14 - The Michigan Daily - Monday, July 29, 2002
N, =Media selectsMichigana
preseason Big Ten favorite
Rogers and Doss take home preseason Players of the Year
DAVID KATZ/Daiy
if the media is correct, the Michigan football team will be celebrating again this
season, as the Wolverines are picked to win the Big Ten.
Questioning intelligence
When Michigan coach Lloyd Carr questioned the intelligence oftthe media for
its preseason picks, he had every reason to. In the past five years, media
members have picked the eventual champion just once - in 2000, when pre-
season favorite Michigan shared the title with Purdue and Northwestern.
Predicted (Year) Actual Predicted (Year) Actual
Northwestern (2001) Illinois Ohio State (1998) Wisconsin
Michigan Michigan Michigan Ohio State
Ohio State Ohio State Penn State Michigan
Michigan (2000) Michigan * Penn State (1997) Michigan
Wisconsin Purdue Ohio State Ohio State
Purdue Northwestern Michigan Penn State
By Joe Smith
Daily Sports Fditor
CHICAGO - Shortly after noticing
his team was tabbed the preseason
favorite to win the Big Ten title by the
media, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr
quipped back with his assessment of
the writers'intellectual fortitude.
"I'd have to question your intelli-
gence," Carr said.
Carr wasn't the only one to challenge
the media's assessment. Michigan State
superstar sophomore wide receiver
Charles Rogers also had something to
say about it. His Spartans, which return
eight starters from the Big Ten's top
offense last season, were picked to fin-
ish third, behind Ohio State.
"They always pick Michigan," Rogers
said, smiling. "That ain't nothing new"
"One thing about Michigan is -
they're up there every year. So the
media is going a lot off the past. It's
cool because it shows us who we have
to beat. We're the underdogs and we've
just got to prove them wrong."
Besides Michigan's storied past and
winning at least a share of the Big Ten
crown three of the past five years, the
Wolverines return eight defensive
starters from a unit that led the confer-
ence in total and rushing defense, while
setting a school record with 50 sacks.
Michigan's defense is drawing com-
parisons to the 1997 team, which - on
the strength of its defense and the
poised shoulders of quarterback Brian
Griese - won a share of the national
title. A similar situation seems to exist
this season, as the defense is expected to
be the team's strength, especially as
Penn State (1999) Wisconsin
Michigan Michigan
Ohio State Michigan State
there are not many proven players on the
offensive side of the ball. Carr would
not disclose any new information on his
starting quarterback this fall, saying
once again, it's still a "competition."
"Defensively, we'll have probably the
most depth and as good of talent up
front returning," Carr said. "The sec-
ondary is probably as solid as we've
had, particularly the safety position."
While Michigan has an experienced,
intimidating defense, the Spartans have
the look of a young, overpowering
offense.
With arguably the conference's most
potent 1-2 combination of junior quar-
terback Jeff Smoker and Rogers, Big
Ten Preseason Offensive Player of the
Year, returning, Michigan State earned
its highest preseason ranking since
1988 - the year after the Spartans won
the Rose Bowl. And Smoker said he
thinks the Spartans have the talent and
maturity to capture the crown this year.
"We should," Smoker said. "We have
the athletes to do it, and barring any
injuries like last season, I think we can
definitely contend and tumsome heads."
But the choice of Ohio State to finish
second further shows how wide open
the Big Ten race may be this season.
The Buckeyes, coming off a 7-5 season
and a win over Michigan under first-
year coach Jim Tressel, could start a
freshman quarterback and tailback
when their season opens against Texas
Tech on Aug. 24. Besides having to
replace its entire starting backfield,
Ohio State must also replace three start-
ing offensive lineman and come up
with two new cornerbacks on defense.
The presence of two-time All American
COMMENTARY
Continued from Page 13
he devoted to the idea? Certainly
not.
The hulking defenseman is a NHL
scout's dream, and with tons of pres-
sure being applied by the Canadiens
for him to sign, it would have taken a
miracle to keep him out of Montreal.
Or maybe Hamilton, Ont., where
the Canadiens' AHL affiliate is
located, would be a more appropriate
location. Unlike Cammalleri, who
seems to be ready physically and
mentally for pro hockey, Komisarek
needs more experience in the college
game to be ready for the NHL.
The young talent was inconsistent
last season offensively and defen-
sively, and while garnering the
CCHA's Top Defensive Defenseman
award last season, he was probably
the third-most consistent blueliner
on the team behind Jay Vancik and
Andy Burnes.
His decision-making with the
puck and in pressure situations was
sometimes absurd. At two different
points during the NCAA West
Regional, Komisarek put the Wolver-
ines in danger by making crucial
mistakes with the puck, including his
strong safety Michael Doss should help
the situation. The senior, who was
picked Big Ten Preseason Defensive
Player of the Year, led the Buckeyes in
tackles the past two seasons, recording
87 last year and 94 asa sophomore.
"He tells me he wants to play receiv-
er, he wants to return punts and he
wants to block punts," Tressel said.
"And I told him that its pretty hard to
try to block a punt and then get back in
time to return it"
Last year's Big Ten Champion, Illi-
nois, are coming off a~10-2 season and
a Sugar Bowl berth but failed to make
the top three preseason spots - most
likely due to the graduation of star
quarterback Kurt Kittner.
"We've had a past of not getting
much respect and recognition in the
preseason," said Illinois cornerback
Eugene Wilson. "We just got to go out
there and turn some heads."
Athlon, Blue Ribbon and Lindys pre-
season magazines all chose Michigan
as the team to beat in the conference,
with The Sporting News picking Ohio
State and Street & Smith's tabbing
Michigan State. The last time Michigan
was picked as favorites by the media -
in 2000 - they captured the title. But
the Wolverines know preseason hype
doesn't mean a thing - especially after
last year's disappointing finish. The
Wolverines still finished second in the
Big Ten, but lost to Ohio State at home
and got trounced by Tennessee in the
Citrus Bowl. They finished with their
worst record (8-4) since 1996.
"Anytime you end the season the way
we did, the best way to describe the off-
season is miserable," Carr said.
infamous throwing of the puck when
the Wolverines were already down a
man against Denver.
Michigan assistant coach Billy
Powers said that Komisarek would
most likely spend a lot of time in
Hamilton, which makes his decision
even harder to understand. Michigan
players are choosing the minor
leagues over the comforts of Ann
Arbor and a chance to win champi-
onships with their teammates and
friends?
Something is awry.
Does Berenson need to change the
way he recruits? Maybe the Wolver-
ines need to recruit more players like
Andy Burnes and Jed Ortmeyer -
guys who produce consistently and
are at Michigan for the right reasons
but might not have as much talent.
With this changing climate in col-
lege hockey, the coaching staff might
have to take a step back and adapt
accordingly.
One year from now, there will be
seven Wolverines who are drafted
and eligible to leave the launching
pad. Judging from Michigan's cur-
rent rate of success at keeping its
stars from bolting (.000), the
Wolverines will need quite a recruit-
ing class for 2003-04.
*Three-way tie for title
* 'A
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