The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Tuesday, October 2, 2012- 7
Hoke, offensive line vowto
protect Robinson in backfield
Hockey season TV
schedule released
By STEPHEN J. NESBITT
Daily Sports Editor
Nobody's denying that Denard
Robinson struggled mightily in
the Michigan football team's
13-6 loss to Notre Dame. Robin-
son ended five consecutive drives
with turnovers - including four
interceptions on four straight
throws.
Robinson apologized to the
team and the Michigan fan base
after the game, calling it the
worst game of his career. But his
teammates and coaches down-
played Robinson's struggles by
attributing the woes to the col-
lective offensive effort.
The offensive line, in particu-
lar, took some heat.
Michigan coach Brady Hoke
entered the locker room at half-
time with offensive coordinator
Al Borges at his heels. The Wol-
verines trailed 10-0. Something
had to change.
Robinson hadn't done him-
self any favors, but he certainly
wasn't getting much help. He'd
been sacked twice, had pressure
in his face constantly through
two quarters and had passed for
just 59 yards.
"When you look at the process,
it's not all one guy," Hoke said on
Monday. "When you've got a line-
backer in your face and you've got
somebody around your leg, some-
times it's hard to finish plays like
you'd like to.
O "Do we want him to throw the
ball away when the opportunity's
there? Do we want him to be a
little more on target with the ball
at times? No question. But it's not
just him by any count."
When he stepped into the
locker room at halftime, Hoke
said that "the rest of this game
is on the offensive line," accord-
ing to redshirt junior right tackle
Taylor Lewan. Borges adjusted
his scheme to buy Robinson time.
"I was pretty fired up about
the situation - a lot of guys
were," Lewan said. "Every single
guy who played in that game as
an offensive lineman took that to
heart."
And it worked. Though Robin-
son and the offense couldn't fin-
Senior quarterback Denard Robinson received much better protection in the second half against Notre Dame.
ish in the red zon
six, points out of
there - the first d
igan to the Notr
line before a fum
the 15-yard line b
and the final to
before a field goal
In the second
had time in
the pocket and
was 8-of-11
passing for 79
yards - and,
most impor-
tantly, he had
no intercep-
tions.
"The thing
is about that,
we had success
in the second
half - but obvi
good enough," L
if we can contit
cess like that t
whole game, not
ters, this team wi
better off."
Somewhat los
math of the defea
was that Robins
Henne to become
time yards leader
e- scoring just pass to junior wide receiver
f six total trips Devin Gardner in the fourth
rive took Mich- quarter. He now has 9,438 total
e Dame 16-yard yards with eight games left on
tble, the next to the schedule.
efore a field goal Hoke knows the talent he has
the 14-yard line at quarterback.
. "He's our quarterback, and
half, Robinson he's a damn good quarterback,"
Hoke said
Monday.
Hoke
"HIe's our turned aside
and added, "I
quarterback, and didn't say that,
he's a damn good that."nt write
But you did
quarterback." say it.
"Daggone
it. My mom's
going to read
"Probably not, right?" Hoke
continued. "He's got to play a
little better. We've got to help
him play a little better by block-
ing better; routes, catching bet-
ter, competing better, and also as
a staff make sure he can do the
things we're asking him to do."
INJURIES: Redshirt junior
defensive end Nathan Brink suf-
fered an undisclosed injury dur-
ing practice last week and will
*be out indefinitely, according to
a release from the Michigan foot-
ball program.
Brink made two tackles in four
games this season.
Hoke said the rest of the
injured players - those who
don't have season-ending inju-
ries, that is - have returned to
practice and should be able to
play on Saturday against Purdue.
That lineup includes sophomore
defensive end Brennen Beyer
(knee), fifth-year senior tight end
Brandon Moore (knee), fifth-year
senior left guard Ricky Barnum
(shoulder), junior fullback Ste-
phen Hopkins (hamstring), red-
shirt sophomore defensive tackle
Richard Ash (undisclosed) and
junior safety Marvin Robinson
(undisclosed).
By MATT SLOVIN
Daily Sports Editor
Those looking *to get their
hockey fix during the fourth
National Hockey League lockout
in 19 years will have plenty of
college games to enjoy.
The CCHA released its tele-
vision schedule Monday, and
a total of 55 games involving
league teams will be shown
on CBS Sports Network, FOX
Sports Detroit, Comcast Televi-
sion, Big Ten, Network and NBC
Sports Network.
CBS Sports
and NBC NOTEBOOK
Sports are
available to a national audi-
ence, while Big Ten Network is'
regional. FOX Sports Detroit
and Comcast are primarily lim-
ited to Michigan residents.
Of Michigan's contests, 22
will be televised. Highlights
include the conference opener
against Miami (Ohio) on Oct.
26, the Great Lakes invitational
in late December (Fox Sports
Detroit) and four games against
Michigan State, including one at
Joe Louis Arena on Feb. 2.
HUNWICK BACK STATE-
SIDE: Former Michigan goal-
tender Shawn Hunwick is
attending training camp for the
Providence Bruins of the Ameri-
can Hockey League, According
to a report by the Providence
Journal.
The article calls Hunwiek
a "last-minute" addition. Last
year's starter between the pipes
for the Wolverines, Hunwick
had been playing for EC Red
Bull Salzburg of the Austrian
Hockey League from July to
September.
During his senior season at
Michigan, Hunwick started 39
of the Wolverines' 40 gaties,
allowing just two goals per
game on average. He saved .932
of the shots he faced.
BERENSON ON AIR: The Red
Berenson Radio Show returns
Tuesday on Ann Arbor's 1050
WTKA. ;
Michigan announced Mon-
day that Jack Johnson, now of
the Los Angeles Kings, will be
the first alumni guest of the sea-
son. Meanwhile, junior defen-
seman Mac Bennett will be the
first player guest.
The show is hosted at 6 p.m.
weekly from The Arena Sports
Bar and Grill in downtown Ann
Arbor.
2012-13 TV SCHEDULE:
-Oct. 9 Exhibition vs. Wind-
sor, 7:35, Comcast
-Oct. 26 vs. Miami (Ohio), 7:35,
Comcast
-Nov. 9 vs. Michigan State,
7:35, Comcast
*Nov. 10 at Michigan State,
7:05, Comcast
*Nov. 15 vs. Notre Dame, 7:35,
CBS Sports
*Nov. 16 vs. Notre Dame, 7:35,
Comcast
*Nov. 21 vs. Bowling Green,
7:35, Comcast
*Dec. 14 vs. Western Michi-
gan, 7:35, CBS Sports
*Dec. 27 vs. Michigan Tech at
Comerica Park, 7:35, FOX Sports
Detroit
-Dec. 28 Great Lakes Invita-
tional Third-Place Game, 3:35,
FOX Sports Detroit
*Dec. 28 Great Lakes Invi-
tational Title Game, 7:35, FOX
Sports Detroit
-Jan. 4 Exhibition vs. U.S.
National Team Development
Program, 7:35, Comcast
*Jan. 8 vs. Bowling Green, 7:35,
Big Ten Network
-Jan. 12 vs. Alaska (Fairbanks),
7:35, FOX Sports Detroit Plus
*Jan. 25 at Western Michigan,
7:05, Comcast
-Jan. 26 at Western Michigan,
7:35, FOX Sports Detroit
*Feb. 1 vs. Michigan State, 6:35,
Big Ten Network
*Feb. 2 vs. Michigan State
at Joe Louis Arena, 4:05, FOX
Sports Detroit
-Feb. 8 at Notre Dame, 7:35,
CBS Sports
*Feb. 9 at Notre Dame, 7:05,
Comcast
*Feb. 22 at Ohio State, 6:35, Big
Ten Network
*Feb. 23 at Ohio State, 7:05,
Comcast
-Mar. 1 vs. Ferris State, 7:35,
CBS Sports
-Mar. 2 vs. Ferris State, 7:35,
FOX Sports Detroit
ously, it wasn't
ewan said. "But
ue to have suc-
hroughout the
just two quar-.
ll be a whole lot
t in the after-
it in South Bend
on passed Chad
Michigan's all-
r with a 13-yard
this and get mad."'
But even for a third-year
starter like Robinson, there's still
a learning curve. When asked
whether Robinson is where the
coaches want him to be in terms
of decision-making, Robinson
threw the question right back.
"Now really, think about that
question," Hoke said. "What do
you think? Seriously."
Probably not.
Wolverines emerge from bye week refreshed
By BEN ESTES Michigan's , nonconference
Daily SportsEditor schedule from its Big Ten slate,
making it a feel like a "new sea-
It almost sounds like the son." In a sense, it is, given that
Michigan football team's bye the Wolverines' stated goal is a
week was a weekend getaway to Big Ten championship, which,
the spa. barring any tiebreaking scenar-
Senior defensive lineman ios, won't be affected by the two
Craig Roh feels "rejuvenated," losses they've already accrued.
redshirt junior offensive tackle R6h said the team feels
Lewan is suddenly "energized," "ready" to take on its Big Ten
and Brady Hoke - well, the schedule, and a big reason why
ever-workmanlike Hoke said he is the rest he and his teammates
was pleased with his team's pro- got to enjoy after a hard-knock
ductivity during the bye week. first month of the season.
(Don't expect the head man to "Just the opportunity to get
ever say he's. more relaxed, even healthier," Lewan said. "A week
after some time off.) . off always helps. Less practice,
Though Hoke said again on less hitting. I think that's always
Monday that he's never sure a good opportunity, especially
when the best time to have a bye in the middle of the season, for
week is, the coach was pleased a team to start being more suc-
with the time that he and the cessful."
staff had to re-examine the Wol- The other side of the coin,
verines, and for the work the though, is that the time off opens
players themselves got to do in a up the possibility of rustiness in
bit of a lighter atmosphere. the first game back, something
As Roh pointed out, the tim- Michigan hopes to avoid when it
ing for this year's off week is plays Purdue in West Lafayette
unique in that it neatly divides this Saturday.
The Wolverines have done a
good job of staying sharp com-
ing off bye weeks in recent years,
having won eight of their last
nine games in such situations.
Last season, they also faced the
Boilermakers in their initial
post-bye- game, and that ended
as a 36-14 win for Hoke and his
team.
To help stave off any poten-
tial lethargy, Hoke said the first
team offense and defense scrim-
maged frequently during the bye
week practices.
"A lot of competition, because
of the speed of the game we want
to play with," Hoke said. "I think
that's helped over the years."
"It just sharpens you, because
we have a lot of great guys on
offense who are great players, so
it just keeps you where you need
to be at to play at a very high
level," added Roh.
The extra practices last week
also should prove beneficial for
the young players seeing time
for the Wolverines, and there
are plenty of those, especially on
defense. Five true freshmen and
four second-year players have
seen significant time so far for
defensive coordinator Greg Mat-
tison.
Hoke mentioned that many of
his first-year players were able
to go home during the week-
end since they live within driv-
ing distance, and he thinks that
should help them out mentally
after what's likely been a head-
spinning month for them.
But it's back to the grind for
the team, and Hoke said he's
already waiting to see how his
players respond in practice
on Tuesday after the rest they
received.
Lwan said it was good tohave
the time off that he and his team-
mates did - it's the last opportu-
nity they'll have until December,
after the regular season is over.
By then, Michigan will know
whether its season was a suc-
cess or whether it was the "fail-
ure" Hoke has termed last year's
non-Big Ten championship cam-
paign.
"This team is really excited
about this," Lewan said. "Obvi-
ously, like we've all said before,
the goal at Michigan is a Big
Ten championship. I think, this
team is real fired up about it, and
hopefully we -can be successful
on Saturday.
"As far as it being a challenge,
it's the Big Ten. It's a great con-
ference, and every team in it is
always a big challenge."
OCTOBER 11, 2012 3:00 P.M.
Rackham Auditorium-, 915 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor
Keynote policy lecture by Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker,
founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Miki Orihara, soloist of the Martha Graham Dance Company
Tribute remarks from President Mary Sue Coleman,
family members, and other special guests
Information: 734-615-3893
fordschool.umich.edu
Gerald R. Ford
School of Public Policy M
Senior defensive end Craig Roh said the Wolverines had a productive bye week, as Michigan readies for Purdue
Special thanks to the G,-,,raldR Ford: Pres:ci( rlfl :.I blaraty .,nd Muscl:frioi arc an,, i I gu"
11
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