Error processing SSI fileMichigan: Notebook
Is U-M in for Maroney rerun?
Big Ten's top rusher struggled vs. Penn State, but he hurt Wolverines with 145 yards a year ago.
ANN ARBOR -- In one game, Minnesota tailback Laurence Maroney no longer looked invincible.
A week ago, Maroney, a bruising 5-foot-11 and 210 pounds, was a Heisman Trophy candidate and the leading rusher in the country, averaging 174.5 yards.
But in a 44-14 loss to Penn State on Saturday, the Golden Gophers, who lead the Big Ten in rushing, mustered only 113 yards. Maroney gained 48 -- just 14 in the first half -- on 16 carries.
Even so, No. 21 Michigan is preparing for the Maroney who can gain chunks of yardage when the teams play Saturday at Michigan Stadium. Last season, in Minnesota's 27-24 loss at U-M, Maroney had 19 carries for 145 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown in the first quarter.
"I think Laurence Maroney is a great back," U-M coach Lloyd Carr said. "I didn't mean a good one. He has got great speed. He's got great toughness. He's got great vision. He's got great size, 210 pounds. And when he gets free, as we learned a year ago, he can hit the home run."
Minnesota still leads the conference in rushing, averaging 283.8 yards, and Maroney is still the Big Ten's top rusher, averaging 149.2.
He admitted he got frustrated against Penn State, because the Nittany Lions' defense, he said, looks much more aggressive than it did on film.
"But you can't get too frustrated because then you won't be able to concentrate," Maroney said this week. "You'll be mad and then won't be able to read (defenses). So you've got to calm down, relax and let things work themselves out.
"I'm not going to say it'll be easy for us to put it behind us because it's a game we thought we should have won. When you don't play up to your expectation level, it's going to be a heartbreaker. But our confidence level is still high."
Michigan cornerback Darnell Hood, a former tailback, could offer nothing but compliments when asked about Maroney.
"He's a great back," Hood said. "He is one of the best running backs that I have seen since I have been in college. With a guy that is 200-something pounds and very explosive off a cut and able to take pounding and pounding and pounding and keep on coming, that's a back you have to worry about. That's a back you have to get a lot of hats on, a back you have to keep in front and inside.
Mental block?
Minnesota has lost 16 straight games to U-M, including the last two, which could have swung to the Golden Gophers.
In 2003, U-M made a superb fourth-quarter comeback to win. Last season, U-M started from its 13-yard line with 3:04 left and orchestrated the winning touchdown drive.
"There's not really a mental hurdle because we know we can play with them," said Bryan Cupito, a junior quarterback for Minnesota. "The past two years, no matter how good they've been, we've been right there with them. We've just finally got to get over the hump and finish off the game with a win, which we haven't been able to do. So mentally we think we can play with them, if not beat them every year.
"You hate any team that beats you. And they beat us consistently. So that's an advantage for them. They can find ways to beat us every year. They probably see us and they know it'll be a tough game, but they always probably figure they can get a win against us. We've got to change that this year. There's not a better way for us to get back on track, but to finally beat Michigan and take that next step in the Big Ten."
Said sophomore linebacker Mike Sherels: "It's like they always find a way to get us and we think about one of these times, we are due. We know what it takes to do that, but we have to go out there and execute."
Quotable
Cupito, on Minnesota's loss at Penn State: "I don't even know what you call last game. It was more than a loss. We got killed the entire game."
Safety out
Strong safety Brandon Owens of Minnesota suffered a serious shoulder injury at Penn State and could be out for the rest of the season.
Owens, considered Minnesota's top defensive player, collided with Penn State quarterback Michael Robinson.
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