Michigan
1-0
Miami (Ohio)
1-1
Henne Quarterbacks Michigan to Season-Opening Win
9/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan football team defeated Miami (Ohio) 43-10 today in a game that displayed fresh, young talent for the Wolverines. True-freshman quarterback Chad Henne (Wyomissing, Pa./Wilson HS) made the start for U-M, becoming only the second true freshman to start in the quarterback position in a season opener. Henne joined ranks with Rick Leach who made the start for Michigan his freshman year in 1975 at Wisconsin in a 23-6 U-M victory. He put together a solid performance, completing 14 of his 24 pass attempts for 142 yards, including two touchdown passes. Henne had the opportunity to shine thanks to an impressive performance from the Michigan defense. The Wolverines forced two fumbles and intercepted five of Miami's passes. U-M capitalized on its quality defense, scoring 30 of 43 points off of Redhawk turnovers.
Defense was the dominating force early in the contest, as neither team was able to put up a score through the first quarter. The Wolverines were finally able to get something going at the start of the second quarter, starting on the Michigan four-yard line after a Miami punt. Henne began with a solid drive, completing five passes on his first five attempts for 42 yards with his longest completion going to junior receiver Steve Breaston (North Braddock, Pa/Woodland Hills HS) for 15 yards. Defense again came into play with the Wolverines on the Miami 42 as Redhawk defensive back Matt Pusateri picked off a pass from Henne, running 18 yards to the Miami 41.
The Michigan defense had a fast answer, however, as Miami got off just one completion before a pass tipped off a Redhawk receiver into the hands of sophomore safety Ryan Mundy (Wilkins Township, Pa./Woodland Hills HS). Mundy ran the ball for 38 yards before being taken down at the Miami 27. After a three yard rush from senior running back David Underwood (Madisonville, Texas/Madisonville HS), Henne completed a screen pass to Breaston for 11 yards to put Michigan on the 13 with a first down. The Wolverines were unable to put one in the end zone after no gain and brought in sophomore Garrett Rivas (Tampa, Fla./Jesuit HS) for the field-goal attempt. Rivas put the first score of the contest up with a 31-yard kick for a 3-0 Michigan lead.
Momentum stayed with the Wolverines after the score, as pressure from the Michigan defense forced a floater from Miami quarterback Josh Betts, allowing senior cornerback Markus Curry (Detroit, Mich./Bishop Gallagher) to pick off the pass. Curry ran for 21 yards to the Miami nine, giving the Wolverines first and goal with 6:33 remaining in the half. Underwood ran for eight yards on three plays, leaving Michigan on the one-yard line on fourth down. The Wolverines put the first touchdown on the board as Underwood leapt over the top of the pile to give U-M a 9-0 lead. Rivas split the uprights for the extra point for a 10-0 Michigan advantage with 4:48 remaining in the half.
Michigan kicked off to start the second half to put Miami on their own 17. The drive was short-lived as a dropped ball from Betts as he attempted to throw was recovered by senior linebacker Pierre Woods (Cleveland, Ohio/Glennville HS). The Wolverines capitalized, reaching the end zone after three plays. Underwood gained all the ground for U-M, running for four before a five-yard offsides penalty against Miami edged the Wolverines to second and one on the Miami eight. Underwood ran for seven before a one-yard touchdown run on a handoff to the left side at 12:25 in the third. Rivas kicked the extra point to continue the Michigan shutout, 17-0.
U-M continued to boost the score after stopping Miami on their own 24 to force the Redhawks to punt. The Wolverines put together an eight-play, 3:38 scoring drive highlighted by a 16-yard strike from Henne delivered from the pocket to tight end senior Tim Massaquoi (Allentown, Pa./Parkland HS) for a first down on the Miami 39. The freshman quarterback went on to complete the first touchdown pass of his college career to Edwards for six points. Henne threw on the run for 20 yards with 6:47 left in the quarter for a 24-0 lead after the extra point from Rivas.
The Redhawks put up their first score of the game in the third after a 14-play, 61 yard drive on a 6:41 possession. Miami had first and 10 on the Michigan 20 before a reverse play resulted in a loss of six yards for second and 16. Despite completing a seven-yard pass to Clemens on third and 15, Miami was left nine yards short of the first down and opted for the field goal. Redhawk senior Jared Parseghian came on for the kick, successfully completing the 36-yard attempt to make the score a 24-3 Wolverine lead.
Michigan couldn't sit comfortable after a three-and-out possession turned the ball over to Miami on downs with 13:20 remaining in the contest. The Redhawks' sophomore receiver Ryne Robinson ran fifth-year senior Adam Finley's (Greenwood, Ind./Center Grove HS) punt down the left side of the field for 70 yards to put Miami at first and goal on the Michigan two-yard-line. Redhawk running back Matt Smith ran the ball into the end zone with two one-yard plays. His touchdown run put the Redhawks within 15 before the extra point changed the score to a 24-10 U-M advantage with 12:38 left on the clock.
Miami threatened again after another quick Michigan possession as the Redhawks' Robinson made a 46-yard run off the U-M punt. Betts completed a 23-yard pass to receiver Josh Williams to put the Redhawks at the Michigan 16. But Michigan's superb defense dazzled again as senior safety Ernest Shazor (Detroit, Mich./Martin Luther King HS) cut in front of Betts' intended receiver to intercept the ball and run it back 88 yards for Michigan's fourth touchdown of the afternoon. The 88-yard interception marks the third longest in Michigan history. Rivas' extra-point attempt hit the left post, to keep the score at a 30-10 Wolverine lead.
Michigan kept pressing on Miami's next possession as Betts threw two incomplete passes before a bad snap contributed to an interception grabbed by Curry for a 25-yard run to the Miami seven. A holding penalty pushed the Wolverines back to the 17 before a four-yard run by sophomore running back Jerome Jackson (Saginaw, Mich./Saginaw HS) to the Miami 13. Henne then completed his second touchdown pass of the afternoon to senior receiver Braylon Edwards (Detroit, Mich./Bishop Gallagher HS) after a quick 52-second possession. The extra-point attempt was unsuccessful, keeping the score at a 36-10 Michigan lead with 7:22 remaining in the contest.
U-M continued its amazing defense on the very next play, as sophomore safety Brandent Englemon (Covington, Ky./Holmes HS) forced a fumble from Robinson. Englemon caused the football to pop out of an unexpecting Robinson and sophomore linebacker Prescott Burgess (Warren, Ohio/Warren G. Harding HS) recovered the ball and ran to the Miami 20. It took the Wolverines just four plays to get into the end zone, with Jackson making the one-yard jump over the middle for the touchdown. Rivas' successful extra-point attempt gave Michigan a 43-10 lead with 6:16 left in the game.
Neither team put any additional points on the board for the duration of the contest. The Wolverines came out the victors with the 43-10 final score.
Michigan's next contest is a road game at Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 EDT.
Media Contact: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
Team Stats
MIAMI 0, MICH 3
MICH - Rivas, Garrett 31 yd field goal 6 plays, 14 yards, TOP 2:32
MIAMI 0, MICH 10
MICH - Underwood, D. 1 yd run (Rivas, Garrett kick), 4 plays, 9 yards, TOP 1:45
MIAMI 0, MICH 17
MICH - Underwood, D. 1 yd run (Rivas, Garrett kick), 3 plays, 17 yards, TOP 1:23
MIAMI 0, MICH 24
MICH - Edwards, B. 20 yd pass from Henne, Chad (Rivas, Garrett kick) 8 plays, 61 yards, TOP 3:38
MIAMI 3, MICH 24
MIAMI - PARSEGHIAN, J. 36 yd field goal 14 plays, 61 yards, TOP 6:41
MIAMI 10, MICH 24
MIAMI - SMITH, Mike 1 yd run (SODERQUIST, T. kick), 2 plays, 2 yards, TOP 0:42
MIAMI 10, MICH 30
MICH - Shazor, Ernest 88 yd interception (Rivas, Garrett kickfailed)
MIAMI 10, MICH 36
MICH - Edwards, B. 13 yd pass from Henne, Chad (Rivas, Garrett kickfailed) 2 plays, 7 yards, TOP 1:15
MIAMI 10, MICH 43
MICH - Jackson, J. 1 yd run (Rivas, Garrett kick), 4 plays, 20 yards, TOP 0:59
