For first time all season, Brady plays entire game

BLOOMINGTON - The last time Michigan used one quarterback for an entire game and won was 364 days before Saturday's game - Oct. 31, in a 15-10 yawner over Minnesota.

Tom Brady had a better game this Saturday - he had to. After the Wolverines surrendered a 17-point lead and fell behind 24-17 in the fourth quarter, he led Michigan on a comeback against the Hoosiers.

But Brady's performance wasn't enough to make this a regular gig for him. Or at least his coach, Lloyd Carr, wouldn't publicly confirm that. Carr said he made the decision during the course of Saturday's game.

But Brady learned that he would play the entire game as early as Wednesday, if not earlier, said one teammate.

"He was excited because he had the opportunity to prove himself," said the player, who asked that his name not be used. "He was pretty much like, 'Alright, here we go.'"

DANA LINNANE/Daily Lloyd Carr denies that he decided before the game that Tom Brady would play the entire way. But one Michigan player says that Carr alerted Brady to the strategy on Wednesday, three days before the game.

The fifth-year senior completed 17 of his 29 passes for 226 yards and one touchdown - a seven-yarder to freshman tight end Bennie Joppru. The completion kept his streak of touchdown passes in Big Ten games alive at 13.

In Michigan's previous seven games, the Wolverines have gone with Brady in the first quarter and Drew Henson in the second quarter. At halftime, the coaches decided which quarterback had the hotter hand, and then used that player for the rest of the game.

But even that halftime decision was subject to review. Against Michigan State on Oct. 9, Henson was yanked after throwing an interception to the Spartans' Aric Morris which led to a quick touchdown. Henson earned the second-half nod just one other time, against Syracuse.

He was largely ineffective in the Wolverines' five-point second half against the Orangemen. When Brady was called back into the Michigan State game, he led the Wolverines to 21 fourth-quarter points.

Henson hasn't led the Wolverines on a sustained scoring drive since a 10-play, 63-yarder in the second quarter against Purdue. That drive was capped by a one-yard Anthony Thomas plunge.

It's entirely possible that Carr has made a clear decision on his quarterback situation for the rest of the season.

He has been less than forthright with outsiders - and apparently, even some players - all season. He promised a group of reporters that he would inform them of his decision a week before the season-opening game with Notre Dame.

The Monday before that game, Carr told reporters they would learn of his decision come game time on Saturday, though word leaked out shortly thereafter that Brady would start.

Now, eight games, a forgettable October and two painful losses later, Carr seems determined to keep his quarterback picture as cloudy as possible for as many as possible.

"The situation dictated that I make a decision that was best for the team," Carr said. "In this game, that decision was to leave Tom in."

11-01-99