The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/230001
MICHIGAN FOOTBALL Lewan said the Wolverines are powering through as well, and healing as they prepare for the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl matchup against Kansas State. The scar in the captain's forehead remained prominent, but he wasn't bleeding like in similar meetings with the media over the final weeks of the season. "My forehead's already looking a lot better," he quipped. "It didn't even bleed today during practice. Everyone is getting healthier, our practices are shorter, but they're intense. They're quick. Everyone's focused, with a lot of energy." And no sappiness rendered, at least from an NFL-bound mainstay. DEVIN GARDNER WRITES HIS NAME INTO U-M RECORD BOOK With his five-touchdown performance against Ohio State Nov. 29, redshirt junior Devin Gardner has moved into a tie with Steve Smith (1980-83) with four such performances in their careers — a Michigan quarterback record. Gardner and Smith are the only signal-callers in program history with six-touchdown games, with Gardner reaching that mark against Iowa in 2012 and Smith doing it against Illinois in 1981 and Minnesota in 1983. Both players did it by rushing for three touchdowns and passing for three scores. In addition to Gardner and Smith, Denard Robinson (2009-12) accounted for five or more touchdowns three times, Rick Leach (1975-78) did it twice and Don Moorhead (1967-69) accomplished the feat once. These are the only known five-TD performances in modern U-M history, with statistical archives going back FIVE TOUCHDOWN GAMES BY MICHIGAN QUARTERBACKS YearQuarterback Opponent Rush Pass Total 1981 Steve Smith Illinois 336 1983 Steve Smith Minnesota 336 2012 Devin Gardner Iowa 336 1969 Don Moorhead Washington 325 1978 Rick Leach Minnesota 235 1978 Rick Leach Northwestern 325 1982 Steve Smith Northwestern 235 1983 Steve Smith Purdue 145 2010 Robinson Denard Indiana 235 2011 Denard Robinson Notre Dame 1 4 5 2011 Denard Robinson Ohio State 2 3 5 2013 Devin Gardner Notre Dame 1 4 5 2013 Devin Gardner Indiana 325 2013 Devin Gardner Ohio State 1 4 5