Monday, August 13, 2001- The Michigan Daily- 15 ack in Blue: Backus proves self with Lions ( s Seth Klempner Sports Editor SAGINAW - On April 21, a life long dream r Jeff Backus came true as he made his official try into the world of professional football. The idland native stood up on the NFL Draft podium aming with pride as he held up his No. 76 Hon- ulu blue and gra Lions jersey. as the combination of one National title, o first team All-America selections, five ars of hard work at Michigan, imerous Big Ten honors and 49 nsecutive starts in his collegiate carri- (one short of record holder Jon Jansen) at led him to this point. After Michigan's 31-28 win over Auburn at the trus Bowl, Backus went to work on improving s stock as the NFL combine and draft day, proached. All this hard work resulted in a No. 18 overall tion by the Lions, only one after fellow line- n, Steve Hutchinson, was selected by Seattle. This began a honeymoon where Backus would ceive a five-year contract from the Lions and gan to adjust to life in the NFL. But with July me the beginning of the Lions' training camp d a Midwest heat wave that brought an abrupt d to that honeymoon. With temperatures piquing in the mid-90s, Backus started learning the hard knocks of being a rookie in the NFL - a rookie, no less, who is expected to start at left tackle, the most important position for an offensive linemen with a right hand- ed quarterback. As the left tackle, Backus is quarterback Charlie Batch's blind side blocker. A misstep or delayed reaction on Backus' part likely results in a sack or broken play. Furthermore, as a tackle, Backus will be facing some of the fastest defensive linemen in the league. . Luckily for Batch, Backus is improving and increasing his confidence with each practice. His improvement would not be so evident if not for Backus' tenacious work ethic. On Sunday, he could be seen on the field after practice working on his footwork and technique with fellow offensive tackle Ray Roberts. "It is difficult at any position (to adjust to the speed of the pros)," Lions' head coach Marty Mornhinweg said. "Much of it is how fast they can leam or master the techniques and those types of things. Some guys it takes a little time to learn' those things and some guys snap to it." Backus seems to have made the adjustment smoothly, having displayed the skills needed to start at tackle in the Lions' first preseason game, and will hold up in the Lions' new west cost offense. 'The level of the athletes you are playing against (is the biggest difference between the NFL and col- lege)" Backus said after his first NFL exhibition game. "The players are both stronger and faster. You have got to be ready to go on every snap." Backus played the entire first half with the Lions' first-and second team, displaying good foot- work and agility. He was completely in control of the defensive linemen he was assigned. During that first half, the Lions rushed for 19 yards and passed for another 100 while putting up 17 first-half points. "I think he is working hard," Lions running back James Stewart said. Stewart is entering his second year with Detroit. "He is competing and he is going to get better as the year goes along. I think he is the type of guy that will gain in maturity as he gets games underneath hit belt" The high intensity practice schedule and level of complexity of the plays are inportant steps in the -adjustment from college to the NFL. Most impor- tantly, on the professional level everything is expected to be perfect from the start, and players do not require the amount of training they encounter at the college level. "He has developed beautifully," Mornhinweg said of Backus' improvement. "He has had his ups and downs, which is normal and expected, but I know he is going to be able to help us during the year so Iam very pleased with him." NSON Inued from Page 13 ell phone to notify them of any gress made. '(I call) once every two or three s," Robinson said. "I call them en he (Henson) hits well and I don't 1 when he doesn't do well." e might not be winning many fans er with his work at the plate, but llman has been very impressed with lay at third base thus far. efensively, his development has gressed further than I would have ected it to (even) knowing what a at athlete he is," Hillman said. "He's t an above average arm and he's got ve average range. Generally, you n't see 6-foot-5 guys move laterally way he can." The former high school co-Valedic- n has realized his job isn't going as easy as school. "It's the same type of thing (college minor league baseball) - you can y-up'as late as you want, you get to bep in - but you have a job to do you have to look at it that way. You n blow off some days at class but u have to come to the park. You've t to be professional, be ready to play ch day." With that attitude, Henson is already I-liked in the clubhouse despite his lems at the plate. "He's one of the youngest guys, (and tgets along with everyhody very 11 because his teammates really specs his work ethic and te way he s sbout his business," Hillman said. illman also added that Henson is ne of the best workers I've ever n. After the Triple-A season ends, the ees will send Henson to play in e Anzona Fall League to gain some ore expeice. He will join one of e Yankees' top prospects-Nick John- n, who has played 239 more minor ague games, despite siting out all of last year. The six-team developmental league runs until Thanksgiving. Coincidentally, two days after the holiday is the Ohio State-Michigan game, which Henson hopes to attend. "It would be a little tough and maybe a little weird to be there, but I'm going to watch every (Michigan game) and I'll probably go to the Ohio State game if at all possible," he said. While speaking of football, Henson denied a report in Ohio State's student newspaper, The Lantern, about his decision to abandon his pigskin career. The Lantern reported he left Michigan because he feared injury behind an inexperienced offensive line. "I never talk to them and I never said that," Henson said. The offensive line "wasn't an issue at all." Henson also plans to graduate this May from Michigan despite playing baseball on an every day basis. Henson said he needs 16 credits to graduate. To finish his graduation requirements, he will take eight credits of correspondent courses in the fall and another eight credits in the winter. Once he finally gets a break, Hen- son will be in his new 3,500 square- foot-home he bought for $995,400 in Tampa, Fla. this past June. There, he will be minutes away from the Yan- kees' training facility. "I'll give myself every opportunity to be there as much as possible," Hen- son said. He still has three weeks before the season closes out. But if not this year, Robinson believes it is just a matter of' time before Henson starts to feel com- fortable playing Triple-A baseball. "I'd like to say tomorrow, but you can't really put a timetable on it," he said. "Certainly, he needs to play and he will continue to play. All of a sud- den everything will click for him and he'll be up with the Yankees." Cantbuy a hit the the Yankees AAA affiliate, the Columbus Clippers. Below is a 4 look at his statistics through 49 games this season: - Henson I A g. H li Ifl It A 49 1 213 m 225 a The University of Michigan WJIAT'S REC Department of Recreational Sports st INTRAMURAL SPORTS PROGRAM HAPPENING THANKS! To all the Students, Faculty and Staff who participated in the Intramural Sports Program during the 2001 Spring and Summer Terms. Enjoy the remainder of the summer. The IM Staff looks forward to seeing you in the Fall. UPCOMING FALL TERM ACTIVITIES Start planning for the 2001 Fall Term activities offered by the INTRAMURAL SPORTS PROGRAM. Soccer 3-on-3 Basketball Broomball Track & Field Roller Hockey Softball Tennis- SgIs & Dbla Team Tennis Golf (Two-Person Team Scramble) Flag Football Cross Country Run Pre-Season Flag Football Ultimate Frisbee Wallyball Ice Hockey Wrestling Pre-Season Basketball OFFICIATING OPPORTUNITIES Officials will be needed throughout the Fall and Winter Terms. If you are Interested In sports and would like to earn some extra spending money, attend the clinics and become an IM Official. FALL TERM IM OFFICIATED SPORTS Soccer Broomball Roller Hockey Softball Flag Football Ice Hockey Pre-Season Basketball For Additional Information Contact: Intramural Sports Program, IMSB, 606E. Hoover, AnnArbor, MI 48109-3717, (734)763-3562 http:/wAww.recs orts.umich.edu Are you Chinese? If you were born in China, Taiwan, Hon - Kong, Macao, or Singapore And you have lived in the U.S. for at least 5yrs. total... Participate in a study of biculturals & psychology! Earn $12 in a 1 hour session. Call Amanda at 734-769-5633 or e-mail alossia@umich.edu