Football In-game Features vs. Notre Dame
9/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sights and Sounds
• Juke of the game: Fourth down, Tate Forcier running right and cutting left, breaking ankles on his way to a 31-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter.
• Punt of the game: Tate Forcier booting a punt 50 yards in the third quarter with his special-teams unit downing the ball at the Notre Dame four-yard line.
• Song of the game: The crowd picked up the Whites Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" tune very quickly when it was played in the fourth quarter. Even a handful of Wolverines on the sideline joined in.
• Generations of Michigan's past welcomed the victorious Wolverines to their locker room following the win. Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker and former Wolverine LaMarr Woodley and legendary Michigan quarterback Rick Leach enjoyed the victory with the players and coaches, doling out high fives and hugs.
• Fullback Mark Moundros was knocked out of the season opener after a colossal tackle on the opening kickoff, but he returned for the Notre Dame game no worse for wear except a mostly healed cut on the underside of his jaw.
Brandon Graham's Biggest Fan: DeShawn Sims
After Tate Forcier put Michigan up 31-20, Brandon Graham stormed behind the Wolverine bench and yelled to his friend and the co-MVP of the U-M men's basketball team, DeShawn Sims. Graham and Sims both grew up in Detroit and are big fans of the other man's work.
"I told him to watch out for us," said Graham after the game. "We've followed each other since high school. I love how DeShawn and Manny (Wolverine guard and Detroit native Manny Harris) play. I'm a big basketball fan and they love football."
Graham slammed his fist into his shoulder pads and pointed to Sims in the front row, the basketball player easy to spot in a crisp white t-shirt and a bright red Cincinnati Reds baseball cap.
"That's what I'm talking about," Graham yelled and Sims gestured back with a big grin on his face.
Big Catch Mathews
Senior wideout Greg Mathews will always be remembered for his game-winning catch with 11 seconds on the clock, but it was an earlier catch that might have been his highlight. On Michigan's first scoring drive, he was instrumental in the Wolverines' first six points. On third-and-12, Mathews found himself one-on-one with Notre Dame corner Darrin Walls. Mathews ran deep downfield but had to come back for an underthrown ball, leaping in the air and hauling it in for a 40-yard gain. The play energized the Wolverines, who scored six plays later to make it 7-0.
The Debut of Jordan Kovacs (Don't Bother Checking Your Media Guide)
Redshirt freshman walk-on safety Jordan Kovacs isn't on the two-deep and he's not in the spring media guide and he's No. 22 on the web site (he wore No. 32 in the game). Nevertheless, his first defensive play for the Maize and Blue was a pivotal third-and-eight play on the Notre Dame 21 late in the third quarter. No pressure. With the Irish trying to mount a comeback, he lined up across from the Notre Dame tight end, the sound of the Wolverine crowd making his ears ring.
"Surprisingly, I wasn't too nervous," he said after the game. "I don't really remember what was going through my head. The game was so hyped."
Notre Dame QB Jimmy Clausen threw incomplete on the play and Kovacs jogged off the field with his first defensive play under his belt. He finished with three tackles in the fourth quarter, including two solo.
The Most Important Phone in Michigan Stadium
The most important phone in Michigan Stadium does not belong to Bill Martin. It's the phone connecting the field to the replay booth in the press box. Replay came in handy for Michigan on Notre Dame's third drive of the day when Notre Dame running back Armando Allen stepped out of bounds at the Michigan 22 yard-line on a screen pass that would have gone 41 yards for a score. In this instance the phone rang and the correct call on the field was made.
For such an important piece of equipment, it's very nondescript. The replay phone is a single-line desk model colored 13-Beige and made by a company called Cortelco. It retails for around 30 dollars. It rests on a flimsy blue plastic foldout chair that's faded hue has been washed out by too many days in the sun. The phone cord attached to it is unbelievably long and rests on the Field Turf coiled in a giant pile. A plain white label in all lowercase letters is attached to the receiver, reading "this phone stays on the field after game." Where it spends its evenings, only a few actually know.
Stonum's Private Moment
After sophomore wide receiver and return man Darryl Stonum took a kickoff back for a touchdown, Michigan's first in four years, he enjoyed a private moment. He made his way to the training table directly behind the Michigan bench, set against the brick wall in front of the first row of seats. With a water bottle in his hands and his feet dangling off the side, Stonum's shoulder pads rose and fell with each heavy breath. Photographers, team managers and training staff slapped him on the pads. Even ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe had a smile and a nod for Stonum as she passed by. Fans hollered congratulations and Stonum pointed or gave a thumbs up. Cameras and cell phones craned over the brick wall and its blue railing to snap pictures of the latest Wolverine hero. After a few minutes he popped to his feet and walked back into a crowd of blue jerseys, ready to get back to work.
Michigan's General on the Field
Last season, Michigan's defensive coordinator called the plays in the press box high above the field. This season, defensive coordinator Greg Robinson is on the sidelines with his men. After Notre Dame went up 17-14 in the second quarter, Robinson gathered his frustrated defense on the bench. Robinson crouched low in front of his players and gave a passionate but measured speech. First, he motioned to trainers to get his men water and barely audible to anyone, but those gathered around him, he opened with, "Hear me." He spoke for three minutes then returned to the sideline. His players sat silently for a second, their heads slowly raising before going back onto the field to take care of business.
Stonum Kickoff Return Analysis From a Budding TV Star
Desmond Howard and Dhani Jones watch out, a new name may be joining you on the TV scene. The most unique breakdown of Darryl Stonum's kickoff return for touchdown was done on the sideline by defensive lineman Renaldo Sagasse with an audience of one, teammate Adam Patterson. When Stonum broke free of the pack and raced for six, a huge smile broke across Sagasse's face and he looked around for someone to share his thoughts with. He found Patterson standing nearby and pulled him over. He broke the play down, pointing to the replay on the giant screen in the north end zone. He moved his hips left and right, pantomiming Stonum's moves and then let out a loud laugh. It's unknown if ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe, standing nearby, felt threatened by the birth of Michigan's next TV star.
Brandon Minor's Return
Brandon Minor missed opening day of his senior season and watched from the sideline as the Wolverines downed Western Michigan. Against Notre Dame, he was back in action and ready to make up for lost time. Entering the game on Michigan's second offensive possession, Minor touched the ball for the first time all season, rushing for two yards. He carried twice more for 24 yards, scoring the 13th rushing touchdown of his career. He finished the day with 111 yards on 16 carries, averaging 6.6 yards per touch.
What Color Are You?
Hanging from the back of the defense's bench is a bright orange rack. It holds Gatorade bottles in a rainbow of colors with numbers written in sharpie on the top of each lid. No. 81 and No. 92 drink orange, No. 55 and No. 33 drink purple and No. 53 and No. 8 drink yellow. No. 41 prefers blue. What color are you?
