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Sports
Page 16 Friday, July 31 1981 The Michigan Doily
SCHEMBECHLER SCOFFS AT POLLS
Blue picked as favorites
By BUDDY MOREHOUSE Michigan State Muddy Waters agreed. "I think Michigan is
Executive Sports Editor the team to head for," said the second year Spartan boss. "I
Special to the Daily think they're goin' be real tough."
CHICAGO-While the Big Ten football coaches probably But Michigan's Bo Schembechler, never a great belieKver in
won't find much to agree on once the season begins, they all the polls, downplayed the preseason predictions. 'What hap-
seem to concur now that Michigan is'the team to beat. pens is, they go over last year and if you've got a couple let-
All 10 of the conference field hoses were on hand yesterday termen back and you finish fairly strong, then they're going
at Chicago's Palmer House hotel for the opening of the 10th to pick you number one," said Schembechler, tongue firmly
annual Big Ten football luncheon. While the coaches fielded planted in cheek.
questions from the media on everything from Illinois' "Seriously; you could take the first twenty teams they pick,
eligibility to college athletics point shaving, all seem to agree and pretty much guess that one of those twenty will win it,"
that the Wolverines were the preseason conference well as Schembechler continued. "That's how close they come.
national favorites. Because last year, Georgia was prettymuch picked twen-
"I SEE THE definite favorite as Michigan," said Illinois tieth."
Schembechler head coach Mike White. "I see them as being as solid a foot- The luncheon continues today with the media getting a
ball team as I can ever remember. I see Michigan now as chance to interview two player representatives from each
. downplays polls taking that extra step ahead of everybody." Big Ten school.
Speers leads Central Smith to
team to-gold medal lead 'M'
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) - In four Great Lakes midway through the first 4r id d e rs
games of the high-scoring National period, and Eric Magnuson of RPI tied
Sports Festival hockey tournament, the the game for Central with a goal just 24 BY BUDDY MOREHOUSE
Great Lakes team allowed just 10 goals.- seconds into the second period. Executive Sports Editor
That, said victorious Coach Shawn Then, out of a maze of players in front special to The Daily
Walsh, is why Great Lakes captured all of Central goalie Marc Behrend of CHICAGO - Michigan head coach Bo
four of its games and won the gold Wisconsin, came the go-ahead goal at Schembechler ended months of
medal. 12:08 of the second period, nine seconds speculation over who would start at
'DEFENSE WINS championships," after a Great Lakes power play ended. quarterback for his highly touted Smith
Walsh said Wednesday night after a 5-2 The one-goal margia held up until Wolverine squad when he announced .. starting QB
victory over the Central team in the Ted Speers of Michigan scored for yesterday at the Big Ten football because of disciplinary measures,
title game. "Everybody can score and Great Lakes at 13:06 of the final period. kickoff luncheon that sophomore Steve many Michigan football observers
play offense, but not everybody can Jeff Logan of Notre Dame thenmade it Smith would be the starting signal wondered whether Dickey would return
play defense. That's why the Olympic' 4-1 at 16:27. George White of New Ham- caller. to the signal calling spot over Smith and
team did so well last year" when the pshire got the goal back for Cental two "We'll open the season with Smith at junior Rick Hewlett, who started the
U.S. squad took the gold medal in Lake minutes later, and Frank Finn of quarterback," said Schembechler. first two games of last year.
Placid, N.Y. Michigan State finished the scoring "Our offense will change only insofar But Schembechler decided to go with
Central had the edge in the early with an open-net goal with 59 seconds as we'll have a lot more mobility-at Smith, whom he describes as being
going. The outstanding goaltending of left. quarterback. And we intend to use it." (Rick) "Leach-type". Describing
Detroit's John VanBiesbrock, who The third Festival ended with a WITH THE graduation of last year's Smith to the assembled media, Schem-
stopped 34 of 36 shots, kept Great Lakes flourish of impressive action, as five starting quarterback, John Wangler, bechler said, "he has speed, he's strong
from trailing. sports closed out the Games Wed- and the return to the team of 1979 star- physically, has a good throwing arm
BOB BROOKE of Yale scored for nesday. ter B. J. Dickey, after a year's absence and great mobility."
AD'S TO MEET NEXT WEEK:
Illinois athletic future uncertain
April 23 because they allowed Wilson to quarterback which I have no control over. I have a responsibility
By DREW SHARP the team last season, while the conference declared to my team and they must come first."
Executive Sports Editor him ineligible. The conference placed Illinois on Wilson, the center of the controversy, was a junior
Special tothe Daily probation for three years, ruled the entire program college transfer from California and White says that
CHICAGO-Uncertainty grips every football coach ineligible for post season play for two years, and ban- he will not let this latest problem deter his signing of
before the gridiron season begins. But whereas other ned the school from sharing any conference revenues junior college players.
coaches are uncertain about their team's season per- for two years. "OUR DESIGN IS to get the best junior college
formance, Illinois head coach Mike White is uncer- "We levied the sanctions on Illinois April 23, but we players available so that we can beat the Michigans
tain about his football program altogether. postponed the effective date until September 1st," and the Ohio States. We cannot afford to recruit
"I just don't know what is going to happen," said said Wayne Duke, Commissioner of the Big Ten. "We directly from high school because all of the top
White. "I am not sure what type of decision the con- delayed it so as to form a task force which would look players wind up at Michigan, Notre Dame, or Ohio
ferench will make. I'm just hoping that we can get into the matter. The group was made up of four State. Until we can beat those teams it will be dif-
this matter settled so that we can play football." faculty reps and myself and we met with some of the ficult to land the top high school players."
"THE MATTER" in question is the Dave Wilson Illinois officials. Illinois will present its case at the If nothing else, the Wilson fiasco has brought the
situation. And on August 3-5, the Big Ten athletc meeting next week, and I feel it to be unwise to make Illinois campus community closer together.
directors and faculty representatives will be meeting any statement as to whether the situation will be "The entire state and campus has become more
in Minneapolis and the Illinois situation will be high resolved then." unified because of all that has happened," White
on their agenda. The outcome of the conference could BUT WHITE refuses to let this ongoing struggle noted. "People have just become more and more in-
very well decide the fate of not only Illinois football hurt his team. volved. The whole thing has proven to be a big
but Illinois athletics as well. . "I've adopted a philosophy," White added. "And rallying cry for the school. Illinois needed a crisis to
The Big Ten placed sanctions on the Illini program it's that I am not going to worry about anything of get people interested in football."
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