RJ Esq
Prick Since 1974
Henne may return against Penn State; Carr says he could come back without practice
Knee sprain might not stop Pa. native
September 18, 2007
BY MARK SNYDER
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
The Michigan quarterback carousel may be spinning again.
After missing last week's game, senior Chad Henne could possibly play Saturday against No. 10 Penn State.
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</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The quarterback's right knee injury, which coach Lloyd Carr called a sprain at his weekly news conference Monday, was originally suffered against Oregon on Sept. 8. It kept Henne out of the second half of that game and Saturday's win over Notre Dame. Freshman Ryan Mallett played in his place.
Monday, Carr refused to rule Henne out against the Nittany Lions, calling him "day-to-day."
"Chad Henne has got enough experience he could play without practicing," Carr said. "Those are all decisions we make as we go forward. ... The trainers, doctors, will do a great job making sure no player returns when it's not proper to return. But a player in a situation like a sprain, we have guys play every week with an ankle that's sprained. It's really how effective you can be and how much discomfort you can endure, that's just the nature of the game."
Henne spent the Notre Dame game in the coaches box. ABC's cameras showed him a few times on television, once with a large brace on his right knee.
The opportunity to play against Penn State, the school he grew up watching from his home in Pennsylvania and to which he considered committing before settling on Michigan, will probably be a major lure for Henne.
"He's a great competitor and a great competitor hates to miss (games), period," Carr said. "That is certainly a game that means a lot to him. Yet you have to know you can play effectively and we'll find that out this week."
Though the possibility of a return exists, Henne is not listed on the U-M depth chart, which shows only Mallett and David Cone.
Carr could just be trying to make Penn State's preparations more difficult. U-M has a larger playbook for Henne than for Mallett, who is still finding his way.
"A couple times, things happened," U-M senior tailback Mike Hart said of Mallett's inexperience against Notre Dame. "One time he called a play at the line and I said, 'Call the other play.' He was about to run me into the corner and didn't see the blitz. ... Those are the little things, the things with me and Chad. Chad knows I'm going to be on the course."
Hart said Mallett will continue to improve with time.
"There's definitely chemistry, taking handoffs, Chad knowing where I'm going to be," Hart said. "Those are the things (Mallett) will learn as time goes."
Knee sprain might not stop Pa. native
September 18, 2007
BY MARK SNYDER
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
The Michigan quarterback carousel may be spinning again.
After missing last week's game, senior Chad Henne could possibly play Saturday against No. 10 Penn State.
<TABLE id=articlead><TBODY><TR><TD style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Advertisement
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>The quarterback's right knee injury, which coach Lloyd Carr called a sprain at his weekly news conference Monday, was originally suffered against Oregon on Sept. 8. It kept Henne out of the second half of that game and Saturday's win over Notre Dame. Freshman Ryan Mallett played in his place.
Monday, Carr refused to rule Henne out against the Nittany Lions, calling him "day-to-day."
"Chad Henne has got enough experience he could play without practicing," Carr said. "Those are all decisions we make as we go forward. ... The trainers, doctors, will do a great job making sure no player returns when it's not proper to return. But a player in a situation like a sprain, we have guys play every week with an ankle that's sprained. It's really how effective you can be and how much discomfort you can endure, that's just the nature of the game."
Henne spent the Notre Dame game in the coaches box. ABC's cameras showed him a few times on television, once with a large brace on his right knee.
The opportunity to play against Penn State, the school he grew up watching from his home in Pennsylvania and to which he considered committing before settling on Michigan, will probably be a major lure for Henne.
"He's a great competitor and a great competitor hates to miss (games), period," Carr said. "That is certainly a game that means a lot to him. Yet you have to know you can play effectively and we'll find that out this week."
Though the possibility of a return exists, Henne is not listed on the U-M depth chart, which shows only Mallett and David Cone.
Carr could just be trying to make Penn State's preparations more difficult. U-M has a larger playbook for Henne than for Mallett, who is still finding his way.
"A couple times, things happened," U-M senior tailback Mike Hart said of Mallett's inexperience against Notre Dame. "One time he called a play at the line and I said, 'Call the other play.' He was about to run me into the corner and didn't see the blitz. ... Those are the little things, the things with me and Chad. Chad knows I'm going to be on the course."
Hart said Mallett will continue to improve with time.
"There's definitely chemistry, taking handoffs, Chad knowing where I'm going to be," Hart said. "Those are the things (Mallett) will learn as time goes."
