Rested and relaxed Wolverines ready to get back on the field
ANN ARBOR (AP) - Michigan's Leo Henige and Jeremy Van Alstyne both spent their first Saturday off the field this fall on couches.
Henige chose to avoid football on TV while the Wolverines had a bye.
"It felt really good to not think about football,'' the offensive guard said Monday. "I saw a couple of scores. I watched a couple of movies.
"You definitely need the week to heal up physically. Mentally, it's good to not think about football.''
Meanwhile, Van Alstyne enjoyed watching his cohorts around the country.
"It's nice when you get to enjoy all the games and relax,'' the defensive end said.
The 21st-ranked Wolverines enjoyed their bye week, filled with rest and relaxation, but they're ready to make a final push in the final two regular-season games.
The Wolverines (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten) insist they're focused on Indiana (4-5, 1-5), not the next game against Ohio State. Michigan has won 13 in a row - and 28 of 29 - against the Hoosiers.
Before the players were given a break toward the end of the week, they focused on making both sides of the ball better.
"Hopefully, we did some things to improve ourselves in the passing game,'' Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "We're just not where we need to be. We worked hard on establishing better spacing and understanding where everybody has got to be, trying to improve getting out of our cuts at the right time so that the timing of our passing game is improved.
"Of course, we're working to eliminate big plays. If we ever do that, I think we will have a good defense.''
The Wolverines should be relatively healthy against Indiana after struggling with injuries all season.
Running back Mike Hart (ankle) and center Adam Kraus (sprained knee) are expected to play, while defensive end Rondell Biggs (knee) and linebacker LaMarr Woodley (forearm) could return. Safeties Willis Barringer and Brandent Englemon will also be back in the lineup after being sidelined by injuries, Carr said.
Receiver Adrian Arrington (ankle) will likely redshirt after being hurt in the opener, giving him three more seasons to play.
Carr said the timing of the bye was perfect for the Wolverines.
"It would have been very difficult for us to field anywhere close to a healthy team,'' Carr said. "As we go forward here in the Big Ten, without a bye week, I think it's going to be an incredible strain on the players.''
Carr hopes future schedules include the break even when teams start playing 12 regular-season games. However, Carr said that will only be possible if Big Ten teams begin earlier in August or play past Thanksgiving, going against what has become a tradition.
"With the addition of the 12th game, something will change,'' Carr said. "Once you go down that road, you are going to have to deal with a lot of things that aren't in the best interest of the players.
"If you started earlier, which would be my preference, the NCAA would have to change the rules for starting dates. That's something we have been trying to get, a standardized starting date, because of teams having an advantage of playing the game before somebody else did.''
