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Show DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE Friday, August 29,2008 Will Michigan drop another opener? Christopher Kamrani ASST. SPORTS EDITOR Novelist Thomas Wolfe wrote the book You Can't Go Home Again. For Michigan football, dropping the first two games at home last season made that title applicable to the program and was a sign of things to come. Following an extremely displeasing season in Michigan football standards— three home losses, most painfully to rival Ohio State—Wolverine fans might be biting their lips in anticipation for the Utes. Michigan were the goats of last season. After starting as a trendy preseason BCS pick, they were victimized by then Division i-AA Appalachian State at the "Big House" 34-32. The Mountaineers" quarterback Armanti Edwards carved up the Wolverine defense in the spread offense—the same offense the Utes and now Michigan will use this year. The next team to visit Ann Arbor, Mich., were the Oregon Ducks. Led by the versatile and blatantly athletic Dennis Dixon, the Ducks ran away with an equally shocking 39-7 game. The Michigan motto is "Go Blue," and by this time last year, many of the Michigan faithful had gone blue, but for the wrong reasons. Michigan had not lost an opening-day game since 1998 when they fell to Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind.f and were undefeated in home openers since 1989, ironically also losing to the Fighting Irish 24-19. Head coach Rich Rodriguez anticipates another opening-day battle against theU. "I've said it before, they may be the best team since Urban's team went to the BCS," Rodriguez said. "They have a very athletic quarterback who runs the spread that we've had problems against in the past. They have explosive players and they have some of the fastest corners we'll play against." For the Utes, they will have to prepare for many players that have never started a collegiate game, including a doubleheaded quarterback—as of right now. "Any opener has an element of unknown regardless of circumstances," head coach Kyle Whittingham said. "It is always a best-guess scenario. It is positive for us both offensively and defensively. There are similarities to us in schematics." Michigan's duo of Nick Sheridan and Steven Threet at quarterback have kept the competition so close since spring practice that Rodriguez has yet to name a starter. There is a good chance the Utes won't know which they'll face until they take the field Saturday. Last season, the Wolverine offense was stockpiled with talent. Quarterback Chad Henne (Miami Dolphins), running back Mike Hart (Indianapolis Colts) and receivers Mario Manningham (New York Giants) and Adrian ArPHOTO COURTESY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS rington (New Orleans Saints) were all taken in last year's NFL Draft. Michigan Coach Rich Rodriquez anticipates a tough game against Utah in their While Michigan's offense is largely opening game of the season. young and inexperienced, the defense is the offense's Mr. Hyde. "We have to go into the game with a broad-based game plan," Whittingham said. "Two to three series in, you get a good idea of your game plan. Football is a game of adjustments—we will make them based on what we are seeing." While both coaches are likely pumping their respective teams up as the underdog, both admit what is necessary is START AM to walk away with a win. ONLINE COMPAKT, "We have to go play well and play our best football," Whittingham said. Rodriguez was a bit more blunt, saying, "We can't do the dumb things to beat ourselves." c.kamrani@ "It •>1 chronicle.utah.edu Not sure what you're doing next? JOIN THE PEACE MICHIGAN •y-.y continued from Page] FOOTBALL POWER RANKINGS Brigham Young 0-0,0-0 MWC Next Opponent: 8/30 vs. Northern towa With a national ranking and a two year undefeated streak in conference play, the Cougars are a lock to hold the top spot until they lose. Northern Iowa is a mild way to start the season, but should allow the Cougars to work out all the first-game kinks in comfortable fashion, Utah 0-0,0-0 MWC Next Opponent: 8/30 @ Michigan It doesn't get much better than a big-time opponent at the biggest stage in college football on nationalTV. Ask most fans and the Utes can win this game two ways: Win, or make a dose game of it. On the flip side a massacre could count as two losses to a national audience. Texas Christian 0-0,0-0 MWC Next Opponent: 8/30 @ New Mexico TCU typically opens the season against a Big-12 opponent but this the Frogs will be one-half of the earliest start to MWC football in the conference's 10-year history.The Horned Frogs will be looking to rebound after a disappointing fifth-place finish after being picked to win the conference in 2007. 3 Wyoming 0-0,0-0 MWC Next Opponent: 8/30 vs.'Ohio Darrell Mack and Matt Asiata will be banging with the Michigan defense all game and will be sharing the snaps. "(Mack's) an explosive guy," Rodriguez said. "I think they have the other tailback, Asiata, those guys can play for anybody." With the defense led by the secondary linebacker Stevenson Sylvester and defensive end Paul Kruger, the clamps will have to be made on the Michigan offense in order for the Ute offense to wear and tear on the Wolverine defense. The Utes are one impressive road victory away from crashing Michigan's open-house party, and it could spell a sign of things to come. "We treat this like a business trip," Whittingham said. "No doubt playing at a place like the * Big House' is a great experience for them. But we go on the road to try to win a football game and that's where it ends." ._ cJcamrani@chronicIe.utah.edu *>,£*• Keep your options open. Take the GRE- Test for grail school. fou'rg more likely to do better white you'r? stilt in school — and your ORE Scares are gwd for S years. Practice for free now. Text GRE10 to 78473theGREchoice.com Wyoming might lack quality talent at the skill positions, but the Cowboys make up for it with toughness and an unwillingness to back down from anyone.Ohio will be an excellent tune up for the rest of conference play.and should be a good chance to start the season 1-0 for the third-straight year. New Mexico 0-0,0-0 MWC 5 Air Force 0-0,0-0 MWC 6 Air Force could see a similar offensive lull that other MWC teams like Utah faced after teams got a chance to seea full season of their offense in action. Air Force also doesn't have the luxury of being rescued by superman QB Shaun Carney, but shouldn't need any against Southern Utah. Next Opponent: 8/30 vs.CalPoly The Aztecs are nearly a carbon copy to New Mexico as far as possessing the talent to upset anyone in the country, but lack the attitude to do so on a regular basis. Another sub-par performance out of the Aztecs should be no surprise in 2008, but a loss to Cal Poly would be. UNLV0-0,0-0MWC 8 NO, TfttS GNTA Next Opponent 8/30 vs. Southern Utah San Diego State 0-0,0-0 MWC 7 Next Opponent: 8/30 vs.TCU The 2008 Lobos will be much like all the other New Mexico football teams.They'II be athletica threat to beat any other football team, but will likely loose more often than not to teams it shouldn't beat, and even fall to a few that it should Saturday is a perfect example of that Next Opponent: 8/30 vs. Utah State Utah State isn't predicted to win a game this year in some college football circles. UNLV has known that feeling all to well in years past Coach Mike Sanford will be on the hot seat this season, but UNLV should be able to keep pace with the rest of the MWC for at least one week. Colorado State 0-0,0-0 MWC Next Opponent: 8/30 vs.Colorado With the exception of Utah and maybe TCU and New Mexico, Colorado has one of the hardest opening games in the MWC Imagine a diluted BYU-Utah rivalry game played at a 76,125 seat NFL Stadium and that's what you get when Colorado State and Colorado meet. Unfortunately for the Rams in 2008 that will also likely result in a loss. Compiled by:Tony Pizza Ranking by Sports staff University of Utah Student Chapter Amei in Meteorological Society What: We will be holding our first AMS meeting for the 2008-2009 school year. We will organize campus forecast groups, discuss educational outreach, and of course EAT PTZZA! Come see what the University of Utah's AMS is all about!! When: Wednesday, September 3,2008 at 1:00pm Where: INSCC 110 YIMI oui u d i s i u hup www \\w\ uUih edu/iinKkvn anw ;.' YOU CAN'T MAKE UP GRE, |
