The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/152358
"It's not, 'I'm a backup. I may never get my shot until a guy gets hurt.' We can rotate guys, and they can go in there and get the job done. Now we're fresher, and now we're playing faster football. That just causes more problems for offenses." Beyer appears the stauncher of the two against the run, having moved from defensive end. Gordon is the better pass defender, coming from safety. Manning certainly didn't rule out situational use for the tandem. "That's coaching," Manning said. "It's putting kids in the best position, where their skills and talents can best be shown. If you have a guy that's better in pass coverage, well, he may be a guy you bring in on those passing situations, or if a guy is a better pass rusher. As practice goes on, those are the things you're looking for as a coach. "You're building packages for certain players. That's what you want to do. You want to have your best 11 on the field in every situation." Wolverines Dream Of More Than Beating Buckeyes Courtney Avery experienced every Michigan player 's dream two seasons ago in The Big House. He deflected then intercepted a Braxton Miller pass to seal the game against the Wolverines' fiercest rival. He'll never forget that moment, and neither will his teammates. That said, every one of them — including Avery — would trade any individual play for a Big Ten championship. "We're extremely focused," Avery said. "That's been the focus here for a long time. That's what's on my mind — Big Ten championship, national championship. "That's what we're working towards every day, and that's what's on our minds each practice, each workout." To reach either one of those goals, the Wolverines know they need to go through the Buckeyes, a popular pick to not only win the Big Ten but possibly play in the national championship game. OSU skated through an NCAA sanctions-shortened 2012 season undefeated in its first year with Urban Meyer as head coach. Some expect the Buckeyes to pick up right where they left off. U-M redshirt junior quarterback Devin Gardner isn't concerned about the talk, only the eventual outcome. "I don't care about that," he said. "Everybody is going to have their own opinion, and rightfully so. They won all their games last year. Until we prove we are the team to beat, they are the team to beat, and that's fine with me." The last time the Wolverines beat Ohio State, Avery had a huge hand in the win. He'd love to play Buckeye slayer again, but that's not the main goal, he cautioned. Winning the Big Ten has his undivided attention. "It would be so much sweeter," Avery said. "No one play is going to even come close to the feeling of a Big Ten championship. That's our goal, and that's going to be the best feeling we've felt, because we haven't had it in a while." ❑