The Michigan Daily - Kickoff
4-The MichiganDaily-Kickoff '95-Thursday, September 7,1995
Michigan starts from scratch
New coach, new quarterback hope to show the Wolverines back to Pasadena
By Scott Burton
If you have a historical understand-
ing of the Michigan football team,
you've probably come to accept two
simple tenets: the Wolverines always run
the ball no matter the circumstance and
Michigan never changes coaches no
matter the circumstance.
Given that, you then probably also
understand why
more than a few
Michigan sup-
porters had pecu-
liar looks on their
faces after the
opening-weekend
victory over Vir-
ginia.
After all, there
was this rookie
quarterback out
there, throwing
the ball for a
team-record 375
yards. And a first-year coach prancing
the sidelines and calling all of seven run-
ning plays in the second half.
Considering that, in the process,
Michigan mounted its biggest comeback
victory in its 116-year history, it sure did
seem like , revolutionary rejection of the
Bo Schembechler regime.
However, don't go waiting for the
Bolsheviks to come to town just quite
yet.
Yes, quarterback Scott Dreisbach
and coach Lloyd Carr are nerhans the
most important ingredients to this team.
But they promise that the third thing that
defines Wolverines team of the-past - a
driving thirst for the Big Ten champion-
ship - won't change one bit.
"Our No. 1 objective is getting to the
Rose Bowl," Carr said.
Going into the season, the one posi-
tion that looked like could hinder such a
quest was at quarterback. Todd Collins,
a three-year starter and Michigan's all-
time passing efficiency leader, graduated
en route to the NFL. That left a group of
four inexperienced helmsmen to battle
for the starting spot, only one of which
(Jason Carr) had thrown a collegiate
pass.
And while Dreisbach took command
of the starting role in spring drills, it still
remains to be seen whether his perfor-
mance against Virginia will silence wor-
ries about the position. His fourth-quar-
ter performance suggests a superstar in
making, but his two first-half intercep-
tions caution against coming to such a
judgment too early.
"He started off real well," team co-
captain Joe Marinaro said. "Then he did
struggle a bit. But in the fourth quarter,
he showed great composure and great
timing."
An interesting by-product of
Dreisbach's rags-to-riches performance
was the respect it earned Carr.
Following the dismissal of Gary
Moeller, many wondered whether Carr
could facilitate a smooth transition. But
the single act of Carr sticking with
Dreisbach, despite the rookie's struggles
early in the Virginia game, convinced
many Wolverines that Carr can handle
the job.
"It just shows he's a good coach,"
Marinaro said. "He knows what it takes
to win, and it took Scott being in the
game to win.
But does the rest of the team? Two
consecutive 8-4 seasons did little to pla-
cate a program that annually lists a na-
tional championship among its season
goals. Some of those defeats will live on
in special infamy, including crushing
last-second loses to Illinois in 1993 and
to Colorado in 1994.
"There's certainly a challengeput in
front of us," senior tight end Jay
Riemersma said. "In order for Michigan
to get back on track in a hurry, it has to
come from the senior class and it has to
be the seniors leading this team.
"And we really want to make it one
of those seasons where we look back and
say this was a turning point and this is
where we turned things around."
Riemersma will find an abundance
of fellow senior leadership at two posi-
tions in particular -at receivers and onr
the defensive line. Not coincidentally,
these are two positions that will go a long
way to determining the ultimate fortunes
of this team.
"The backbone of Michigan champi-
onship teams has always been senior
leadership, and that's one of the reason I
am optimistic," Carr said. "Because we
do have a great group of seniors guys re-
turning, many of them veterans and they
are going to have to take charge."
The wideout tandem of Amani
Toomer, Mercury Hayes and Riemersma
have a crucial dual role to play this sea-
son. They will not only be counted upon
to spark Michigan's passing offense, but
they will also play a big part in nurturing
Dreisbach's precarious development.
"They're going to have to understand
that they are not going to be judged
based on how many balls they catch,"
Carr said. "They have to have confidence
and let those quarterbacks know that
they have confidence in them."
Perhaps no receivers in the nation
have better credentials to play such a
prominent role. Toomer was a 1000-yard
receiver last season and Hayes certainly
has the potential to do so, as evidenced
by his 170-yard catching spree against
Virginia. Riemersma is a preseason All-
Big Ten selection and one of the best
tight ends in the nation.
The defensive line also has a chance
to be a team strength, with the return of
seniors Trent Zenkewicz and Jason
Horn. And, given the struggles of
Michigan's secondary last season and
the inexperience of the linebacker corps,
the line will have to be a source of stabil-
ity.
What, then, is to be made of the run-
ning game? Are the days of 40-minute
trench warfare all but over?
Not in the least. Despite the air theat-
rics against Virginia, Carroesn't pre-
tend that his team can Wi ithcdutsteay
production from his runners.
Hawkeyes
look to
return to
gory days
By Antoine Pitts
Since posting a 10-1-1 record in
1991, Iowa has lost 18 games in three sea-
sons. This led to many Hawkeye backers
calling for coach Hayden Fry's job.
However, the dean of Big Ten coaches
is back for his 17th season as the
Hawkeyes try to improve on last year's
5-5-1 mark. Iowa closed out the season
by going 3-0-1, garnering wins over
Michigan State, Northwestern and Min-
nesota, while tying Purdue. Fry hopes
that momentum will carry over to this
season.
The Hawkeyes found out first-hand
how important it is to stay as injury-free
as possible. Iowa was hit hard, especially
at the quarterback position.
"Our biggest concern is keeping our
two returning quarterbacks healthy," Fry
said. "If we keep them healthy, we will
Wisconsin coach Barry Alvarez thinks his defensive line is a team strength.
SBeell reCturns
depleted Wisconsin
Schedi
way of
nation
By Darren Everson
Both coaches and write
State to contend for the I
And by virtue of the Buck,
preseason ranking, they ah
State could be a factor in th
scene.
They might not have ma
if they saw the Buckeyes' sc
With the Kickoff Clas
Boston College behind the
has i1 games to go and no
between. On deck is Wash
Ten play, the Buckeyes sk
w e a k l i n g s
(Michigan State
and Northwest-
ern) and visit thei
last three teams
that went to the
Rose Bowl
(Pen .State,
Wisconsin and
Michigan). And
then there's
Notre Dame.
"There's a
lot of other
teams around the country
play (rather) than Notre I
John Cooper said. "The
though, around Columbus
Notre Dame is unreal."
He and his Buckeyes
too young to remember
Irish's 7-2 victory in 1936
the schools met.
However, they probat
the last time they saw Per
Nittany Lions gave them
in Happy Valley last ye
State had split end Joey{
two-time All-America
Stringer then. The Buckey
those holes if they want to
lenge Penn State.
"I would say that the b
we have to do is find son
MRK- - F RI 1/E WIY
Michigan hopes Ed Davis and the Wolverine running game can turn it on.
He certainly has a number of talented
runners at his disposal. The heralded
Tshimanga Biakabutuka averaged more
yards per game and more yards per carry
than last year's feature back, Tyrone
Wheatley. However, he suffered a bruised
right shoulder in the first half of the Vir-
ginia contest and gained only 36 yards.
Nonetheless, Carr does expect that
Biakabutuka can carry on the tradition of
top-flight feature backs such as Jamie
Morris, Jon Vaughn and Wheatley.
Speaking of tradition, Michigan's
schedule should provide a number of req-
uisite challenges. Although there are no
out-of-conference foes on the caliber of
Colorado orNotre Dame, Michigan has al-
ready played one preseason top-25 team
(Virginia) and has another one (Boston
College) looming on September 16.
Those toughies are balanced by the
less-than-overwhelming presence of
Memphis and Miami (Ohio) on
Michigan's home schedule.
"I will grant you that our schedule is
not as tough as last year," Canr said. "(But)
anyone who says this is not a challenging
schedule is mistaken."
Michigan's Big Ten schedule will
present a similar balance of hard-nosed
beasties and second-division patsies. The
easier foes-Northwestern, Indiana and
Minnesota - come in October, while
Michigan closes out its season against No.
4 Penn State and No. 10 Ohio State.
"I think we will find out what we are
made of in that final stretch of Michigan
State, Purdue, Penn State and Ohio
State," Carr said.
And if what Carr finds has a rosey
tint to it, history will certainly accept this
Michigan team.
Iowa
1994: 3-4-1,
5-5-1
No meeting
this season
have a very fine
offensive football
team."
Junior Ryan
Driscoll and
sophomore Matt
Sherman both
took snaps last
year, but
Sherman came
out ahead during
spring drills to
win the starting
By Darren Everson
There's a reason why Darrell Bevell is
the only person pictured on the cover of
Wisconsin's 1995 media guide - he
might be the only Badger returning from
last year. Tailbacks Terrell Fletcher and
Brent Moss, the left side of the offensive
line, All-America center Cory Raymer and
the entire secondary all must be replaced.
"We graduated 26 seniors.
... (But) if you look at our ros- WlS
ter we have a decent number of
returning lettermen," coach {
Barry Alvarez said.
There are 42 such Badgers
returning. Chief among them is
Bevell, who has amassed 5,413
career passing yards. If it seems 199
like Bevell has been around for- N -
ever, it's because he has-he's thi
a senior and he's 25 years old. this
When he hands off this
Eric Dickerson - high-cut -and we'll
have to teach him to get his pads down."
Bevell and his backfield mates will
be working behind a partially revamped
offensive line. The Badgers still have
tackle 315-pound tackle Jerry Wunsch,
who started every game last season. Be-
sides him, Wisconsin will depend upon a
bunch of guys who have never owned any
......... .
1995 Michigan Football
DA'TE TEAM
8/26 Virginia
9/2 Illinois
9/9 Memphis
9/16 Boston College
9/30 Miami (Ohio)
10/7 Northwestern
Schedule
RESULT Of LAST GAME
Michigan, 18-17 (1995)
Michigan, 38-14 (1995)
first meeting
Michigan, 34-26 (1994)
Michigan, 55-0 (1924)
Michigan, 40-7 (1992)
Michigan, 31-3 (1992)
Michigan, 38-22 (1994)
Michigan, 40-20 (1994)
Michigan, 45-23 (1994)
Penn State, 31-24 (1994)
Ohio State, 22-6(1994)
job.
"(Sherman) has great touch on the
ball," Fry said. "He's very intelligent. He
has great poise and leadership. There's no
question that by the time he graduates he'll
have some very fine statistics and hope-
fully lead the Hawks to a lot of wins."
Last season the unthinkable happened
- the Hawkeyes saw five quarterbacks
forced out of action at one point or another
due to injury.
"I've been here 16 years and I've
never had anything like that happen in
my life," Fry said. "I've seen it happen to
other coaches but not me. For one reason
or another - most of them were broken
bones - they all went down."
Sherman has a solid target in tight
end Scott Slutzker. Over the last two
years, Slutzker has caught 56 passes for
686 yards and four touchdowns. As far
as wide receivers go, the Hawkeyes re-
place Harold Jasper and Anthony Dean
with two-time lettermen Demo Odems
III and Willie Guy.
In the backfield, Iowa features junior
tailback Sedric Shaw. Last year, Shaw be-
came the second sophomore in Hawkeye
history to rush for over 1,000 yards.
Two-time All-Big Ten guard Matt
Purdy anchors the offensive line. The
unit hopes to provide the same kind of
protection as last season, when Iowa quar-
terbacks were sacked just 10 times.
The Hawkeyes have All-Big Ten
linebacker Bobby Diaco along with 17
sther returning players on defense. The
Iowa secondary, where seven lettermen
return, should be especially strong.
season, it will be to sophomores Carl
McCullough and Royce Roberson.
Both are big (6-foot-3, 218 pounds and
6-foot-1, 228 pounds, respectively),
and they rushed for 465 yards between
them. McCullough, who had 162 of
those yards, is the No. 1 guy.
"McCullough is a different kind of
runner," Alvarez said. "He looks like an
consdn
' P
: 4-3-1'
.4-x.
neeting
season
starting spot on the line.
Stepping into Raymer's
position is junior Al Gay, who
was a defensive tackle in
1993. Another loss along the
line is at tight end, where
three-year reserve Matt
Nyquist takes over for four-
year starter Michael Roan.
And that's just the offense.
All-time interception leader
Jeff Messenger is gone, along
with the rest of the defensive
backfield. Up front, Wisconsin loses tackle
Mike Thompson, who started every game
in his four-year career. However, Alvarez
thinks the line is where the Badgers will be
strong.
"I think our front seven will be as
good as we've had since we've been
here," Alvarez said. "Our secondary is
the question mark on defense."
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Although Tim Biakabutukahwas not Michigan's No. I tailback last year,,
he is considered a strength of the team.
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