PASADENA, Calif. - Mobile quarterbacks have given Michigan's defense fits the last two months.

Michigan State's Drew Stanton ran for 80 yards and a touchdown and passed for 95 yards before getting knocked out in the second quarter of a triple overtime loss in late October.

And Ohio State's Troy Smith rushed for 145 yards and one touchdown and passed for 241 yards and another score in the regular-season finale in November as the Buckeyes upset the Wolverines.

Michigan's beleaguered defense won't get a chance to relax in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.

That's because Texas quarterback Vince Young may be the most dangerous double-threat the Wolverines have faced yet.

"He's probably the best running quarterback in the country," Michigan All-American cornerback Marlin Jackson said. "If he drops back to pass and there's no one open, and the play breaks down, he can make something happen. A five-yard scramble can turn into a 40-yard touchdown run.

"You just always have to be aware of what the guy can do, and get him to the ground. In this game, we have to be real solid with our open-field tackling,"

Young, a 6-5, 225-pound redshirt sophomore who has 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash, is the Longhorns' second-leading rusher behind tailback Cedric Benson, the Doak Walker Award winner.

"The thing that Vince has done so well for us is he's been able to make yards with his feet," Texas coach Mack Brown said. "When he's been able to stay two-dimensional and throw the ball downfield and scramble, it's when we've been at our best."

Young has hurt teams with his legs as well as his arm.

He ran for 998 yards and 11 touchdowns last season after winning the starting job and has added 887 yards and 10 scores this year. Young also has passed for 1,669 yards, with 11 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and completed 66 percent of his attempts the last three games as No. 6 Texas finished 10-1.

"He is a guy that is a great athlete, a guy who can make a lot of throws after things break down," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said. "He's made a lot of big plays when things go wrong in the pocket, as well as they have a number of plays designed for him to run the football."

With starting end Larry Harrison (suspension) and backup Jeremy Van Alstyne (foot surgery) missing, it will make Michigan's job even tougher.

Through the first eight games, defensive coordinator Jim Herrmann's Wolverines allowed just 573 yards rushing. That same defense has surrendered 763 yards on the ground in the last three games.

In addition, Michigan forced an NCAA-high 19 turnovers in the first four games, but has produced just six in the last seven.

"Right now, we're just trying to find our swagger again and get it back so we can go out and set these guys down," Jackson said.

Running quarterbacks have put additional stress on No. 13 Michigan's defense, as has the spread offense.

"I don't know anybody who has an answer for it," Carr said.

Young, 17-2 as the Longhorns' starter, is well aware of Michigan's defensive struggles against mobile quarterbacks. But he is not expecting things to be easy on Saturday, although he believes the Wolverines' front seven lacks speed.

"They have had some problems containing mobile quarterbacks, but they are still very physical," Young said yesterday. "They don't try and disguise anything. Whatever they are trying to do, if they are going to try to blitz, you know they are blitzing. If they are trying to sit back and play coverage or play the run, you know what they are doing. They just try and get physical with you and go nose-to-nose with you for four quarters.

"I know they are going to try to throw some different things at us that we didn't see in the film. We just have to be prepared for it and keep moving the ball ahead of the chains."

Young leads a high-powered Texas offense that is averaging 466.3 yards per game, including 302.4 rushing, and 34.9 points.

"If you don't stop the run, you are going to have a problem beating Texas," Carr said.

Jackson is looking forward to the challenge of trying to slow down Young.

"We're not afraid of anybody" he said. "We don't fear him. It's going to be a great challenge - a guy who can run as well as throw."

The Wolverines believe if they can stop Young, it would earn the defense a bit of redemption after its late-season collapse.

"We just want to contain him and try to take him out of the game," linebacker Roy Manning said. "We have been hurt in the past by mobile quarterbacks. The defense is looking forward to this game and the challenge we have."

Contact Ron Musselman at:

mussel@theblade.com

or 419-724-6474.

First Published December 30, 2004, 2:06 p.m.