Michigan ready for Autzen
With a defense that hasn’t
been tested and a record
breaking quarterback,
Michigan is fully ready
Jesse Thomas
Sports Reporter
Even though Central Michigan
lost by 38 points to in-state rival
Michigan in both team's season
openers, the Chippewas still have
plenty to brag about.
Central Michigan is the only team
in Michigan's first three games that
has managed a touchdown against
the strongest defense in the Big Ten.
No. 3 Michigan, the team that
ranks top five nationally in pass effi
ciency, passing defense, total defense
and scoring defense, has outscored its
first three opponents by an average of
41 points, while allowing just 10
points in three games.
After shutting out previously ranked
No. 15 Notre Dame, the Wolverines
take to the road for the first time this
season to play No. 22 Oregon at
Autzen Stadium Saturday.
Although, despite Michigan's suc
cess thus far, head coach Lloyd Carr
is taking nothing lightly, especially
the Ducks.
"Anytime you're successful in stop
ping the run, you put teams in the
Defensive
back Marlin
Jackson and
the Wolverine
defense have
allowed 10
total points in
the first three
game.
Courtesy
Michigan
Athletics
position where they're one-dimen
sional," Carr said in a press conference
Monday. " ... So 1 think our
success in doing a good job against the
run die last two weeks has put diem in
the position where they've had to
Turn to MICHIGAN, page 12
HAGER
continued from page 2
with two guys and I think they bring
two different things to the table. They
complement each other. They allow
us to change the ways we attack a de
fense and hopefully that creates prob
lems for our opponents."
The rotation, Clemens sjjird, realjJr
has come as no surprise, and he is
happy with the situation as long as
the team continues winning.
But "as a quarterback, you want to
take every single snap," he said when
asked if he preferredto be on the field
the entire game. 'The nice thing is that
we have two quarterbacks right now
that, by themselves, could win. But,
we've got two of them and we're playing
both of them. It's a lot better than hav
ing two quarterbacks that couldn't win."
Both Clemens and Fife have em
braced the issue of each playing in
every game with open arms — to this
point — but it should be getting to
the point where they could be sepa
rating themselves.
The Ducks have always been able
to employ two capable quarterbacks.
Jason Maas and Akili Smith did it.
Further proving the point, A.J. Feeley
was drafted after his senior season, a
year in which he barely saw the field.
Joey Harrington led the team that
season, and one year later he was one
of the top picks in the NFL draft.
Now, come to think of it, Clemens
could easily mirror 1 larrington's as
cension into the Oregon record
books. He hasn't yet shown the flair
for the dramatic that Harrington
showed, but he still is young. If he
stays on the right track, there's no rea
son to think he won't be able to come
into Harrington's realm.
Getting Clemens full-game experi
ence would benefit him, seeing how
he has yet to do so in the year and a
half he has played in Eugene.
Starting against Michigan, and bar
ring an offensive slowdown on the
part of the Ducks, would undoubted
ly give Clemens that boost for the reg
ular season.
Oregon senior safety Keith Lewis
said the Michigan game could produce
a slingshot effect for tire rest of the sea
son should the Ducks play well —
even possibly upsetting the Wolverines
— and the biggest benefactor of that
surge would be Clemens.
If Clemens comes out of the gate
strong against one of the nation's best,
why not leave him in. At this point the
Ducks will sink or swim depending on
how the team's quarterback plays, and
whether or not that QB has two heads,
it would be valuable game experience
for Clemens.
But why not let him stray far
from land?
Regardless, the experience he gets
against the Wolverines will help teach
him howto swim.
Contact the sports editor
at hankhager@dailyemerald.com.
His opinions do not necessarily
represent those of the Emerald.
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