Lining the Trenches

Lines are key if Blue hopes to bounce back for Big Ten season

It begins now - Big Ten football. This week, it's finally time for smash-mouth, broken-limb, I'm-gonna-run-right-through-you football.

No more silly option offense. No more passing on first down. Just hard-nosed gridiron action.

When one refers to 'Big Ten football,' talk begins and ends with the trenches. The offensive and defensive lines are especially critical components to teams in the Big Ten.

And when Michigan and Michigan State square off on Saturday, the linemen will be significant factors in determining the outcome of the game.

WARREN ZINN/Daily If the Wolverines expect to beat Michigan State for the fourth time in five years on Saturday, they need a healthy offensive line to shine. The offensive line, like every other position on the football team so far, has seen its share of bumps and bruises.

The Michigan trenchmen have been bullied around a little bit over the past few weeks. Injuries have plagued most of the team, but the most significant loss for the running game has been the injury to center Steve Hutchinson. Hutchinson's departure left the Wolverines with inexperience at the center spot.

"The only one I know will be back this week (from injury) is Hutchinson," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said.

Hutchinson's return to the offensive line should help rebuild what was previously considered one of the top starting offensive line units in the country.

But with Hutchinson out, the Wolverines had trouble running the ball against Notre Dame and Syracuse. Michigan running backs were only able to amass 150 yards against the Fighting Irish and 154 against Syracuse.

But against a smaller Eastern Michigan team, the Wolverines were able to drive the ball up and down the field at will, racking up 237 yards and four rushing touchdowns.

"Coming up this week will be a big test for us," Michigan offensive lineman Jon Jansen said. "We're going up against one of the best defensive lines in the country. We'll get a chance to gauge how we are as an offensive line this week."

Against Michigan State, advancing the ball on the ground might prove extremely difficult. The Spartans boast a strong defensive line anchored by All-America candidate defensive end Robaire Smith.

"I went against Robaire last year and he's a heck of a football player," Michigan tight end Mark Campbell said. "He's quick, he's strong. He's everything you can ask for in a defensive end. I'm sure the pro scouts are drooling over him."

The Wolverines have been finding themselves in third-and-long situations quite often. Michigan's offensive play calling generally consists of establishing a running game to open up the short passing game. If the running game is doing well, then the Wolverines can control the ball for the majority of the game - thanks to the short third down situations that are easier to convert.

"Our conversions haven't been very good," Michigan quarterback Tom Brady said. "We've been in third-and-long situations, which didn't happen much last year."

On the other side of the ball, Michigan's defensive line has been having its problems, as well. The departure of all-American defensive end Glen Steele seems to be more significant than everyone previously thought.

So far this season, the Wolverines have had a nearly non-existent pass rush.

"One of the things we definitely need to do if we're going to win on Saturday is to have more pressure than we did against Eastern Michigan, and certainly more than we did against Notre Dame and Syracuse," Michigan nose tackle Rob Renes said.

When the defensive line is held at bay, opposing quarterbacks have had a field day picking apart Michigan's secondary. Eastern Michigan quarterback Walt Church did just that, as he was able to sit comfortably in the pocket last Saturday and rack up 343 yards passing.

But the defensive line's primary concern is the running game. And at Michigan, defense is the lifeblood of the team. So far this season, opponents have bled the Wolverines dry. The Irish racked up 280 rushing yards and Syracuse totaled 190.

Sure, the defensive line doesn't deserve all the blame. The Michigan linebackers have suffered key injuries to Clint Copenhaver, Sam Sword and Ian Gold. Still, Michigan's defensive linemen - Juaquin Feazell, Josh Williams and Renes - will have to contend with the explosive ability of Sedrick Irvin, Michigan State's dangerous running back.

"Regardless of the play they call, the interior guys like myself need to get pressure on the ball," Renes said. "Every game depends on the interior guys stopping the run so we can force them to have to throw the ball."

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