Michigan finds it easy to get Streets back in offense

MADISON - For nine games, Michigan has won because of its No. 1 defense. Saturday, the Wolverines needed their offense to topple No. 23 Wisconsin, 26-16.

Michigan's defense wasn't horrendous by any stretch of the imagination, but it didn't live up to its own lofty standards. The offense, meanwhile, rolled up 486 total yards.

Another surprise was the re-emergence of wide receiver Tai Streets, who caught five passes for 108 yards and one touchdown. Streets, Michigan's best receiver last season, had only 19 catches before the Wisconsin game in what most people would consider a sub-par season.

Part of Streets' difficulties in the past three weeks stem, at least partially, from injury. He has played for at least three weeks with a dislocated finger on each hand, although one was healed by Saturday. But that doesn't explain Streets' disappe

WARREN ZINN/Daily Split end Tai Streets (top left) had five receptions for 108 yards.

aring act in the Wolverines' first six games.

Eclipsed by tight end Jerame Tuman and running backs Clarence Williams and Chris Howard, Streets practically vanished from Michigan's passing arsenal. Three of quarterback Brian Griese's five interceptions this season have bounced off Streets' hands.

But against the Badgers, the junior came back from one of the worst performances of his career against Penn State to lead Michigan in receiving for the first time all year. More important, Streets made two difficult catches, the kinds he hasn't made this season until Saturday.

"I never doubted Tai Streets' ability," Griese said. "Obviously, he hasn't played up to his potential this season, but he really stepped up today."

Although Streets does not possess world-class speed, he is Michigan's only real deep threat. His height and leaping ability made him a favorite target of both Griese and Scott Dreisbach last season. And it was Streets who took a Griese pass 69 yards for the winning touchdown against Ohio State last season.

But Streets' poor hands this season forced Michigan to turn elsewhere for offensive production. Howard and Williams have caught more balls out of the backfield than last season, and Tuman, a preseason All-American, has become the Wolverines' big-play receiver.

And Michigan coach Lloyd Carr has been using defensive back-turned receiver Charles Woodson as a deep threat far more often than Streets.

So while the Wolverines have won their share of games since Streets' hiatus, it would be an understatement to say Streets has been missed. Without' Streets five catches, Michigan very well may not have beaten the Badgers. And nobody knows that more than Carr.

"Tai Streets has shown tremendous courage playing with two dislocated fingers," Carr said. "I told him 'Tai, either you can't play or you have to endure the pain and the discomfort that comes when you catch the ball.'

"I'm very proud of him because a lot of guys aren't tough mentally and it's easy to lose confidence when things are bad, but he hung in there and showed people what he can do today."

11-17-97