Stories by Michael Florek
sugar bowl
Van Bergen plays through injury, finishes storybook career
BY MICHAEL FLOREK
NEW ORLEANS — After fifth-year senior defensive lineman Ryan Van Bergen’s redshirt year, he played in all 49 games. At the Sugar Bowl Tuesday, he had a simple mantra to make sure he made it through his 50th.
sugar bowl
Fake field goal gives Glanda a shot at glory
- Marissa McClain/Daily
BY MICHAEL FLOREK
NEW ORLEANS — Jareth Glanda was to suffer the same fate as nearly every other long snapper in college football. He would be lost to history.
sugar bowl
Michael Florek: Michigan wills itself to victory, capping improbable season
- Marissa McClain/Daily
BY MICHAEL FLOREK
NEW ORLEANS — Stop trying to make sense of it. What happened inside the Superdome can’t be explained. The scenes seem disjointed: third-and-20 conversion, touchdown, interception, touchdown, touchdown catch review. The first 55 minutes flashed by in a blur of yellow and orange pompoms. The last five and overtime were an eternity.
Breakdown: Sugar Bowl should be an offensive show down
BY MICHAEL FLOREK
NEW ORLEANS — It’s finally Sugar Bowl day. The two teams have been scheming and watching film for a month. There shouldn’t be much surprises on the Superdome turf, just two teams that are set to answer questions of their deservedness.
sugar bowl
Notebook: Gordon to start at safety, receivers remember blocks of the past
BY MICHAEL FLOREK
NEW ORLEANS — Fifth-year senior safety Troy Woolfolk joked earlier this season that he was thankful that he broke his ankle last season, allowing him to redshirt and come back for the Michigan football team’s Sugar Bowl run.
Last year, he had to watch the bowl game at home. This season, he’ll have to wait on the sideline before getting into the game.
sugar bowl
Hokies impressed with the Wolverines' size up front
- Marissa McClain/Daily
BY MICHAEL FLOREK
Van Bergen wasn’t trying, but the combination of the long hair, stubble, and his 6-foot-6, 288-pound frame made an impression on some Hokie offensive lineman he met earlier this week.
sugar bowl
With his preparation and personality, Countess is perfect fit at corner
- Marissa McClain/Daily
BY MICHAEL FLOREK
NEW ORLEANS — Blake Countess’s early success with the Michigan football team can be attributed to six Ps: Proper preparation prevents piss-poor performance.
sugar bowl
Virginia Tech has game plan, but no simulation for Robinson
- Marissa McClain/Daily
BY MICHAEL FLOREK
NEW ORLEANS — Denard Robinson would have been a natural fit at Virginia Tech. Apparently Robinson is a combination of Hokie quarterbacks of the past — but, in some cases, faster.
sugar bowl
With Heininger questionable, other linemen forced to become 'Iron Men'
- Marissa McClain/Daily
BY MICHAEL FLOREK
NEW ORLEANS — While Virginia Tech deals with its loss of two kickers, the Michigan football team is dealing with an entirely different situation involving a big boot of their own.
• KICKERS: Hokies turns to third-string kicker for Sugar Bowl
• NEW ORLEANS: Michigan tries to avoid distractions in Big Easy
Hoke will continue to scale back practices as Sugar Bowl approaches
BY MICHAEL FLOREK
The Michigan football team is just a week away from departing for New Orleans for the Allstate Sugar Bowl, but Michigan coach Brady Hoke is already in midseason form.
