Ray Jackson in Detroit's camp
Former Michigan basketball star Ray Jackson is in the Detroit Pistons
camp, trying to make the team as a free agent. Jackson had previously
been in the New York Knicks camp before making the jump to Detroit.
Jackson is trying to become the fifth of the Fab Five to make it on an NBA
roster. Juwan Howard and Chris Webber play for Washington, Jalen Rose
plays for Denver and Jimmy King will likely make it on Toronto's squad.
Page 1
Friday,
October 6, 1995
m
ormer M'
tar Carter
ndscareer
Darren Everson
Sports Editor
PONTIAC, Mich. - Anthony
arter. s pain has started to become so
eat, he has to put a stop to it- and his
ootball career.
The former Michigan football star
nd current Detroit Lions wide receiver
etiredyesterday; teary-eyed and weary
f a pro career spanning 13 years. He
id that a collarbone injury suffered in
e second game of the '94 season just
on't heal, forcing this decision.
"The pain has just been unbearable,"
aid Carter at a news conference at the
ontiac Silverdome. "I feel like if I take
nother hit ... I could be paralyzed."
Carter, 34, said that he hopes to coach
ootball one day, preferably at the high
school level. He also said that "there is
o doubt" that he can still perform, and
hat he had hoped to finish the season
and then retire.
"I didn't see him slowing down at
all," Detroit coach Wayne Fontes said.
"(But) every time he'd get up, he'd get
up a little slower."
Although Carter had an undistin-
guished career with Detroit, he attained
national stardom over a decade earlier
while he was a Wolverine. Carter was a
three-time All-American (1980-82) and
broke numerous school records, includ-
ing touchdowns (40), receptions (156)
and yards (3,017).
AfterMichigan,Carterplayedthreesea-
sonsinthe now-defunct United States Foot-
ball League with the Michigan Panthers.
Carter's best years in the NFL were
with the Minnesota Vikings. There, he
made the Pro Bowl in 1987 and 1988.
That's Wildcats, not Mildcats
Northwestern makes a stride for true respectability in 1995
By Scott Burton
Daily Sports Writer
What do birds falling from the sky,
an invasion of locusts and a winning
Northwestern football team have in
common?
They are all signs of an impending
apocalypse, which means that when the
No.25 Wildcats (1-0 Big Ten, 3-1 over-
all) invade Michigan Stadium tomor-
row at 12:30 p.m. (ESPN), you may
want to stock up on a few extra cans of
baked beans.
"You know as a Michigan player that
they're on a roll ..." Michigan coach
Lloyd Carr said. "They have confidence
that they can win. That adds an inten-
sity to it on both sides that makes it
fun."
To give you just a small idea of what
it means for a Northwestern team to be
two games over .500 going into its
game with Michigan (1-0, 5-0), con-
sider the following bits of trivia:
* The last time Northwestern had a
winning season: 1971.
The last time Northwestern went
to a Rose Bowl: 1948.
* The last time Northwestern beat
Michigan: 1965.
* Northwestern's record 1990-94:
13-41.
That's a lot of negative history to
overcome. And, given that Northwest-
ern finished 3-7-1 last season and lost
many of its top players, there was no
reason to suspect that the program was
ready to turn itself around in 1995.
So what happened? The unlikely
emergence of sophomore running back
Darnell Autry and quarterback Steve
Schnur is a good place to start.
Autry looked to be an adequate re-
placement for star tailback Dennis
Lundy in the starting lineup. Lundy
graduated as the Wildcats' career leader
in rushing yards (3062). Autry, going
into 1995, had a total of 556 rushing
yards but showed some promise in his
rookie campaign.
However, Autry has gone beyond
just being an 'adequate replacement'
-he has proven tobe apremiertailback
talent. He is second in the nation in
rushing yards per game (166.0) and has
five straight 100-yard plus games going
into tomorrow.
"Darnell Autry is an exceptional foot-
ball player," Northwestern coach Gary
Barnett said. "He is exciting, and he is
also energetic and enthusiastic, and
brings that to the huddle."
Schnur, unlike Autry, was not a
natural choice to fill-out the Wild-
cats' starting lineup. Initially, Barnett
had a roster of three quarterbacks that
he was looking at to be the starter.
Schnur 1994's performance hardly
made him a standout candidate; he
threw 10 interceptions and tossed only
four touchdowns.
Yet, Schnur has been solid this sea-
son - he's thrown only one intercep-
tion and has completed 56 percent of
his passes. He won't bomb opposing
defenses (he's never thrown for more
than 204 yards in one game) but he can
steadily pick apart the secondary.
"He is exacting, sort of like a sur-
geon," Barnett said. "He doesn't get too
excited about the good things or the bad
things. That's the kind of guy you want
leading your offense."
Northwestern's defense is as much a
part of the Wildcats' improvement as
Autry and Schnur. Even though top
talents Hugh Williams, Korey Single-
ton and Bill Koziel graduated, they have
allowed only 14.5 points per game
against some decent offenses.
The most sparkling effort came in
17-15 victory over Notre Dame, which
features such standouts as quarterback
Ron Powlus and flanker Derrick Mayes.
Although the Irish did move the ball
with some consistency, they stalled
when it counted the most.
"Anytime a team can go into South
Bend and hold Notre Dame to 15 points,
that says something about the team," Carr
said.. "When they had to make crucial
third-down stops, they made them."
Perhaps the biggest key to the Wild-
cats' turnaround is Barnett. Many a
prominent coach have taken over the
Wildcats' program with hopes of turn-
ing it around, e.g. Rick Venturi, Dennis
Green. Sadly, just as many coaches
have left Northwestern without making
so much of a dent.
But Barnett's reign has clearly been
different. He won only eight games
since taking over in 1992, but he has
been able to convince top recruits that
Northwestern will be a winning pro-
gram down the line.
With the influx of first-tier talent has
come a more positive attitude and di-
rection.
"When you look at their team, you
see a number of guys who are all-Big
Ten candidates or who have been all-
Big Ten players," Carr said. "They've
done a very good coaching job because
they are playing with aggressiveness
and they don't beat themselves."
MARK FRIEDMAN/Daily
Michigan tailback Tshimanga Biakabutuka said that he feels completely healthy
for the first time since the season began. The junior Is the Wolverines' rushing
leader with 504 yards and has rushed for seven touchdowns.
HE MATCHUPS:
Northwestem still has a
Ryan White last week when he rushed for 53 yards
Sports Editor on 11 carries. Chris Floyd scampered
For the sake of perspective, it would for 45 yards on eight carries.
nice to give you a few things more Last week the running game finally
hocking than-No. 25 Northwestern's got on track for the Wolverines and
tart, but there just isn't any way to do nothing will change tomorrow.
t. One would be hard-pressed to find Advantage:
nything more unexpected.
And if you're scratching your head,
ing to remember the last time the
Wildcats began the season 3-1, you can
stop because most of you won't be able
o recall the 1963 season.
In fact, with only four games under Northwestern rushing offense vs.
their belt, this has already been a wild Michigan rushing defense:
season for the Wildcats. Northwestern tailback Darnell Autry
They began the season by shocking has rushed for over 100 yards in five
Notre Dame, 17-15, only to lose the next straight games going back to the end of
week to Miami (Ohio). After back-to- last season. Last week, against Indiana,
back wins against Air Force and Indiana, he rushed for 162 yards and is de-
Northwesternfindsitselfbackinthepolls. scribed in the Wildcats media guide as
The key for No. 7 Michigan tomor- "a Barry Sanders type player."
row is to figure out what exactly the The Wildcats' experience in the
deal is with these Wildcats. backfield, however, drops off signifi-
Is Northwestern the team that beat cantly after Autry.
the Irish, or the team that lost to Miami? Backup Adrian Autry, no relation to
The answeris somewhere inbetween. Darnell, has rushed the ball only 18 times
Northwestern hasn't beaten Michi- this season for 81 yards. Faraji Leary has
gan in Ann Arbor since 1959 and don't handled the ball only 11 times.
expect that to change this year. As for the Michigan defense, it's mad.
Michigan rushing offensevs. North- The Wolverines let Miami get back
western rushing defense: into a game that was well in hand last
Wolverine tailback Tshimanga week and Michigan feels it has some-
Biakabutuka feels completely healthy thing to prove.
for the first time since the season began. The Wolverines allowed Miami's
That's bad news for Northwestern. Deland McCullough to get loose for
At times this season Biakabutuka has 141 yards and two touchdowns.
looked more explosive than his predeces- Look for a rejuvenated effort after
sor,NFLflrst-mundpickTyroneWheatley. last week, and another dominating de-
The Wildcats have given up an average fensive showing by Michigan.
of 156.8 yards per game on the ground. Advantage:
Last week, Miami stacked the line
trying to stop the Wolverines rushing
attack and they still ran for 232 yards.
If Northwestern manages to stop
Biakabutuka, it'll still have to deal with
his backups.
True freshman Clarence Williamshad Michigan passing offense vs.
his best game in a Michigan uniform Northwestern passing defense:
Don't Panic!!
if you think you're pregnant...
call us-we listen, we care.
PROBLEM PREGNANCY HELP
769-7283
Any time, any day, 24 hours.
Fully confidential.
Serving Students since 1970.
long way t
Brian Griese got his first real experi-
ence as Michigan's quarterback last
weekend, and he looked good.
The sophomore threw for 192 yards
and completed 14 of his 24 passes with
two for touchdowns.
He proved that he could throw the
ball. Now all he has to do is cut down on
the rookie mistakes.
Northwestern has allowed an aver-
age of 188 yards a game through the air
this season.
Senior safety William Bennett, along
with cornerbacks Rodney Ray and Chris
Martin, lead the Wildcats secondary.
However, with the exception of Notre
Dame's Derrick Mayes, Northwestern
I - - - --
oC
go netore:
hasn't seen receivers like the Wolver-
ines' Mercury Hayes and Amani Toomer.
I fGriese can get the ball to his receiv-
ers - and he should be able to -
Michigan will be able to move the ball
through the air.
Advantage:
Northwestern passing offense vs.
Michigan passing defense:
Wildcat quarterback Steve Schnur
appears to have finally settled into
it can beat Michigan
Northwestern's offense. After being
beat out for the starting job last year by
a junior college transfer, he's come on
to complete more than 50 percent of his
passes this season.
Schnur's favorite target is sophomore
receiver D'Wayne Bates who has caught
16 balls for 258 yards this season.
Although this matchup may seem
like Schnurand Bates againstthe Michi-
gan secondary, it could well be decided
on the lines.
So far this season, the Michigan front
fourhasn'tgiven opposing quarterbacks-
enough time to make good throws. As a
result, the Wolverines already have one
more interception this year (eight) than
all of last season.
Jason Horn, Trent Zenkewicz, Glen
Steele and Juaquin Feazell will be too
much forNorthwestern's passing game.
Advantage:
Special teams:
Michigan punter Nate DeLong had
his longest punt of the year against
Miami, 65 yards.
See MATCHUPS, Page 12
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