> Ff ..GMs _. I. .. _. The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Thursday, October 10, 2013 - 7A The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Thursday, October 10, 2013 - 7A The engineer turned lineman ByEVERETT COOK Daily Sports Editor Storied programs face off in opener Joey Burzynski watched the , * first Michigan football game of his career like the rest of us, star- ing down at Denard Robinson, Mike Martin and Jonas Mouton from high up in the stands. That was Saturday, September 4,2010. On Monday, Sept. 6 of that year, Burzynski was at a walk-on tryout. It lasted an hour and fol- lowed the team practice. Noth- ingtoo strenuous,justsome work with the bags and pass protec- tion drills. On Tuesday, a list was posted outside the field house. Burzyn- ski's name was on it, and just like that, he was practicing for the Redshirt junior guard Joey Burzynski i Michigan football team, shaking Robinson's hand as a teammate instead of a fan. In his first meeting, Burzyn- ski wore full pads. Director of Player Personnel Chris Single- tary looked at him and said, "Full pads?You excited?" Burzynski smiled and said, "Yeah, I'm excited!" Singletary looked at Burzyn- ski, then looked over at Martin, who is now a defensive tackle for the Tennessee Titans. Talking to Martin, Singletary said, "Did you hear that Mike? He's ready for pads!" A "All I could say was, 'Oh, dear, what happened here?' " Burzyn- ski said recently after practice. "The only way to describe it was bizarre. It was surreal. It didn't Joey Burzynski at the Rose Bowl in 199 ,reallyhitme until acoupleweeks later, when I thought, 'Holy crap, Believe it or not, the 6-foot-1, I'm playing for Michigan. " 290-pound offensive lineman Four years later before a game used to play soccer, and his dad against Minnesota, Michigan would play 'The Victors' on the coach . Brady. Hoke responded way to those games. to a question about the interior " After a high-school career offensive line, and who would where he won two county cham- play the left guard position if pionships at Carlsbad (Calif.) redshirt sophomore guard Gra- High School, Burzynski received ham Glasgow replaced redshirt interest from Ivy League and sophomore Jack Miller at center. Division II programs but decided Hoke threw out the name of that school was more important redshirt sophomore Chris Bry- than football. If he was going to ant, who eventually replaced play college football, it was going Miller in the starting lineup. to be as a walk-on. Next up was Burzynski, a kid that Michigan was in Burzynski's chose school over football out of top three, but he knew imme- high school and was ready to give diately after he visited that he up playing if it meant getting the wanted to be in Ann Arbor. education he wanted. Being suc- "I'm so grateful to be at Michi- cessful in class was always more gan," he said. "I'll go to other important than being successful schools, especially in California on the field. to visit friends, and I'll just think Now,the biomedical engineer- to myself, 'Thank God I didn't go ing major currently pulling a 3.7 here.' This has been everything GPA is on the cusp of doing both. I've dreamed of. It's been per- "Here we are, four years later," feet." Burzynski said with a laugh. "It's Still, college football didn't been a wild ride for sure." care that Burzynski had been Both of Burzynski's parents a Michigan fan for as long as went to Michigan, but it still took he could remember. His high- some time for the now-redshirt school coach, Bob McAllister, junior to warm to the idea of said that it's easy for walk-on becoming a Wolverine. guys to get lazy the summer after By JEREMY SUMMITT Daily Sports Editor When the Michigan hockey team hosts No. 4 Boston Col- lege on Thursday, the two most successful programs in college hockey will already know each other better than you'd expect. Two seniors, defenseman Mac Bennett and forward Derek DeB- lois, grew up just 75 miles away from Boston College. Bennetthas played with or against the major- ity of the Eagles' roster in youth games and national team tryouts. DeBlois's two sisters and his mother attended Boston College. "I converted them to Michigan fans," DeBlois said. His family will be in town for ing with (defenseman Nolan) de Jong, and I love playing with him," Bennett said. "He's a really smart player, and he's going to be a guy we're probably going to look to." De Jong led the team with five shots in an exhibition loss to Waterloo (Ont.) this past Sunday. Fellow freshmen defensemen Michael Downing and Kevin Lohan also look to heavily con- tribute on an inexperienced blue line. But the upcoming test against the Eagles will be a demand- ing one. Boston College returns forward Johnny Gaudreau, who led the nation with 1.46 points per game last year, while being named Hockey East Player of the ADAM GLANZMAN/Daily s the primary backup at both guard positions after walking on to the program. a y 8. Both of his parents attended Michigan. High school. There's no one there to push them.' Not for Burzynski. He didn't have any guarantees but was still working outlike he was a return- ing All-American. After he made the team, it would have been easyto get com- placent. Burzynski was just 260 pounds and getting demolished on the scout team by Martin. All he could think about was trying not to embarrass himself on the scout team, much less trying to get on the field. "I would have to wake up early, work out, go to practice and just get wrecked," he said. I would hit (Martin) and say, 'I don't know what I'm supposed to do.' He didn't move and could pick me up with one arm." But in between engineering lectures on North Campus and summer internships with start- ups, Burzynski kept working. He's played in 13 career games and is the primary backup for both guard positions. "I never underestimate the ability of a kid that's smart enough to know that if he thinks he can do it, he will do it," McAl- lister said. "There might be guys cOURTESY OF BURZYNSKi FAMILY that are more talented physically, but there's not a kid who is going to give you more effort, heart and passion than Joey. Those guys figure out a way to get on the field." At Michigan, Burzynski is in an honors program called Engineering Global Leadership, which combines his major with business and international stud- ies classes. The end goal is to be in product design while doing research on the side.' That's what he came to Michi- gan for. That's why he's here, not for football. But he's still got another year of eligibility after this season, another brick in the road of the biomedical engineer turned offensive lineman. "It never ceases to surprise and amaze me what he's done," McAllister said. "It's a lesson for anyone, that if they work hard enough they can create an opportunity for themselves to be successful. He's definitely done that for himself, and he's earned everything that's come his way. I know he'll do anything on the field or off the field to make sure Michigan keeps winning." Thursday's game, and while DeB- lois grew up rooting for the Eagles, he says he knew Michigan was always the place for him. During Ben- nett's recruit- ment, it came d College or Mich game, he'll gain s his decision. "I want to mal the right place tc nett said. On opposite b gan coach Red Boston College cc have built a clo through coaching the winningest ai college hockey -' 935 wins compare 770. They spokel Berenson says, t always have to sti Dating back tc Berenson vs. Yor ines lead the Eag overall series. Ne ever lost at home. The raucous Yost Ice Arena w factor for both te with 10 freshmei Boston College in that order, ar teams in the na of both teams' 1 classes could bea ing factor. For the Wo Berenson and Bet pleased with the youngsters in pra. "Me, persona Year. Among other acco- "I tomake lades, he was wantt m honored as one sure I chose of three final- ists for the the right place Hobey Baker Award. tomorrow." "Whoever is covering him, just make sure you're pressed own to Boston the entire time," Bennett said. igan. After the "Whenever he touches the puck, ome insight into someone needs to make sure he feels their presence. We just have ke sure I chose to be all over him and shut him omorrow," Ben- down." That's easier said than done enches, Michi- against a player who tallied 21 Berenson and goals and 30 assists last season. oach Jerry York But what Michigan isn't lacking se relationship is confidence. After the exhibi- g. The two are tion loss, both Bennett and soph- ctive coaches in omore forward Andrew Copp York has tallied said they would be well prepared ed to Berenson's for the Eagles. Thursday's matchup will Monday - as be the first time Michigan has the "old guys" played a ranked opponent in a ck together. season opener since 2007, when o before it was the Wolverinestopped the Eagles k, the Wolver- 4-3 in St. Paul, Minn. This will be les, 11-6, in the Boston College's first trip to Ann either team has Arbor since 2005. There's more to a rivalry than atmosphere at location, and Thursday will pit 'ill be a crucial two storied programs against ams, especially one another in one of the big- n on each side. gest games of the season for both and Michigan, teams. DeBlois kept his feelings e the youngest about the game extremely con- tion. The role cise. arge freshman "We definitely have to beat a critical decid- these guys," he said. In hockey, friends become iverines, both foes. At Yost, the opposition nnett have been becomes hated enemies. Brag- growth of the ging rights between childhood ctice this week. buddies and two old friends are illy, I'm play- officially up for grabs. FOOTBALL Michigan begins to whisper By ZACH HELFAND Borges approached Gardner with Everybody got off the ball just Because Michigan last made Daily Sports Editor the idea, "I busted out laughing," fine, so that's refreshing." the trip to Happy Valley in 2010, Gardner said. When Michigan has played on most on the team haven't played When Beaver Stadium is at its "I thought it was a joke," he the road, it has battled against there. Those who have remember. loudest, scientists have deter- said. "But if you think about it, more than just its opponent. "It felt like the ground was mined that the sound is loud conceptuallyit is agood idea." Often, it has struggled with the shaking," Gardner said. enough to cause physical pain That idea is this: music, espe- atmosphere, and just as often, its "Sometimes we'll be standing to the eardrum. During a 2007 cially outdoors, doesn't provide been beaten by itself. face to :face, and I won't be able game against Ohio State, Andrew an accurate imitation of crowd Under Michigan coach Brady to hear myself think or hear you Barnard of Penn State's Applied noise. A whispered snap count, Hoke, the Wolverines have gone talk," said fifth-year senior left Research Laboratory's Structural on the other hand, can be reli- 5-5 in true road games, excluding tackle Taylor Lewan Acoustics Department recorded a ably heard only by Glasgow when neutral-field contests. Hoke has That left such a lasting impres- sound of 122 decibels at its brief Gardner is under center. That's been clear about the source of the sion that Lewan was inspired to peak. closer to what the line will hear road woes: turnovers. . text Hoke at 11:30 last Saturday For reference, that's two times - or more precisely, not hear - at In the Wolverines' 10 games night, saying the team needed louder than a loud rock concert. Penn State. At the sustained levels on the road during Hoke's tenure, extra crowd-noise work this It's four times as loud as a jet fly- recorded by Barnard, only those they have turned the ball over 28 week. over 1,000 feet overhead. It's as if standing 1.5 feet or closer to the times. In losses, they averaged Borges was ready. Hoke said each person on the field is.stand- quarterback would be physically more than three turnovers per this isn't the first time Borges has ing near a chainsaw. able to hear and understand his game. used the whisper technique. At To replicate loud playing con- calls. That means only Glasgow. Those losses have come at hos- San Diego State, Hoke and Borges ditions, most teams blast music "That's kind of how it's gonna tile venues like Michigan State's used it when playing Brigham to obscure the snap count. The be when it's really loud," Gardner Spartan Stadium, Iowa's Kinnick Young or Utah. Michigan football team has done said. "Just like I'm whispering Stadium or Ohio State's Ohio Sta- Did it work? the same in the past. even if I'm yelling at the top of my dium. Hoke isn't sold that crowd "I think so," Hoke said. "It's '' But when the Wolverines lungs." noise is to blame, but he acknowl- hard for me to remember to be began practice Tuesday, there By Wednesday, Gardner was a edged that it can be a factor. honest with you. We got crushed was no music, no noise. Instead, believer - so much so that he gave "Believe me, some guys do get one year up there at Utah, so it Michigan is fighting chainsaws a demonstration for the reporters distracted," Hoke said, noting probably didn't help that game." with silence. When redshirt assembled at his press confer- that at Michigan State his first That's not too surprising. The junior quarterback Devin Gard- ence. year as head coach, the team had whisper is a close facsimile, but ner called out the snap, he did it in Gardner leaned in to the micro- communication issues. "That's it's not the real thing. If Penn a faint whisper. phone. "Set hut, black 17, black 17, not a good thing." State approaches 120 decibels As redshirt sophomore center set hut." His voice was audible Compared to the other Big Ten again on Saturday, the point Graham Glasgow tried to explain: above the noise of the ventilation venues, Beaver Stadium is louder, where the ground shakes and "Instead of, like, being louder, system and cars rumbling past and more boisterous than all of your head pounds, it will be a full we're trying to be, like, quieter." outside, but not by much. them. There, the sound is all- 10 billion times louder than Gard- The idea originated with offen- "That's how low I was talking," enveloping, wrapping around the ner's whisper. And that's impos- sive coordinator Al Borges. When Gardner said. "It was pretty cool. offense like a dense fog. sible to prepare for. PAUL SHERMAN/Daily Senior forward Derek DeBlois grew up a Boston College fan but chose Michigan.