Grand Rapids Press - Jan. 12, 2014 - Section D

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ä Detroit Red Wings You can find results of Saturday’s late game at Los Angeles and a live blog of tonight’s game at Anaheim at mlive.com/redwings.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2014 / THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS

COLLEGE FOOTBALL / D3

MICHIGAN WELCOMES NEW COORDINATOR STATE MSU BASKETBALL

Spartans highs and lows Highlights from Michigan State’s win over Minnesota: •Kenny Kaminski made four first-half 3-pointers and earned a start in the second half over Branden Dawson. Kaminski finished with a career-high 15 points.

•Coach Tom Izzo said during pregame that they were happy to know Travis Trice was “alive and kicking” when he was able to shoot on Friday. Trice not only played, but gave MSU 19 minutes after spending most of the week in bed.

•MSU’s defense held the Gophers without a field goal for 13:30 in the second half.

Lowlights from the game: • With Adreian Payne out, Izzo again needed a big game from Dawson. He had to pull him just two minutes in, and he was scoreless in the first half.

• MSU’s defense gave up 41 points in the first half, their second-most allowed in the first half this season (47 at Penn State).

RED WINGS

Ericsson, brother share Olympic dream As delighted as Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson, 29, was to earn a spot on the Swedish Olympic team for the first time, he was more thrilled for his brother, who will be skating with him in Sochi, Russia.

It will be the first time the brothers have played together.

Jimmie, 33, is a forward who plays in Sweden.

“I was more excited than him.”

Jonathan Ericsson said. “To represent your country is a big honor, and I’m real, real happy about it.”

Their parents will travel to Russia to watch them.

The brothers were in the lineup together for one game in the 2010 World Championship, but Jimmie injured his knee during his first shift. In 2012, an injury to Jimmie again prevented them from playing together in the Worlds.

Jonathan has been out since Dec. 23 with broken ribs but expects to return in a couple weeks and play several games with the Red Wings before the Olympics (Feb. 9-23).

NO. 5 MSU 87, MINNESOTA 75 (OT)

Winning Payne-free, for now UPDATE Next game: Michigan State at Northwestern, 7 p.m.

Wednesday TV: BTN

Mike ke Griffith iffith mgriffith riffith live.com @mlive.com

E

AST LANSING — Michigan State basketball got a glimpse into the future on Saturday afternoon at Breslin Center.

It didn’t look good.

The No. 5-ranked Spartans defeated Minnesota, 87-75 in overtime, but don’t be misled by the final score.

MSU (15-1, 4-0 Big Ten) was fortunate to leave the building with a win without the services of senior power forward Adreian Payne.

Spartans coach Tom Izzo made the decision to rest Payne, who has been suffering from the painful foot ailment, plantar fasciitis.

“There’s nothing medically wrong; there’s no stress fractures. We did MRIs, X-rays, and he wanted to play,” Izzo said. “Adreian’s not being a wimp, he wanted to play. I didn’t want to take the chance and suit him up. Last time (against Ohio State on Tuesday), it was his choice (to play). This time, it was my choice.”

And this time, this game, it was telling what Payne means to this team.

If not for senior point guard Keith Appling stepping up with 24 points — 15 in the second half — the Spartans would have been beaten soundly.

It was that much of a struggle and grind against Minnesota (13-4, 2-2).

Denzel Valentine, who grabbed 10 rebounds in Payne’s absence, wasn’t afraid to state the obvious.

“A.P. is impossible to replace — he’s a 6-foot-9 freak athlete who can shoot, who has great post moves,” Valentine said. “He’s impossible to replace, but we have certain guys who can do certain things who can make up

itself to get caught up trying to play at Minnesota’s jumpy pace coming out of the gates en route to a 41-36 halftime deficit.

Pitino, while not wishing misfortune on anyone, admitted it was a relief not to have to contend with Payne.

“There is so much insideout attack with Adreian Payne, he’s probably a top 5 (NBA) pick, so when I heard he wasn’t playing ... that was a pleasant surprise, because he’s a great player and he changes a lot of the game,” Pitino said. “He’s a tough, tough matchup.”

But it was the Gophers who were tough to match up with through the first 20 minutes, forcing Izzo to Michigan State’s Keith Appling and Minnesota’s DeAndre Mathieu fight for the ball Saturday make the sort of adjustments at the Breslin Center in East Lansing. (J. Scott Park/MLive.com) that enables his teams to win on days like Saturday.

Michigan State tightened for it.” return at some point this its perimeter defense, One of the most obvious season — perhaps as early clamped down on the shootcandidates is Preseason Big as Wednesday’s game at ers, and it was enough to Ten Player of the Year Gary Northwestern, or maybe at rattle Minnesota.

Harris, except that Harris Illinois on Saturday.

After making 7-of-12 threes is not yet 100 percent back But looking further into in the first half, the Gophers from his ankle injury. the future, there’s cause for missed their first seven Izzo attributes much of concern. threes of the second half.

Harris’ inability to find his Appling won’t be around Harris, just 2-of-7 shootbasketball equilibrium to to bail out the Spartans next ing in the first half, made a the shooting star’s struggles season, and most everyone couple of shots and a transito get back into shape. expects Harris to take his That may or may not have talents to the NBA, assuming tion slam dunk in the second half, showing flashes of his had anything to do with he regains his all-star form.

Harris missing two free Saturday’s struggle wasn’t old self.

Harris said Izzo pulled throws with 11.8 seconds left completely about Michigan him aside during intermisthat would have clinched the State.

Adreian Payne sits on the win in regulation.

Minnesota is a feisty team, sion and told him to play bench in street clothes and a more aggressive.

Then, at the other end, and Coach Richard Pitino walking boot Saturday. (AP) But even on their best Minnesota’s DeAndrew has quickly proven he knows days next season, the Mathieu — all 5-foot-8 of how to craft a game plan. him — drove on Harris for a Harris made no excuses But the Gophers don’t have Spartans aren’t going to basket with 1.7 seconds left to for his free-throw misses, much of a margin for error. have Payne around. send the contest to overtime. calling them “inexcusable.”

Playing well — which for “We’re just gonna have to The Spartans took control Had it ever happened Minnesota means hitting figure it out,” Valentine said, in overtime, and Harris finbefore to the former Indiana 3-pointers and controlling asked to look into the 2014ished with 19 points.

Mr. Basketball? the tempo — the Gophers 15 future. “Guys will have to Looking deeper into “I don’t think so,” Harris built 10-point leads in the step up, and guys will take Harris’ stat line, however, he said. “I guess there’s a first first and second halves. on a bigger way. We’ll figure was just 1-of-8 shooting the time for everything.’’

Payne’s absence didn’t out how to play Spartan bas3-pointer and finished 5-ofMSU fans can breathe a have anything to do with ketball.”

16 from the floor. sigh of relief that Payne will Michigan State allowing The sooner, the better.

U M FOOTBALL

Top QB recruit still eyeing U-M Michigan made a splash this week with the hiring of offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier.

Will it pay immediate dividends on the recruiting trail?

Five-star quarterback Josh Rosen, the top-ranked signal caller in 2015 per ESPN.com, already had expressed interest in U-M prior to the Nussmeier hire.

And, while he told ESPN.com that his interest is still there, he’s not sure he will visit Ann Arbor before he commits.

“I really want to check out Michigan and Texas because of the areas,” Rosen, a Bellflower, Calif., native, told ESPN. “I want to give them a fair shot, but, at the same time, it’s tough to get out there without official visits.”

Rosen is being heavily courted

by West Coast schools UCLA, USC and Stanford.

LIONS

Whisenhunt walks delicate line between interviewing, coaching

By Kyle Meinke

kmeinke@mlive.com

Ken Whisenhunt’s time is a precious commodity these days.

He interviewed Thursday for the Detroit Lions’ coaching vacancy, and spoke with the Tennessee Titans on Friday in San Diego and reportedly the Cleveland Browns on Saturday. And, oh yeah, his current Whisenhunt team plays an important game today.

San Diego would be within a game of the Super Bowl with a win in Denver.

Whisenhunt, though, has been through times like this before, and he

MORE INSIDE

• Three assistants to keep, D2 • Dilfer weighs in on Stafford, D2 seems to be handling an awkward, if not difficult, situation with veteran poise.

•“I understand the process and appreciate the (head coaching) interest, but I just want to make sure everyone understands we’re focused on the game (today),” Whisenhunt told San Diego reporters during a news conference Thursday.

And how can he possibly do that, when he spends three consecutive days interviewing for jobs with other teams?

“It’s not hard — this is a playoff game,” he said. “I think that’s where

the focus has been. Anything outside of that is really secondary.”

Whisenhunt is believed to be Detroit’s top candidate to replace Jim Schwartz. He fulfills both of the team’s top criteria: He has offensive expertise and head coaching experience.

He’s credited with grooming then-rookie Ben Roethlisberger into a Super Bowl-caliber quarterback while he was offensive coordinator in Pittsburgh. He parlayed those credentials into his first head coaching gig in Arizona.

Whisenhunt went 45-51 in six years as the Cardinals’ coach, and guided the organization to its only Super Bowl appearance in 2008.

He was fired after the 2012 season but landed in San Diego as the Chargers’ offensive coordinator this

season, and now has revived Philip Rivers’ career.

Rivers has completed a careerhigh 69.5 percent of his passes, while throwing the second-most touchdowns (32) and the third-fewest interceptions (11) since he became a starter in 2006.

That resume has made Whisenhunt a prized target. Four of the six teams with coaching openings this offseason issued formal requests for an interview.

Whisenhunt is doing his best to deflect the attention he’s receiving.

“The only thing that’s important to me, to be perfectly honest with you, is getting prepared for this game,” he said. “That’s the work that has got my focus right now. Everything else is secondary.”

D2 / SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2014 / THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS

State Sports PISTONS 110, SUNS 108

LIONS

Smith hits game-winner with 1.2 seconds left

Dilfer: Stafford needs boundaries

By David Mayo

kmeinke@mlive.com

lead to as many as 18 points, then had to hang on late, as AUBURN HILLS — When Phoenix got back in the game Josh Smith and Brandon with offensive rebounding Jennings are good, so are the and 3-point shooting.

Detroit Pistons.

The Suns (21-15) eventually Smith made what seemed worked into a 92-92 tie on a possible game-winning a Channing Frye 3-pointer 3-pointer, blew it with a with 6:52 left. silly defensive foul, then The Pistons answered with redeemed himself with a a 7-0 run begun by a 3-pointer driving basket with 1.2 secand transition layup by onds left in a 110-108 win Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. over the Phoenix Suns at The But with the lead at 105-97, Palace of Auburn Hills. the Pistons’ efficiency vanSmith’s 3-pointer with ished in a series of missed 26.8 seconds left gave the jumpers, as a Frye threePistons a 108-105 lead. point play, two Goran Dragic But Smith fouled Gerald free throws and a P.J. Tucker Green on a fly-out effort at the corner 3 made it 105-105.

3-point line with 4.3 seconds Both teams were playing left. With announcer John their fourth game in five Mason announcing his name days. The Pistons have the before every free throw, next five days off.

Green sank all three to tie.

HIGHLIGHTS Smith — who earlier in the week chastised himself •The Pistons ended a fivefor settling for a perimeter game home losing streak. jumper in the final seconds Their last home win before of a loss at New York — took Friday was Dec. 13 against Channing Frye to the right Brooklyn. side of the lane and banked •The Pistons had 50 in his game-winner. points in the paint in the first Jennings, meantime, half. They finished with 68. placed his name alongside •Detroit improved to 2-12 the greatest Detroit Pistons vs. the Western Conference. player ever with 11 assists LOWLIGHTS in the first quarter and 16 at halftime, both tying fran•The Pistons’ shortcomchise records held by Isiah ings at the 3-point line were Thomas. He finished with 18. glaring. Phoenix shot 13 of Smith — the Pistons’ other 35. The Pistons were 3 of 17. major offseason acquisition •Phoenix had nine offen— had 15 points in the first sive rebounds for eight quarter and 25 for the game. second-chance points in the One night earlier, Smith third quarter. The Pistons became the first player with had 11 defensive rebounds as many as 22 points, 13 that quarter. rebounds, seven assists, four •The Suns played without steals, five blocked shots and point guard Eric Bledsoe, at least one 3-pointer (he had who had arthroscopic knee two) in the same game, in a surgery Friday.

114-104 win at Philadelphia.

Now, he has his first regular-season game-winning NEXT GAME shot as a Piston.

Friday: Utah at Detroit Detroit (16-22) built the When: 7:30 p.m. TV: FSD dmayo@mlive.com

RED WINGS

Search for solutions frustrating for Howard

By Kyle Meinke

Matthew Stafford has been compared a lot lately to Brett Favre, for better or worse. And so far, it’s been for the worse.

Both were/are considered so-called “gunslingers,” with big arms and a penchant for the big play — or the bad play.

Favre still leads the league with 288 interceptions in his 20-year career.

Stafford so far has duplicated Favre’e turnover issues — he had 19 in 2013, sixth most in the league — but not the winning.

He has zero division titles (Favre had eight). Zero Super Bowl appearances (Favre had two, and won one). Zero playoff wins (Favre had 13). And much of that is his own undoing, due to a spectacular fall from grace to conclude the 2013 season.

How does he go about changing that?

According to former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer, Stafford must take a page from Favre’s playbook and learn “boundaries.”

“Favre was as reckless as any quarterback ever early in his career,” Dilfer said on a conference call Thursday. “(Former Packers coach Mike Holmgren) wanted the good stuff that came out of Brett Favre, so he didn’t want to squish all that by turning him into a robot. He wanted all that to come out and to minimize the recklessness, and that was by creating boundaries and awareness — the awareness of the ramifications of what happens to everybody in the building when you get reckless.”

Stafford has immense ability, but is on a two-year backslide into mediocrity.

He threw the 19 picks in 2013, plus completed only 58.5 percent of his passes.

That was 30th in the league.

Both numbers were his worst since his rookie season in 2009.

Stafford still puts up the big stats.

His 4,650 passing yards were third last year, trailing only some guys named Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. And he joins Brees as the only quarterbacks to pass for at least 4,500 yards each of the past three seasons.

But while Brees and Manning will be playing this weekend in the divisional round of the playoffs, Stafford will be

STAFFORD VS. FAVRE Stafford Seasons 5 Losing seasons 4 286.2 Yards per Game* 1.79 TD passes per Game* Interceptions per Game* 1.20 0 Division titles 0 Playoff wins 0 Super Bowls Super Bowl wins 0

Favre 20 2 239.5 1.69 1.11 8 13 2 1

*Not including 2 games in Favre’s rookie season when he threw 4 total passes.

on his couch, ruminating on how his season soured from a 6-3 start into a 1-6 finish.

That slide can be most attributed to Stafford’s play. He threw 12 picks in those final seven games and was abysmal in the fourth quarter. That includes throwing a pick leading to the deciding field goal against Tampa Bay and a pick-six against the New York Giants which forced an overtime that Detroit lost.

The first loss was a crushing blow to the Lions’ playoff chances, and the second sealed their elimination.

“A lot of times you think, ‘Oh, it was just an interception. We can overcome

the interception,’” Dilfer said. “Well, there’s a bigger story to an interception in the fourth quarter that costs you a game. People lose jobs. It ruins the week for a lot of people.

“It creates a lot of negative energy in the building that shouldn’t necessarily be there.”

Stafford’s development, or lack thereof, has been at the forefront of Detroit’s ongoing coaching search. The club wants to bring in someone who has a plan for pulling its franchise quarterback out of the gutter — the quarterback who is signed for three more years and guaranteed $41.5 million.

Detroit even has had Stafford sit in on at least one of its coaching interviews, with Baltimore offensive coordinator Jim Caldwell.

Finding the right coach won’t magically solve Stafford’s issues, but landing a guy capable of setting boundaries could be the push Stafford needs to harness his undisputed ability.

“What’s hard is finding a coach that has the wisdom to create an environment that allows his natural ability to surface, and at the same time minimizing the recklessness,” Dilfer said. “That guy’s out there, but they have to find him.”

Three assistants next coach should consider retaining Justin Rogers jrogers @mlive.com

By Ansar Khan

career,” Howard said. “It’s frustrating when it keeps EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — happening. You just got to When Jimmy Howard shut find a way.” out the New York Islanders Howard is 7-10-8, with a on Nov. 29, following a seven- 2.74 goals-against average game winless streak, he and .909 save percentage. thought his troubles were He continues working behind him. with goalWhen he made 44 saves tending in a 5-1 victory at Dallas last coach Jim Saturday, he hoped he had Bedard on turned the corner. and off the But those are his only wins ice searchsince Nov. 2. Howard wasn’t ing for able to gain any traction answers. from those performances in “We’re Howard what has been the toughest just con10-week stretch he’s ever stantly trying to work on experienced. staying low in your crouch, “It can be frustrating, and getting your hands up and it has been frustrating,” out, like I’ve always been,” Howard said Friday. “Just Howard said. “Continue to trying to continue being a hammer that home. professional, continue to “We always do video. We work hard. Hopefully, it all look at the areas that have turns around.” been going really well and Howard allowed four goals things we can do better.”

— two which coach Mike Babcock noted his injuryBabcock referred to as ugly depleted, offensively chal— on 23 shots and was pulled lenged club’s slim margin for after two periods Thursday error, which heightens the in a 4-1 loss to the San Jose importance of goaltending.

Sharks at the SAP Center.

“We’re not getting to four He got another opportunity (goals), we’re getting to to bounce back Saturday three, max,” Babcock said. night against the Los Angeles “You got to keep them to two Kings at the Staples Center. and under.”

With backup Jonas Said Howard: “It’s not Gustavsson still out due to a like I’m not working hard pulled groin, Babcock elected and not trying, it’s just that to go back to Howard rather things didn’t go well. It’s not than rookie Petr Mrazek. like I was sitting there pointBabcock has said on multiple ing fingers at other guys. I occasions that this team will always take the blame when go only as far as Howard I know it’s on me.” takes it, and the Red Wings desperately need their workhorse to return to the form NEXT GAME that made him one of the top Today: Detroit at Anaheim goalies in the NHL the previ- When: 8 p.m. TV: FSD ous four seasons.

For coverage of Saturday night’s “Everyone goes through game at Los Angeles, go to bouts like this through their mlive.com/redwings.

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford threw 19 interceptions in 2013. (MLive.com file)

akhan1@mlive.com

T

veterans and respected by the club’s younger players, Washburn got shocking results out of a unit in flux during his first season in charge of the position group.

Despite three new starters, and a revolving door at right tackle because of injuries, the Lions got their most complete performance from the offensive line in more than a decade. Quarterback Matthew Stafford was sacked 23 times, second lowest in the league, while the Lions had their most productive season running the ball since 1998.

he Detroit Lions could hire a new coach in the next few days. At that point, he will be charged with filling out a staff.

The team’s front office already has said all staffing decisions will be up to the coach, but with several assistants still under contract, general manager Martin Mayhew SPECIAL TEAMS: said the team will recomJOHN BONAMEGO mend a handful be retained.

Here are three the next In the 2012 season, coach should consider.

Detroit’s special teams were a mess. The team solved the OFFENSIVE LINE: majority of their issues by JEREMIAH WASHBURN drafting punter Sam Martin Loved by the team’s and bringing in Bonamego to

replace Danny Crossman.

With 14 years of experience coaching special teams at the professional level, Bonamego helped correct the flaws that plagued the Lions’ coverage units last season.

Detroit didn’t allow a touchdown in 2013, after allowing four the previous season. The team was fifth in net punting.

Midway through the season, the Lions found a quality return option in receiver Jeremy Ross.

The one area where the team struggled was with blocked kicks. The team game up four blocks — two field goals, a punt and an extra point.

LINEBACKERS: MATT BURKE

After four years with the Titans, Burke followed Schwartz to Detroit where

he’s been the linebackers coach for the past five seasons.

The Lions linebackers have seen steady growth under Burke, particularly current starters DeAndre Levy and Ashlee Palmer.

Levy, a third-round pick in 2009, bounced between outside and middle linebacker his first couple seasons, before finding a home on the outside once the team signed Stephen Tulloch in 2011. Levy has developed into one of the league’s premier 4-3 outside linebackers, and has taken a massive leap forward in his coverage skills.

Although he’s best known for his work on special teams, Palmer earned the other starting outside job this season and played exceptionally well against the run, tallying six tackles for loss.

U M BASKETBALL

Hatch completes comeback, hits emotional 3-pointer

By Brendan F. Quinn bquinn@mlive.com

Michigan basketball signee Austin Hatch spoke with conviction during a Nov. 20, 2013, press conference that produced national headlines.

Standing behind a podium at Loyola High School campus in Los Angeles, the teenager said, “Basketball has given me something to shoot for, and it’s been my goal since I woke up from the coma in Chicago and told people I was going to play basketball again.”

Hatch is known for surviving two life-altering plane crashes, the most recent being a 2011 crash that killed his father and stepmother and left him in a medically induced coma.

On Wednesday night in Los Angeles, the 6-foot-6 forward made good on his word.

Austin Hatch played in a basketball game for the first time in three years.

Not only that, but Hatch turned Loyola’s league opener against host Sherman Oaks Notre Hatch Dame into a game for the ages. After checking into the game in the fourth quarter, the senior peeled out from the low blocks, caught a pass, set his feet and drained a 3-pointer on his first shot attempt.

Hysteria ensued.

According to the LA Times, the jumper “caused his Loyola High coach and teammates to charge onto the court and pick up a technical foul.”

Loyola won 87-59.

“It was the best technical foul I’ve ever been a part of,” Loyola Coach Jamal Adams told the Times.

Hatch is originally from Fort Wayne, Ind. He verbally committed to play basketball at Michigan on June 15, 2011, back when he was a star at Fort Wayne Canterbury High School, where he averaged 23 points and nine rebounds as a sophomore.

He sat out his junior season at Canterbury and, after attempting to play last season,

but being physically unable to do so, moved to Los Angeles to live with family members.

“I had to relearn how to walk and talk,” he said. “I had to relearn everything.”

Michigan coach John Beilein honored the scholarship offer made to Hatch as sophomore and on Nov. 16, Hatch singed a National Letter of Intent to be a member of the U-M basketball program in 2014-15.

“I still need to work on my fundamentals,” Hatch said.

“What was once second nature, as a result of the brain injury, I have to think about stuff on the court that I really shouldn’t have to think about. That’s just going to take time.”

THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS / SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2014 / D3

State Sports: College Football MSU FOOTBALL

U M FOOTBALL

‘Tough, physical, explosive’ Doug Nussmeier wants to give Michigan’s offense an identity

MSU grades out well over Mike ke course of its 13-1 Big Ten Griffith iffith mgriffith riffith championship season @mlive.com live.com m

By Nick Baumgardner

nbaumgardner@mlive.com

ANN ARBOR — After two disappointing seasons, including an offensively-challenged 7-6 campaign in 2013, Michigan decided it was time for a change. And that change comes in the form of Doug Nussmeier, the now former national championship-winning offensive coordinator at the University of Alabama.

On Friday, Michigan formally introduced Nussmeier as its new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and one of the first — and most pressing — questions fired at the Wolverines’ new play caller was: Why Michigan?

“It’s Michigan football.

When you say the word ‘Michigan,’ everybody knows about Michigan football,” Nussmeier said Thursday during his introductory news conference. “When you say ‘Michigan,’ it’s synonymous with football. I don’t care if you go to a mall in California, Texas, Florida — you’re going to see somebody wearing ‘Michigan.’

“It’s a special, special place, and there’s not many of them.”

Nussmeier arrives in Ann Arbor to replace former play caller Al Borges, who guided an offense that floundered to No. 87 overall nationally last season — his final year with the program.

He answered questions from reporters for roughly 20 minutes Friday, as head coach Brady Hoke, Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon, the entire Michigan coaching staff, quarterback Devin Gardner (who was still walking with crutches) and star sophomore tight end wide receiver/tight end Devin Funchess looked on.

Hoke — who did not take questions from the media Friday — began his statement by thanking Borges.

He said he and the rest of the staff view Borges as “more than just a colleague,” but the time for a change was needed.

“We took this job three years ago to make Michigan better. We took this job knowing that every decision that’s going to be made by me is going to be what’s best for Michigan and the kids on this program and the legacies and the 134 years of teams that have come before it,” Hoke

T

he final exam — part essay, part multiple choice — was turned in at the Rose Bowl on Jan.1, and the Michigan State football team passed with flying colors in a 24-21 win over Stanford.

The Spartans’ improvement throughout the season was impressive and most certainly is reflected in the “coaching” grade.

The overall grades are outstanding for the Spartans, who won the Big Ten championship and finished 13-1 overall.

Here’s how Michigan State graded out at each position, from a collective standpoint.

Doug Nussmeier is introduced as Michigan’s NCAA college football offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach during a news conference Friday in Ann Arbor. (AP)

said. “We have a vision. We know what that is. That’s why Doug is here today.”

Hoke said Michigan ultimately decided to make the change Wednesday, when the program announced Borges’ firing. Reports of Nussmeier’s hiring then surfaced late Wednesday night before the hire was made official Thursday.

Asked when he first spoke to Hoke about the job, Nussmeier only said “recently.”

Brandon shot down speculation that he made the decision to oust Borges and hire Nussmeier, calling that notion “nonsense.”

“When Brady first called me and identified Doug, my first reaction was, ‘Wow, that would be great, but really?’”

Brandon also refuted reports that Nussmeier will rank among the top three nationally in assistant coach pay. He also added that a contract had yet to be finalized for Nussmeier.

While Brandon says he left the ultimate decision up to Hoke, when asked if he felt Michigan needed a change on offense, the athletic director didn’t hesitate to offer his opinion.

He was in favor of it.

“Yes, (a change was needed),” Brandon said.

“Sometimes, you look at results, and you look at performance, and you look at accountability, and you’ve got to make changes. I respect

the fact that Brady stepped up to that. This is an important change.

“His relationship with Al went back several years. I respect Al a lot. I enjoy Al. I appreciate everything he did here. But we needed a change. We needed energy.

We needed new direction and an offense that was building and gaining confidence and improving. And I believe with Doug being here we have a high probability of doing that.”

In terms of the rest of the coaching staff and their collective status, Nussmeier said he was excited to work with the assistants Michigan currently has, mentioning by name offensive line coach Darrell Funk, wide receivers coach Jeff Hecklinski, running backs coach Fred Jackson and tight ends coach Dan Ferrigno.

As far as Nussmeier’s coaching scheme, the former Fresno State, Washington and Alabama offensive coordinator played things rather close to the vest.

He did not talk specifically about the development of Gardner or Shane Morris, and did not offer any real hints at what Michigan’s offense would look like outside three words.

“Tough. Physical.

Explosive. That’s what we want to be,” Nussmeier said.

“We want to be able to run the football, and we want to put points on the board. We

want to force the defense to defend all different elements of the game.

“We’re going to put our playmakers in the best possible position we can to make plays. That’s the goal. What that means? We want to control the tempo of the game on offense ... and give our guys an opportunity to make plays and schematically look at ways where we want to create competitive advantages for our players.

“What that means, is, you could see us in one formation one week with one play and a different the next week. But the identity is, we want to be physical. We’re going to play fast. We want to be explosive.”

A former NFL quarterback himself, Nussmeier’s offenses have all achieved statistical success during his stops at Fresno State, Washington and Alabama.

With the Crimson Tide, his offense scored better than 38 points per game a year ago, and he helped A.J. McCarron set a school record with 30 touchdown passes in 2012.

“Obviously, I can’t say enough about coach (Nick) Saban and the opportunity we had there at Alabama.

It was a great opportunity,” Nussmeier said. “But Michigan football, the opportunity to be a part of the winningest program in all of college football, to integrate into a staff and take this program to where we all want to go (was too good to pass up).”

Five things Nussmeier must accomplish run, not one of them ever worked consistently.

There was the famed “Deuce nbaumgardner gardner Formation.” The pistol. The @mlive.com .com pistol zone read audible.

Options with fullbacks. Lots of reverses. Halfback passes.

Jump balls. Running into NN ARBOR — Michigan eight-man fronts. And so on. has its man and the new Even if it’s incredibly basic leader of its offensive and simple, Nussmeier’s attack. offense has to have some type The Wolverines officially of an identity. hired Doug Nussmeier away This seems so basic and from Alabama on Thursday pretty over-arching. But the to serve as the team’s new last coordinator never accomoffensive coordinator/quarter- plished this. And it was, ultibacks coach. mately, his undoing.

For Nussmeier, this won’t GET YOUR QB COMFORTABLE be the easiest of tasks, but it won’t be impossible either.

Devin Gardner was a lot of Michigan has talent on things in 2013, but comfortoffense. But it must click now. able was rarely one of them.

Here’s a look at what There’s no question Nussmeier and his staff must Gardner lost confidence do to fix what was clearly a at some point, and it’ll be broken attack in 2013.

Nussmeier’s job to get it back.

Whether it’s Gardner or FIND A CALLING CARD Shane Morris, the individual Michigan tried to do so skill development at this posimany different things in three tion has to jump off the page. years under Al Borges, and With Borges, there were outside of waiting for Denard baby steps. But never an Robinson to break off a long explosion.

Nick Baumgardner mgardnerr

A

Final report card: Spartans pass with flying colors

FIX THE OFFENSIVE LINE

If Darrell Funk remains the team’s offensive line coach — or if it’s someone else — this position group has to be fixed.

Maybe more than any other spot on the field.

That starts by identifying five players who you can roll with by the end of spring practice and letting them mesh.

The competition in spring ball should be fierce and wide open. The production level up front last season was abysmal.

Once you do find five guys, you have to let them soak in there and become a real unit.

Even if there are rough patches, those five should be allowed to work through them to develop some chemistry.

If the offensive line isn’t fixed, all hope is lost for Michigan. As we’ve seen.

PUSH DERRICK GREEN AND DE’VEON SMITH

When we talk about Michigan having talent that hasn’t really shown itself yet, the conversation usually starts with these two guys.

Green showed up over-

weight and out of shape last fall, and Smith never really was given a chance to show what he could do in the first three months of the season.

Moving forward, these guys have to be your work horses.

And they have to hear it from you. There’s room for both players, just like there was at Alabama. Remember Eddie Lacy and T.J. Yeldon taking turns blasting through holes in 2012? Well, that’s what you sell these guys on.

BRING ENERGY

The number of times this offense looked like it was having fun over the past two years probably can be counted on one hand.

Nussmeier has a reputation for being a hands-on guy, bringing energy and developing relationships with players.

Michigan needs all of that and more on offense.

Borges was fired because Michigan needed a change.

It needed a spark. Nussmeier has to be able to provide that, from the minute he steps into his first team meeting.

Quarterback

B+

Connor Cook will be on a lot of preseason all-star teams and begin to get plenty of hype as Michigan State’s next NFL prospect at the position. Cook made some big-time throws that few in the nation, much less the Big Ten, can match. But Cook will be the first to tell you that he has some work to do and can improve across the board. The QB position went from one of great uncertainty to a team strength.

Running backs

B-

Jeremy Langford runs hard and should be credited with working hard to improve as the season progressed. But Langford has yet to prove he’s an NFL-caliber back, as his vision and anticipation of holes must improve. As fast as Langford is, his burst is only adequate when the field opens up before him. Delton Williams has power, vision and cut-back ability, but if his heart is not in the position, he will never achieve greatness. Nick Hill gets stronger and bigger each offseason, and while he’s not likely to play a down in the NFL, it would be surprising if he wasn’t a contributor next season. Trevon Pendleton has shown he’s more than a strong blocker with some heady pass receptions out of the backfield.

Receivers

B+

What a mixed bag this group was, but you can’t help but tip your cap to them for evolving into a team strength after an embarrassing start to the season that put their position coach’s job in doubt. It only could be hard work that got it done for the Spartan wideouts, who outplayed their opposition in every game from October forward.

Bennie Fowler, Tony Lippett and Macgarrett Kings laid it all on the line, and I’m convinced the real Aaron Burbridge will emerge next season along with DeAnthony Arnett. A healthy Keith Mumphery might turn heads, too.

Offensive line

A-

Without a doubt, this was the most consistent and valuable unit wireto-wire just one season after being a circus rife with injuries and position shuffles.

Again, much credit to the coaches, but, at the same time, the Spartans’ big uglies decided they were sick of being pushed around and were ready to do something

about it. On many occasions, there were several offensive linemen staying late after practice and working on their own to improve.

Defensive line

A-

The season started with questions but ended with a Rose Bowl championship answer, as Michigan State dug in against arguably the best offensive line in the nation and came up with a fourthand-1 stop. If Stanford gets a push, Kyler Elsworth’s soaring tackle never happens. If the Cardinal draw State offsides, it’s moot. Notre Dame and a couple of Big Ten offensive lines, Nebraska and Ohio State, held their own with the Spartans defensive line at times, but, for the most part, they were dominant.

Tyler Hoover and Micajah Reynolds finished out by playing the best football of their careers on the biggest stage. Shilique Calhoun was enjoying a banner campaign until offenses recognized as much and began to account for him.

Linebackers

A+

The heart and soul of the team, it was only fitting that both Denicos Allen and Elsworth made fourth-down stops against Stanford’s powerful run game. It was strength on strength, and Michigan State prevailed. Taiwan Jones was a force against the run, showing great improvement.

Ed Davis emerged as a playmaker that has given fans optimism about the future at linebacker. The biggest question is, who’s going to be the leader? This season, Max Bullough led the charge and Allen had his back.

Secondary

A-

Pat Narduzzi will tell you there’s always room for improvement, though he doesn’t like hearing that about his players from anyone outside of the club. Darqueze Dennard was an A+ cornerback, Trae Waynes was an A-, and safeties Isaiah Lewis and Kurtis Drummond were B+, both having occasional tough moments but enough other great ones to compensate.

Special teams

A-

Mike Sadler (A+) and Michael Geiger (A+) couldn’t have done much better.

Macgarrett Kings emerged as a dangerous return man, even though his blocking was mostly inadequate. If there’s one area to improve, it’s the return games.

Coaching

A

Dantonio’s coaching effort was worthy of a national award.

He had just the right touch in his management and delegation, skills, that, for a head coach, are just as important as Xs and Os. Offensive coordinators Jim Bollman and Dave Warner meshed incredibly well when one considers they were thrown together last spring. Narduzzi? What can you say: He has produced a Top 10 defense three consecutive seasons and was 2 for 2 in run blitz calls on pivotal fourth downs against Ohio State and Stanford.

D4 / SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2014 / THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS

TV TODAY

BASKETBALL Noon — Men’s College: Nebraska at Purdue. Big Ten Network Noon — Women’s College: Texas at West Virginia. FSD 1 p.m. — Women’s College: Florida at LSU. ESPNU 1 p.m. — Men’s College: Southern Mississippi at Tulsa. Fox Sports 1 1:30 p.m. — Men’s College: Iowa at Ohio State. CBS 2 p.m. — Women’s College: Nebraska at Illinois. Big Ten Network 2:30 p.m. — Men’s College: La Salle at Duquesne. NBC Sports Network 3 p.m. — Women’s College: Purdue at Penn State. ESPN 3 p.m. — Women’s College: Louisville at South Florida. ESPNU 3 p.m. — Men’s College: Colorado at Washington. Fox Sports 1 4:30 p.m. — Women’s College: Michigan St. at Michigan. Big Ten Network 5 p.m. — Women’s College: Tennessee at Vanderbilt. ESPN 5 p.m. — Women’s College: Missouri at Kentucky. ESPNU 5 p.m. — Men’s College: Stanford at Oregon. Fox Sports 1 7:30 p.m. — Men’s College: Illinois at Northwestern. Big Ten Network 8 p.m. — Men’s College: Maryland at Florida State. ESPNU 10 p.m. — Men’s College: Arizona State at UCLA. ESPNU

FOOTBALL 1 p.m. — NFC Divisional Playoff: San Francisco at Carolina. Fox 4:30 p.m. — AFC Divisional Playoff: San Diego at Denver. CBS

GOLF 7 p.m. — PGA Tour: Sony Open in Hawaii, Final Round. Golf Channel

HOCKEY 7 p.m. — NHL: Philadelphia at New York Rangers. NBC Sports Network 8 p.m. — NHL: Detroit Red Wings at Anaheim Ducks. FSD

TENNIS 7 p.m. — Australian Open. ESPN2

OTHER 3 p.m. — U.S. Figure Skating Championships. NBC MONDAY

BASKETBALL 7 p.m. — Men’s College: Virginia at Duke. ESPN 7 p.m. — Women’s College: Connecticut at Baylor. ESPN2 7 p.m. — Men’s College: Texas at West Virginia. ESPNU 7 p.m. — Men’s: Coll. of Charleston at Northeastern. NBC Sports Network 9 p.m. — Men’s College: Kansas at Iowa State. ESPN 9 p.m. — Men’s College: Syracuse at Boston College. ESPNU

HOCKEY 7:30 p.m. — College: Minnesota at Penn State. Big Ten Network

TENNIS 9 p.m. — Australian Open. ESPN2 TUESDAY

BASKETBALL 7 p.m. — Men’s College: Wisconsin at Indiana. ESPN 7 p.m. — Men’s College: Oklahoma at Kansas State. ESPN2 7 p.m. — Men’s College: Georgia at Florida. ESPNU 7 p.m. — Men’s College: St. John’s at DePaul. Fox Sports 1 8 p.m. — Men’s College: Penn State at Michigan. Big Ten Network 9 p.m. — Men’s College: Kentucky at Arkansas. ESPN 9 p.m. — Men’s College: Pittsburgh at Georgia Tech. ESPNU 9 p.m. — Men’s College: Butler at Creighton. Fox Sports 1

HOCKEY 7:30 p.m. — NHL: Philadelphia at Buffalo. NBC Sports Network

TENNIS 9 p.m. — Australian Open: Second Round. ESPN2 WEDNESDAY

BASKETBALL 7 p.m. — Men’s College: Michigan St. at Northwestern. Big Ten Network 7 p.m. — Men’s College: Notre Dame at Maryland. ESPN2 7 p.m. — Men’s College: South Florida at Southern Methodist. ESPNU 7 p.m. — Men’s College: Clemson at Virginia Tech. FSD 8 p.m. — NBA: Utah Jazz at San Antonio Spurs. ESPN 9 p.m. — Men’s College: Purdue at Illinois. Big Ten Network 9 p.m. — Men’s College: Baylor at Texas Tech. ESPNU 10:30 p.m. — NBA: Denver Nuggets at Golden State Warriors. ESPN

HOCKEY 8 p.m. — NHL: Washington at Pittsburgh. NBC Sports Network

TENNIS 9 p.m. — Australian Open. ESPN2 THURSDAY

BASKETBALL 7 p.m. — Women’s College: Ohio State at Penn State. Big Ten Network 7 p.m. — Men’s College: Connecticut

Scoreboard at Memphis. ESPN 7 p.m. — Men’s College: Missouri at Vanderbilt. ESPN2 7 p.m. — Men’s College: Belmont at Eastern Kentucky. ESPNU 7 p.m. — Men’s College: Providence at St. John’s. Fox Sports 1 7 p.m. — NBA: New York Knicks at Indiana Pacers. TNT 9 p.m. — Women’s College: Minnesota at Nebraska. Big Ten Network 9 p.m. — Men’s College: Ohio State at Minnesota. ESPN2 9 p.m. — Men’s College: BYU at San Francisco. ESPNU 9 p.m. — Men’s College: Arizona State at Arizona. Fox Sports 1 9:30 p.m. — NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder at Houston Rockets. TNT 11 p.m. — Men’s College: BYU at San Francisco. ESPNU

GOLF 3 p.m. — PGA Tour: Humana Challenge, First Round. Golf Channel

HOCKEY 7 p.m. — NHL: Detroit Red Wings at New York Rangers. FSD 8 p.m. — NHL: Los Angeles Kings at St. Louis Blues. NBC Sports Network

TENNIS 11 p.m. — Australian Open: Third Round. ESPN2 FRIDAY

BASKETBALL 7 p.m. — NBA: Los Angeles Clippers at New York Knicks. ESPN 7 p.m. — Men’s College: Green Bay at Wright State. ESPNU 7:30 p.m. — NBA: Utah Jazz at Detroit Pistons. FSD 9 p.m. — Men’s College: Canisius at Iona. ESPNU 9:30 p.m. — NBA: Golden State Warriors at Oklahoma City Thunder. ESPN

GOLF 3 p.m. — PGA Tour: Humana Challenge, Second Round. Golf Channel 7 p.m. — Champions Tour: Mitsubishi Electric Championship, First Round.

Golf Channel

HOCKEY 6:30 p.m. — College: Penn State at Michigan State. Big Ten Network 7:30 p.m. — College: Lake Superior State at Notre Dame. NBC Sports Network 9 p.m. — College: Ohio State at Minnesota. Big Ten Network

TENNIS 9 p.m. — Australian Open. ESPN2 SATURDAY

BASKETBALL 11 a.m. — Men’s College: Toledo at Akron. ESPNU Noon — Men’s College: Tennessee at Kentucky. CBS Noon — Women’s College: Illinois at Michigan. Big Ten Network Noon — Men’s College: Boston College at North Carolina. ESPN Noon — Men’s College: TBA. ESPN2 Noon — College: Seton Hall at Georgetown. FSD 12:30 p.m. — Men’s: George Mason at Rhode Island. NBC Sports Network 1 p.m. — Men’s College: Missouri State at Northern Iowa. ESPNU 2 p.m. — Men’s College: North Carolina State at Duke. CBS 2 p.m. — Men’s College: Oklahoma at Baylor. ESPN 2 p.m. — Men’s College: Alabama at Missouri. ESPN2 2 p.m. — Men’s College: Miami at Georgia Tech. FSD 2 p.m. — Men’s College: USC at Colorado. Fox Sports 1 2:30 p.m. — Men’s College: Northwestern at Indiana. Big Ten Network 2:30 p.m. — Men’s College: Fordham at St. Louis. NBC Sports Network 3 p.m. — Men’s College: Dayton at Richmond. ESPNU 4 p.m. — Men’s College: Oklahoma State at Kansas. CBS 4 p.m. — Men’s College: Pittsburgh at Syracuse. ESPN 4 p.m. — Men’s College: Indiana State at Wichita State. ESPN2 4 p.m. — Men’s College: DePaul at Villanova. FSD 4 p.m. — Men’s College: UCLA at Utah. Fox Sports 1 5 p.m. — College: Cincinnati at South Florida. ESPNU 6 p.m. — Men’s College: Michigan at Wisconsin. ESPN 6 p.m. — Men’s College: Dartmouth at St. John’s. Fox Sports 1 7 p.m. — Men’s College: Penn State at Purdue. ESPNU 8 p.m. — Men’s College: Michigan State at Illinois. Big Ten Network 8 p.m. — Men’s College: Creighton at Providence. Fox Sports 1 8 p.m. — NBA: Philadelphia 76ers at Chicago Bulls. WGN 9 p.m. — Men’s College: Louisville at Connecticut. ESPN 9 p.m. — Men’s College: Vanderbilt at LSU. ESPNU 11 p.m. — Men’s College: Washington at Stanford. ESPNU

GOLF 3 p.m. — PGA Tour: Humana Challenge, Third Round. Golf Channel 7 p.m. — Champions Tour: Mitsubishi Electric Championship, Second Round. Golf Channel

HOCKEY 7 p.m. — NHL: Los Angeles Kings at Detroit Red Wings. FSD

FOOTBALL

SPORTS CALENDAR

NFL PLAYOFF GLANCE DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS SATURDAY Seattle 23, New Orleans 15 Indianpolis at New England, late TODAY San Francisco at Carolina, 1:05 p.m. (Fox) San Diego at Denver, 4:40 p.m. (CBS) CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS JAN. 19 AFC, 3 p.m. (CBS) San Francisco/Carolina at Seattle, 6:30 p.m. (Fox) SUPER BOWL FEB. 2 AT EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. AFC champion vs. NFC champion, 6:30 p.m. (Fox)

SUN

MON

TUE

WED

DETROIT at Anaheim RED 8 p.m.

WINGS FSD

THU

FRI

SAT

at NYR 7 p.m.

FSD

vs. LA 7 p.m.

FSD vs. Utah 7:30 p.m.

FSD

DETROIT PISTONS

vs. Penn St. 8 p.m.

BTN

MICHIGAN

at Wisconsin 6 p.m.

ESPN

NFL 2014 NFL DRAFT EARLY ENROLLEES Davante Adams, WR, Fresno State George Atkinson III, RB, Notre Dame Dion Bailey, S, Southern Cal Russell Bodine, OL, North Carolina Blake Bortles, QB, UCF Chris Boyd, WR, Vanderbilt Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina Brandon Coleman, WR, Rutgers Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State Scott Crichton, DE, Oregon State Dominique Easley, DT, Florida Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri Eric Ebron, TE, North Carolina Bruce Ellington, WR, South Carolina Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M Kameron Jackson, CB, California Kelvin Benjamin, Florida State Timmy Jernigan, DT, Florida State Storm Johnson, RB, UCF Henry Josey, RB, Missouri Cody Latimer, WR, Indiana Marqise Lee, WR, Southern Cal Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M Marcus Martin, C, Southern Cal Tre Mason, RB, Auburn Terrance Mitchell, CB, Oregon Viliami Moala, DT, California Donte Moncrief, WR, Mississippi Jake Murphy, TE, Utah Troy Niklas, TE, Notre Dame Louis Nix III, NG, Notre Dame Ronald Powell, LB, Florida Loucheiz Purifoy, CB, Florida Darrin Reaves, RB, UAB Antonio Richardson, OT, Tennessee Paul Richardson, WR, Colorado Marcus Roberson, CB, Florida Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn Richard Rodgers, TE, California Bishop Sankey, RB, Washington Lache Seastrunk, RB, Baylor Austin Seferian-Jenkins, TE, Washington Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State Brett Smith, QB, Wyoming Willie Snead, WR, Ball State De’Anthony Thomas, RB, Oregon Stephon Tuitt, DE, Notre Dame George Uko, DL, Southern Cal Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

The Top 25 teams in The Associated Press final college football poll, with first-place votes in parentheses, final records, total points based on 25 points for a first-place vote through one point for a 25th-place vote, and previous ranking: Record Pts Pv 1. Florida St. (60) 14-0 1,500 1 2. Auburn 12-2 1,428 2 3. Michigan St. 13-1 1,385 4 4. South Carolina 11-2 1,247 8 5. Missouri 12-2 1,236 9 6. Oklahoma 11-2 1,205 11 7. Alabama 11-2 1,114 3 8. Clemson 11-2 1,078 12 9. Oregon 11-2 974 10 10. UCF 12-1 959 15 11. Stanford 11-3 936 5 12. Ohio St. 12-2 816 7 13. Baylor 11-2 778 6 14. LSU 10-3 717 14 15. Louisville 12-1 693 18 10-3 632 17 16. UCLA 10-3 598 13 17. Oklahoma St. 459 20 9-4 18. Texas A&M NR 10-4 299 19. Southern Cal 16 258 10-4 20. Arizona St. 25 256 9-4 21. Notre Dame 245 19 9-4 22. Wisconsin 23. Duke 10-4 190 22 24. Vanderbilt 9-4 117 NR 25. Washington 9-4 109 NR Others receiving votes: Nebraska 107, Fresno St. 54, N. Illinois 22, N. Dakota St. 17, Texas Tech 14, Georgia 13, Iowa 13, Mississippi 10, Kansas St. 8, Arizona 5, Navy 3, East Carolina 2, Utah St. 2, Mississippi St. 1.

BASKETBALL

NBA

EASTERN CONFERENCE

NHL

EASTERN CONFERENCE GP 44 45 46 46 44 46 45 43 GP 46 45 44 46 45 46 45 46

W 28 27 26 20 19 21 17 12 W 32 23 22 23 19 19 21 17

L OT Pts GF GA 14 2 58 128 98 14 4 58 132 109 15 5 57 117 107 18 8 48 131 146 15 10 48 115 125 20 5 47 125 141 21 7 41 105 139 26 5 29 75 120 L OT Pts GF GA 12 2 66 150 111 18 4 50 120 125 16 6 50 135 133 20 3 49 114 123 17 9 47 111 128 18 9 47 106 114 20 4 46 126 129 22 7 41 126 150

WESTERN CONFERENCE Central GP W L OT Pts 8 10 68 47 29 Chicago St. Louis 44 31 8 5 67 45 28 12 5 61 Colorado 47 24 18 5 53 Minnesota Dallas 44 20 17 7 47 46 19 20 7 45 Nashville Winnipeg 47 19 23 5 43 L OT Pts GP W Pacific Anaheim 47 34 8 5 73 San Jose 45 28 11 6 62 Los Angeles 45 27 13 5 59 Vancouver 46 24 13 9 57 Phoenix 44 21 14 9 51 Calgary 44 15 23 6 36 Edmonton 47 15 27 5 35

GA 129 99 115 119 135 137 145 GA 119 115 93 114 136 142 164

NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss.

Thursday Florida 2, Buffalo 1, SO New Jersey 1, Dallas 0 Carolina 6, Toronto 1 Washington 4, Tampa Bay 3 Anaheim 4, Nashville 3 St. Louis 5, Calgary 0 Minnesota 4, Phoenix 1 Los Angeles 4, Boston 2 San Jose 4, Detroit 1 Friday N.Y. Rangers 3, Dallas 2 Washington 3, Toronto 2 Columbus 3, Carolina 0 N.Y. Islanders 2, Colorado 1, OT Edmonton 4, Pittsburgh 3, OT Vancouver 2, St. Louis 1 Saturday Tampa Bay 6, Philadelphia 3 Montreal 2, Chicago 1, OT New Jersey 2, Florida 1, OT Ottawa 2, Nashville 1, SO Columbus 6, Winnipeg 3 Colorado 4, Minnesota 2 Anaheim 5, Phoenix 3 Pittsburgh at Calgary, late Detroit at Los Angeles, late Boston at San Jose, late Today Buffalo at Washington, 3 p.m.

N.Y. Islanders at Dallas, 6 p.m.

New Jersey at Toronto, 7 p.m.

Philadelphia at N.Y. Rangers, 7 p.m.

Edmonton at Chicago, 7 p.m.

Minnesota at Nashville, 7 p.m.

Detroit at Anaheim, 8 p.m.

Monday Calgary at Carolina, 7 p.m.

Tampa Bay at Columbus, 7 p.m.

Phoenix at Winnipeg, 8 p.m.

Vancouver at Los Angeles, 10:30 p.m.

THURSDAY 1 1

0 3

15 14

22

Pct .514 .405

22

.389

Boston

13 12

24 25

.351 .324

6 7

W

L

Pct

GB

27 20 16

10 17 19

.730 .541 .457

— 7 10

15

23

.395 12 .278 16

Philadelphia Southeast Miami Atlanta Washington Charlotte Orlando

10

0 — 0 —

L 17

26

4

Pct GB — .806 .486 11 14 .421

Central Indiana

W 29

L 7

Chicago

17

18

Detroit Cleveland

16

22

13

23

.361

Milwaukee

7

29

.194

22

WESTERN CONFERENCE Pct L W Southwest .778 8 28 San Antonio .632 14 24 Houston

GB —

Memphis New Orleans Northwest Oklahoma City Portland

21 16 15

16 19 20

W 28

L 9

16

5

.568 7 .457 11 .429 12 Pct GB — .757

27

9

.750

Denver

18

17

.514

Minnesota

18

18

.500

Utah

12

26

.316 16

Pacific L.A. Clippers

W 26

L 13

Pct .667

Golden State

25

14

.641

Phoenix

21

15

.583

L.A. Lakers Sacramento

14 12

23 22

.378 11 .353 11

9 9 GB — 1 3

Thursday New York 102, Miami 92 Denver 101, Oklahoma City 88 Friday Indiana 93, Washington 66 Detroit 114, Philadelphia 104 Atlanta 83, Houston 80 Minnesota 119, Charlotte 92 Memphis 104, Phoenix 99 Dallas 107, New Orleans 90 Brooklyn 104, Miami 95,2OT Chicago 81, Milwaukee 72 Cleveland 113, Utah 102 Sacramento 103, Orlando 83 Golden State 99, Boston 97 L.A. Clippers 123, L.A. Lakers 87 Saturday Houston 112, Washington 106 Toronto 96, Brooklyn 80 New York 102, Philadelphia 92 Detroit 110, Phoenix 108 Chicago 103, Charlotte 97 Oklahoma City 101, Milwaukee 85 New Orleans at Dallas, late Orlando at Denver, late Boston at Portland, late Today Cleveland at Sacramento, 6 p.m.

Atlanta at Memphis, 6 p.m.

Minnesota at San Antonio, 7 p.m.

Monday Milwaukee at Toronto, 7 p.m.

Houston at Boston, 7:30 p.m.

Phoenix at New York, 7:30 p.m.

Washington at Chicago, 8 p.m.

San Antonio at New Orleans, 8 p.m.

Orlando at Dallas, 8:30 p.m.

Denver at Utah, 9 p.m.

1 4

1st PERIOD—1, San Jose, Pavelski 20 (Thornton, Burns), 4:59. 2, Detroit, Tatar 9 (Glendening, Smith), 16:48.

2nd PERIOD—3, San Jose, Desjardins 2 (Kearns, Vlasic), 9:44. 4, San Jose, Pavelski 21 (Stuart, Braun), 12:25. 5, San Jose, Boyle 8 (Demers, Thornton), 16:28 (pp).

3rd PERIOD—None.

SHOTS ON GOAL—Detroit 12-8-5—25. San Jose 9-14-3—26.

Goalies—Detroit, Howard, Mrazek. San Jose, Niemi.

A—17,562 (17,562). T—2:27.

21 35

30 29

28 25

FRIDAY DETROIT (114) Smith 8-23 4-6 22, Monroe 5-6 5-8 15, Drummond 5-12 1-3 11, Jennings 4-10 7-8 19, Caldwell—Pope 5-11 0-0 12, Singler 6-17 3-4 16, Bynum 6-11 3-4 16, Stuckey 0-1 0-0 0, Billups 1-3 0-0 3, Jerebko 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 40-94 23-33 114.

PHILADELPHIA (104) Turner 6-14 5-6 19, Young 10-21 0-1 22, Hawes 6-14 1-1 16, Carter—Williams 9-20 3-4 21, Anderson 4-8 2-2 10, Wroten 1-6 3-6 5, Davies 1-3 0-0 2, Williams 4-7 0-0 9, Thompson 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 41-95 14-20 104.

Detroit Philadelphia

28 36

27 27

29 18

30 — 114 23 — 104

3-Point Goals—Detroit 11-30 (Jennings 4-6, Caldwell—Pope 2-4, Smith 2-8, Billups 1-2, Bynum 1-3, Singler 1-6, Stuckey 0-1), Philadelphia 8-24 (Hawes 3-8, Turner 2-3, Young 2-6, Williams 1-1, Wroten 0-1, Thompson 0-1, Carter—Williams 0-2, Anderson 0-2). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Detroit 74 (Smith 13), Philadelphia 50 (Hawes 10).

Assists—Detroit 24 (Smith 7), Philadelphia 23 (Hawes 6). Total Fouls—Detroit 19, Philadelphia 19.

Technicals—Drummond. A—13,742 (20,328).

BASEBALL

DETROIT TIGERS SPRING TRAINING RADIO/TV SCHEDULE: (ALL GAMES AT 1:05 P.M. UNLESS NOTED OTHERWISE.) Tigers home games are in Lakeland, Fla. Games listed as Radio are on the Tigers Radio Network.

Feb. 25: vs. Florida Southern College Feb. 26: at Braves (Disney World), Radio Feb. 27: vs. Braves Feb. 28: vs. Yankees, Radio Feb. 28: at Phillies (Clearwater) March 1: vs. Astros, Radio March 2: at Braves (Disney World), Radio March 3: vs. Cardinals, Radio March 4: vs. Pirates, Radio March 5: at Astros (Kissimmee), Radio March 6: vs. Phillies March 7: at Yankees (Tampa), 7:05 p.m.

March 8: vs. Mets, Radio March 9: at Marlins (Jupiter), Radio March 10: at Cardinals (Jupiter), Radio and FSD March 11: vs. Blue Jays, Radio March 12: at Yankees (Tampa) March 13: vs. Marlins, FSD March 14: vs. Nationals, Radio March 15: vs. Astros, Radio March 16: at Nationals (Viera), Radio March 17: vs. Nationals, Radio March 18: vs. Blue Jays, Radio March 18: at New York Mets (Port St. Lucie), 1:10 p.m.

March 19: Open date March 20: at Nationals (Viera) March 21: at Braves (Disney World) March 22: at Blue Jays (Dunedin) March 23: vs. Marlins, Radio and FSD March 24: at Pirates (Bradenton), Radio March 25: vs. Braves March 26: at Phillies (Clearwater), Radio March 27: vs. Braves, Radio and FSD March 28: vs. Rays, Radio March 29: at Nationals at Washington, D.C., 2:05 p.m., Radio DETROIT TIGERS RADIO AFFILIATES STATION CITY FREQUENCY WXYT DETROIT 97.1 FM/1270 AM 96.7 FM ALPENA WRGZ 100.3 FM ANGOLA, IN WLKI WTKA ANN ARBOR 1050 AM 96.1 FM ARCHBOLD, OH WMTR 930 AM BATTLE CREEK WBCK WBRN BIG RAPIDS 1460 AM 93.7 FM CADILLAC WKAD 1360 AM CARO WKYO WMKT CHARLEVOIX/HARRIETTA 1270 AM WLJZ CHEBOYGAN/MACK. CITY 94.5 FM 1590 AM COLDWATER WTVB WDBC ESCANABA 680 AM WTRX FLINT 1330 AM WBBL GRAND RAPIDS 107.3 FM WGRY GRAYLING 101.1 FM WCSR HILLSDALE 92.1 FM WHTC HOLLAND 1450 AM WCCY HOUGHTON 1400 AM WMIQ IRON MOUNTAIN 1450 AM WIBM JACKSON 1450 AM WKZO KALAMAZOO 590 AM WVFN LANSING 730 AM WLDN LUDINGTON 98.7 FM WMTE MANISTEE 1340 AM WDMJ/WIAN MARQUETTE 1320 AM WAVC MIO 93.9 FM WLCS MUSKEGON 98.3 FM WNBY NEWBERRY 1450 AM WWTH OSCODA 100.7 FM WMBN PETOSKEY 1340 AM WPHM PORT HURON 1380 AM WSGW SAGINAW 790 AM WTGV SANDUSKY 97.7 FM WSOO SAULT STE. MARIE 1230 AM WBET STURGIS 1230 AM WLQR TOLEDO, OH 1470 AM WCCW TRAVERSE CITY 1310 AM

COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Wisconsin Michigan St. Michigan Ohio St. Illinois Iowa Minnesota Indiana Purdue Nebraska Penn St. Northwestern

SATURDAY PHOENIX (108) Tucker 6-13 2-2 17, Frye 7-14 2-4 21, Plumlee 6-10 0-0 12, Dragic 4-9 5-6 15, Green 5-17 4-5 15, Mark.Morris 0-4 0-0 0, Barbosa 3-9 2-2 9, Len 0-1 0-0 0, I.Smith 1-7 0-0 2, Marc.Morris 5-10 6-6 17.

Totals 37-94 21-25 108.

DETROIT (110) J.Smith 11-16 2-3 25, Monroe 6-14 8-11 20, Drummond 5-9 3-7 13, Jennings 4-14 0-0 8, CaldwellPope 4-8 0-0 9, Singler 3-9 0-0 6, Stuckey 3-8 2-2 8, Bynum 6-11 4-4 16, Villanueva 2-5 0-0 5. Totals 44-94 19-27 110.

Phoenix Detroit

PISTONS 114, 76ERS 104

BIG TEN CONFERENCE STANDINGS

PISTONS 110, SUNS 108

SHARKS 4, RED WINGS 1 Detroit San Jose

18

Brooklyn New York

Dallas GF 170 161 132 114 125 109 128 GF 160 148 118 123 133 100 123

GB — 4

Atlantic Toronto

W

at Illinois 8 p.m.

BTN

Detroit 32 (Jennings 18). Total Fouls—Phoenix 23, Detroit 19. A—15,224 (22,076).

FINAL 2013 14 AP TOP 25

HOCKEY

ATLANTIC Boston Tampa Bay Montreal Ottawa Detroit Toronto Florida Buffalo Metropolitan Pittsburgh Philadelphia Washington N.Y. Rangers Carolina New Jersey Columbus N.Y. Islanders

at NW 7 p.m.

BTN

MICHIGAN STATE

29 — 108 21 — 110

3-Point Goals—Phoenix 13-35 (Frye 5-10, Tucker 3-5, Dragic 2-4, Barbosa 1-3, Marc.Morris 1-4, Green 1-7, Mark.Morris 0-1, I.Smith 0-1), Detroit 3-17 (J.Smith 1-1, Villanueva 1-4, Caldwell-Pope 1-4, Singler 0-3, Jennings 0-5). Fouled Out—None.

Rebounds—Phoenix 51 (Tucker 11), Detroit 68 (Drummond 13). Assists—Phoenix 24 (Dragic 8),

Conference W L Pct. 3 0 1.000 4 0 1.000 3 0 1.000 2 1 .667 2 1 .667 2 1 .667 2 2 .500 1 2 .333 0 2 .000 0 3 .000 0 4 .000 0 3 .000

W 16 15 11 15 13 13 13 11 10 8 9 7

Overall L Pct. 0 1.000 1 .938 4 .733 1 .938 3 .813 3 .813 4 .765 5 .688 5 .667 7 .533 8 .529 9 .438

Thursday Michigan 71, Nebraska 70 Iowa 93, Northwestern 67 Friday No games scheduled Saturday Indiana 79, Penn State 76 Michigan State 87, Minnesota 75, OT Today Nebraska at Purdue, noon Iowa at Ohio State, 1:30 p.m.

Illinois at Northwestern, 7:30 p.m.

Monday No games scheduled

MICHIGAN ST. (15-1) Costello 1-3 5-6 7, Dawson 3-6 0-0 6, Appling 4-10 15-16 24, Harris 5-16 8-11 19, Valentine 3-9 3-5 9, Gauna 1-1 0-0 2, Ellis III 0-1 1-2 1, Trice 2-6 0-0 4, Kaminski 5-7 0-0 15, Schilling 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-59 32-40 87.

Halftime—Minnesota 41-36. End Of Regulation— Tied 71. 3-Point Goals—Minnesota 10-26 (Smith 5-10, King 2-3, An. Hollins 2-6, Osenieks 1-2, Shell 0-1, Mathieu 0-1, Au. Hollins 0-3), Michigan St. 7-21 (Kaminski 5-7, Appling 1-2, Harris 1-8, Trice 0-2, Valentine 0-2). Fouled Out—Eliason, Au. Hollins.

Rebounds—Minnesota 32 (Eliason 11), Michigan St. 44 (Dawson, Valentine 10). Assists—Minnesota 13 (An. Hollins, Mathieu 3), Michigan St. 16 (Valentine 4). Total Fouls—Minnesota 26, Michigan St. 17.

A—14,797.

MICHIGAN 71, NEBRASKA 70 THURSDAY MICHIGAN (11-4) Robinson III 9-12 0-0 19, Morgan 7-9 1-2 15, Walton Jr. 3-6 2-5 10, Stauskas 5-9 0-2 12, LeVert 5-8 0-0 10, Albrecht 1-1 0-0 3, Horford 1-2 0-0 2, Irvin 0-3 0-0 0. Totals 31-50 3-9 71.

NEBRASKA (8-7) Petteway 6-12 3-4 16, Shields 1-5 2-2 4, Pitchford 4-6 2-2 12, Webster 1-1 0-0 2, Gallegos 5-11 0-0 14, Biggs 5-7 4-4 14, Parker 0-0 0-0 0, Smith 4-7 0-0 8. Totals 26-49 11-12 70.

Halftime—Michigan 33-30. 3-Point Goals—Michigan 6-17 (Stauskas 2-4, Walton Jr. 2-4, Albrecht 1-1, Robinson III 1-3, LeVert 0-2, Irvin 0-3), Nebraska 7-20 (Gallegos 4-10, Pitchford 2-4, Petteway 1-4, Shields 0-2). Fouled Out—None.

Rebounds—Michigan 20 (Morgan, Robinson III 4), Nebraska 26 (Smith 6). Assists—Michigan 16 (LeVert 5), Nebraska 10 (Petteway, Shields 3). Total Fouls—Michigan 13, Nebraska 12. A—15,012.

MEN’S MAJOR SCORES EAST Indiana 79, Penn St. 76 Memphis 79, Temple 69 Oklahoma St. 73, West Virginia 72 Pittsburgh 80, Wake Forest 65 Syracuse 57, North Carolina 45 UConn 84, UCF 61 UMass 73, St. Bonaventure 68 Villanova 74, St. John’s 67 SOUTH Boston College 62, Virginia Tech 59 Clemson 72, Duke 59 Floida 84, Arkansas 82, OT Georgia 66, Alabama 58 Georgia Tech 74, Notre Dame 69 Kentucky 71, Vanderbilt 62 LSU 71, South Carolina 68 Mississippi St. 76, Ole Miss 72 Missouri 70, Auburn 68 Texas A&M 57, Tennessee 56 Virginia 76, NC State 45 MIDWEST Cincinnati 71, Rutgers 51 Georgetown 70, Butler 67, OT Kansas 86, Kansas St. 60 Marquette 67, Seton Hall 66 Toledo 86, Cent. Michigan 71 W. Michigan 78, Miami (Ohio) 77, OT SOUTHWEST Baylor 88, TCU 62 Florida 84, Arkansas 82, OT Oklahoma 87, Iowa St. 82 Texas 67, Texas Tech 64

WOMEN’S MAJOR SCORES EAST Creighton 97, Providence 65 Georgetown 85, Butler 79 Rutgers 64, SMU 54 St. John’s 96, DePaul 86 Seton Hall 64, Villanova 56 UConn 80, Temple 36 SOUTH Memphis 88, UCF 52 MIDWEST Kansas 67, Texas Tech 46 Marquette 73, Xavier 67 Oakland 78, Detroit 63 Ohio St. 70, Indiana 51 Oklahoma St. 69, Iowa St. 62 SOUTHWEST Baylor 80, TCU 46 Cincinnati 59, Houston 50 Oklahoma 61, Kansas St. 50 FAR WEST BYU 75, Portland 68 Fresno St. 60, Colorado St. 50 Gonzaga 79, San Diego 50 Oregon St. 88, Oregon 80 Washington St. 85, Washington 76

TENNIS

APIA INTERNATIONAL SATURDAY At Olympic Park Tennis Centre Sydney, Australia Purse: Men, $511,825 (WT250); Women, $710,000 (Premier) Surface: Hard-Outdoor SINGLES MEN Championship Juan Martin del Potro (1), Argentina, def. Bernard Tomic, Australia, 6-3, 6-1.

ATP WORLD TOUR HEINEKEN OPEN SATURDAY At ASB Bank Tennis Centre Auckland, New Zealand Purse: $514,345 (WT250) Surface: Hard-Outdoor SINGLES MEN Championship John Isner (3), United States, def. Yen—hsun Lu, Taiwan, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (7).

AUSTRALIAN OPEN SHOW COURT SCHEDULES TODAY At Melbourne Park Melbourne, Australia Play begins on all courts at 7 p.m. Today ROD LAVER ARENA Angelique Kerber (9), Germany, vs. Jarmila Gajdosova, Australia Alejandro Gonzalez, Colombia, vs. David Ferrer (3), Spain Sam Stosur (17), Australia, vs. Klara Zakopalova, Czech Republic Night Session (3 a.m. Monday) Lukas Lacko, Slovakia, vs. Novak Djokovic (2), Serbia Serena Williams (1), United States, vs. Ashleigh Barty, Australia HISENSE ARENA Stanislas Wawrinka (8), Switzerland, vs. Andrey Golubev, Kazakhstan Li Na (4), China, vs. Ana Konjuh, Croatia Kiki Bertens, Netherlands, vs. Ana Ivanovic (14), Serbia Not before 1 a.m. Monday: Jordan Thompson, Australia, vs. Jerzy Janowicz (20), Poland MARGARET COURT ARENA Ekaterina Makarova (22), Russia, vs. Venus Williams, United States Tomas Berdych (7), Czech Republic, vs. Aleksandr Nedovyesov, Kazakhstan Julia Goerges, Germany, vs. Sara Errani (7), Italy Luksika Kumkhum, Thailand, vs. Petra Kvitova (6), Czech Republic Night Session (3 a.m. Monday) Marcos Baghdatis, Cyprus, vs. Denis Istomin, Uzbekistan SHOW COURT 2 Heather Watson, Britain, vs. Daniela Hantuchova (31), Slovakia Nicolas Mahut, France, vs. Matthew Ebden, Australia Samuel Groth, Australia, vs. Vasek Pospisil (28), Canada Mirjana Lucic-Baroni, Croatia, vs. Sabine Lisicki (15), Germany

GLANTZ CULVER LINE

NO. 5 MICHIGAN ST. 87, MINNESOTA 75, OT

NFL PLAYOFFS

SATURDAY MINNESOTA (13-4) Osenieks 1-3 0-0 3, Eliason 1-3 5-6 7, An. Hollins 7-14 8-8 24, Mathieu 3-10 2-3 8, Au. Hollins 2-8 3-5 7, Shell 0-1 0-0 0, McNeil 0-0 1-2 1, Ahanmisi 0-0 0-0 0, Walker 1-2 0-0 2, King 2-3 0-0 6, Smith 6-13 0-0 17. Totals 23-57 19-24 75.

FAVORITE

TODAY San Francisco at Denver

OPEN

1 9

TODAY

O/U

1 (41 ) 9 (55)

UNDERDOG

at Carolina San Diego

— The Associated Press; all times Eastern

THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS / SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2014 / D5

NFL SEATTLE 23, NEW ORLEANS 15

Lynch, Seahawks rumble past Saints The Associated Press

SEATTLE — Marshawn Lynch ran for 140 yards and two touchdowns, Steven Hauschka kicked three field goals in blustery conditions and Seattle’s defense flustered Drew Brees and New Orleans in a 23-15 victory Saturday in the NFC divisional playoff game.

The top-seeded Seahawks advanced to the NFC championship game for the second time in franchise history and will host San Francisco or Carolina next Sunday.

Seattle last reached the conference title game in the 2005 playoffs.

Seattle shut out the Saints in the first half, got Lynch’s

first 100-yard game since Week 10 of the regular season and received a spark from the brief return of Percy Harvin before he left with a concussion. Lynch scored on a 15-yard run in the first half and capped the victory with a 31-yard scoring run with 2:40 left that coach Pete Carroll celebrated by jumping into offensive line coach Tom Cable’s arms.

New Orleans scored in the final minute and recovered the onside kick, but the game ended three plays later when Marques Colston’s attempted cross-field lateral went forward 5 yards for a penalty.

That forced a 10-second runoff, which ended the game.

San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick (7) runs against the Green Bay Packers defense during an NFL wild-card playoff game last weekend. Kapernick is a player that has defenders looking for scrambles, sneaks and designed runs by the QBs this weekend. (AP)

NFL PLAYOFFS

Kaepernick leads the way for mobile signal-callers

QBs are ready to run

By Howard Fendrich

And if Kaepernick’s 98-yard, sevencarry day in a 23-20 victory over Green Not surprisingly, Carolina Panthers Bay — the most yards rushing for any quarterback Cam Newton avoided sayplayer in the wild-card round — is any ing anything too specific about whether indication, it might just be that speedy he’ll wind up with some extra carries in QBs held under wraps during the reguthe playoffs. lar season were going to get to strut Adept at speaking a lot while divulgtheir stuff more in the postseason. ing little, Newton looked ahead to his “Colin is prepared to tuck the ball and postseason debut Sunday against the run,” 49ers offensive coordinator Greg San Francisco 49ers and offered this Roman said. “We’ve all seen that.” when asked about running the ball: Never more so than in the playoffs.

“Hopefully, I will take what the defense Kaepernick’s two top-yardage rushing gives me.” games as a pro came in the postseason One man convinced Newton’s rushing (both were against the Packers; he ran total will be higher than during the reg- for 181 against them a year ago, a record ular season is 49ers defensive coordina- for a QB). tor Vic Fangio, the man charged with Seeing Kaepernick do his thing figuring out how to contain Carolina’s brought to mind someone in particular QB. for Randall Cunningham, a star in the “When you have a quarterback of 1980s and 1990s and the prototypical Cam Newton’s ability in this type of dual-threat QB. game, I think he’ll be apt to run a little “Kaepernick reminds me a lot of bit more than he maybe would normyself. When the game is on the line, mally,” Fangio said. “They may even call he’s going to use his legs. Those are the more of the quarterback runs for him, plays that break a defense’s back,” said the quarterback powers or lead draws.” Cunningham, who held the record for With so much passing by NFL teams, career yards rushing by a quarterback it’s easy to forget that there’s still a until Michael Vick broke the mark. “It’s place for a running game. Except it’s a fun part of the game and a needed not necessarily going to be running part of the game now.” backs gaining key yards on the ground That’s in part, he said, because runin these playoffs. It’s the quarterbacks. ning QBs make their passing more With Newton, San Francisco’s Colin effective, too.

Kaepernick and Seattle’s Russell “It’s one thing to know a quarWilson — and Indianapolis’ Andrew terback isn’t going to run out of the Luck is a capable ballcarrier, too — pocket; you can rush three (defenddefensive players are going to be wary ers),” Cunningham said. “But with a of scrambles, sneaks and designed runs Kaepernick, you try to rush three, he’s by the QBs this weekend. got the ability to move around back Even Drew Brees got in on the act a there, and he can get the defense out of week ago while helping New Orleans position and then run or throw. ... He beat Philadelphia 26-24, with 13 yards can throw the ball on the run, throw offon five runs, his second-highest totals balance.” for any game over the past two seasons.

According to STATS, which does a

The Associated Press

video review of every play of every NFL game, Kaepernick gained 13 yards on three designed runs against the Packers last weekend, plus 85 yards on four scrambles. That includes an 11-yard, blitz-eluding run on third-and-8 on the final drive, helping set up the gamewinning field goal.

“His legs are his weapon,” Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly said, “and he knows that.”

The same could be said of Kuechly’s teammate, Newton, who ran a seasonhigh 12 times for 72 yards in a playofftype Week 17 victory over Atlanta, sealing the NFC South title.

Newton led the league’s quarterbacks with 585 yards rushing this season.

Wilson was No. 3, Kaepernick No. 4 — both also above 500. Luck was No. 7 with 377 yards, with about a third fewer carries.

Luck showed what he can do by fooling Kansas City on a bootleg keeper for 21 yards on fourth-and-1 in the second quarter of the Colts’ wild 45-44 comeback victory last weekend. Luck pulled off a similar play on a 6-yard TD run at San Francisco in Week 3.

Against the Chiefs, he wound up with a season-high 45 yards rushing on seven carries. And that doesn’t include his most significant play on the ground: the headfirst leap into the end zone for a touchdown after recovering a teammate’s fumble.

Colts coach Chuck Pagano acknowledges it can be worrisome to watch his QB get exposed to extra hits by running.

“Certainly if you had things designed for him, we all know he’s more than capable of executing it and getting it done. But ... that’s your franchise,” Pagano said, “so (there’s) a lot of riskreward.”

SAN DIEGO AT DENVER

Broncos back a year after playoff pratfall at home The Associated Press

DENVER — Philip Rivers likes to say the San Diego Chargers have been in playoff mode since last month, scrapping just to squeak into the postseason party.

Wesley Woodyard would like him to know the Denver Broncos have been in the pressure cooker ever since their playoff pratfall a year ago when they lost at home in double-overtime to underdog Baltimore.

“Absolutely. We have been waiting for this moment for a long time,” Woodyard said.

Since the first-round bye was introduced in 1978, 16 other teams have opened the playoffs at home a year after losing a divisional home game to a wild-card winner.

Only one of those teams,

the 1987 Chicago Bears, lost again.

Nine of those reached the Super Bowl and five of them won it: the ‘83 Raiders, ‘88 49ers, ‘90 Giants, ‘97 Broncos and the ‘06 Colts — led by current Denver quarterback Peyton Manning.

The ‘96 Broncos lost to Jacksonville 30-27, then whipped the Jaguars 42-17 the following year on their way to winning their first of two straight Super Bowls behind Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway.

Manning’s 2005 Colts were upset by Pittsburgh, but he led them to the championship the following season.

He’s out to repeat that feat beginning today, when the top-seeded Broncos (13-3) host the Chargers (10-7) at Sports

Denver quarterback Peyton Manning throws during practice Jan. 10. Manning hopes to lead the Broncos to victory over the San Diego Chargers today. (AP)

Authority Field on the anniversary of Denver’s 38-35 loss to the Ravens.

“This is why you have the offseason work, this is why you meet as often as you do in April, May and June. It’s for opportunities like this,” said Manning, who set a slew of records this season as the

Broncos became the highestscoring team in the Super Bowl era.

AFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF Who: San Diego Chargers at Denver Broncos, 4:40 p.m. today TV: CBS

Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch runs for a 31-yard touchdown. (AP)

SAN FRANCISCO AT CAROLINA

Underdog Panthers look to upend 49ers again The Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It doesn’t surprise safety Mike Mitchell that the Carolina Panthers are only the third home underdog in the NFL divisional playoffs in the past 20 years.

“We haven’t gotten much respect all year,” he said.

“It looks like we still have people to prove wrong.”

The Panthers (12-4) are playing the no-respect card after opening the week as a 1-point underdog against San Francisco (13-4), despite defeating the 49ers 10-9 at Candlestick Park on Nov. 10.

Panthers wide receiver Steve Smith said the 49ers likely are favored because of their playoff experience.

This is the third straight season San Francisco has been to the playoffs under coach Jim Harbaugh, and most of the players have returned from last year’s NFC championship team.

The Panthers will make their first playoff appearance since 2008 under third-year coach Ron Rivera.

That doesn’t seem to bother Rivera.

“No, because two years ago (the 49ers) didn’t have any playoff experience, and they did pretty well,” Rivera said.

Harbaugh, who was teammates with Rivera with the Chicago Bears, also downplayed the experience factor.

“I’ve always really felt that where you’re going is a heck of a lot more important than where you’ve come from,” Harbaugh said.

Rivera said the Panthers got some playoff-type experience by winning a number of big games during the season — they beat New England and New Orleans along with San Francisco — to battle back from a 1-3 start to win the NFC South and secure a first-round bye.

The Panthers sacked Colin Kaepernick six times and limited him to 91 yards passing and 16 yards rushing in the first meeting in a win that defensive end Greg Hardy said “proved we were a contender.”

But Rivera said Kaeper-

nick’s play has vastly improved since.

“He is playing with a lot of confidence right now,” Rivera said. “Maybe we’ll get lucky and catch him on a bad day.”

Kaepernick said he’s eager to bounce back from perhaps the most disappointing game of his career against Carolina. When asked what the Panthers did that was so effective, he said “I think it was more of what we did to ourselves. I didn’t play well.”

Being the home underdogs might not be a bad thing for the Panthers.

According to the GlantzCulver Line, one of the two home divisional playoff underdogs since the 1994 season was the ‘96 Panthers, who upended the Dallas Cowboys in the very same stadium they’ll face the 49ers in today.

NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFF Who: San Francisco 49ers at Carolina Panthers, 1:05 p.m. today TV: Fox

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Harry Douglas (83) is hit by Carolina Panthers free safety Mike Mitchell (21) on Dec. 29.

Mitchell said he isn’t surprised the Panthers are only the third home underdog in the NFL divisional playoffs in the past 20 years. (AP)

D6 / SUNDAY, JANUARY 12, 2014 / THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS

National Sports FIGURE SKATING

BASEBALL

White, Davis skate to sixth ice dance title

A-Rod ban cut to 162 games

The Associated Press

By Ronald Blum

BOSTON — Charlie White and Meryl Davis, the reigning Winter Games silver medalists danced their way to victory at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships on Saturday to win their sixth national title — one more than the record five they had shared with American ice dance pioneers Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto.

They finished with 200.19 points — their most ever at nationals — thanks to a perfect score for the elements in their free skate.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Penn State hires Vandy’s Franklin Penn State has hired James Franklin as its next head coach Saturday. Franklin, 41, who led Vanderbilt to bowls in all three of his seasons there, replaces Bill O’Brien, who left the Nittany Lions after two years to coach the NFL’s Houston Texans.

Mizzou star arrested Missouri receiver Dorial Green-Beckham was arrested in southwest Missouri after an officer found about a pound of marijuana in the vehicle he was in with two other men.

Green-Beckham, a sophomore who led No. 5 Missouri in receptions last season, and the other men were released without formal charges after their arrest late Friday, Springfield police said.

Green-Beckham, John W. McDaniel and Patrick Prouty, were pulled over late Friday because the vehicle McDaniel was driving had expired license plates, police said.

The statement said the officer smelled marijuana in the vehicle and found “approximately a pound of marijuana and assorted drug paraphernalia” in the vehicle.

‘Bama hires Kiffin Alabama hired former Southern California coach Lane Kiffin on Friday as its offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Kiffin spent a week in Tuscaloosa, Ala., last month exchanging ideas with coach Nick Saban and his staff .

Evan Bates and Madison Chock were second with 181.44 points and siblings Maia and Alex Shibutani, were third (170.44).

Earlier, hometown favorites Simon Shnapir and Marissa Castelli won the pairs title. The women’s free skate was scheduled for later Saturday, with the men’s long program today.

The U.S. Olympic figure skating teams will be announced today. The top three in dance and top two in pairs are expected — but not guaranteed — to get spots.

NBA

Rondo plans return Rajon Rondo said he hopes to make his season debut before the All-Star break.

Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens said he has never spoken to Rondo or anybody in the organization about a specific return date. Rondo has been out since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last January.

He declined to give a specific date. Boston’s last game before the break is Feb. 12.

NHL

Sabres prospect won’t report Buffalo Sabres prospect Mikhail Grigorenko will not report to the Quebec Remparts after Buffalo assigned its former first round pick to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League club Saturday. Grigorenko, 19, has been unhappy not to be staying with the NHL team after recently returning from the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships in Malmo, Sweden, where he led Russia to the bronze medal.

BASEBALL

CarGo has appendectomy Colorado Rockies slugger Carlos Gonzalez is recovering from an emergency appendectomy after intense stomach pain sent him to a Denver hospital Friday night.

Gonzalez has a six-week window before position players have their first workout at spring training in Arizona.

— The Associated Press

•Markel Brown hit a 3-pointer with 12 seconds to lift No. 11 Oklahoma State (142, 2-1 Big 12) to a 73-72 win at West Virginia (10-6, 2-1).

•K.J. McDaniels scored •Noah Vonleh scored a 24 points and Jaron career-high 19 points, Yogi Blossomgame had career Ferrell added 15 and Indiana highs with 14 points and 14 held off Penn State 79-76. rebounds as Clemson (11-4, Indiana (11-5, 1-2 Big Ten) 2-1 ACC) defeated No. 16 Duke trailed by as many as 15. DJ (12-4, 1-2) 72-59 Saturday.

Newbill tied a career-high •Andrew Wiggins scored with 24 points for Penn State 22 points, fellow freshman (9-8, 0-4). His 3-point try with Wayne Selden added 20 and 3 seconds left hit the rim.

No. 18 Kansas beat 25th•Trae Golden scored 20 ranked Kansas State 86-60. points as Georgia Tech (10-6, Kansas (11-4, 2-0 Big 12) has 1-2 ACC) beat Notre Dame won 48 of the past 51 vs. the (10-6, 1-2) 74-69.

Wildcats (12-4, 2-1).

•Julius Brown had 15 •C.J. Fair scored 20 points and 12 assists while points, Jerami Grant had 12 J.D. Weatherspoon added 14 points and 11 rebounds in points and a career-high 12 rebounds, and No. 2 Syracuse Toledo’s (13-2, 1-1) 86-71 vic(16-0, 3-0 ACC) beat North tory over Central Michigan.

Carolina 57-45. UNC (10-6, Fowler led CMU (7-7, 0-3) equaled the worst confer- 0-2) with 21 points, eight ence start in school history. rebounds and three assists.

•Dorian Finney-Smith Braylon Rayson had 15 points scored a career-high 22 and John Simons had 10. points as No. 10 Florida •No. 7 Baylor (13-2, 1-1 Big (13-2, 2-0 SEC) overcame 12) beat TCU (9-6, 0-3) 88-62. the absence of leading •No. 8 Villanova (15-1, 4-0 scorer Casey Prather to snap Big East) beat St. John’s (9-6, Arkansas’ (11-4, 0-2) 23-game 0-3) 74-67. home winning streak with •No. 14 Kentucky (12-3, 2-0 an 84-82 overtime win.

SEC) beat Vanderbilt 71-62.

•Buddy Hield scored 22 •No. 19 Massachusetts points and Ryan Spangler (14-1, 2-0 Atlantic-10) beat St. Bonaventure (11-5, 1-1) 73-68. added 16 points and 15 •No. 24 Memphis (12-3, rebounds to help Oklahoma 3-1 American) beat Temple (13-3, 2-1 Big 12) knock off 79-69. previously unbeaten No. 9 — The Associated Press Iowa State (14-1, 2-1) 87-82.

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — Alex Rodriguez’s drug suspension was cut to 162 games from 211 by arbitrator Fredric Horowitz, a decision the New York Yankees third baseman vowed to fight in federal court.

Rodriguez also would be sidelined for any postseason games this year under the ruling announced Saturday.

“The number of games sadly comes as no surprise, as the deck has been stacked against me from day one,” Rodriguez said in a statement. “This is one man’s decision, that was not put before a fair and impartial jury, does not involve me having failed a single drug test, is at odds with the facts and is inconsistent with the terms of the Joint Drug Agreement and the Basic Agreement, and relies on testimony and documents that would never have been allowed in any court in the United States because they are false and wholly unreliable.”

The three-time AL MVP was given the 211-game penalty by Commissioner Bud Selig on Aug. 5 following Major League Baseball’s investigation of the Biogenesis of America anti-aging clinic, which was accused of distributing banned performance-enhancing drugs.

The Major League Baseball Players Association filed a grievance saying the discipline was without “just cause” Horowitz ruled Rodriguez is entitled to 21-183rds, or about 11.5 percent, of his $25 million salary this year, a person familiar with the decision said, speaking on condition of anonymity because the decision was not made public. That comes to $2,868,852.46.

Baseball’s drug rules allow Rodriguez to participate in spring training and play in exhibition games, although the Yankees might try to tell him not to report.

While the 38-year-old Rodriguez could fight the ruling in court, judges rarely overturn arbitrators’ decisions.

“While we believe the original 211game suspension was appropriate, we

Alex Rodriguez’s drug suspension has been cut to 162 games from 211 by arbitrator Fredric Horowitz, a decision sidelining the New York Yankees third baseman for the entire 2014 season. (AP File)

respect the decision rendered by the panel and will focus on our continuing efforts on eliminating performanceenhancing substances from our game,” MLB said in a statement.

The union said in its own statement that it “strongly disagrees” with the ruling but added “we recognize that a final and binding decision has been reached.”

Rodriguez, however, plans to continue the fight.

“This injustice is MLB’s first step toward abolishing guaranteed contracts in the 2016 bargaining round, instituting lifetime bans for single violations of drug policy and further insulating its corrupt investigative program from any variety defense by accused players or any variety of objective review,” he said.

“I have been clear that I did not use performance-enhancing substances as alleged in the notice of discipline, or violate the Basic Agreement or the Joint Drug Agreement in any manner, and in order to prove it I will take this fight to federal court.”

Rodriguez has claimed Selig was on a vendetta to smear him as a way of burnishing the commissioner’s image following the Steroids Era. Fourteen players were penalized following the Biogenesis probe, and they all accepted penalties. Milwaukee outfielder Ryan Braun sat out the final 65 games of the season, the other players were given 50-game suspensions.

A-Rod’s drug penalty was for “his use and possession of numerous forms of prohibited performance-enhancing substances, including testosterone and human growth hormone over the course of multiple years,” MLB said last summer. His punishment under the labor contract was “for attempting to cover up his violations of the program by engaging in a course of conduct intended to obstruct and frustrate the office of the commissioner’s investigation.”

Rodriguez admitted in 2009 that he used PEDs while with Texas from 2001-03 but has repeatedly denied using them since.

Hall of Fame: Up to BBWAA to propose vote changes

By Ronald Blum

The Associated Press

NEW YORK — The Hall of Fame says it’s up to baseball writers to propose any changes in the selection process.

The Baseball Writers’ Association of America has voted on Hall of Fame candidates since 1936, and elections have become more controversial in recent years as stars tainted by accusations of steroids use have fallen well short of the 75 percent needed for entry to Cooperstown.

Writers are limited to a

maximum 10 votes, and some say there’s a logjam as Barry Bonds, Rogers Clemens, Mark McGwire remain on the ballot at a time new players are added.

The Hall electorate includes anyone who has been a BBWAA member for 10 consecutive years at any point.

Some say the voting group should be expanded beyond writers.

Dan Le Batard was kicked out of the BBWAA for one year and barred from future Hall votes Thursday after he

turned over his 2014 ballot to the website Deadspin, which allowed readers to choose the selections. Le Batard, an ESPN host and longtime Miami Herald columnist, said Wednesday he gave his ballot to the website because he detests the “hypocrisy” in the voting process and it “needs remodeling in a new media world.”

BBWAA SecretaryTreasurer Jack O’Connell said ballots averaged 8.4 players this year and just over half of the 571 voters used all 10 picks.

The BBWAA decided last month to form a committee to study whether the 10-man limit should be altered.

While the BBWAA long was limited to reporters for newspapers and news agencies, a small number of website writers have been allowed to join in recent years. Broadcasters and MLB.com reporters are excluded.

ESPN broadcaster Keith Olbermann advocates eliminating the 10-players restriction and increasing the voting pool.

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Clemson tops Duke; Iowa State loses

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Grand Slam season begins Monday in Melbourne Murray curious to see how coaches change dynamics The Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia — Andy Murray is curious to see how the locker room dynamics change with the likes of Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg and Michael Chang following Ivan Lendl into the coaching ranks.

Murray made career breakthroughs after hiring eighttime Grand Slam winner Lendl as coach.

Becker and Edberg, both six-time major winners, are reporting for coaching duty for the first time at a Grand Slam event when the Australian Open starts Monday, working with Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer respectively. Chang is working with Kei Nishikori. And there are others.

“It’s a bit different now in the locker room,” Murray said. “There might be a few interesting dynamics going on there with the ex-players.”

Murray and Federer are in the top-heavy half of the draw with No. 1-ranked Rafael

Nadal and No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro, the 2009 U.S. Open champion.

No. 2-ranked Djokovic, seeking a fourth straight Australian Open title, is the only major winner in the bottom half.

Murray has only played one match since minor back surgery in September. He has reached three finals at Melbourne Park, but never got the title. Lendl helped him end a decades-long drought for British men by winning the 2012 U.S. Open, then Wimbledon last year.

Murray’s ascent has coincided with Federer’s demise.

The 17-time major winner didn’t reach a Grand Slam final last year for the first time since 2002. The problems he had initially adjusting to a new racket are behind, he said, after putting a lot of practice hours into it.

Nadal has all the pressure on him. He didn’t play at the Australian Open last year, during his seven-month absence from the tour with injuries. He returned to win 10 titles, including the French and U.S. Opens, and regained the No. 1 ranking from Djokovic in October.

Serena Williams seeks historic 18th major win The Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia — Serena Williams’ next challenge comes at the Australian Open, which starts Monday with Williams seeking her 18th Grand Slam title — an accomplishment that would match Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert.

“It would mean a lot to be on the same level as such great players,” Williams said Saturday. “I still have a lot of work to do. I obviously want to reach that level, but I’m not there yet.”

The No. 1-ranked player is entering the new season after a spectacular year. In 2013, Williams won 78 of her 82 matches, including the French Open and the U.S. Open. She earned more than $12 million in prize money, a record for women’s tennis.

At 32, an age where most professional players are in decline, Williams is playing the best tennis of her career, said Navratilova, who predicted that Williams will win

in Melbourne and go on to eclipse Steffi Graf’s 22 major titles in the Open era.

“If she can stay healthy, there’s no doubt she can go into the 20s. The sky is the limit,” Navratilova said earlier this week.

No. 3 Maria Sharapova, a four-time Grand Slam winner, is coming back after playing just one post-Wimbledon match in 2013 due to hip and shoulder injuries.

The player who is considered the greatest threat to Williams is No. 2 Victoria Azarenka, the two-time Australian Open defending champion. Williams has defeated Azarenka in 14 of their 17 matches.

Williams got a strong start to the new season, with backto-back wins over Sharapova and Azarenka earlier this month in Brisbane.

In Melbourne, Williams will get the chance to play only one of them. Azarenka and Sharapova are on the opposite side of the draw.

Williams has 2011 U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur and two-time Australian finalist Li Na in her half of the draw.