Grinding ground game runs roughshod over Bears' defense

Did you really think that after Brian Griese's magnificent passing game last week against Colorado that Michigan was about to abandon its running game and go to a ... gulp, pro-set style offense where the options are a pass, a pass and a long pass?

Nonsense.

Not the slightest bit discouraged by a mediocre performance a week ago, where they ran up only 141 yards on the ground, nor by the absence of fullback Chris Floyd, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr drew up a game plan which hinged primarily on the Wolverine

WARREN ZINN/Daily Anthony Thomas' second-effort plunge got him into the end zone, but his celebration was short-lived - the touchdown was called back because of a holding penalty. Thomas, a true freshman, led the Wolverines in rushing with 122 yards on 21 carries.

s' running game Saturday.

Of Michigan's 532 yards of total offense, 344 came on the ground, re-affirming that the running game is still the main cog in the Michigan offensive engine.

"Last week against Colorado, we didn't establish a good running game," said Michigan tailback Chris Howard, who rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns. "The focus this week was having a good ground attack. A good running game and a good passing game allows us to do different things."

What it most allowed Michigan to do was spice up its play calling. Rarely could one predict if the Wolverines would pass or run, regardless of the down.

In the second quarter, on third and 11 with Michigan pinned deep at their own 7-yard line, Howard's number was called on what is often a passing down. Sure enough, the Baylor defense was thinking pass and Howard scampered up the middle for 17 yards and a first down.

Three plays later, on a third and three from its own 31, Michigan opted to throw, and Griese hit Tai Streets over the middle on a slant for six yards and another first down.

This is not to say that Michigan went against conventional wisdom on every third down play (the Wolverines ran on 30 of 42 first-down plays), but it did so enough to force Baylor to think twice on nearly every play.

Not surprising, partly because Michigan's offense was so unpredictable, the Wolverines were able to average 5.6 yards per carry, a rate that nearly guarantees victory.

Also keeping Baylor on edge was the number of resources Michigan had in its backfield. Along with Howard, freshman Anthony Thomas' 122 yards gave the Wolverines their first duo of 100-yard backs since Tyrone Wheatley and Tshimanga Biakabutuka ran roughshod over Purdue on Nov. 5, 1994, for 148 and 100 yards, respectively.

But the options did not end with Howard and Thomas. Clarence Williams served as an excellent complementary scatback to the power games provided by the other two.

The 5-foot-9 Williams, who contrasts the 220-pound bruisers Thomas and Howard, rushed for 77 yards to go along with his five receptions out of the backfield, giving Michigan a relentless attack no matter who was the featured back.

"Whenever one of these guys got tired, we brought in a new one," Griese said. "It was just like reloading."

The reloading job was in the hands of assistant head coach Fred Jackson and offensive coordinator Mike DeBord, who did a good job divying up the carries for the trio.

"Anybody that's a running back wants to get the ball," Howard said. "And the way we were spreading the ball around, Fred Jackson and Mike DeBord are doing an excellent job at giving us all opportunities to get the ball."

And with the absence of Floyd, two of the three were often in the game at the same time forcing Baylor to guess yet again as to who to key on.

"When you have three guys who almost run for 100 yards each, a defense can't key on any one guy," Howard said.

But Michigan has shown in the past that its overload of backfield talent has been anything but a hindrance to its development.

When Wheatley was nagged by injuries early in the 1994, season Biakabutuka received plenty more carries in Wheatley's absence and then shared the workload when the incumbent returned.

So despite Griese's high quarterback rating (14th in the nation), don't look for Michigan to go away from its bread and butter anytime soon.

09-22-97