Freshman Fargas dislocates knee in win

Lost in the celebration of Saturday's convincing win was an ugly knee injury, and lost, perhaps, as a result of that injury might be Michigan freshman tailback Justin Fargas.

Coach Lloyd Carr said Fargas dislocated his right knee when he was tackled in the final minutes of the game. Fargas was taken to the hospital to be evaluated, and Carr said the freshman's status was not immediately clear.

"The loss of Fargas at the end is a big blow," Carr said. "Anytime you have an injury it is a concern. We hope it is not too serious."

Fargas had his knee immobilized and was carted off the field.

The injury came on Fargas' sixth carry of the game. His six carries netted 17 yards for the Wolverines, and he also returned one kick for six yards. In the past few weeks, Carr had praised Fargas' improvement and even awarded the freshman with a sta

WARREN ZINN/Daily In the fourth quarter on Saturday, Justin Fargas was carted off the field after he suffered a dislocated knee. An update on his status should come this afternoon.

rt against Indiana. An update on his condition is expected this afternoon.

What a Carr!: One of the more amazing statistics emerging from this Michigan season is one that has received relatively little publicity.

Perhaps lost beneath the shouts of the phone-in radio idiots calling for his job is the fact that Lloyd Carr, with his team's past two wins, has improved his career record at Michigan to 9-0 against top 10 teams. All things considered, it's a statistic that is nothing short of astounding.

"Coach Carr and the rest of the coaches do an outstanding job getting us prepared every week," linebacker James Hall said. "We're always ready for anything the other team has."

Say what you will about his play-calling against middle of the pack Big Ten teams, but Carr's success against the nation's best teams - nine wins, zero losses - is beyond question.

Shea what you will: While Michigan's backfield was firing on all cylinders this past Saturday, one back that's consistently made his mark, week after week, is fullback Aaron Shea. Against Wisconsin, the junior caught two passes for 39 yards, one of which was a 30-yarder down the middle of the field that set up an eventual touchdown.

Shea didn't carry the ball at all against the Badgers, but was nonetheless a big contributor to Michigan's running attack. His blocking sprang Michigan backs on more than a few occasions, and on one Anthony Thomas touchdown run, Shea single-handedly knocked three defenders out of Thomas' path.

"Aaron Shea's a guy who I expected all along to become an excellent football player," Carr said. "He does so many things, and he's so versatile.

"He's a fun kid to coach. He's a fine young man, I'll tell you that."

Shea spent last season as a little-used backup at the tight end position, behind Jerame Tuman and Mark Campbell. Originally a fullback, Shea switched back again this year, and has blossomed with a regular role in the backfield.

And in big games, such as the one next week in Columbus, Shea said he has an easy time getting ready to play.

11-16-98