The Wolverine

2013 Football Preview

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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In 2009, versus Western Michigan, then freshman Denard Robinson raced 43 yards through almost all 11 defenders for a scintillating touchdown run. photo by Amir Gamzu/Wolverine Photo ter points. However, the Hawkeyes' Tim Dwight returned a kickoff to Michigan's 26-yard line. A defensive stand forced a field goal, but U-M still trailed 24-21 heading into the fourth quarter. The Maize and Blue toiled through the first seven minutes of the fourth, but finally grabbed some momentum when quarterback Brian Griese connected with Tuman for back-to-back receptions. After two unsuccessful plays from the 2-yard line, Griese spotted Tuman in the end zone for the go-ahead score and the defense prevailed. "There were guys all around Tuman, and even though that tight end waggle was seemingly invincible, Iowa was ready for it on that play," Cathy Sloan said. "But Griese and Tuman just had this incredible chemistry all season, and the moment he released it, when I spotted No. 80 in the end zone, you just knew it would be a touchdown." 7. 1979, Anthony Carter vs. Indiana: Michigan's lone loss in the first seven weeks of the season was to No. 9 Notre Dame, 12-10, and here was lowly, unranked Indiana (though that was a once-in-a-decade Hoosiers team) salivating at the prospect of walking out of Ann Arbor with a 21-21 tie after rallying from a 21-7 deficit. U-M took possession at its own 22 with 51 seconds left and moved to the Indiana 45-yard with six ticks left on the clock. Quarterback John Wangler hit Carter in stride, he avoided three tacklers and scored the touchdown. "Disbelief, shock," Patrick Lucas said. "We were in section 18, the southwest corner, and that was just my second year out of college. It's still the memory that all these years later where I can remember the faces of the fans I high-fived. I can close my eyes, and it feels like yesterday. "Even after he caught it, there were two defenders right there, but A.C. made a little move and they collided. And then there was a safety that had an angle, but A.C. could see the end zone and he kicked it into an extra gear. It was unforgettable." 8. 2009, Denard Robinson vs. Western Michigan: Tate Forcier was Michigan's true freshman quarterback in 2009, but head coach Rich Rodriguez made it clear that someday Robinson would have a legit chance to unseat him. Why everyone wondered? With one snap, one fumbled snap, Robinson showed why, racing 43 yards through almost all 11 Broncos defenders for a scintillating TD run. "It felt like 10 different things happened all in a span of about five seconds," Craig Roberson said. "He dropped the snap, and you thought, 'Oh boy' and then he's cutting to the right, stopping on a dime, sliding back to his left, splitting two defenders and then he's gone. I've never seen anyone in my life, and I've been coming to games for 30 years, have that type of acceleration. "You didn't know it at the time because Tate was our quarterback and looked like he would be the quarterback for awhile, but Denard gave a preview of what was to come maybe better than any other Michigan player ever has." 9. 2009, Greg Matthews vs. Notre Dame: Michigan's three-year run of dramatic, last-minute victories over Notre Dame began in 2009 with Forcier under center in just his second career contest. The rivals traded leads six times with the Irish going up 34-31 with 5:13 left. Occupying the football with 3:07 on the clock, ND consumed only 54 seconds, throwing two incompletions. U-M took control at its own 42yard line and moved 53 yards in eight plays, setting up Forcier's five-yard touchdown pass to Matthews as the clock ticked to down to 11 seconds. "It was sort of like that 1995 game against Virginia. You oddly remember the pass that didn't get caught right before the touchdown because that play would have completely altered what happened next," Bran Bannistark said. "I had my two sons with me, and they couldn't watch. I'll never forget my youngest, who was just 5 at the time, say: 'Daddy, I'm going to pray' and he did. "Now every time Michigan is in a do-or-die situation, he prays." 10. 1979, Butch Woolfolk vs. Wisconsin: When does a 54-0 blowout over a then-marginal opponent make the cut? When history is made, and on that day, Woolfolk did something no other Wolverine in program history had achieved and no U-M ball carrier since has eclipsed. He broke through the line of scrimmage and ran, and ran and ran, 92 yards. "Woolfolk was one of those track guys that if you gave him daylight, he was gone. There was no one in the stadium that could match his speed," Lucas said. "Still, 90 yards is a long, long way, and you just don't see that hardly ever, unless it's a kickoff." The Wolverine 2013 Football Preview  ■ 53

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