Askew on target; Fargas looking up

David Den Herder

Double Down

Let's play favorites. My favorite ice cream flavor is mint chocolate chip. Your favorite thing to do on a Saturday may well involve Michigan Stadium. And Lloyd Carr's favorite play may well involve a play-action fake, rollout to the right and pass-on-the-run to the tight end.

Heh? Things turn into favorites because virtually every time you do them, something good happens. Sometimes you can't explain it - things just work out. In 1997, that favorite play won Michigan a game against Iowa, capping a 3 TD rally in the second half. On New Year's Day, just such a play won Michigan the Orange Bowl.

Last Saturday, more good news. But this time the pass - intended for the tight end Bennie Joppru - took a bizarre carom into the heads-up hands of B.J. Askew.

He took the would-be incompletion and turned it into a big gainer. Michigan's favorite play worked again, and on a more interesting note, we found out Askew was a playmaker.

He calls himself a tailback in a fullback's position - crafty, but still in there "doing some dirty work."

Saturday, Askew had the presence to make 87 yards out of only three catches. Still, he claims to "enjoy" popping the blocks. "If it means sticking my nose in there against somebody to win," says Askew, "I'll do it."

Whether or not Askew will be incorporated as much into the ball movement during the Big Ten season of blitzes and heads-down plowlines remains to be seen - but B.J.'s ability to handle it certainly does not.

Back in the mix

Nevermind that Justin Fargas fumbled his first handoff in the Big House in two years.

The injury-redshirted sophomore is looking up - literally.

In stark contrast to partner Anthony Thomas, who tends to lower his horns and charge for the best on most snaps, Fargas is always looking over defenders. Saturday, he even jumped over one, on his way to 70 yards rushing in eight carries.

"Anthony Thomas is a great running back," he'll tell you - calling Thomas' running style more mature, "more patient" than his own.

And Thomas is suited well for this dominant offensive line.

But what Fargas won't say is that he may be a better pure running back than the A-Train.

And while Thomas picked up 108 yards in 23 carries, freshman Chris Perry had only five fewer yards - in only 10 carries.

Yes, we've all run the stupid scenario through our heads: Quarterback John Navarre plays very well and consistently in his Tom Brady style for three games, and then Drew Henson comes back and throws three interceptions against Illinois, and bang we have a quarterback controversy.

Not going to happen.

But while everyone is busy yapping it up about the QBs over Coors Light and Brats, has anybody stopped to consider that we may have a running back controversy?

It's worth at least one beer's worth of babble.

- David Den Herder can be reached at dden@umich.edu