Error processing SSI fileLetting games slip new habit for U-M
Go Green, Go Blue
Who will win Saturday's game between Michigan and Michigan State?
Related links
NCAA football scores and stats
Game photo galleries
MADISON, Wis. -- All night long, the noise built. And slowly, almost predictably, Michigan buckled and backed off, and allowed itself to get beat.
Wisconsin won this one, sure. But the Wolverines also blew it, and they knew it. The scene is growing oh-so-familiar, with another huge crowd celebrating madly as the U-M players trudged off, beaten for reasons that are hard to define.
Wisconsin's 23-20 victory Saturday night was a thriller, certainly, for retiring coach Barry Alvarez, who finally beat Lloyd Carr. For U-M, it was a stunner, another game that gradually, gradually slipped away, and finally was lost on John Stocco's 4-yard quarterback draw with 24 seconds left.
The Wolverines are 2-2 and in trouble because their quarterback, Chad Henne, and their offense suddenly look lost, and their defense remains questionable in the clutch.
The Wolverines finished with more total yards (401-287), as hollow a statistic as they'll ever see. They also finished with many more mistakes -- special-teams gaffes, crushing penalties and one critical Max Martin fumble.
One horrible streak continues for U-M, which now has lost its last six road openers. With a trip to rollicking Michigan State next, U-M is in real danger, especially if it doesn't settle down Henne and figure out how to generate offense. At the very least, Carr should consider trying backup Matt Gutierrez in place of Henne, who was limping after the game.
"We didn't do nothing as an offense in the second half," receiver Jason Avant said. "We made plays throughout the game, but when we need them, we haven't been stepping to the plate."
The same can be said of the defense. It was riled and solid most of the game but didn't come close in the end, when it mattered. On the final drive, Stocco and tailback Brian Calhoun effortlessly guided the Badgers 52 yards, using almost the entire final 4:29.
That's U-M's story lately, and it's a bitter one, one that has to change. It seemed as if everyone in noisy Camp Randall Stadium sensed the Badgers would just keep coming, and the Wolverines would keep backing up.
This is a tough place to play and the Badgers are 4-0, but U-M could have -- probably should have -- won, even without injured tailback Mike Hart. So there's still something here to be uncovered and unleashed.
We're putting this on Carr and offensive coordinator Terry Malone to pull it out of Henne and that battered offensive line. They did dig up a 49-yard flea-flicker from Henne to Mario Manningham that provided a brief 20-16 lead.
Henne finished 16 for 34, with two touchdowns and one interception. Although Henne has struggled in both of U-M's losses, Carr said he never considered making a switch.
"He was tentative on one throw there in the second quarter where we could have had a big play," Carr said. "These are good teams. And it's not just one guy."
When this game began, did we really have any idea what U-M was about? Was it a running team or a passing team or a defensive team? A good team? We still have doubts on every count.
The atmosphere was raucous, even as a steady drizzle fell and the lights came on. The atmosphere remained raucous when the Wolverines marched 94 yards on their first possession. The trouble for U-M was, it needed to go 95.
A 16-play drive ended when Kevin Grady was stuffed at the 1-yard line on fourth down, but it was a worthwhile gamble, and the first indication that Carr was beginning to trust his defense.
The bigger problem for U-M is, it can't trust its offense. For some reason, Henne doesn't look nearly as sharp as he did as a freshman. It's now clear, for these Wolverines to have any chance this year, it will have to start where it used to start, with defense.
The pass rush was occasionally fierce, and U-M held Wisconsin to 93 total yards in the first half. But the Wolverines declined to take control, something we've seen too many times in recent years.They get tentative and ramp down their aggressiveness, as if they're afraid to make mistakes. And before you know it, ol' Camp Randall is shaking and the Badgers are rallying and U-M's troubles are mounting.
The Wolverines still don't have any idea who they are or what they do well. As another monstrous test looms in East Lansing, time is running out to figure it out.
You can reach Bob Wojnowski at bob.wojnowski@detnews.com.
Copyright © 2005
The Detroit News.
Use of this site indicates your agreement to the Terms of Service (updated 12/19/2002).