Mon, Dec 01, 2008

Football

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Michigan coach has hard-nosed words: 'We played a little soft'

WIRE REPORTS
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 10.07.2008
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It was only a week ago that Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez said he would be embarrassed if somebody said his players "looked like they quit or were soft or lazy."
On Monday, he was that somebody.
"I thought we played a little soft," he said, referring to Saturday's home loss to Illinois. "That was the most disappointing part about it." Missed assignments "are going to happen, and you make a few mistakes — you shouldn't be making them each and every game, the same mistakes — but to play a little soft was disappointing. We've got to get a little tougher."
The team's problems were on full display in the 45-20 loss to the Illini, particularly in the second half.
"I'm not saying we have soft guys," he said. "But if we have one of 11 guys play soft on one play, that's unacceptable. And it will never be acceptable."
Sooners are fit
NORMAN, Okla. — Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops expects his No. 1 Sooners to be at full strength Saturday when they face No. 5 Texas in the annual Red River Rivalry game.
Although defensive tackle Gerald McCoy and center Jon Cooper sustained minor injuries against Baylor, Stoops said both could return this week to face the Longhorns — and the Sooners might even have injured defensive linemen Demarcus Granger and Frank Alexander back.
Granger, a former starter who played in a reserve role at the start of this season, has been out since injuring his left foot against Washington three weeks ago.
Alexander, a backup, has been sidelined since he was stabbed in the arm during a melee at a nightclub following the Sooners' season opener.
Road trouble
AMES, Iowa — Iowa State is getting ready to go on the road, and the Cyclones know what that means.
Everyone is reminding them of just how long it has been since they have won a road game.
The Cyclones have lost 13 straight away from home heading into Saturday night's Big 12 game at Baylor. Only one other major-college team in the country has a longer stretch of futility on the road; UAB has lost 17 straight away games. SMU matches Iowa State with 13 straight.
So why is it the Cyclones struggle so much on the road?
"I don't know," ISU coach Gene Chizik said. "We've certainly had our chances on the road since I've been here to win games."