Football: Navigating in a sea of green students
Observer Staff Report
When Tyrone Willingham looked up from his NBC interview, he saw green. And it wasn't because he was green with envy. He was surrounded by students.
Following the Irish upset against the Wolverines, the student section rushed the field, hugging players, chanting "We are ND" and rejoicing in every way imaginable.
Willingham was concerned.
"What I get concerned about when I say help applies to me because I need to get off the field," he said after the game. "But it also applies to your players. I mean how many guys have you seen in a crowd like that on the field, when everybody is jumping around and all of the sudden somebody gets hurt. That's my concern. That's why the word help jumps into my mind so quickly."
Although none of the football players were injured, there was at least one student bleeding from the stampede down onto the field.
"It was crazy," quarterback Carlyle Holiday said. "I tried to get out."
Making the call
With 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter, Lloyd Carr faced a big decision. The Michigan coach had to decide whether or not to accept a penalty. With the Irish on the Michigan 29-yard line and a third and eight situation, the Irish were charged with a holding penalty.
If it had been accepted, the Irish would have faced third-and-8 from Michigan's 39 yard-line.
Carr said that he assumed that the Irish would have made a third-down play that would have at least put Setta close enough to hit the field goal. But what's worse, they could have scored a touchdown.
Carr opted to decline the penalty.
"I thought about that penalty, and yet [Nicholas] Setta's going to make that kick," Carr said. "I saw him before the game. I don't think 10 yards would have made a difference."
Setta made the 46-yard field goal and put the Irish up by eight.
Playing it safe
In a game full of the unexpected, the difference between winning and losing came from being safe, or rather, from getting a safety.
In the second quarter, with the game tied at seven, Wolverine tackle Courtney Morgan held Justin Tuck in the end zone. The ensuing penalty call resulted in the Irish scoring a team safety and going up two.
The safety was the first since the Irish scored a safety in the 1996 Orange Bowl.
Returning in style
Irish inside linebacker Courtney Watson returned to the starting lineup after a two-game absence due to a viral infection and led the Irish with nine tackles.
"I think Courtney exemplifies what a leader is," Willingham said. "I told him he has not been standing on his feet very long coming off his illness and for him to be able to step right back in the lineup and start is what you expect from one of your leaders. He provided leadership, communication and leadership. I think it was a real asset to have him back in the lineup."
Injured or not
Carlyle Holiday, Jeff Faine, Vontez Duff and Rashon Powers-Neal were all helped off the field at some point during Saturday's game. Although Powers-Neal did not return to the game, none suffered serious injuries. Faine, Holiday and Duff all returned to the field before the end of the game.
Game-time captains
Saturday's game-day captains were Jeff Faine, Jordan Black, Vontez Duff and Darrell Campbell.
All Sports Stories for Monday, September 16, 2002
