Weekly Release #10
11/8/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
at
#6/#8 Penn State (9-1, 5-1 Big Ten)
Saturday, Nov. 13, 1999 (Noon EST)
Beaver Stadium, State College, Pa.
Projected Attendance: 93,967 (capacity)
Radio Coverage: WJR (760 AM Detroit) will originate the game on the Michigan Football Network. Frank Beckmann handles play-by-play, Jim Brandstatter is the analyst and Steve Courtney provides sideline reports and analysis. WUOM (91.7 FM) has Tom Hemingway doing play-by-play and Tom Slade as analyst.
TV Coverage: ABC Sports will broadcast the game to a national audience. Brent Musburger handles play-by-play with Gary Danielson providing color commentary. Jack Arute provides sideline reports.
Series History: This will be the seventh meeting between Michigan and Penn State. The series is knotted at 3-3, with both schools holding winning records at the other's stadium. The Wolverines have a 2-1 record at Beaver Stadium, winning in 1993 (21-13) and 1997 (34-8). The Wolverines have won the last two games and the initial meeting in the series.
Last Meeting: (Michigan 27, Penn State 0 -- Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, Mich., Nov. 7, 1998) Michigan's defense held Penn State to 200 yards of total offense, while the offense gained 360 total yards (136 rushing, 224 passing) in a 27-0 victory at home. Michigan gained an early 7-0 lead as Tom Brady threw a 26-yard TD pass to fullback Aaron Shea. Jay Feely added an 18-yard field goal in the first quarter after a PSU fumble. Brady threw a seven-yard TD pass to Tai Streets in the second quarter to make it 17-0. Feely added a 49-yard third-quarter field goal and Anthony Thomas added a TD run in the fourth quarter. Brady was 17-of-30 passing for 224 yard and two TDs. Shea caught three passes for 58 yards and Streets three for 38 yards. Tailback Clarence Williams added 83 rushing yards on 24 carries and made two catches for 46 yards. Linebackers Ian Gold (nine tackles), Sam Sword (seven tackles) and James Hall (five tackles, two sacks, forced fumble and blocked FG) led the defense.
QUICKLY ON COACH CARR ...
Lloyd Carr (Northern Michigan, 1968)
Fifth season as Michigan Head Coach
46-13 overall record at Michigan
Carr has a 7-2 record in his fifth year as Michigan's head coach and his 20th season with the University of Michigan football program. He led the Wolverines to a 10-3 overall record, back-to-back Big Ten titles and a 45-31 victory in the CompUSA Florida Citrus Bowl last season. In 1997, Carr led the Wolverines to a 12-0 record and a share of the national title that earned him national Coach of the Year honors. Carr, previously a Michigan assistant coach for 15 years, began his college coaching career as a defensive backs coach at Eastern Michigan (1976-77) before joining Gary Moeller's staff at Illinois in the same role (1978-79). Carr came to Michigan in 1980 as Bo Schembechler's secondary coach. Carr served as defensive coordinator (1987-94) and was assistant head coach (1990-94).
Did You Know
-- Lloyd Carr is one of only nine current Division I-A coaches who have won a national title. The others are: Joe Paterno, Penn State (2, 1982 and 1986); Dennis Erickson, Oregon State (2, 1989 and 1991 at Miami, Fla.); Bobby Bowden, Florida State (1, 1993); Lavell Edwards, Brigham Young (1, 1984); Steve Spurrier, Florida (1, 1996); Lou Holtz, South Carolina (1, 1987 at Notre Dame); John Robinson, UNLV (1, 1978 at Southern Cal); Phillip Fulmer, Tennessee (1, 1998). Carr was the quickest to win his national title though, winning college football's top team honor in only his third year as a collegiate head coach.
-- Lloyd Carr has the best winning percentage of all the previous Michigan coaches at Michigan Stadium. Carr is 27-4 (.871) in his career at the "Big House" and ranks fifth among all-time Michigan coaches in terms of winning percentage at home.
MICHIGAN TEAM AND PLAYER NOTES ...
Always Ranked
Michigan and Penn State enter this week's game (Nov. 13) ranked in the national polls. The Nittany Lions are listed No. 6 in the Associated Press poll while the Wolverines are ranked 16th. The two schools have been ranked in the Associated Press national poll when all six previous games were played.
| Date | W/L | Score | Site | AP Rank* |
| 1993 | W | 21-13 | State College, Pa. | 18/7 |
| 1994 | L | 24-31 | Ann Arbor, Mich. | 5/3 |
| 1995 | L | 17-27 | State College, Pa. | 12/19 |
| 1996 | L | 17-29 | Ann Arbor, Mich. | 16/11 |
| 1997 | W | 34-8 | State College, Pa. | 4/2 |
| 1998 | W | 27-0 | Ann Arbor, Mich. | 22/9 |
| 1999 | | | State College, Pa. | 16/6 |
* Michigan / Penn State Associated Press Ranking | ||||
Michigan Against Sixth-Ranked Teams
This will be the seventh time that the Wolverines play a team ranked sixth in the Associated Press national poll. Michigan has a 4-2 record (.667) in the previous six games. The last time the Wolverines played a sixth-ranked AP team was Sept. 23, 1972, when No. 12 Michigan defeated UCLA 26-9 in Los Angeles.
Michigan Against Associated Press No. 6 Teams
| Date | Rank | Opponent | Site | Result |
| Nov. 25, 1939 | --/6 | Ohio State | H | W, 21-14 |
| Oct. 8, 1955 | 2/6 | Army | H | W, 26-2 |
| Oct. 22, 1960 | --/6 | Minnesota | H | L, 0-10 |
| Oct. 5, 1963 | --/6 | Navy | H | L, 13-26 |
| Oct. 3, 1964 | 8/6 | Navy | H | W, 21-0 |
| Sept. 23, 1972 | 12/6 | UCLA | A | W, 26-9 |
Wolverines Against Top 10-Ranked Teams
Michigan has won 10 of its last 11 games against Associated Press top 10 teams (lost last year to Ohio State) and is 16-6-1 vs. AP top 10 teams in the 1990s. The Wolverines have a 6-2-1 record on the road against top 10 teams in the 1990s and have won five of their last six contests. Michigan is 105-93-8 (.529) against ranked teams since the Associated Press poll began in 1936.
| Date | Opponent (Rank) | Record* | Site | Result |
| 9/15/90 | Notre Dame (1) | | A | L, 24-28 |
| 9/14/91 | Notre Dame (7) | | H | W, 24-14 |
| 9/28/91 | Florida State (1) | | H | L, 31-51 |
| 10/5/91 | Iowa (9) | | A | W, 43-24 |
| 1/1/91 | Washington (2) | | N | L, 14-34 |
| 9/12/92 | Notre Dame (3) | 1-0-0 | A | T, 17-17 |
| 1/1/93 | Washington (9) | 9-2-0 | N | W, 38-31 |
| 10/16/93 | Penn State (7) | 5-0-0 | A | W, 21-13 |
| 11/20/93 | Ohio State (5) | 9-0-1 | H | W, 28-0 |
| 9/10/94 | Notre Dame (3) | 1-0-0 | A | W, 26-24 |
| 9/24/94 | Colorado (7) | 2-0-0 | H | L, 26-27 |
| 10/15/94 | Penn State (3) | 5-0-0 | H | L, 24-31 |
| 12/30/94 | Colorado State (10) | 10-1-0 | N | W, 24-14 |
| 11/25/95 | Ohio State (2) | 10-0-0 | H | W, 31-23 |
| 9/14/96 | Colorado (5) | 2-0-0 | A | W, 20-13 |
| 11/23/96 | Ohio State (2) | 10-0-0 | A | W, 13-9 |
| 9/13/97 | Colorado (8) | 1-0-0 | H | W, 27-3 |
| 11/8/97 | Penn State (2) | 7-0 | A | W, 34-8 |
| 11/22/97 | Ohio State (4) | 10-1 | H | W, 20-14 |
| 1/1/98 | Washington State (8) | 10-1 | N | W, 21-16 |
| 11/7/98 | Penn State (9) | 6-1 | H | W, 27-0 |
| 11/14/98 | Wisconsin (8) | 9-0 | H | W, 27-10 |
| 11/21/98 | Ohio State (7) | 9-1 | A | L, 16-31 |
* opponent's record heading into game | ||||
Michigan on Nov. 13
The Wolverines boast an impressive 13-1-1 record in games played on Nov. 13, with the .900 winning percentage listing tied for fourth highest in school history. Michigan has won four straight on Nov. 13, with the lone blemish coming at Northwestern (34-22 in 1965) and the only tie coming against Pennsylvania in 1915 (0-0).
Carr Against Top 10 and Nationally Ranked Opponents
This will the 11th time that Lloyd Carr faces a top 10-ranked team in the Associated Press national poll. Carr won his first nine games against AP top 10 teams and holds a 9-1 overall record against top 10 opponents. He has compiled an 18-8 overall record against nationally ranked teams and is 3-1 this season (defeated No. 16 Notre Dame, No. 20 Wisconsin and No. 11 Purdue and lost to No. 11 Michigan State).
Carr Eyes 60th Game at Michigan
Michigan's Lloyd Carr will coach his 60th career game as the Wolverines' head coach Saturday at Penn State. Carr has won each of the games ending in a zero during his career (see chart below). He has a 46-13 overall record and is 29-9 against Big Ten Conference opposition. He needs one victory to collect his 30th win in conference play.
Coach Lloyd Carr in Games Ending in a Zero
| Game | Opponent | Date | Score |
| 10 | Purdue | Nov. 11, 1995 | W, 5-0 |
| 20 | Minnesota | Oct. 26, 1996 | W, 44-10 |
| 30 | Northwestern | Oct. 11, 1997 | W, 23-6 |
| 40 | Eastern Michigan | Sept. 19, 1998 | W, 59-20 |
| 50 | Arkansas | Jan. 1, 1999 | W, 45-31 |
Renes, Hendricks and Backus Look for 35th Starts
Senior defensive players Rob Renes (Holland, Mich./West Ottawa HS) and Tommy Hendricks (Houston, Texas/Eisenhower HS) as well as senior/junior left tackle Jeff Backus (Norcross, Ga./Norcross HS) look to make their team-leading 35th consecutive starts in the Penn State game. Backus has started every game since his redshirt freshman year while Renes and Hendricks have started every game beginning with their sophomore year.
Three Eye 45th Game Played
Seniors Dhani Jones (Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill HS), Marcus Knight (Sylacauga, Ala./Comer HS) and Aaron Shea (Ottawa, Ill./Ottawa HS) look to play in their 45th career games when the Wolverines play at Penn State. Jones has started 28 career games at linebacker while Knight has made 20 starts at wide receiver and Shea has started 16 career games (14 at fullback and two at tight end).
Thomas Gains 1,000 Rushing Yards
Junior tailback Anthony Thomas (Winnfield, La./Winnfield HS) heads into the Penn State game with a career-high 1,019 rushing yards on 218 carries this season. He is averaging 4.7 yards per carry and has a 113.2 yards per game average in 1999. A Dr Pepper Doak Walker Award candidate, Thomas has 14 rushing touchdowns and needs one TD to equal his 15-touchdown mark from last year. He is the first Michigan running back since Tshimanga Biakabutuka in 1995 to rush for 1,000 yards in a season, and Thomas gained the 1,000-yard mark rushing for the 23rd time in school history. Thomas' 1,019 rushing yards list 21st in Michigan's season records and he is tied for third in season rushing touchdowns with 14.
Thomas' Career 100-Yard Rushing Games (11)
| Yards | Att. | Opponent, Year (Class) |
| 197 | 42 | at Indiana, 1999 (Jr.) |
| 183 | 13 | at Hawaii, 1998 (So.) |
| 172 | 17 | vs. Northwestern, 1999 (Jr.) |
| 138 | 32 | vs. Notre Dame, 1999 (Jr.) |
| 132 | 21 | vs. Arkansas in Citrus Bowl, 1999 (So.) |
| 129 | 20 | vs. Iowa, 1997 (Fr.) |
| 128 | 21 | vs. Illinois, 1999 (Jr.) |
| 122 | 21 | vs. Baylor, 1997 (Fr.) |
| 117 | 15 | vs. Eastern Michigan, 1998 (So.) |
| 116 | 23 | vs. Purdue, 1999 (Jr.) |
| 102 | 13 | vs. Wisconsin, 1998 (So.) |
Thomas Climbing Rushing Touchdown Charts
Tailback Anthony Thomas scored two rushing touchdowns in the Northwestern game to tie for third place all-time in season rushing touchdowns and moved into a tie with quarterback Rick Leach (1975-78) for second place all-time in career rushing touchdowns. With his two-touchdown game, Thomas has six multiple-rushing touchdown games this season and 10 in his career. He needs one touchdown to equal his previous career-best of 15 set last year and needs six TDs to break the school record of 19 rushing touchdowns set by Ron Johnson (1966-68) in 1968. Thomas needs 14 rushing touchdowns to break the school record of 47 rushing touchdowns set by tailback Tyrone Wheatley (1991-94). Thomas leads the team in scoring with 14 touchdowns for 84 points.
Thomas' Multiple Rushing Touchdown Games (10)
1999 -- Notre Dame (2), Rice (2), Purdue (2), Illinois (2), Indiana (3), Northwestern (2)
1998 -- Eastern Michigan (3), Wisconsin (2), Hawaii (4), Arkansas (3)
Michigan's Season Rushing Touchdowns List
| | Player (Year) | TDs | Needed |
| 1. | Ron Johnson (1968) | 19 | 5 |
| 2. | Anthony Thomas (1998) | 15 | 1 |
| 3. | Anthony Thomas (1999) | 14 | |
| | Tom Harmon (1940) | 14 | |
| | Rob Lytle (1976) | 14 | |
| | Jamie Morris (1987) | 14 | |
Michigan's All-Time Career Rushing TD List
| | Player (Years) | TDs | Needed |
| 1. | Tyrone Wheatley (1991-94) | 47 | 13 |
| 2. | Anthony Thomas (1997- ) | 34 | |
| | Rick Leach (1975-78) | 34 | 2 |
Terrell Nears 1,000 Career Receiving Yards
Sophomore wide receiver David Terrell (Richmond, Va./Huguenot HS) heads into the Penn State game needing 111 receiving yards to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for his career. Terrell has 67 career receptions for 889 yards and five touchdowns. He caught a team-high five passes for 71 yards against Northwestern, including a 26-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Tom Brady (San Mateo, Calif./Serra HS) in the first quarter. Terrell also saw action on defense against the Wildcats, collecting his first career interception (returned 11 yards) and pass break-up. He is the first player to catch a TD pass and intercept a pass since 1997 Heisman Trophy winner Charles Woodson collected an interception and touchdown reception against Michigan State on Nov. 2, 1996 (45-29 Wolverine victory at Michigan Stadium).
Terrell Catching Season Records
David Terrell continues to climb the Michigan season receiving records heading into the Penn State game. Terrell leads the team in receptions (53), receiving yards (740) and receiving yards per game (82.3 avg.), while tying for top honors in receiving touchdowns (four). He needs 260 yards to become the fifth receiver in school history to reach the 1,000-yard mark in a season. Terrell ranks seventh in receptions (53) and 12th in receiving yards (740) in a season.
Michigan's Single-Season Receptions List
| | Player (Year) | Rec. | Needed |
| 1. | Jack Clancy (1966) | 76 | 23 |
| 2. | Tai Streets (1998) | 67 | 14 |
| 3. | Desmond Howard (1990) | 63 | 10 |
| 4. | Desmond Howard (1991) | 62 | 9 |
| 5. | Jim Berline (1967) | 54 | 1 |
| | Amani Toomer (1994) | 54 | 1 |
| 7. | David Terrell (1999) | 53 | |
Michigan's Season Receiving Yards List
| | Player (Year) | Yards | Needed |
| 1. | Amani Toomer (1994) | 1,096 | 356 |
| 2. | Jack Clancy (1966) | 1,079 | 339 |
| 3. | Tai Streets (1998) | 1,035 | 295 |
| 4. | Desmond Howard (1990) | 1,025 | 285 |
| 5. | Desmond Howard (1991) | 985 | 245 |
| 6. | Anthony Carter (1981) | 952 | 212 |
| 7. | Mercury Hayes (1995) | 923 | 183 |
| 8. | Anthony Carter (1982) | 844 | 104 |
| 9. | Anthony Carter (1980) | 818 | 78 |
| 10. | Jack Clancy (1965) | 762 | 22 |
| 11. | Amani Toomer (1995) | 758 | 18 |
| 12. | David Terrell (1999) | 740 | |
Brady Eyes 2,000 Passing Yards ... Again
Senior quarterback Tom Brady enters the Penn State game needing 192 passing yards to join Todd Collins (1993 and 1994) as the only quarterbacks in Michigan history to throw for 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons. Brady has completed 146-of-232 passing attempts for 1,808 yards and has thrown 12 touchdown passes. He lists ninth nationally with a 142.88 pass efficiency rating and is 40th in total offense with a 199.2 yards per game average. Brady completed 12-of-23 passes for 185 yards and threw a career-best three touchdowns in the team's 37-3 victory over Northwestern.
Brady in Season Passing Records This Year
Completions: 146 (9th)
Attempts: 232 (10th)
Yards: 1,808 (10th)
Completion Percentage: 62.9 (T8th)
Lowest Interception Percentage: 1.29 (1st)
Most 200-Yard Plus Passing Games: 5 (T6th)
Brady in Career Passing Records
Completions: 375 (4th)
Attempts: 602 (6th)
Yards: 4,573 (5th)
Touchdowns: 27 (7th)
Completion Percentage: 62.3 (5th)
Pass Efficiency Rating: 139.4 (7th)
Yards Per Game: 163.3 (2nd)
Lowest Interception Percentage: 2.79 (2nd)
Most 150-Yard Plus Passing Games: 15 (T5th)
Most 200-Yard Plus Passing Games: 13 (2nd)
Brady Seventh in Career Touchdowns
With his career-best three touchdown passing game against Northwestern, Tom Brady moved into seventh place in career touchdown passes by a Michigan quarterback. Brady has thrown 27 career touchdowns and needs four TDs to equal Jim Harbaugh (1983-86) for sixth place and six TD passes to catch Brian Griese (1994-97) for fifth. Brady has thrown 22 of his 27 career touchdown passes in Big Ten Conference games and has collected a TD pass in all 14 conference games that he has been the team's starting quarterback.
Michigan's Career Touchdown Passes Thrown
| | Player (Years) | TDs | Needed |
| 1. | Elvis Grbac (1989-92) | 71 | 44 |
| 2. | Rick Leach (1975-78) | 48 | 21 |
| 3. | Steve Smith (1980-83) | 42 | 15 |
| 4. | Todd Collins (1991-94) | 37 | 10 |
| 5. | Brian Griese (1994-97) | 33 | 6 |
| 6. | Jim Harbaugh (1983-86) | 31 | 4 |
| 7. | Tom Brady (1996- ) | 27 | |
Brady's Climbing Quarterback Starts List
Tom Brady enters the Penn State game having started 22 consecutive games at quarterback. Brady is tied with Brian Griese (1995-97) and Fred Norcross (1903-05) for eighth place in starts by a Michigan quarterback. Brady needs starts in the final two regular-season games and a potential bowl game to tie Bob Timberlake (1962-64) for seventh place all-time. The school record for starts by a Michigan quarterback is 47 held by Rick Leach (1975-78).
Michigan's Career Starts by a Quarterback
| | Player (Years) | Starts | Needed |
| 1. | Rick Leach (1975-78) | 47 | 25 |
| 2. | Elvis Grbac (1989-92) | 38 | 16 |
| 3. | Steve Smith (1981-83) | 35 | 13 |
| 4. | Dennis Franklin (1972-74) | 31 | 9 |
| 5. | Jim Harbaugh (1984-86) | 30 | 8 |
| 6. | Todd Collins (1992-94) | 26 | 4 |
| 7. | Bob Timberlake (1962-64) | 25 | 3 |
| 8. | Tom Brady (1996-99) | 22 | |
| | Brian Griese (1995-97) | 22 | |
| | Fred Norcross (1903-05) | 22 | |
Sixth Best Receiving Duo in Michigan History
Michigan's starting receiving tandem of David Terrell and Marcus Knight list as the sixth most prolific receiving duo in school history. Terrell and Knight have combined for 1,427 receiving yards this season and need 258 yards to surpass the school-record total of 1,685 yards accumulated by Mercury Hayes and Amani Toomer in 1994.
Michigan's Top Receiving Tandems in a Season
| Players | Season | Yards |
| Mercury Hayes and Amani Toomer | 1994 | 1,685 |
| Mercury Hayes and Amani Toomer | 1995 | 1,681 |
| Tai Streets and Marcus Knight | 1998 | 1,638 |
| Desmond Howard and Yale Van Dyne | 1991 | 1,485 |
| Desmond Howard and Derrick Alexander | 1990 | 1,475 |
| Marcus Knight and David Terrell | 1999 | 1,427 |
| Anthony Carter and Craig Dunaway | 1982 | 1,332 |
| Anthony Carter and Vince Bean | 1981 | 1,288 |
| Paul Jokisch and Eric Kattus | 1985 | 1,263 |
| Tai Streets and Jerame Tuman | 1996 | 1,254 |
| Jack Clancy and Jim Detwiler | 1966 | 1,244 |
| Derrick Alexander and Tony McGee | 1992 | 1,207 |
Knight Grabs 80th Reception, Nears 1,500 Yards Receiving
Senior wide receiver Marcus Knight enters the Penn State game with 80 career receptions and 1,401 receiving yards. He needs 99 yards to become the 12th Wolverine to eclipse the 1,500-yard receiving mark for his career, and with four receptions Knight would move into a tie with Sim Nelson (1982-84) for 13th in career receptions (84).
Michigan's All-Time Receptions List
| | Player (Years) | Rec. | Needed |
| 1. | Anthony Carter (1979-82) | 161 | 81 |
| 8. | Jim Mandich (1967-69) | 119 | 39 |
| 9. | Greg McMurtry (1986-89) | 111 | 31 |
| 10. | Jamie Morris (1984-87) | 99 | 19 |
| 11. | Jerame Tuman (1995-98) | 98 | 18 |
| 12. | Vince Bean (1981-84) | 93 | 13 |
| 13. | Sim Nelson (1982-84) | 84 | 4 |
| 14. | Marcus Knight (1996- ) | 80 | |
Michigan's All-Time Receiving Yards List
| | Player (Years) | Yards | Needed |
| 1. | Anthony Carter (1979-82) | 3,076 | 1,675 |
| 8. | Jack Clancy (1963-66) | 1,919 | 518 |
| 9. | Jim Smith (1973-76) | 1,687 | 286 |
| 10. | Vince Bean (1981-84) | 1,514 | 113 |
| 11. | Jim Mandich (1967-69) | 1,508 | 107 |
| 12. | John Kolesar (1985-88) | 1,425 | 24 |
| 13. | Marcus Knight (1996- ) | 1,401 | |
Knight Moves
Marcus Knight has been a big-play receiver for the Wolverines, leading the team with 15 plays over 20 yards this season (all receiving). He is second on the team in receptions (31), receiving yards (687) and receiving yards per game (76.3 avg.), while leading the squad with a 22.2 yards per reception average (ranks sixth in Michigan's season records). Knight is tied with David Terrell for the team lead in receiving touchdowns with four. He has caught a touchdown in four of the last five games (did not catch one at Indiana) and has three 100-yard receiving games this season.
Johnson Continues Steady Play
Senior wide receiver and punt returner DiAllo Johnson (Detroit, Mich./Orchard Lake St. Mary's HS) enters the Penn State looking to play in his 30th career game. Johnson is coming off his first career 100-yard all-purpose game, gaining 102 yards on three receptions for 49 yards (21-yard long) and five punt returns for 53 yards (19-yard long). Johnson has a career-high 12 receptions for 146 yards (12.2 avg.) and one touchdown this season and 22 career receptions for 322 yards and two TDs. He has returned 14 punts for 162 yards and is averaging 11.6 yards per return in 1999.
Shea Nears 60 Receptions
Senior fullback Aaron Shea (Ottawa, Ill./Ottawa HS) heads into the Penn State game needing two receptions for 60 in his career. Shea has 58 receptions for 515 yards and five touchdowns, including career highs in all three receiving categories this season (28 receptions for 230 yards and three TDs). He caught one pass in the Northwestern game, but rushed for a season-high 18 yards on three carries.
Joppru's TD Streak
Redshirt freshman tight end Bennie Joppru (Wayzata, Minn./Minnetonka HS) has become a scoring threat for the Wolverines in the last two weeks. He caught an 11-yard TD from Tom Brady against Northwestern and the game-tying touchdown on a seven-yarder from Brady at Indiana. Joppru has caught a touchdown pass in two consecutive games and enters the Penn State game with three receptions for 27 yards (9.0 avg.) this season.
All-Around Askew
Freshman tailback and special teams performer B.J. Askew (Cincinnati, Ohio/Colerain HS) heads into the Penn State game after playing an all-around game vs. Northwestern. Askew rushed a career-high nine times for 34 yards, caught two passes for five yards, registered two special teams tackles and recovered a fumble against the Wildcats. He has played in all nine game this season, rushing 23 times for 70 yards. Askew has a team-high 10 special teams tackles (eight solo, two assists) this season.
Gold Leads Team in Tackles
Senior inside linebacker Ian Gold (Belleville, Mich./Belleville HS) leads the team in tackles this season with 63 stops (46 solo, 17 assists). Gold needs six tackles in the Penn State to surpass his previous career high in tackles set last year (68). He registered five tackles against Northwestern and needs four stops to collect 175 in his career (171 tackles, 125 solo and 46 assists). Gold has contributed seven TFLs, two sacks and two PBUs and forced two fumbles this season.
Jones Second in Tackles and TFLs
Senior inside linebacker Dhani Jones (Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill HS) enters the Penn State game second on the team in tackles and tackles for loss this season. Jones has 61 tackles (43 solo, 18 assists) and nine TFLs (29 yards), while tallying two sacks and forcing one fumble. A Butkus Award semifinalist, Jones led the team with seven tackles against Northwestern and tied for fourth in the Michigan single-game record book with four TFLs (six yards) in the contest. Jones is the active leader in career tackles with 227 (152 solo, 75 assists), while adding 29 career TFLs, nine sacks and four PBUs.
Williams Eyes 150 Career Tackles
Senior defensive end Josh Williams (Houston, Texas/Cypress Creek HS) grabbed the lead among defensive lineman in tackles (39) and tackles for loss (eight) this season. Williams heads into the Penn State game with 146 career tackles (89 solo, 57 assists) and needs four tackles to reach the 150-tackle plateau in his career. He recorded four tackles, one TFL, one sack and one PBU and forced one fumble against Northwestern. Williams is seventh on the team with 39 tackles (25 solo, 14 assists), third on the squad with eight TFLs (35 yards), second with three sacks and tied for top honors with two forced fumbles.
Wilson Sets Career High in Tackles
Senior/junior defensive tackle Eric Wilson (Monroe, Mich./Monroe HS) heads into the Penn State game after setting a new career high with 24 tackles (14 solo, 10 assists) this season. Wilson equaled his season high with four solo tackles against Northwestern. He has 58 career tackles (33 solo, 25 assists), four TFLs, two sacks, one PBU and one fumble recovery. Wilson has played in all nine games this year and started five contests.
Whitley Eyes Back-to-Back 50-Tackle Seasons
Junior cornerback James Whitley (Norfolk, Va./Norview HS) heads into the Penn State game needing five tackles to set a new career high in tackles for a season. He is fourth on the team with 49 tackles (41 solo, eight assists) and trails his previous season best of 53 tackles (36 solo, 17 assists) from last year. In addition to his 49 tackles this year, Whitley has contributed three TFLs, one sack, two interceptions and four PBUs. He has also forced two fumbles and recovered one fumble in 1999. Whitley was second on the team with six tackles against Northwestern, moving within four tackles of 125 for his career (121 stops, 93 solo and 28 assists).
Hendricks Eyes Top Five
Senior strong safety Tommy Hendricks (Houston, Texas/Eisenhower HS) enters the Penn State game needing three tackles to tie Thom Darden (1969-71) for fifth among Michigan defensive backs in career tackles. Hendricks tallied five solo tackles and one PBU against Northwestern and moved his career numbers to 208 tackles (141 solo, 67 assists) and 14 career pass break-ups (tied with James Whitley for the active career pass break-ups lead). A Thorpe Award candidate, Hendricks is third in tackles this season with 55 stops (42 solo, 13 assists). He is fifth in TFLs (six for 15 yards), while contributing three PBUs and one interception.
Michigan Defensive Backs All-Time Tackles
| | Player (Years) | Tackles | Needed |
| 1. | Don Dufek Jr. (1973-75) | 249 | 41 |
| 2. | Marcus Ray (1995-98) | 242 | 34 |
| 3. | Tripp Welborne (1987-90) | 238 | 30 |
| 4. | Garland Rivers (1983-86) | 222 | 13 |
| 5. | Thom Darden (1969-71) | 211 | 3 |
| -- | Tommy Hendricks (1996-99) | 208 | |
Hendricks Ninth in Career Starts
Senior strong safety Tommy Hendricks looks to make his 35th consecutive start in the Penn State game. Hendricks is tied for ninth in career starts by a Michigan defensive back and could join Vada Murray (1988-90), Tony Gant (1982-86) and Mike Jolly (1977-79) in a sixth place with 35 career starts. A Thorpe Award candidate, Hendricks could end his career second all-time in career starts by a defensive back at Michigan. The school record is 38 starts held by Brad Cochran (1982-85).
Michigan's Career Starts by a Defensive Back
| | Player (Years) | Tackles | Needed |
| 1. | Brad Cochran (1982-85) | 38 | 4 |
| 2. | Charles Woodson (1995-97) | 36 | 2 |
| | David Key (1988-90) | 36 | 2 |
| | Garland Rivers (1984-86) | 36 |
