Weekly Release #3
9/13/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
at
Syracuse (2-0)
Saturday, September 18, 1999 (8 p.m. EDT)
Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.
Projected Attendance: 49,550 (capacity)
Radio Coverage: WJR (760 AM Detroit) will originate the game on the Michigan Football Network. Frank Beckmann handles play-by-play, Jim Brandstatter is the analyst and Steve Courtney provides sideline reports and analysis. WUOM (91.7 FM) has Tom Hemingway doing play-by-play and Tom Slade as analyst.
TV Coverage: CBS Sports will broadcast the game to a national audience. Craig Bolerjack will handle the play-by-play duties with Ed Cunningham providing commentary.
Series History: This will be the 12th meeting between Michigan and Syracuse, with the series knotted at five wins apiece and one tie. The Orangemen have a 4-1-1 record at home against the Wolverines, with the last meeting in Syracuse, N.Y., coming in 1914 (20-6 victory by SU). Prior to last season's meeting, the two schools had not met since 1918.
Last Meeting: (No. 19 Syracuse 38, No. 13 Michigan 28 -- Michigan Stadium, Sept. 12, 1998) Syracuse and quarterback Donovan McNabb spoiled Michigan's home opener by jumping out to a 24-0 lead and a 24-7 halftime edge. The Orangemen led 38-7 before the Wolverines scored three fourth quarter touchdowns to make the final score 38-28. Running back Walter Cross led Michigan's running game with a career-high 104 yards on 10 carries and scored two TDs. Tom Brady completed 13-of-24 passes for 104 yards and one TD, while Drew Henson connected on 7-of-20 for 92 yards and a TD. Anthony Jordan (13 tackles) and Tommy Hendricks (10) led the Wolverines defensive effort.
QUICKLY ON COACH CARR ...
Lloyd Carr (Northern Michigan, 1968)
Fifth season as Michigan Head Coach
41-11 overall record at Michigan
Carr has a 2-0 record in his fifth year as Michigan's head coach and his 20th season with the University of Michigan football program. He led the Wolverines to a 10-3 overall record, back-to-back Big Ten titles and a 45-31 victory in the CompUSA Florida Citrus Bowl last season. In 1997, Carr led the Wolverines to a 12-0 record and a share of the national title that earned him national Coach of the Year honors. Carr, previously a Michigan assistant coach for 15 years, began his college coaching career as a defensive backs coach at Eastern Michigan (1976-77) before joining Gary Moeller's staff at Illinois in the same role (1978-79). Carr came to Michigan in 1980 as Bo Schembechler's secondary coach. Carr served as defensive coordinator (1987-94) and was assistant head coach (1990-94).
Did You Know
-- Lloyd Carr is one of only nine current Division I-A coaches who have won a national title. The others are: Joe Paterno, Penn State (2, 1982 and 1986); Dennis Erickson, Oregon State (2, 1989 and 1991 at Miami, Fla.); Bobby Bowden, Florida State (1, 1993); Lavell Edwards, Brigham Young (1, 1984); Steve Spurrier, Florida (1, 1996); Lou Holtz, South Carolina (1, 1987 at Notre Dame); John Robinson, UNLV (1, 1978 at Southern Cal); Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee (1, 1998). Carr was the quickest to win his national title though, winning college football's top team honor in only his third year as a collegiate head coach.
-- Lloyd Carr has the best winning percentage of all the previous Michigan coaches at Michigan Stadium. Carr is 25-3 (.893) in his career at the "Big House" and ranks fifth among all-time Michigan coaches in terms of winning percentage at home.
MICHIGAN TEAM AND PLAYER NOTES ...
Wolverines Hold Tight in Polls
Michigan remained in its spots from last week, listing No. 5 in the USA Today/ESPN Coaches' poll and ranking No. 6 in the Associated Press poll.
Michigan in the 1990s
Entering the final year of this decade, the Wolverines have compiled an impressive 85-24-3 (.772) record during the 1990s. Michigan is tied for eighth (Miami also has 85 victories) among Division I-A institutions in terms of wins this decade. The Wolverines need five victories to reach 90 wins in a decade for only the third time in school history (1970s and 1980s). The school record is 96 victories (96-16-3 from 1970-79), while the best-ever winning percentage by decade was .898 (82-8-3 record), set during the 1900-09 seasons.
Wolverines at Home in 1990s
The University of Michigan has an impressive 47-11-1 record (.805) at Michigan Stadium in the 1990s. Michigan's home mark ranks 10th among all Division I-A football in terms of winning percentage, and lists tied for ninth in victories with Miami (47-9).
Finishing the Way You Started
The Michigan football team looks to finish the decade the way it started it ... with three consecutive Big Ten titles. The Wolverines claimed Big Ten titles in 1990, 1991 and 1992, and have won back-to-back conference crowns (1997 and 1998) heading into the 1999 season. Michigan leads the Big Ten with five titles during the 1990s, followed by Ohio State (three), Wisconsin (two) and Northwestern (two). The Wolverines' school record for most conference titles in a decade is seven, set during the 1970s (1971-72-73-74-76-77-78).
Most Big Ten Conference Titles in a Decade
| No. | School (Years) |
| 8 | Ohio State (1970-72-73-74-75-76-77-79) |
| 7 | Michigan (1971-72-73-74-76-77-78) |
| 5 | Michigan (1980-82-86-88-89) |
| 5 | Michigan (1990-91-92-97-98) |
| 5 | Michigan (1901-02-03-04-06) |
| 5 | Minnesota (1903-04-06-09-10) |
| 5 | Minnesota (1933-34-35-37-38) |
Michigan in Indoor Games (9-4)
The Wolverines will play their first game at the Carrier Dome on Saturday, Sept. 18, in a nationally televised primetime contest (8 p.m. on CBS). This will be the 14th time that Michigan has played in a dome and first time that Michigan has played at an on-campus indoor stadium. Eight of the Wolverines' previous 13 games came at the Metrodome, where U-M is 8-0 against Big Ten foe Minnesota at the off-campus site. The matchup with Syracuse is also the earliest game the Wolverines have played in a dome (Oct. 26, 1996 vs. Minnesota was the earliest previous game).
| Date | Opponent | Place | Result |
| Nov. 26, 1896 | Chicago | Chicago Stadium (A) | L, 6-7 |
| Nov. 25, 1897 | Chicago | Chicago Stadium (A) | L, 12-21 |
| Dec. 31, 1981 | UCLA | Astrodome (N) | W, 33-14 |
| Nov. 12, 1983 | Minnesota | Metrodome (A) | W, 58-10 |
| Jan. 1, 1984 | Auburn | Superdome (N) | L, 7-9 |
| Nov. 16, 1985 | Minnesota | Metrodome (A) | W, 48-7 |
| Nov. 7, 1987 | Minnesota | Metrodome (A) | W, 30-20 |
| Nov. 18, 1989 | Minnesota | Metrodome (A) | W, 49-15 |
| Oct. 25, 1991 | Minnesota | Metrodome (A) | W, 52-6 |
| Nov. 13, 1993 | Minnesota | Metrodome (A) | W, 58-7 |
| Dec. 28, 1995 | Texas A&M | Alamodome (N) | L, 20-22 |
| Oct. 26, 1996 | Minnesota | Metrodome (A) | W, 44-10 |
| Oct. 31, 1998 | Minnesota | Metrodome (A) | W, 15-10 |
(A) Away, (N) Neutral
Michigan on CBS Television
Michigan will appear on CBS for the 21st time when it travels to the Carrier Dome for a matchup with Syracuse (Sept. 18). The Wolverines have an 8-12 record all-time on the network. This will be the fifth non-conference game for Michigan on CBS, with three of the previous four games coming against Notre Dame (the other was against Washington in 1984). This will be the first time that Michigan has played at an indoor facility on CBS.
| Date | Opponent | Site | Score |
| Oct. 22, 1955 | Minnesota | Minneapolis, Minn. | W, 14-13 |
| Oct. 13, 1962 | Michigan State | East Lansing, Mich. | L, 0-28 |
| Nov. 24, 1962 | Ohio State | Columbus, Ohio | L, 0-28 |
| Oct. 19, 1963 | Purdue | Ann Arbor, Mich. | L, 12-23 |
| Nov. 30, 1963 | Ohio State | Ann Arbor, Mich. | L, 10-14 |
| Nov. 13, 1982 | Purdue | Ann Arbor, Mich. | W, 52-21 |
| Nov. 20, 1982 | Ohio State | Columbus, Ohio | L, 14-24 |
| Oct. 29, 1983 | Illinois | Champaign, Ill. | L, 6-16 |
| Sept. 15, 1984 | Washington | Ann Arbor, Mich. | L, 11-20 |
| Oct. 20, 1984 | Iowa | Iowa City, Iowa | L, 0-26 |
| Nov. 17, 1984 | Ohio State | Columbus, Ohio | L, 6-21 |
| Sept. 14, 1985 | Notre Dame | Ann Arbor, Mich. | W, 20-12 |
| Oct. 12, 1985 | Michigan State | East Lansing, Mich. | W, 31-0 |
| Oct. 19, 1985 | Iowa | Iowa City, Iowa | L, 10-12 |
| Nov. 23, 1985 | Ohio State | Ann Arbor, Mich. | W, 27-17 |
| Oct. 11, 1986 | Michigan State | Ann Arbor, Mich. | W, 27-6 |
| Oct. 18, 1986 | Iowa | Ann Arbor, Mich. | W, 20-17 |
| Nov. 22, 1986 | Ohio State | Columbus, Ohio | W, 26-24 |
| Sept. 10, 1988 | Notre Dame | South Bend, Ind. | L, 17-19 |
| Sept. 15, 1990 | Notre Dame | South Bend, Ind. | L, 24-28 |
Michigan Eyes Undefeated Non-Conference Slate
The Wolverines head into the Syracuse game (Sept. 18) looking to finish with their fourth undefeated non-conference slate in Lloyd Carr's five years as head coach. Michigan has posted an impressive 14-2 record under Carr during the month of September. Carr has a 3-1 record in September on the road and is 4-2 against top 25 ranked teams.
Road Opener
Michigan makes its first road trip of the 1999 season when it travels to Syracuse (Sept. 18). The Wolverines will play the Orangemen this Saturday and then open the Big Ten Conference season at Wisconsin next weekend (Sept. 25). This two-game road stretch will be the longest of the year, with the Wolverines playing home and away every other week for the remainder of the season (Michigan has an off-week on Oct. 16). Michigan has a 3-1 record under Lloyd Carr in road openers and is 5-3-1 in the 1990s.
Michigan Against Big East
The Wolverines have played 20 games against the Big East Conference, boasting an impressive 13-6-1 record (.675) against those teams. Michigan has a 4-1 record against the Big East in the 1990s, playing both Boston College (4-0) and Syracuse (0-1) during the decade. The Wolverines' other conference opponents are Miami (1-1), Pittsburgh (2-0) and West Virginia (1-0).
| School | W | L | T | Pct. |
| Boston College | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Miami (Fla.) | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
| Pittsburgh | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Syracuse | 5 | 5 | 1 | .500 |
| West Virginia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 |
| Totals | 13 | 6 | 1 | .675 |
Coaching Homecoming
First-year secondary coach Teryl Austin returns to Syracuse where he spent three years as the defensive backs coach for the Orangemen. Austin is not the only Michigan coach to making his return to Syracuse, though, as wide receivers coach Erik Campbell is making his first appearance in Syracuse since leaving the Orangemen for the Michigan coaching staff. Campbell was the running backs coach at Syracuse in 1994.
Walker Returning Home
Sophomore wide receiver Marquise Walker (Syracuse, N.Y./Henniger HS) heads home to play Syracuse after having his best game as a Wolverine. Walker had a career highs in receptions (five) and receiving yards (59) while blocking his first career punt (was credited with a 23-yard return on the block). Walker, who made four of his five catches on third down for the Wolverines, entered the game with five career receptions for 37 yards. His 21-yard reception from Tom Brady in the first quarter vs. Rice is his career best.
"A-Train" on TD Track
Junior tailback Anthony Thomas (Winnfield, La./Winnfield HS) has a knack for finding the end zone, scoring 11 rushing TDs in the last four games. Thomas has scored a pair of rushing TDs in each of the first two games of the 1999 season and has scored 24 rushing touchdowns in 26 career games. He rushed for 87 yards on 21 carries against Rice, scoring on third quarter runs of 11 and four yards. Thomas needs two rushing TDs to reach the top eight at Michigan.
Thomas Moves into Michigan's Top 25
With 87 yards on 21 carries against the Owls, Anthony Thomas moved into 25th on Michigan's all-time rushing list with 1,665 yards. Thomas leads the Wolverines in rushing with 225 yards (112.5 yards per game average) and lists tied for 27th nationally in rushing offense. He is second in scoring with 24 points this year (trails placekicker Jeff Del Verne's 27 points), ranking tied for 16th nationally in scoring offense.
Del Verne Scores Double Digits Again
Senior/junior placekicker Jeff Del Verne (Sylvania, Ohio/St. John's HS) enters the Syracuse game with back-to-back double-digit scoring games to start the season. Del Verne connected on all three field goals against Rice (24, 38 and 30 yards) and added four extra points for 13 points in the game. He has hit seven-of-eight field goals this season and all five extra-point attempts for 27 points on the year (leads team in scoring by three points over Anthony Thomas). With an average of 3.5 field goals a game, Del Verne leads the nation in field goals per game, and his 13.5 scoring average per game is 12th nationally. He is on a pace to kick 38.5 field goals this season, with would shatter the Wolverine season field goal record of 25 set by Remy Hamilton in 1994.
Terrell Paces Receiving Squad
Sophomore David Terrell (Richmond, Va./Huguenot HS) continued his impressive start to the 1999 season, catching four passes for 62 yards and scoring his first TD of the year against Rice. Terrell leads the team with four receptions over 20 yards in 1999, including a 34-yard career long pass from Drew Henson against the Owls. Terrell leads the team with 12 receptions for 177 yards on the season, and has 31 catches for 326 yards in his career (has more receptions and yards in two games this year than all of his freshman campaign). He lists tied for 32nd nationally with six receptions per game and is tied for 36th with an average of 88.5 yards per game.
Brady Moving Up Passing Charts
Senior quarterback and co-captain Tom Brady (San Mateo, Calif./Serra HS) continued to move up Michigan's all-time passing charts with his performance against Rice, completing 10-of-15 passes for 115 yards in his 15th consecutive start. Brady has completed 27-of 39 attempts (.692) for 312 yards this season. He lists sixth in completions (256), seventh in yardage (3,079) and eighth in attempts (409) in his career. Brady's 62.6 career completion percentage is second only to Todd Collins (64.3) in school history.
Career Passing Attempts
| | Player | Attempts | Years |
| 1. | Elvis Grbac | 835 | 1989-92 |
| 2. | Todd Collins | 711 | 1991-94 |
| 3. | Steve Smith | 648 | 1980-83 |
| 4. | Jim Harbaugh | 620 | 1983-86 |
| 5. | Brian Griese | 606 | 1994-97 |
| 6. | Rick Leach | 537 | 1975-78 |
| 7. | Don Moorhead | 425 | 1968-70 |
| 8. | Tom Brady | 409 | 1996- |
| 9. | Dick Vidmer | 380 | 1965-67 |
| 10. | Scott Dreisbach | 378 | 1995-98 |
Career Pass Completions
| | Player | Comp. | Years |
| 1. | Elvis Grbac | 522 | 1989-92 |
| 2. | Todd Collins | 457 | 1991-94 |
| 3. | Jim Harbaugh | 387 | 1983-86 |
| 4. | Brian Griese | 355 | 1994-97 |
| 5. | Steve Smith | 324 | 1980-83 |
| 6. | Tom Brady | 256 | 1996- |
| 7. | Rick Leach | 250 | 1975-78 |
| 8. | Scott Dreisbach | 206 | 1995-98 |
| 9. | Don Moorhead | 200 | 1968-70 |
| 10. | John Wangler | 197 | 1976-80 |
Career Passing Yards
| | Player | Yards | Years |
| 1. | Elvis Grbac | 6,460 | 1989-92 |
| 2. | Todd Collins | 5,858 | 1991-94 |
| 3. | Jim Harbaugh | 5,449 | 1983-86 |
| 4. | Steve Smith | 4,860 | 1980-83 |
| 5. | Brian Griese | 4,383 | 1994-97 |
| 6. | Rick Leach | 4,284 | 1975-78 |
| 7. | Tom Brady | 3,079 | 1996- |
| 8. | John Wangler | 2,994 | 1976-80 |
| 9. | Scott Dreisbach | 2,894 | 1995-98 |
| 10. | Don Moorhead | 2,550 | 1968-70 |
Henson Solid
Sophomore quarterback Drew Henson (Brighton, Mich./Brighton HS) enters the Syracuse game having completed 11-of-22 passes for 149 yards and one TD in two games. Henson accounted for a pair of scores against Rice (the only Michigan points not scored by Anthony Thomas or Jeff Del Verne in two games) with a rushing TD of his own and a 14-yard pass to David Terrell). He completed eight-of-14 passing attempts for 109 yards and recorded his first passing TD of the season against the Owls (it was the first 100-yard passing game of his career). Henson made his punting debut against Syracuse, knocking his first collegiate punt out of bounds at the Rice six-yard line (38-yard punt), and finished the game with two punts for 59 yards.
Knight Moves Toward 1,000
Senior wide receiver Marcus Knight (Sylacauga, Ala./Comer HS) continued his consistent play, catching three passes for 49 yards in limited action against Rice. Knight is second on the team with seven receptions for 122 yards, while leading the squad with a 17.4 yards per catch average. He moved into a tie for 28th on the school's all-time career reception list with Chris Calloway (1987-89) and Jim Berline (1967). Knight has 56 career receptions for 836 yards. He needs 164 receiving yards to become the 17th receiver in school history to break the 1,000-yard receiving plateau in a career.
Michigan's All-Time Receptions List
| | Player | Rec. | Yards | Years |
| 1. | Anthony Carter | 161 | 3,076 | 1979-82 |
| 20. | Gerald White | 64 | 564 | 1984-86 |
| 21. | John Kolesar | 61 | 1,425 | 1985-88 |
| 22. | Chris Howard | 60 | 429 | 1994-97 |
| 23. | Paul Jokisch | 58 | 1,088 | 1984-86 |
| | Paul Staroba | 58 | 818 | 1968-70 |
| | John Henderson | 58 | 787 | 1963-64 |
| | Russell Shaw | 58 | 668 | 1996-97 |
| 27. | Doug Marsh | 57 | 947 | 1977-79 |
| 28. | Marcus Knight | 56 | 836 | 1996- |
| | Chris Calloway | 56 | 826 | 1987-89 |
| | Jim Berline | 56 | 657 | 1967 |
Johnson's All-Around Day
Senior wide receiver and punt returner DiAllo Johnson (Detroit, Mich./Orchard Lake St. Mary's HS) had a solid all-around game for the Wolverines against Rice, catching an 11-yard reception and returning four punts for 60 yards. Johnson's 15.0 average per punt return lists 13th nationally and fifth in the Big Ten.
Hutchinson Makes 25th Start
Senior/junior left guard and co-captain Steve Hutchinson (Coral Springs, Fla./Coral Springs HS) started his 25th career game in the Rice contest. An Outland and Lombardi awards candidate, Hutchinson has made 24 starts at left guard and one starting assignment at center during his career. He lists fifth on the team in career starts and has played in 26 career games.
Askew Makes Offensive Debut
Freshman B.J. Askew (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain HS) heads into the Syracuse game after making his career offensive debut against Rice. Askew continued his special teams prowess, collecting two more tackles, and he rushed six times for 18 yards in second half action at tailback against the Owls. Askew rushed for 13 yards (career long) on his first collegiate carry and helped set up Jeff Del Verne's 30-yard field goal to open the fourth quarter.
Williams Leads Defense
Senior defensive end Josh Williams (Houston, Texas/Cypress Creek HS), shared the team lead with seven tackles (six solo, one assist) as the Wolverines held the potent Rice offense to 56 plays and 157 yards. Williams, who has 10 tackles in two games, set a career best with three tackles for loss against Rice (12 yards). One of his TFLs was a six-yard sack and he forced a fumble on the first Rice possession of the second half (led to a Wolverine touchdown).
Renes Forms a Pillar in the Middle
Senior nose tackle and co-captain Rob Renes (Holland, Mich./West Ottawa HS) has caused havoc for opposing offenses, racking up a defensive line-leading 13 tackles in 1999. Renes tied Josh Williams for the team lead in tackles against Rice, recording seven stops (six solo), two TFLs and his first sack of the campaign (10 yards). Renes enters the Syracuse game leading the defensive line with 118 career tackles and 21 career TFLs (closely trailed by Williams with 117 tackles and 19 TFLs).
Brackins Makes Season Debut
Junior/sophomore inside linebacker Eric Brackins (Pigeon Forge, Tenn./Gatlinburg-Pittman HS) made his season debut against Rice, tying for the team lead with seven tackles. Brackins was one tackle shy of his career-high eight-tackle performance against Eastern Michigan last season (Sept. 19). He enters the Syracuse game with 32 career tackles in 13 games, one TFL and one sack.
Foote Speed
Sophomore linebacker Larry Foote (Detroit, Mich./Pershing HS) heads into the Syracuse game needing two tackles to reach 30 in his career. Foote tallied six tackles (five solo) against Rice and came within one stop of equaling his career-high seven-tackle effort at Hawaii last year (Nov. 28). He is fifth on the team with 11 tackles this season, while leading the squad with two sacks.
Hendricks Leads Team in Tackles
Senior strong safety Tommy Hendricks (Houston, Texas/Eisenhower HS) enters the Syracuse game with a team-leading 14 tackles in 1999. Hendricks and Josh Williams are tied for top honors in TFLs (three each), and Hendricks has added one interception (12-yard return). The Thorpe Award candidate continues to inch closer to the top five in career tackles by a defensive back. With his four-tackle game against Rice, he has 167 career tackles in the defensive secondary and needs 44 stops to reach Thom Darden for fifth on the school's list of tackles by a defensive back. Don Dufek Jr. (1973-75) holds the school record with 249 career tackles in the secondary.
Michigan Defensive Backs All-Time Tackles
| | Player | Tackles | Years |
| 1. | Don Dufek Jr. | 249 | 1973-75 |
| 2. | Marcus Ray | 242 | 1995-98 |
| 3. | Tripp Welborne | 238 | 1987-90 |
| 4. | Garland Rivers | 222 | 1983-86 |
| 5. | Thom Darden | 211 | 1969-71 |
Whitley Eyes 15th Career Start
Junior cornerback James Whitley (Norfolk, Va./Norview HS) looks to make his 15th career start in the game against Syracuse (Sept. 18). Whitley recorded five solo tackles, one TFL and tallied one pass break-up vs. Rice. He has seven solo tackles this season and needs one tackle against the Orangemen for 80 career stops (59 solo). Whitley is tied with Tommy Hendricks for the career lead among current players with 11 PBUs.
Jones Nearing 200 Tackles
Senior inside linebacker Dhani Jones (Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill HS) is tied for second on the team with 13 tackles in 1999. Jones made five stops and one TFL in limited action against Rice, moving his career tackles to 179 (117 solo). He has recorded at least five tackles in 22 of the last 26 games that he has played (missed the 1998 Northwestern game) and registered four-tackle efforts in those other four contests.
Gold Leads Balanced Defense
Senior inside linebacker Ian Gold (Belleville, Mich./Belleville HS) heads into the Syracuse game with 120 career tackles (85 solo). Gold paces a balanced group of eight defensive players with 10 or more tackles this season. He is fourth on the team with 12 tackles (six solo, six assists), while contributing one TFL and one forced fumble. Gold had four tackles in limited playing time against Rice.
Hall Eyes 20th Career Sack
Senior rush linebacker and Butkus Award candidate James Hall (New Orleans, La./St. Augustine HS) enters the Syracuse game needing one sack to become the fifth player in school history to reach 20 career sacks. Hall has 10 tackles on the year and contributed four stops in limited time against Rice. He has a string of 23 consecutive starting assignments at rush linebacker and looks to make his 27th career start in the Syracuse game. Hall is tied with Robert Thompson (1979-82) for fifth all-time in career sacks with 19. Hall needs five sacks to reach a group of three players for second all-time in Michigan history.
Career Sacks (Since 1980)
| | Player | Sacks | Years |
| 1. | Mark Messner | 36 | 1985-88 |
| 2. | Chris Hutchinson | 24 | 1989-92 |
| | Jason Horn | 24 | 1992-95 |
| | Glen Steele | 24 | 1995-97 |
| 5. | Robert Thompson | 19 | 1979-82 |
| | James Hall | 19 | 1996- |
Defense Highlights Success
Michigan's defense had more receptions against Rice than Rice receivers as the Owl quarterbacks combined for a one-for-four afternoon good for 15 yards, while Wolverine defensive backs had two receptions (interceptions) for 34 yards. Junior free safety DeWayne Patmon (San Diego, Calif./Patrick Henry HS) had his sixth career interception (five yards) and sophomore/freshman strong safety Cato June (Washington, D.C./Anacostia HS) had his first career 'pick.' Rice had 14 drives in the game with 12 having five plays or less (nine three-play drives, three five-play drives, one six-play and one nine-play drive). Rice crossed the 50-yard line for the first time with 3:28 left in the fourth quarter.
Michigan Leads Nation in Turnover Battle
Michigan has won the turnover battle in its first two games of the season, taking the ball away from both Rice (two interceptions and one fumble) and Notre Dame (two fumbles and one interception) three times each while not yielding a turnover yet this season. The Wolverines are tied for first nationally in turnover margin with a 3.0 avg. per game (plus six overall).
First Offensive Stats of Career
True freshman running back Charles Drake (Los Angeles, Calif./Westchester HS) had two carries for two yards and one reception for five yards in his debut vs. Rice. Freshman wide receiver Ronald Bellamy (New Orleans, La./Archbishop Shaw HS) had a five-yard punt return and a pair of kickoff returns for 39 yards (long of 23 yards) against the Owls. Sophomore/freshman fullback Kirk Moundros (Farmington Hills, Mich./North Farmington HS) had a nine-yard pass reception in his second career game (played on special teams against Notre Dame).
Contact: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
