled for. Act like you have won before (and) treat this rivalry like it should be." ( LITTLE the musical a Department of Musical Theatre studio production Music by Jason Howland " Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein Book by Allan Knee " Based on the novel by Louisa May Alcott Dec. 8 at 7:30 PM " Dec. 9 & 10 at 8 PM " Dec. 10 & 11 at 2 PM " Arthur Miller Theatre yofiScloGeneral Admission $17 " Students $10 w/ID MusicTeatre&Dance League Ticket Office " 734-764-2538 " tickets.music.umich.edu 0