8 — Friday, March 11, 2016
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Isaac hopes to make up for lost time

By JAKE LOURIM

Managing Sports Editor

On his bedroom door, Ty Isaac 

keeps a list of goals for himself 
as his redshirt junior season 
on the Michigan football team 
nears. Every day as the running 
back leaves for class, he looks 
at everything — personally, 
physically, football-related — he 
needs to improve this season. 
Or, put another way, to avoid 
where he ended up last season.

The 
Southern 
California 

transfer 
began 
last 
season 

as arguably the most highly 
touted player in the Wolverines’ 
backfield. He came in prepared 
to revive Michigan’s struggling 
ground 
game. 
Instead, 
he 

finished fifth on the team in 
carries in 2015, behind three 
other running backs, fifth-year 
senior quarterback Jake Rudock 
and even senior fullback Sione 
Houma. Rising senior running 

back De’Veon Smith ended the 
season with 180 carries, six 
times Isaac’s total.

“I obviously got humbled a 

little bit last season, but you 
still gotta work the same, just 
as hard,” Isaac said Tuesday. 
“It’s De’Veon’s job to lose, which 
gives you a little bit of extra 
motivation, but my mindset 
hasn’t changed. I’m still going 
out every day trying to compete 
to get that starting spot and be 
ready to carry the load when the 
season comes.”

At his lowest point, Isaac 

was left off the depth chart for 
two consecutive games last 
November. Michigan coach Jim 
Harbaugh called the issue an 
“internal matter,” adding that it 
was “none of your business.”

Isaac said that at one point 

last season, the disappointment 
got to him, and while he 
declined to say exactly when, 
he acknowledged that it was 

around the time of the depth 
chart snub.

Then, he turned to people 

close to him in his life who 
would tell him what he needed 
to do to turn it around. He found 
his way back onto the depth 
chart later that month, and after 
the season, he met with running 
backs coach Tyrone Wheatley to 
iron out more of the issues.

“Just being more intense, 

more 
focused,” 
Isaac 
said. 

“Paying attention to the little 
details — stuff that I knew I 
needed to work on, but we kind 
of went over it together just to 
be clear about everything that I 
needed to do for myself.”

Isaac came back, dropped 

some weight and turned up 
his 
intensity 
in 
practice. 

He’s further down the depth 
chart than where he started 
last season, but to him, that 
only means he’ll have to work 
harder to make up the deficit. 

Stribling readies 
for senior season

By MAX BULTMAN

Managing Sports Editor

Channing Stribling was as 

surprised as anyone on Monday 
when 
Michigan 
defensive 

coordinator Don Brown fired off 
his first tweet since Oct. 2015. It 
was a picture of Stribling with 
a graphic reading “Michigan 
football Dude of the Day.”

Stribling was initially unsure 

whether it was the work of 
an online photo editor or his 
coaches, but when he realized 
Brown had sent the tweet, it 
started to make sense. The 
senior cornerback had three 
interceptions in practice last 
Friday, a performance Brown 
apparently deemed worthy of 
receiving the first award.

“I saw it on Twitter and I was 

like, ‘What is this?’ ” Stribling said 
Thursday. “I didn’t know nothing 
about the Dude of the Day.”

In fact, the coaches hadn’t 

even communicated anything 
about the honor to the players. At 
first, Stribling thought the award 
might be given once a week, but 
then Ben Gedeon earned the 
honor after Tuesday’s practice, 
a sign that there could be many 
Dudes to come.

With 
his 
title 
standing 

currently as a Dude, the senior 
cornerback was understandably 
excited to be recognized. But 
his Dude-dom didn’t come out of 
nowhere.

Ahead of his fourth season 

as a Wolverine, the cornerback 
has spent the offseason striving 
to improve his consistency and 
is battling for a starting spot 
opposite All-American senior 
cornerback Jourdan Lewis.

“I 
know 
that’s 
been 
my 

problem for the last three years,” 
Stribling said. “I mean, people 
say it, but I mean, I guess it’s 
true. So consistency is the main 
thing I’ve gotta try to step up on.”

In three seasons at Michigan, 

Stribling has appeared in 34 
games, starting four times at 
cornerback. He intercepted two 
passes last year while battling a 
hamstring injury for part of the 
season and splitting time with 
Jeremy Clark.

Now, going into the 2016 

campaign, he appears poised to 
compete for a full-time job as a 
starter. But in battling for that 
spot, he’ll have to beat out Clark, 
a fifth-year senior and Stribling’s 
friend.

“That’s my boy,” Stribling 

said of Clark. “We try to push 
each other every day. (Former 
defensive 
coordinator 
D.J.) 

Durkin always told us, in order to 
play in the league, you’ve gotta be 
able to take a grown man’s job. So 
we tell each other that every day, 
like, ‘You’ve gotta take my job,’ 
or, ‘I’ve gotta take yours.’ That’s 
only going to make us better.”

As a senior, though, Stribling 

knows 
that 
his 
on-field 

production 
is 
now 
more 

important than ever. In his final 
season at Michigan, and his 
last year to try to impress NFL 
scouts, he’ll need to earn, and 
then maximize, his playing time.

And in talking to Lewis, who 

could have declared for the 
NFL Draft after last season but 
instead elected to return for his 
senior year, Stribling said the 
All-American had simple advice 
for him.

“Just 
play 
your 
game,” 

Stribling said Lewis has told 
him. “You’ve been doing this for 
four years. I know you’ve had 
some bad plays or whatever, but 
we know you. Everybody else 
doesn’t see you as Strib, but we 
see you as Strib.”

If he wins the job opposite 

Lewis, perhaps everybody else 
will get to see the “Strib” Lewis 
referenced this fall. But until 
then, Dude will have to do.

FOOTBALL
Michigan preps for final home series

By JUSTIN MEYER

Daily Sports Writer

When the No. 9 Michigan 

hockey team hosts No. 14 Penn 
State this weekend, it will the be 
the last tune-
up 
before 

the 
Big 
Ten 

Tournament, 
the last home 
stand for a small 
core of seniors 
and, 
quite 

possibly, the last 
time Wolverines 
coach 
Red 

Berenson 
will 

ever 
stand 

behind 
the 

bench 
for 
a 

game at Yost Ice 
Arena.

The 
long-

tenured coach is in the final year 
of his contract and is undecided on 
his plans for next season.

“I don’t know if this will be 

my last weekend at Yost or not, so 
I’m not going to worry about it,” 
Berenson said. “My last game in 
the NHL, I couldn’t have told you, I 
don’t even remember when it was. 
It didn’t matter.

“I just want us to have a good 

weekend at Yost.”

The series features two of the 

top three teams in the Big Ten, 
and two of the highest-scoring 
offenses in the country. In a 
previous matchup this season, 
which took place at Penn State’s 
Pegula Ice Arena and at Madison 
Square Garden, Michigan (10-5-3 
Big Ten, 20-7-5 overall) outscored 
Penn State, 13-7. Both games were 
closely contested, but the two-win 
weekend jumpstarted the hottest 
stretch of the Wolverines’ season.

When the puck drops Friday 

night, each team will be in a very 
different place than it was a two 
months ago. The Nittany Lions 
(10-7-1, 20-10-4) have faltered after 
a hot start and has not swept a Big 
Ten series since mid-January.

Michigan tore through the 

middle of the regular season 

before dropping three of its last 
four contests against Minnesota 
and Ohio State, respectively.

For 
the 
Wolverines, 
the 

timing 
seems 
abysmal. 
They 

all but cemented an at-large 
bid for the NCAA Tournament 
two weeks ago, but the sense of 
excitement surrounding the team 
has collapsed into something 
resembling trepidation as the 
losses mount.

It’s not that the offensive 

production has slowed down — 
Michigan has 17 goals in the last 
four games — but a combination 
of poor timing and defensive 
meltdowns have hobbled the team.

Penn State is led by senior 

David Goodwin with 33 points. 
Also creating a strong impact is 
freshman Chase Berger, who has 
netted 13 goals on the season. 
The 
Nittany 
Lions 
generally 

rotate 
netminders 
throughout 

the weekend, though freshman 
Eamon McAdam has a far superior 
save percentage at .924.

On the other side of the ice, 

three Wolverines’ — forwards 
Justin Selman and Boo Nieves, 
and goaltender Steve Racine — will 

play at home for the last time in 
their careers.

Selman 
and 
Nieves 
took 

somewhat divergent paths in their 
hockey career when they arrived 
at Michigan, but both have grown 
into major roles on the team, 
becoming close friends in the 
process.

Selman struggled in his first 

two seasons before recommitting 
himself and becoming a jack of all 
trades for the Wolverines.

“I don’t know if it’s always been 

the best thing for him, but it’s 
definitely been a good thing for 
the team,” Berenson said. “When 
(freshman 
forward) 
Cooper 

(Marody) was out and we needed 
(Selman) at center, he came out 
in New York and had a dynamite 
game.”

Nieves is an obvious natural 

talent with tremendous speed at 
6-foot-3. He had a phenomenal 
freshman season, but struggled 
to elevate his game in the two 
following years.

“He got off to a good start, and 

then he’s been pretty good and 
very good at times,” Berenson said. 
“I think this is his best, consistent 

season.”

Racine, one of the Wolverines’ 

most discussed players of late, 
has caught the brunt of the blame 
for struggling defensive units, 
while his own play has fluctuated 
between 
phenomenal 
and 

somewhat disappointing.

“Racine’s always been a goalie 

that can win a game, but he’s also 
a goalie that might lose his focus 
or not be as ready,” Berenson said. 
“But I think he’s matured to the 
point where he can play back to 
back games and play well.”

Berenson’s 
quite 
adept 
at 

capturing the heart and soul of his 
players when he talks about their 
time about Michigan, but he’s not 
ready just yet to contemplate what 
it might mean to coach his final 
weekend behind the bench at Yost.

Thursday, 
he 
immediately 

dismissed the thought that Senior 
Day affects the way the team 
approaches the game.

“If our team lays an egg, then 

the seniors are going to feel terrible 
no matter what,” Berenson said. “If 
we win, they’re going to feel good.”

It’s not hard to imagine that 

Berenson feels the exact same way.

Penn State 
at Michigan

Matchup: 
Penn State 
20-10-4; 

Michigan 
20-7-5

When: Friday 
7:35 P.M.

Where: Yost 
Ice Arena

TV/Radio: 
BTN2GO

FOOTBALL

SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily

Michigan coach Red Berenson does not yet know whether Saturday will be his last game coaching at Yost Ice Arena.

Romero, ‘M’ look 
to maintain pace

By AVI SHOLKOFF 

Daily Sports Writer

Sierra Romero is no stranger 

to receiving accolades. Since her 
freshman year, the senior infielder 
has racked up award after award, 
and this year is no different.

Romero recently garnered the 

Big Ten Player of the Week and 
two prominent national awards 
from the National Softball Coaches 
Association and USA Softball.

Romero earned those honors 

after going on a tear last week, 
hitting .500 with two home runs 
and 13 RBI. Adding to her résumé, 
she is currently in the midst of a 12 
game hitting streak — the highest 
of her collegiate career. But 
despite her many awards, Romero 
continues to push herself.

“She’s the most locked in 

player that I have,” said Michigan 
coach Carol Hutchins. “She’s 
never satisfied. She hits .500 and 
says, ‘I should’ve hit .600.’ That’s 
why she’s the best player in the 
country.”

Romero and the second-ranked 

Wolverines will look to maintain 
their highly powered offense 
in their final non-conference 
tournament: 
the 
Louisville 

Softball Classic this upcoming 
weekend.

While Michigan’s offense is 

scoring 8.95 runs per game — 
fourth best in the NCAA — its 
pitchers need to improve their 
control before Big Ten play begins.

Working behind such prolific 

hitting definitely aids junior right-
hander Megan Betsa and her 
fellow pitchers in times of trouble. 
Against UCLA last Wednesday, 
for example, the offense came 
through 
after 
some 
erratic 

pitching by Betsa. In just two 
innings of work, she walked four 
and struck out only one batter and 
allowed the Bruins to tie the game.

“A lot of (the walks) are on me, 

that’s my biggest part,” Betsa said. 
“(To) get ahead of the hitters, spin 
the ball to the zone and stay within 
in myself.”

While she continues to rack 

up strikeouts, Betsa looks to 

develop better control in games, 
something difficult to simulate in 
a workout atmosphere. In practice 
this week, Betsa and the other 
members of the staff participated 
in drills designed on pitching in 
the strike zone.

“We have these strings that we 

set up for our workouts, and they 
can work for any different pitch,” 
Betsa said. “But (Wednesday), 
we just set up the strike zone. My 
objective was to start the ball in 
the zone, and it had to break out 
of the (zone) by the time (pitching 
coach Jennifer Brundage) caught 
us to make sure my ball was 
moving enough.”

At Louisville, Michigan will 

once again play Illinois State, who 
it defeated 12-0 in five innings on 
Feb. 12.

Additionally, the Wolverines 

will face off against the Cardinals, 
who are led both on the mound 
and at bat by freshman Megan 
Hensley, who leads the team in 
both home runs and earned run 
average.

Michigan’s 
other 
two 

opponents include a struggling 
Dayton team and an Eastern 
Kentucky 
team 
that 
has 
a 

dynamic duo of pitchers in nine-
game winner Hayley Flynn and 
Alex Salberg, who has a 1.62 
earned run average.

As Betsa mentioned, Hutchins 

believes 
that 
Michigan 
must 

better its accuracy on the mound.

“I’d like Betsa to throw it 

through the zone, for (sophomore 
right-hander) Tera Blanco to hit 
the black of the plate,” Hutchins 
said. Let’s hope guys can get ahead, 
they can have their way with the 
hitters, but we’re throwing around 
with way too many hitters.”

With 
stellar 
offensive 

performances from every spot 
in the lineup, highlighted by 
continued greatness from Romero, 
the Wolverines’ hitting attack will 
look to maintain its torrid pace.

Michigan’s pitching, however, 

must put extra emphasis this 
weekend on throwing strikes and 
not giving up too many free runs.

SOFTBALL

He believes in his own skill 
set, and if one thing is certain 
on Harbaugh’s team, it’s that 
everyone will have a chance to 
compete.

Isaac admits, though, that it 

won’t be easy.

“De’Veon’s been doing really 

well, so it’ll be tough, but as long 
as you can play within yourself 
and do that on a consistent basis, 
I think you got a shot,” he said.

Wheatley insisted Tuesday 

that Isaac’s decreased workload 
last season wasn’t a result of 
anything the running back did 
wrong. He worked hard; Smith 
and others worked harder.

And for a player who was 

in serious contention for the 
starting job at the beginning of 
the season, that wasn’t easy to 
handle.

“It’s something in life you 

have to deal with,” Isaac said. 
“You just kind of sit back and say, 
‘OK, this isn’t where I thought I 
was going to be, but how can I 
start moving forward? What do 
I need to do?’ ”

For Isaac, the answer to that 

came in the form of his list. 
Isaac had one of the Wolverines’ 
early highlights last season 
with a 76-yard touchdown run 
against UNLV, but he almost 
disappeared after that. After 
fumbling twice at Maryland on 
Oct. 3, he carried the ball just 
four times in the following two 
weeks and not again for the rest 
of the season.

The list of goals is his way 

of putting those struggles in 
the past. Smith, redshirt junior 
Drake Johnson and even others 
may be ahead of Isaac in the 
competition this season, but 
Isaac is ready to give them his 
best shot.

“I wouldn’t say reset, but I 

had to gather myself,” Isaac said. 
“It’s one of those things where 
it’s never as good as you think 
it is, and it’s never as bad as you 
think it is. I just had to calm 
down, relax and understand 
that there were things I needed 
to work on.

“It’s not like it was going to 

be the end of the world for me. I 
still have opportunities.”

