Football turns to Woodson for everything in 1997

By Mark Snyder
Daily Sports Editor

Michigan football fans walk into Michigan Stadium each fall in search of something new.

A new field, from turf to grass, was installed in 1991.

A new coach, from Mo to Llo, patrolled the sidelines in 1995.

And a new weapon, from offense to defense and back again, burst onto the scene last season.

Charles Woodson, a multi-faceted junior stolen from the state of Ohio, is Michigan's next Heisman Trophy candidate.

Woodson's greatest asset may be Michigan coach Lloyd Carr's biggest problem. Carr will have trouble trying to avoid the temptation to use the versatile Woodson too often.

For two seasons on defense, Woodson has been Michigan's best player. Last season he demonstrated his outstanding talents in the secondary, finishing sixth on the team in tackles with 69. But it was when the opposing quarterback would test him that Woodson would elevate his play.

Larger than the average cornerback at 6-foot-1, 192 pounds, Woodson was able to use his body to pull down a team-high five interceptions last season.

The defensive numbers were comparable to his freshman season, but it was in other areas that Woodson demonstrated his remarkable versatility - at first to a puzzled crowd of Michigan faithful.

Although it was for only one play, when Woodson lined up on offense against Illinois, Michigan Stadium was alive with questions.

One play later, a reverse from tailback Clarence Williams ended up in Woodson's hands, and 57 yards later, Woodson had established himself as an offensive force - not to mention silencing 106,000 doubters in the process.

He only carried the ball five more times over the rest of the season, but finished with a 25-yards-per-carry average. He also caught 13 passes, solidifying his status as an all-around threat.

But despite the accolades that await Woodson, Michigan remains plagued with the same problem it has faced since Todd Collins left Ann Arbor three seasons ago.

While a quarterback controversy between two men surrounded the program at the beginning of last season, the only change this fall is that two more signal callers have joined the fray.

Senior Brian Griese and junior Scott Dreisbach are the leading candidates for the No. 1 quarterback position this fall but now have additional competition from freshman Jason Kapsner and sophomore Tom Brady.

The four-man struggle was the focus of the spring and will be up in the air until the first game, according to Carr.

"I think the competition that we have is tremendous," he said at the spring press conference. "We have four guys and every single one of them has A) ability and B) a competitive spirit."

That spirit will be vital. Last season ended on a sour note for the Wolverines as they fell to Alabama, 17-14.

Griese got the call in the Outback Bowl in January, and set Outback Bowl records for completions but threw a costly interception that Alabama linebacker Dwayne Rudd returned for a touchdown to seal Michigan's fate.

The bowl game ended the fourth consecutive four-loss season for Michigan.

To change the trend, Carr is going to have to rely heavily on Woodson, Michigan's Mr. Do-it-all.

And with a non-conference slate that includes Colorado and Notre Dame, the Heisman candidate should have plenty of opportunities to showcase his skills.

Summer Orientation 1997