8 - Tuesday, October 28, 2014Ti
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.ca
Hoke, coaches support Bolden
FOOTBALL RECRUITING
Taylor announces
his decommitment
By ALEXA DETTELBACH
Daily Sports Editor
By now, everyone has prob-
ably heard of, if not seen, Joe
Bolden's actions before Satur-
day's game against Michigan
State. The junior linebacker
took a black stake and speared
the turf of Spartan Stadium
near the Wolverine sideline just
before the Michigan football
team took the field in its 35-11
loss to the Spartans.
There were talks following
the conclusion of the game that
Michigan State players felt
disrespected, which was one of
the reasons Spartan coach Mark
Dantonio uncharacteristically
went for a late touchdown despite
the game being well in hand with
less than a minute to go.
"As far as the score at the end,
it just felt like we needed to put
a stake in them at that point,"
Dantonio said after the game.
"The little brother stuff, all the
disrespect, it doesn't have to go
in that direction.
"We've tried to handle ourself
with composure. That doesn't
come from the coach. It comes
from the program."
Meanwhile, one room over
in Michigan's postgame press
conference, coach Brady Hole
was asked about the situation
and said he was only aware that
something happened pregame.
He offered little information
other than the fact that "Joe" did
it - referring to one of the four
Joe's on the team's roster.
But early Sunday afternoon,
Hoke issued yet another apology
in what feels like a season filled
with them.
"IspokewithMark(Dantonio)
earlier today and expressed to
him that we meant no disrespect
to his team," the statement said.
"During our regular Friday night
team meeting, one of the topics
presented to motivate our team
was a history lesson addressing
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
Brady Hake said Saturday he was "aware, but not fully aware" of Joe Solden's pregame routine with a tent stake.
commitment and teamwork in
a tough environment. A tent
stake was presented to the team
as a symbol of this concept. The
stake wasbroughtinto ourlocker
room as a visual reminder, and
one of our team leaders chose to
take it out on the field.
"As the leader of our
football program, I take full
responsibility for the actions
of our team. We believe in
displaying a high level of respect
at the University of Michigan
and unfortunately that was not
reflected by this action prior to
kickoff."
On Monday, Hoke reiterated
hisresponsibilityforthesituation
and said Bolden wouldn't face
disciplinary action. Hoke also
said he wasn't told to issue the
statement, but felt it was the
right course of action because
of his longstanding relationship
with Dantonio.
"I do think it was overblown,"
Hoke said. "Mark and I have
done this in the past. We've
called when we've had some
incidents in this game."
Hoke also clarified the order
of events that took place, saying
he's always the last one out of the
locker room and by the time he
found out the stake was making
its way onto the field, it was too
late to stop it. He took fullirespon-
sibility for the act, not blaming
Bolden for getting caught up in
the emotion of the rivalry.
The support for Bolden
extended beyond Hoke to the
coordinators and players. When
defensive coordinator Greg
Mattison spoke at his weekly
press conference on Monday,
he only had good things to say
about the linebacker.
"I love Joe Bolden, are you
kidding me?" Mattison said.
"Give me a room of Joe Boldens.
Give me 11 of him, just line
(them) up and put them at any
position you want. You're going
to have a lot ofhappypeople, and
me being the happiest."
But despite the internal
support for Bolden, the program
remains in the national spotlight
for all the wrong reasons. While
Michigan's season has been
less than enthralling on the
field, it has stayed in the news
after incidents with Coca-Cola
products, potential concussions
and now, tent stakes. What
happens next is anyone's guess.
Notes: After missing the last
seven games, senior linebacker
Desmond Morgan will receive
a medical redshirt for a hand
injury. Hoke said Morgan will
return for his fifth-year senior
season. ... Freshman cornerback
Jabrill Peppers was removed
from the team's depth chart.
He's been battling an injury for
the last four weeks, but Hoke
said Peppers hasn't yet been
ruled out for the year.
By JUSTIN STERN
Daily Sports Writer
Michigan received its second
decommitment of the month
from four-star cornerback
Garrett Taylor.
Here's a rundown of how
seven remaining committed high
school prospects fared this past
weekend.
Chris Clark,tight end:
Ranking: ESPN (111) Scout
(23)
While he is still committed to
Michigan, Clark has started his
search for other options. Clark
will visit Southern California
on Nov. 29 and Texas on Dec.
6. Clark was once committed to
North Carolina, and now says he
is also looking at a potential Nov.
15 visit to Chapel Hill.
Brian Cole, athlete: Ranking:
ESPN (142) Scout (39)
Cole registered one catch
for 50 yards and a touchdown,
but that wasn't enough to lead
the Hawks to victory. Saginaw
Heritage lost, 48-21, and is now
2-7 on the season. After a visit
to Wisconsin, Cole received
a visit Oct. 17 from Michigan
coach Brady Hoke and offensive
coordinator Doug Nussmeier..
Michael Weber, running back:
Ranking: ESPN (169) Scout
(99)
In the spotlight at Ford Field
for the Detroit Public School
League title, Weber shined
brighttobeatanotherundefeated
team, Martin Luther King High
School. In three quarters, Weber
rushed for 178 yards and three
touchdowns on 11 carries. He
also scored on a 76-yard screen
pass. Cass Tech improved to 9-0
on the season.
Tyree Kinnel, safety:
Ranking: ESPN (191) Scout
(147)
Wayne recorded another
blowout victory Friday as it
defeated Beavercreek, 45-7, to
improve to 9-0 and No. 4 in the
state rankings. The Courier-
Journal's Steve Jones reported
Friday that Kinnel was an
expected unofficial visitor for
Kentucky's game Saturday.
However, there are no reports
confirming whether or not
Kinnel actuallyvisited Kentucky.
Grant Newsome, offensive
tackle: Ranking: ESPN (244)
Scout (216)
Lawrenceville was defeated,
62-14, by Hun. The Big Red are
now 3-4 overall, but hold a 2-1
conference record. Newsome
didn't provide much protection
for his quarterback, as the team
only had 60 yards of offense
in the first half. After the loss,
Newsome was quoted in The
Bridgeton News as saying, "I'm
still committed to Michigan.
If something does happen (to
Hoke), I will sit down with my
parents, we will talk about it
and make a decision. But for
now, that's not something I am
worried about."
Darrin Kirkland Jr., $
linebacker: Ranking: ESPN
(270) Scout (120)
To open the IHSAA Football
State Tournament, Kirkland and
his defense dominated against
their rival, Lawrence North, in a
39-0 shutout. The Bears will face
Warren Central on Halloween
for a sectional championship.
Alex Malzone, quarterback:
Ranking: ESPN (NR) Scout
(183)
Malzone led Brother Rice to
a narrow victory in the Catholic
League's Central Division
championship, scoring a two-
point conversion with 24 seconds
to play. Malzone finished 21-of-27
for 271 yards, four touchdowns
andaninterception.BrotherRice
is currently No. 3 in the state.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Rutgers' Jordan
has ties to 'M'
Changes to first line possible soon.
By DANIEL FELDMAN
Daily Sports Writer
Tom Izzo and Thad Matta
didn't understand why Rutgers
men's basketball coach Eddie
Jordan wanted to come back to
college basketball.
Jordan had won an NBA
Championship as a player with
the Los Angeles Lakers in the
1980s. He had coached the
Sacramento Kings, Washington
Wizards and Philadelphia 76ers.
For Jordan, the answer was
simple..
"You know, guys, it's my
school."
So now Jordan finds himself
where it all began. In his second
year at the helm of Rutgers,
his alma mater, he's trying to
resurrect a forgotten program.
The Rutgers program wasn't
always in the desolate state it
is now. When Jordan played
for the Scarlet Knights from
1973-77, Rutgers fielded some
of the best teams in its history,
including the '75-76 team,
which fell to Michigan, 86-70,
in the Final Four.
For Jordan, it's memories of
that team that remind him why
he's back in Piscataway now.
Jordan was reminded of how
special Rutgers, and that team
.ifarticular, was a few months
za team reunion.
erybody was there. That
Y'smea :r ;.' lot to me," he said.
- 'm at Rutgers, the
y4# t lpn always comes up,
4 'sginething I'm proud of
otst of ray life."
Jrdan, who was
h~ineclX 1976 East Regional
Scarlet Knights
er he Final Four game
un- , d in the contest,
Jord a d his hot play
by c , 16 points and
six r
Thi6e 'ilowing season,
Rutgers lost Phil Sellers and
Mike Dabney - its No. 1 and
2 scorers, respectively - and
four other seniors. Lacking
leadership, the Scarlet Knights
slipped to 18-10 and missed the
NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile,
Jordan averaged 17.7 points, set
the Rutgers' all-time career-
record in steals and assists
and was named an honorable
mention All-American.
Despite the achievements,
however, Jordan learned
something that helped shape his
coaching career: Leadership and
seniority mean a lot. Without
those attributes, winning will
be tough, especially for his team
this year. A team with just three
seniors.
"It's going to be a tough
challenge for us to win a lot
of games," Jordan said. "And
as you navigate through the
season, coaching your team
from that angle as opposed to
coaching a team that is going to
win 14 (games in the Big Ten).
We might not come close to
that."
Jordan knows this year's
team is along way fromthe 1975-
76 Final Four team. Projected
to finish last in its first year in
the Big Ten, Jordan will have
to temper expectations for his
players.
"You've got to keep their
confidence level up," Jordan
said. "You've got to make things
for them, you have to challenge
them, and maybe that's
coaching across the board, but
when their psyche is down and
they're feeling bad about losing,
you're not talking to kids who
have a lot of confidence about
winning. It's two different
reactions to that. That's what I
have to prepare myself for."
It's going to be a process for
Jordan and Rutgers. He needs
better recruits. He needs better
facilities. He needs time to right
the ship at a place he loves.
"You can't stray from your
plan, meaning you have to
understand where you are,"
Jordan said. "As a coach, I can't
get distracted by people that
don't understand the process."
By JASON RUBINSTEIN
Daily Sports Writer
Pairing together two players
who tallied 60 combined
points last season seemed like
a brilliant idea this offseason to
Red Berenson.
The Michigan coach knew it
would come at a ""t, though:
Sophomore
JT Compher NOTEBOOK
would have to
move from center - a position
he has played his entire career
- to right wing in order to skate
alongside junior center Andrew
Copp. But five games in to the
season, that decision may not
seem so flowery anymore.
Copp and Compher have yet to
tally a goal. The line's only score
came from left wing Dexter
Dancs. However, the freshman
said he believes goals are due
for his line and said it's just "a
matter of time." His teammates
agree.
"You have JT and Andrew,
who are proven scorers," said
senior forward Zach Hyman.
"You have Dexter, who scored
his first goal on the weekend
and is a good player as well. It's
a matter of time before they get
going. They are doing all the
right things."
But Berenson was more blunt.
The veteran coach said line
changes are looming for the
Wolverines and the first line
may get shuffled. He said moving
Compher back to center could be
beneficial.
"We'll see about that,"
Berenson said of moving
Compher away from the wing.
"We're going to talk about that;
whether he gets to go back to
go play a more familiar position
or keep him out on the wing.
... We're not satisfied with our
production."
GOAL REVIEW
FRUSTRATION:
Berenson was
uncharacteristically frustrated
with the Hockey East officiating
after Saturday's 3-2 loss to then-
No. 11 Boston University.
Four goals were reviewed they ta
in the game. All three Terrier out of t
goals were confirmed, while crowdc
Dancs' go-ahead, redirect point w
goal was waived off due to make a
goaltender interference. Two been ea
days removed, Berenson's anger seconds
hadn't subsided. "The:
"Don't get me wrong," on it."
Berenson said, "I want to Danc
support
getting it
right. If they
make a call "W e're not
on a goal that
should've satisfied wit
been decided
the other way our productic
even after
they review
it, that's when
you say, 'How can this be?' It's to be h
just ironic that every goal in glove af
that game had to be reviewed. behind1
"It takes away from the game.
I don't know if the officials JACI
understand it. They're trying to
get it right, but in the meantime, Mic
ke all the momentum
he game. They take the
out of the game or to a
hile waiting for them to
decision that should've
sily made in 20 or 30
S.
re should be a time limit
s echoed his coach's
sentiment.
"I thought
it was a close
t call," he said.
"I thought I
th got pushed a
bit. Obviously,
)." I didn't try to
hit his glove. I
think we just
got unlucky,
onest. I think I hit his
ter the puck was already
him."
K EICHEL IS GOOD:
higan knew it had its
hands full with Boston forward
Jack Eichel - a 17-year-old
sensation who is projected to be
a top pick in the 2015 NHL Draft.
The Wolverines, though, held*
him mostlyin check. Eichel only
tallied one point - an awkward,
tip-in goal - which was his
lowest output in a game this
season.
"I was impressed with
Eichel," Berenson said, "and
our 'D' had their hands full.
Copp played against him a lot. I
thought we did a pretty good job
with him."
Added freshman defenseman
Zach Werenski, a fellow
17-year-old: "I mean, it's kind of
hard to explain. He's in another
gear out there. When he wants
to, he can skate right by you like
nothing. Yeah, we did a good
job with him. He had a tip goal,
but ultimately we did a good jok
shutting him down a bit."
And that had the Wolverines
energized, even after the loss.
MzIf
JAMEScOLLER/Daily
JT Compher and Michigan's top line have struggled to score despite a duo that tallied 60 combined points last year.
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