Could a quarterback controversy be on the horizon? With the heralded Drew Henson on the shelf, John Navarre has stepped in and made a name for himself. Now Henson is ready again, and Lloyd Carr is mulling over his choices. Expect Navarre to start and play considerable minutes unless he is ineffective like he was the second half against UCLA last week.

Game Plan: No. 10 Michigan

Offense: First down passing is key; get big yardage early. Force defense to support the run. Adjust if QB change is made. Defense: No big gains in the running game. Cover up for the corner blitzes -- no long passes. Need at least three turnovers. Kicking: Absolutely no mistakes in protection. Rally behind Hayden Epstein. Have a special return designed for David Terrell. Players: Take nothing for granted -- this game is for real. Take crowd out of game as early as possible. Stay focused throughout the game. Coaches: Make decision regarding QB with confidence. Seize the momentum -- do not wait for it. Be aggressive on offense and do not let up.

In the first two games, Navarre faced teams trying to blitz and play man coverage -- a bad decision against the blockers of Michigan. The Wolverines are known for blocking blitzes, especially those up the middle. Navarre had plenty of time; it was like tossing apples over the fence. UCLA changed up their coverages last week and things for Michigan changed for the worse. With a week to study his mistakes and become more familiar with zone coverages, Navarre should perform much better.

Michigan has the A-Train, Anthony Thomas, and he is getting a good work out every week. Averaging 6.9 yards per carry puts him on pace to gain over 1,500 yards for the season. Just what the doctor (or Bo) ordered for a more aggressive team in all phases. The Wolverines are at their best when they run hard and stop the rushing of their opponents. They are playing Michigan defense like they did during their national championship season -- with one exception. They continue to give up some big plays at inopportune times. It happened last year as Illinois came from behind to win, and it happened again last week.

Perhaps the kicking of Hayden Epstein is the biggest concern for Lloyd Carr and the Michigan coaches. His misses in the fourth quarter doomed the Wolverines last week. Restoring his confidence is a primary focus of the practice sessions.