G i1 F l -4A G, 0 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com FOOTBALL Former player not pleased RUBY WALLAU/Daily TheMichigan men's cross country team's coach and captains have changed this season, but its expectations have not. Wolverines cap tains not sowilng with new coach By ALEXA DETTELBACH Daily Sports Editor On Twitter over the last four days, 2,000 people have used #FireHoke and another 1,100 have used the words 'fire' and 'Hoke' in the same sentence. The cry for change in the Michigan football NOTEBOOK program has gotten louder. Former players are now speaking out following last week's loss to Utah. Former quarterback Michael Taylor, who played for the Wolverines from 1986-1990, took to the airwaves Tuesday morning on Detroit's 105.1FM to share his thoughts on the state of the program. "Actions speak louder than words," Taylor said. "What we've become is a propaganda football team, telling people how great we are when we're mediocre. When, in your last 12 games, you've only got victories over Northwestern, App State, Indiana and Miami (Ohio) that is not good. That is not good. "We're mediocre right now. Will it stay that way? I don't know. I don't work there. I don't have the say-so. But I do know this: I know a few hundred players who are not happy with what is going on and definitely think changes need to be made." Taylor, who led the Wolverines to back-to-back Big Ten championships in 1988 and 1989, also spoke out regarding Athletic Director Dave Brandon. "All I do know is Dave Brandon should not be let to make another dgion at Michigaii. Period," he said. "Regardless (of) what they do (with Brandon), there needs to be change." Furrent players are starting to take notice of the uproar from fans everywhere. ,I took that to heart this morning," said junior wide receiver Dennis Norfleet. "They were really talking down on. coach Hoke saying that his time is coming. Coach Hoke did a lot for me and the team. "There's more than football. In life he's a good coach. And right now, I don't feel, and the team doesn't feel, that that's right." NO QUARTERBACK DECI- SION: After telling the media on Monday that a starting quar- terback decision would be made Tuesday, Michigan coach Brady Hoke quickly changed his tune. "We've got some ideas with what we're going to do, but we're still going to evaluate it," Hoke said during the Big Ten teleconference Tuesday afternoon. "We'll probably end up (deciding) later in the week. "Any personnel decisions that we make this week, we want to make sure we're right and we don't want to mislead (the media) at all, we want to make sure we're doing it the right way." But when asked when the decision would finally be made, Hoke replied, "On Saturday, it definitely will, be hammered down." So rest easy Michigan fans, a -quarterback will start Saturday. SIMILIAR START, DIFFERENT FINISH?: Last season, Michigan entered Big Ten games at 4-0, but barely squeaked by against Akron and Connecticut. Once the Wolverines entered into conference play, the season unraveled and Michigan finished just 7-6. This season, with two losses entering conference play, the rest of the season feels eerily familiar. But 'Team 135' main- tains it will end its season dif- ferently. "Speaking defensively, I believe our defense is way better than it was last year," said senior defensive end Frank Clark. "We're doing some great things on defense." But with the Wolverines' struggles taking full hold during conference season last year, this team wants to change last year's narrative. "The biggest thing is learn- ing from your mistakes," Clark said. "If (your team) can learn from the mistakes they've cre- ated your possibilities are limit- less. You can go places with that. ... When you learn from those things you grow as a team, you grow asa player." But as Michigan has main- tained after both losses, its goal of winning aBig Ten champion- ship is still out there. I By JAKE LOURIM Daily Sports Editor Mason Ferlic was in Ann Arbor. Ben Flanagan was in Canada.:And James Yau was in Taiwan. So of Michigan's three current cross country captains, only one was even in the United States when the program announced in June that head coach Alex Gibby wouldn't be returning. But they were named captains by their team last week for a reason. Gibby may have been gone, but the now- captains weren't about to let his old program falter. Ferlic - who also traveled to Sacramento, California and Kamloops, British Columbia for postseason track and field competitions in the summer - sent an email to the whole team. He reminded the Wolverines that none of their expectations for the summer and the following season had changed. "I guess (I) maybe just reassured the guys," Ferlic said. "Everyone runs to panic scenarios about who the new coach is going to be and how everything's going to change. Once you get over the jitters that we're moving forward as a program, everyone got back into training." What Ferlic said worked. When the team got word of Gibby's departure, Flanagan drove back to Ann Arbor from Kitchener, Ontario to be with the team for a while. Assistant coach Dusty Lopez helped keep the team's training plan in place. Michigan stuck to its goals over the summer, putting itself in position for a top- 25 ranking in the preseason poll. Former Michigan runner Kevin Sullivan replaced Gibby and kept the program's basic philosophy largely in place. "I think it went very well in terms of our mindset coming into it, just accepting what happened and knowing that we've got to do whatever it takes to push this program forward," Yau said. "The Athletic Department made the decision that they thought. was best for us, and going with the flow helped us move into a really smooth transition." Then, days before his team won the Big Ten Preview in Iowa City, Iowa over the weekend, Sullivan announced that the team had electedFerlic, Flanagan and Yau as captains for the season. Together, the trio helped ease any worries about the coaching transition. "The fear would be that with the new coaching transition, people feel like there's no authority figure left in place," Ferlic said. "Nothing is changing in terms of what we're trying to accomplish as a team." Yau, a fifth-year senior from Troy, Michigan, is the oldest member of the current squad. Flanagan, just a sophomore, was a ' second-team All-Big Ten honoree last season. And Ferlic, a -redshirt junior from St. Paul, Minnesota, is another experienced runner with a strong track background. The captains said the rest of the team is a motivated group on its own, though. "I would like to ideally think that I would act the same regardless, but now that there's a captain behind it, people look up to you more," Flanagan said. "The main thing is leading by example.". That leading started with the unexpected news in June. Each captain had only ever run for Gibby, who took the program from eighth in the Big Ten, to tied for third, to second, to second again in four seasons. "When I came in four years ago, the team was kind of disoriented, and it took four years for Gibby to build us up to where we are now," Yau said. "Having that solid foundation that was built before Sullivan came here definitely helped the transition and allows us to take the next step forward." Though Gibby's cross country program was on the rise, the Wolverines didn't earn enough points in long-distance events in track to satisfy Clayton. So the cross country team's concern over the summer was valid, but as it turned out, Sullivan didn't reshape very much at all. "To give credit to Gibby, he didn't leave the program in shambles," Ferlic said. "We had talent developing, 'and we already had talent there. .We had the makings of a good program, so when (Sullivan) stepped in, he didn't really have -to reorder everything. '"When he saw the program and observed it and got to know us, he realized things were there and he didn't have to overhaul anything. He could make the tweaks he wanted to. He was left with a good basket of eggs." 6 0 RUBY WALLAU/Daily Junior wide receiver Devin Funchess wont care who's throwing to him, as long as the ball is put somewhere he can get it. Whether it's Gardner or Morris, players stl1 eiv FOLLOW US ON TWITTER "@THEBLOCKM Ask the d year and s while quart( will st "On one o junior Mi still about quart( Minn later i that h as cap Fur right-' signif seasor he we with throw Fun By MAX COHEN quarterback, we jus Daily Sports Editor him call the play." Gardner has been Devin Funchess about starter for the firstf ifferences between fifth- this season and senior Devin Gardner position for all of l ophomore Shane Morris Morris started again they are enveloped in a State in the BuffaloV erback competition and he Bowl last season in :ate the obvious. for Michigan. se of them is right-handed, Despite the resu f them is left-handed," the game, Funchess t r wide receiver said. experience was chigan coach Brady Hoke to Morris's develop hasn't made a decision handling the expect who will be his team's may come with being erback Saturday against Wolverines' esota and said he'll do so starter. n the week. Hoke has said "When e views both quarterbacks you're a "0 able of being the starter. ballplayer, nchess and Gardner, the there's no ri hander, have displayed a pressure," icant rapport so far this Funchess On n, but the wide receiver said said. "He ruld feel just as confident started a le Morris, the left-hander, bowl game, ing the ball his way. so he's used nchess has 20 receptions for to it." t listen to Funchess said. "You've got to try to hide it and just be ateam the team's player." four games Hoke agreed, saying Monday held the that he believed Gardner would ast season. still be able to lead the team even nst Kansas as the backup. Vild Wings Senior defensive end Frank a 31-14 loss Clark said Gardner has remained positive despite the turmoil at ilt of that his position. Though he said he hinks the knows Morris could do a good important job, Clark was unequivocal in his nment and belief in Gardner. ations that "Devin has always been a guy, named the when you know you mess up, that separates the great players from the good players," ne of them is Clark said. "And he knows he did ght-handed, a bad job and he knows he messed 1e of them is up. But then again, he came t-handed." out in practice today and had a great practice. He was on point with ess believes his throws, on point with his le to handle option plays. . When he "When you're a guy like that, rris in the you can only respect that. That's Saturday's a guy I want to play next to, wing two that's a guy I can trust." dner was While Michigan fans wait t too down to see which quarterback Hoke names starter, his players , Gardner believe, at least publicly, either w upon his one could get the job done. But up former only one will get the opportunity d Robinson to help the Wolverines rebound from their 2-2 start. At least he up, you're knows he will have Funchess to frustrated," throw to. a 284 yards and three touchdowns,; all from Gardner, in three games this season. He sat out against Miami (Ohio) with a leg injury sustained late against Notre Dame and said Tuesday that he's still not at100 percent. He said he expects tobe in some pain for the rest of the season. Despite his effectiveness with Gardner, Funchess says he would do nothing differently if Morris were to start. "We just listen to the quarterback," Funchess said. "Whoever's playing Conversely, Funch Gardner would be abl a possible demotion was pulled for Moi fourth quarter of game after throe interceptions, Garc disappointed, but no on himself. If he's benched will be able to drav experiences backing quarterbacks Denarc and Tate Forcier. "When you mess always going to be f w'