Team Slows Its Schedule

By David Wharton

Dec. 30, 2003 12 AM PT

Times Staff Writer

With the Rose Bowl game only a few days away, Michigan began to taper its practice schedule Monday.

The Wolverines said they had been going hard since arriving Dec. 20. Some of those sessions included what defensive coordinator Jim Herrmann referred to as “altercations” involving offensive and defensive players.

“It’s about everybody competing,” defensive end Larry Stevens said. “Usually it’s between the linemen but it expanded to the whole team.”

There were no hard feelings, other players said. An occasional shoving match only means that everyone is working hard.

Practices should be calmer now that coaches are letting up.

“It’s time to get our legs back,” linebacker Scott McClintock said.

Several members of the Wolverine defense said there wasn’t any secret as to what they must do against USC on Thursday afternoon.

Keeping the Trojans in check means putting pressure on quarterback Matt Leinart.

“You can’t let him pick you apart back there,” Stevens said. “He can cause some major problems.”

But Michigan feels the need to be choosy about blitzing and leaving its secondary in man-to-man coverage. That puts the onus on the defensive line.

“The schemes that the coaches come up with aren’t going to get you to the quarterback,” defensive end Pat Massey said. “It’s effort.”

Herrmann figures that fans will probably know the result of the game by looking at Leinart in the fourth quarter.

“If he’s got a clean uniform,” the coordinator said, “it’ll be a long day.”

Any offense is bound to throw a long pass or two in the early going, if only to keep the opposing defense honest.

After studying USC all week, Michigan figures the Trojans are even more likely to go deep because they have scored 18 touchdowns on plays of 40 yards for longer.

Eight runners and receivers have been involved in those big plays.

“You watch film and you see all the different [players], linebacker Scott McClintock said. “Man, they have a lot of people who can hurt you.”

The Wolverines might answer with a potent offense of their own, but that was of little consolation to their defense.

“I don’t like shootouts,” Stevens said.

“If there’s a shootout, that means we’re getting our butts kicked.”