The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MICHIGAN FOOTBALL for 68 yards and a touchdown on nine carries (7.6 yards per rush) in a 34-14 loss to Washington. A year later, he helped the Maize and Blue find redemption, going off for a career-high 235 yards and three scores on just 15 carries (15.7-yard average), including an 88-yard TD gallop to open the second half in a 38-31 win over the Huskies. The performance earned Wheatley Rose Bowl MVP honors, while his 88- yard run remains the longest in Rose Bowl history. Wheatley's class of four will bring Rose Bowl Hall of Fame inductees to 117, and he will join 10 former Wol- verines to have received the honor: former player and head coach Bump Elliot (class of 1989), end Neil Snow (1990), halfback Bob Chappuis (1992), head coach Bo Schembechler (1993), tailback Butch Woolfolk (1998), full- back Mel Anthony (2002), halfback Chuck Ortmann (2008), quarterback Brian Griese (2012) and head coach Lloyd Carr (2013). WILLIE HENRY KEEPING PACE WITH U-M SACK LEADERS With six sacks in Michigan's first seven games, redshirt junior defen- sive lineman Willie Henry is on pace to record 10 quarterback takedowns during the regular season and 11 with an additional bowl game. Henry is seeking to join elite com- pany — there have been just eight double-digit sack campaigns in Mich- igan program history, most recently in 2009 when Brandon Graham had 10.5 sacks in his senior season; David Bowens (1996) and LaMarr Woodley (2006) share the U-M single-season record with 12 QB takedowns. Henry has been, arguably, Michi- gan's best defensive linemen over the past four games, recording 7.5 of his nine total tackles for loss in leading the Wolverines to a 3-1 mark in wins over BYU, Maryland and Northwest- ern, and the loss to Michigan State. The 6-3, 307-pound Henry is the first Wolverine defender to record six sacks in a season since Graham posted 8.5 or more in three straight seasons from 2007-09. The best mark over the past five years was Ryan Van Bergen's 5.5 sacks in 2011. Michigan ranked fifth in the Big Ten overall with 18 sacks through Oct. 17, and was second in the con- ference and 10th nationally with 55 tackles for loss through seven games. The Maize and Blue are on pace for 33 sacks and 102 tackles for loss, well ahead of last year's numbers (29 QB takedowns and 82 tackles for loss). "A lot of these kids are juniors now, eligibility-wise, and they've been here for three years," defensive line coach Greg Mattison said. "They've gotten stronger. They understand football better. They've got a lot in- vested, and now you want to start reaping some benefits. "They've worked very hard on their technique. And it's not just one group. Our secondary is playing so well, our linebackers are doing some really good things. All those things, hand in hand, help the front be able to play better. It's a team deal, all the way." ❏