If only one of Michigan's quarterbacks could kick field goals, then coach Lloyd Carr would probably feel a whole lot better about his team.
In Saturday's annual Spring game - won by the Brian Griese-led Maize team, 22-20 - the quartet of quarterbacks gunning for the starting job were significantly more impressive than the team's second-biggest question mark - the kicking game.
"(The quarterbacks) all played well," Carr said. "I was pleased with everything they did. All of them displayed good poise.
"Since we started spring practice five weeks ago, they've all improved."
Griese (7-for-11, 84 yards) and junior Scott Dreisbach (7-14, 146 and two touchdowns) put up the best numbers of the day, but their younger challengers sophomore Tom Brady and redshirt freshman Jason Kapsner also looked sharp.
Brady completed six of 12 passes for 71 yards, and Kapsner displayed confidence along with a lightning-quick release before he injured his left shoulder late in the first half. Although he didn't return, Carr said that the injury wasn't serious at all and that the competition is as strong as it has been all spring.
"Competition brings out the best in people, and that's certainly happened here," Carr said of the quarterbacks. "I told them not to worry about the fall but to worry about today.
"We'll go into fall practice and make a decision within a couple of weeks. We want to be fair to the individuals and to the team."
But finding the silver lining in the kicking game was about as difficult as trying to count the number of empty seats in Michigan Stadium.
Senior Jay Feely, one of the frontrunners for the placekicking job, missed the game due to an injury and senior Kraig Baker bounced a 46-yard field goal off the cross-bar and over in the game's final minute. But other than that, there wasn't much to write home about. Extra points weren't even gimmies.
"Obviously, when Baker kicks one through like that it gives him a jump," Carr said. "But we're not where we need to be there."
The punting game didn't fare any better. Sophomore Cory Sargent and senior Jason Vinson hardly put up numbers that would leave Carr drooling. Each punted five times, with Sargent averaging 32 yards per boot and Vinson only 30.4.
"I was hoping we would punt the ball well," Carr said. "There was some good and some bad with our kicking game."
And for all you pooch-punting fans out there, neither Griese nor Charles Woodson, who's been rumored to try his hand with his foot, didn't see any action in that department.
As for the game itself, it had the intensity and competitiveness of a mid-October Big Ten clash, including the unseasonably cold weather. The Maize, down 14-0 midway through the third quarter, scored a pair of touchdowns over the latter part of the period to cut the Blue lead to one.
The score remained that way until the game's final 36 seconds, when Baker's field goal gave the Maize its first lead of the game, 16-14.
Blue took over at midfield - there weren't any kickoff and the Maize were assessed a 15-yard penalty for excessive celebration after the field goal - and on fourth down, Driesbach was picked off by LeAundre Brown who returned it 62 yards for a score. But the extra point attempt failed, so Blue had yet another chance to come back, down only eight, 22-14.
Dreisbach hit Tai Streets on a 22-yard strike as time expired to cut the deficit to two. But the two-point conversion failed and the Maize were not only tasting victory, but the steak dinners they earned for the win, as well.
Overall, the offense surprised many with its performance. Characterized as often sluggish last season, it was anything but that yesterday. Senior tailback Chris Howard ran for 67 yards including a brilliant 18-yard touchdown scamper which first put the Maize on the scoreboard. Sophomore fullback John Anes, who's received rave reviews from Carr this spring racked up 43 yards on nine carries.
The receiving corps looked exceptional despite a few dropped balls here and there and the absence of injured senior tight end Jerame Tuman. Tuman's backups, senior Mark Campbell and junior Aaron Shea caught 10 passes between them for 121 yards.
Streets tightened his clamp as the top wideout with 125 yards on four catches and earned praise from Woodson who was guarding him most of the game.
"Our offense impressed me the most," Woodson said. "If we can do the things we did today during the season, we'll have no problem getting where we want to go. Tai Streets was amazing."
Despite losing All-Americans Jarrett Irons and William Carr from the front seven, Michigan's defensive unit looked like it hasn't missed a beat. Sophomore linebacker Dhani Jones had 10 tackles and is making a strong push to be Irons' replacement. Senior linebacker Clint Copenhaver is expected to assume some of Irons' leadership role and Carr is also predicting big things from him as far as production goes.
"Copenhaver should step up and be one of the best outside linebackers in the Big Ten," Carr said. "The key for us is that we're going to be quicker at the linebacker position."
Junior defensive end Chris Singletary seemed to be in the Blue team's backfield the entire game racking up nine tackles, including three for losses.
The secondary could be Michigan's strongest suit this year, even though the weak side cornerback position is still up in the air. Brown took a step closer to securing that job with his interception and a forced fumble leading to a Tom Hendricks touchdown. He's been competing with junior Andre Weathers. Already locked into starting jobs are Woodson at the other cornerback and senior Marcus Ray and junior Daydrion Taylor at the two safety spots.
WARREN ZINN/Daily
Aaron Shea had six catches for 73 yards and a touchdown in the annual Spring game on Saturday at Michigan Stadium.