Chad Henne’s bio doesn’t even appear in the main section of Michigan’s media guide.
Henne is listed with the Wolverines’ other freshmen, players who are more likely to suffer from homesickness than they are to step on the field.
But none of that mattered to Henne, the surprise starter Saturday who helped lead Michigan to a 43-10 victory over Miami (Ohio).
With fellow quarterback Matt Gutierrez sidelined because of soreness in his throwing arm, Henne became just the second quarterback in school history (after Rick Leach in 1975) to start the season opener as a true freshman.
Henne was far from perfect. He held on to the ball too long, resulting in an interception and three sacks.
But Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards gave Henne an “A” for his poise.
“He wasn’t rattled in the huddle, he wasn’t muttering through calls,” Edwards said. “He stood in the pocket and didn’t make any dumb decisions.”
Wolverines coach Lloyd Carr said he didn’t hesitate to start Henne even though his last action came at Pennsylvania’s Wilson High School.
After Gutierrez was held out of practice Wednesday and Thursday, Carr informed Henne he would be entrusted with the nation’s eighth-ranked team.
“When I told him, he tried to smile,” Carr recalled. “But he could only get halfway. He was nervous, there’s no question about that.”
Henne admitted to serious jitters during his first series, which consisted of three handoffs and no first down.
His second series was no better. It featured two incompletions and a screen pass to Pierre Rembert for minus-2 yards.
But Michigan’s dominant defense gave Henne time to settle in. The Wolverines intercepted five passes, making Miami fans wish quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who watched the game from the sidelines, could suit up one more time.
Henne had his own troubles early, throwing behind Edwards for a second-quarter interception.
After Henne jogged to the sidelines, he said Gutierrez pulled him aside and told him, “Hey, move on. You made that mistake. Move on and go make the next play.”
The next play, it turned out, was made by Michigan cornerback Markus Curry, who swiped a Josh Betts pass and returned it to the Miami 9. Four David Underwood carries later, Michigan had its first touchdown and a 10-0 lead.
Henne excelled after halftime, hitting Edwards for touchdown passes of 20 and 13 yards. Maybe Henne’s performance was to be expected, considering it was Michigan that produced the Fab Five.
“He’s tough, he’s smart, he has good mobility and a great arm,” Carr said. “He has a lot to learn and a lot of improvements to make, but he’s not afraid of this challenge.”
Carr had announced Monday that Gutierrez would be his starter. But he thought so much of Henne that he planned to play him in the game’s second quarter.
After Gutierrez was sidelined, Carr had no trouble keeping the news a secret because he essentially makes himself off limits to reporters after Wednesday.
Perhaps the only person outside the program who knew was Mike Drago from the Reading (Pa.) Eagle, Henne’s hometown newspaper. Drago broke the story Saturday, quoting Henne as saying, “It’s a great challenge, but I’m up for it.”
Carr apparently didn’t learn that Henne had done the unthinkable–speaking to a reporter on the eve of the game–until after Michigan’s victory.
Carr wouldn’t say whether Henne would start Saturday at Notre Dame. He wouldn’t discuss the extent of Gutierrez’s injury. And he wouldn’t say when he would name a starter.
“I’m a pretty slow thinker,” he said coyly. “I’ll look at the film and talk to our trainers. We have to look at the whole picture.”
