The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MICHIGAN FOOTBALL his opportunities on the fake field goals, his opportunities on the catches … hey, when opportunity meets preparation, that's when they have success. Our job is to prepare them, and give them the opportunity." That includes the newcomers. Great Individual Performances Desmond Howard Stars There is little doubt that both Dar- boh and Chesson will get every op- portunity to prove they can make an immediate impact upon Michigan's passing game — or, for that matter, the running game. Part of the process of getting to know Michigan for any receiver in- cludes a primer on the pride U-M wideouts take in blocking. The new- est Wolverines will fit right in, Heck- linski promised. "Our kids know it, when they come In Super Bowl Victory Over the course of his 11-year NFL career, Desmond Howard never really caught on as a wide receiver, making just 123 grabs for 1,597 yards and seven touchdowns. He made a name for himself instead returning kicks and punts. Serving that role for five teams, Howard had eight punt return touchdowns and averaged 11.9 yards per return during his career while averaging 22.2 yards on kickoffs. Howard would utilize his talents en route to Super Bowl XXXI MVP honors, set- ting a record with 244 return yards, in leading the Green Bay Packers to a 35-21 win over the New England Patriots at the conclusion of the 1996 campaign. The 1991 Heisman Trophy winner, who had a 71-yard punt return for a touch- down in Green Bay's NFC championship victory over the San Francisco 49ers, set up the Packers' first touchdown in the Super Bowl with a 32-yard punt return. With outstanding field position throughout the first half, Green Bay led 27-14 at halftime. The Patriots, however, scored late in the third quarter, setting up what could on official visits and are around our guys," he said. "They know what the expectation is. We've talked about it before — at Michigan, you're going to be known as a blocker. "We're going to be known as a he ran that kickoff back, that really deflated them." In addition to the celebrity treatment he received, Howard parlayed his Super team that's going to play for 60 min- utes on the perimeter. Each and every kid knows that. If they don't want to block, there are other opportunities for them. "These two kids, Jehu and Amara, they love the physicalness in the run game. That, in turn, plays into the pass game. They love being physi- cal, going up and over people. That's why we're excited about these two kids." Jackson has coached some of the greatest Michigan rushers of all time, from Tyrone Wheatley to Anthony Thomas to Chris Perry to Mike Hart. Some carried more recruiting hype than others, and Jackson has learned to trust his own eyes. He likes what he sees in newcomer Veteran running backs coach Fred EXCITED ABOUT TAILBACK DRAKE JOHNSON FRED JACKSON Bowl performance into a hefty free-agent contract with the Oakland Raiders. He struggled in his first season on the West Coast, experienced a bounce-back year in 1998 with the Raiders, and finished out his career in Detroit from 1999-2002. Howard is one of only two former Wolverines to earn Super Bowl MVP honors, joining quarterback Tom Brady (2002 and 2004). " Packers great Reggie White said. "When have been a tense final 15 minutes, but on the ensuing kickoff, Howard retrieved the ball at the 1-yard line and then did what Michigan fans came to expect, re- turning it 99 yards for a score. "Desmond broke the game open for us, Drake Johnson, regardless of the dearth of national drumbeat on his behalf. The senior who rushed for more than 2,800 yards and scored 37 touchdowns for Ann Arbor Pioneer this season is going to get a long look from the coach who calls U-M's back- field shots. "When you talk about a guy like Drake Johnson, here is a guy who has won the state championship in Howard was named the MVP of Super Bowl XXXI after sealing Green Bay's 35-21 win over New England with a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown en route to a record 244 return yards. PHOTO COURTESY JIM BIEVER MARCH 2012 THE WOLVERINE 83