Angelique S. Chengelis: Women experience triumphs, pitfalls of football at Michigan camp

Ann Arbor ? Playing quarterback, the highs are high and the lows are so very low.

I know this because I made my first career start at quarterback in Michigan Stadium on Saturday as a member of the extremely talented Team 3 during the 14th Michigan Women's Football Academy.

I know this because Sarah Comstock made a phenomenal second effort on a deep ball thrown during a scrimmage, and I suddenly wanted to celebrate like we had won a rivalry game.

I also know this because Michigan head coach Brady Hoke shredded and lectured me and demonstrated correct execution after a botched handoff ? "You needed to be yelled at," he said ? and, later, offensive coordinator Al Borges whittled away at my confidence (to build me back up, right?), telling me I had failed to live up to expectations.

Hey, Denard. You can have your job back.

Michigan coaches and several players taught the intricacies of football to a full house of 500 women ? many who have attended year after year ? through position drills and meetings at the football complex during the academy. Most importantly, $143,000 was raised for the Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

"I thought you played well," Hoke said, tongue firmly in cheek after the scrimmage. "Don't quit your day job."

Enjoyable day for all

My day job is now entering its 21st season of covering Michigan football, and for all the many things I have seen while working this beat, the Academy, with its hands-on football experience, is among the highlights.

The coaches relish teaching and sharing their expertise, while also bragging about their players and the significance of their positions. More than one coach informed the academy participants that their position group is the most important on the field.

Meanwhile, the players could not have been more encouraging, helping women of a variety of ages and skills through the drills in an effort to better understand the games they watch and attend. The players indulged the participants by posing for photos, and signing T-shirts and footballs.

"The players are patient and so forgiving," said Pamela Borton, who participated in the academy for the eighth time.

That patience and forgiveness was, of course, reserved for those who don't cover the team.

Denard Robinson, Michigan's starting senior quarterback, walked over to me during the throwing drill and he had that time-for-payback vibe.

"I'm going to be critiquing you all day," Robinson said, smiling.

Moments later, I heard backup quarterback Devin Gardner telling Robinson that my tightly thrown spiral was "a fluke," and they then had to test my arm by sending Robinson deep. Admittedly, it wasn't my best throw.

The best part of this Academy was watching the women listening intently and then executing the drills. They were told by running backs coach Fred Jackson to hold the ball high and tight and run through cones. And they did it, securing the ball so that Fitz Toussaint couldn't strip it, try as he did.

The women took off running when Borges barked at them, saying, "You can't walk! Move your (behinds)!"

They went through a pass-protection drill, moving laterally and then pushing a huge medicine ball back to the hulking offensive linemen before going through a run-block drill that required forcefully pushing back the linemen acting as defenders.

They ran five-yard routes and caught passes, then ran through The Blaster, emerging to catch a pass.

They punted and they attempted field goals, and they dropped back in coverage mimicking linebackers and intercepting passes.

Defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery had to make it personal, though, deciding to line up next to me as senior Craig Roh held a broomstick with a football at the end. The idea is to have you react to the ball, not the count.

As my friend, Kim Bergsma, reported to the world via Michigan football message board, I jumped offside.

Julie Kramb, attending her fourth academy, made the defensive line stop worthwhile, though, when she knocked down Will Campbell, who had a sheepish look when he pulled himself up. Campbell later told Kramb the turf was slippery. Uh-huh.

"I think the players underestimate us," Kramb said, now with a story she can tell for many tailgates to come.

No smiling allowed

Eventually, our group moved to the secondary. Senior safety Jordan Kovacs informed us there would be "no smiling" as he worked with us on our backpedaling.

It was time to line up opposite former Michigan defensive back Tony Anderson. I handed my notebook to Kovacs, then Anderson looked me in the eyes and offered one last challenge.

"I expect a lot of you," he said.

I then backpedaled, cut to my left, intercepted the pass and then took a headfirst dive into the pad. This was not exactly the objective of the drill ? no helmet-leading hits, right? ? but was that ever fun.

Kovacs laughed mischievously as he returned my notebook. He had printed at the bottom of the page under my scribbled notes: "Jordan is cool."

In the full team meeting room in Schembechler Hall, the women were regaled by defensive coordinator Greg Mattison, who described the special nature of the room. On the walls are inspirational quotes, first and foremost, "The Team, The Team, The Team," and there's a painted rose, representing the ultimate goal of the Rose Bowl.

Mattison taught how to label personnel groups. For instance, 21 is a two-running-back-one-tight-end set, and he showed film stills as he quizzed the room on the various labels. He eventually took questions, playfully responding to a woman who mentioned Ohio State by asking her, "Ohio, what?" Another woman wondered what he expected from the upcoming season.

"People have kind of figured out that Michigan is back," Mattison said. "We're going to have a target on our backs."

In The Big House

Eventually, it was on to Michigan Stadium for the scrimmages. The crowded tunnel was loud and the women began a chant of "It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine." They ran onto the field and hit the Michigan Women's Football Academy banner at midfield.

Team 3 was coached by Gard-ner, who installed an aggressive, pass-first offense that struggled ? the quarterback wasn't as good as advertised ? against a defense that rushed 11.

Later, after the scrimmage, Plymouth resident Sarah Comstock, who attended with her sister-in-law, also named Sarah Comstock, and their mother-in-law, Suzy Comstock, said that through the Academy she learned more about reading a playbook and that she realized she could actually kick field goals.

Comstock, who has an undergraduate degree and MBA from Michigan, said her father, who has melanoma, has been to the U-M cancer center for consultation. So raising money for the Comprehensive Cancer Center is meaningful. Learning more about football is a bonus.

"I can't tell you how many games I've watched from the stands," Comstock said. "And to actually be here is very, very cool."

angelique.chengelis@detnews.com

twitter.com/chengelis

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