June out for season with knee injury;
QB controversy brewing for Minnesota
By Chris Duprey
Daily Spurts Editor
CHIC'AGO Michigan announced
Friday that strong safety Cato June
Will miss the entire 2000 season with
torn anterior cruciate ligament in his
ght knee. June wil hate surgery
within the next two weeks and reha-
bilitate himself with the goal of being
ready for 2001.
"Ftis is a tremtendous loss for our
football teamw hut xxe wxill pull toget-
er defensively," M ichigan coach
Lloyd Carr said in a released state-
ment. "I am confident Cato will
return for the 2001 season."
June played every game last season
for the Wolverines, and started the
*al four contests. The sophomore
was listed as the projected starter on
the most recently released depth
chart.
The loss weakens a defense that lost
six starters to graduation.
THOMAS OUT WIDE: With the
return of Justin Fargas from mtjtur,
Carr has obvious increased flexibility
with his runnig game. I he 1-2
*wer-speed punch of Anthony
,omas and Fargas returns a duo
that had a combined 1 170 yards in the
98 season.
But don't expect Thomas to leave
the game when Fargas checks in. Carr
announced this past week at the Big
Ten kickoff meetings that Thomas
will see considerable time at wide
receiver.
"I don't like anyone to have 30 car-
ries per game, especially in the Big Tetn
ause you're going to get beat up,"
r said. Thomas "has proved that he's
tough, and an outstanding receiver, and
we'll use him" at that position.
The Michigan
MEDIA DAY
Continued from Page 13
Inidiania's Aisissan Randle-El is as tal-
enited is ansyonte ini the countrty anid
WisconsinI's sophomore Brooks
Bollinger was 8-0 as a starter last sea-
son.
"Defensive backs will have to step up
every week," Wisconsin's All-American
cormerback Jamar Fletcher said. Fletcher
wxas the preseason pick for Defensive
Plaver of the Year.
Not only are the quarterbacks better in
the pocket, they are also more athletic.
"(The Big len) probably has more
athletic quarterbacks than before "
Indiana coach Cam Cameron said.
"Brees is a heck of an athlete and so are
Flenson and Antwaan. And (Steve)
Bellisari is going to be the surprise quar-
terback in the league this year."
Ohio State is hoping so.
The Buckeyes finished last season 6-
6 and didn't qualify for a bowl game for
the first timne siter 1989, coach John
Cooper's second season.
Last year's Buckeyes had quarterback
problems all season and couldn't take
advantage of their biggest weapons:
receivers Ken-Yon Rambo and Reggie
Germany.
But last season, Ohio State platooned
Bellisari with Austin Moherian. After
Bellisari won the starting job,
Moherman transferred.
"This year we understand more what
Daily - Monday, July 31, 2000 - 15
Ghosts of autumns past
While members of the media are
well-'nformed about the teams they
cover, recent history baa shown thnt
predicting Big Ten champions at the
preseason Media Day isn't a winning
proposition.
Year Media Pick Rose Bowl rep
1996 Ohio State Ohio State
1997 Penn State Michigan
1998 Ohio State' Wisconsin
1999 Penn State Wisconsin
2000 Michigan ????????
we can get out of (Bellisari)," Cooper
said.
Ohio State is not the only team with
qUarterback concerns.
Joe Paterno, who is seven wins away
from breaking the Division I all-time
wins record, is planning on starting
senior Rashard Casey this year. But.
Casey was charged for allegedly beating
an olf-duty police officer who was
accompanied b a black woman.
"We still have something in this coun-
trv called innocent until proven guilty
I'i going to play him until something
happens to convince me that I
shouldn't." Paterno said.
Michigan was expecting sophomore Cato June to be an integral part of th
this fall. But, June is now out for the season after injuring his right knee.
Thomas hned up occasionally at
wide receiver last season, with limited
success. The senior had 33 receptions in
12 games last season, but almost all
came on screens out of the backfield.
ANDY AND ASAD: Michigan's
Drew Henson isn't the only Big Ten
quarterback playing minor league
baseball this sumttier.
Minnesota senior Andy Persbv
pitched for Flizabethton, the Twins'
rookie league club, causing him to
miss spring and summer football
practices. In the meantime, freshman
Asad Abdul-Khaliq took the reins and
performed well, throwing into ques-
tion exactly who will be patrolling the
Metrodome carpet come fall.
Abdul-Khaliq upped the ante in
April with a 13-for-20, 184-yard, two-
touchdown showing, leading his
Maroon squad to victory in
Minnesota's annual spring game.
To those who believe it's a foregone
conclusion that Abdul-Khaliq xxill
start, coach Glen Mason says to wait
on that judgment.
"Everyone thinks that Asad Abdul-
Khaliq is going to be our quarterback.
Why? Because he was our starter in
spring practice and threw the ball with
a high degree of accuracy," Mason
said. "Everyone assumes he's going to
be our starting quarterback except
me.°
Persby is a veteran, having played
in a combined 14 games the past two
seasons.
SEC media picks Alabama to repeat
BIRMINGHAM. Ala. (AP) -
Alabama is the ovcrwhe ming favorite
to repeat as the Southeastern
W ference champion, winning a
rematch against Florida, according to
sports writers and broadcasters at SEC
Media Days.
The Crimson Tide captured 61 of the
84 votes by media last Thursday to win
(1l), Florida (10) and Ole Miss (2).
Five voters did not select a champion.
Florida edged Georgia in SEC East
voting, totalling 139 points to the
Builildogs' 144, with the lower number
reflecting the higher ranking. Tennessee
'vas third.
It wasn't close in the West. Alabama
tallied 85 first olace votes compared to
Arkansas.
The Tide and Tennessee topped the
preseason all-conference tear nwith five
players apiece.
Alabama receiver Freddie Milons
and Vanderbilt linebacker Jamie
Winborn were the top vote-getters with
87 apiece. Georgia quarterback Quincy
Carter was picked on 86 ballots.
NEBRASKA FAVORED i\ BwG 12:
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP)
Nebraska has been chosen to win the
Big 12 football title again this season in
a poll of media covering the conference.
The poll was released last Thursday
in Kansas City, where coaches gathered
for their annual media day.
Nebraska was favored to win the
North Division over Kansas State, fol-
lowed by Colorado Kansas. Iowa State
and Missouri.
In the South Division, Texas 'xas the
choice to win once again, setting up a
rematch of last season's championship
gate s ii Nebraska, which the
('ornhuskers xxoni22-6.
Picked behind Texas in the South
Division were Oklahoma, Texas A&M,
Texas Tech. Oklahoma State and
Baylor.
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Led by junior wide receiver Freddie Milons, Alabama is looking to improve on a
successful 1999, when the Crimson Tide won the SEC title and finished 10-3.
11