Streets Makes Inroads Michigan Receiver Shows He, Too, Can Catch Long Ones

All season, Tai Streets put up with the snide comments, the criticism.

He couldn’t run deep routes, the Michigan junior split end kept hearing, the words ringing in his ears.

At the Rose Bowl on Thursday, where the No. 1-ranked Wolverines defeated Washington State, 21-16, Streets proved his detractors wrong.

Two long touchdown receptions from Brian Griese did the trick.

“I knew I could do it,” Streets said. “I really didn’t care what people said because we were winning.”

With Streets, 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, deploying his speed to counter Washington State’s aggressive defense against the run, Michigan capped the season with a 12-0 record and likely will be crowned national champion for the first time since 1948.

Streets’ first score came with the Cougars ahead, 7-0, midway through the second quarter.

On a second-and-12 from the Michigan 47, Griese connected with Streets on a streak route along the right sideline for a 53-yard touchdown that tied the score, 7-7.

After the Cougars moved ahead, 13-7, with 8 minutes, 33 seconds to play in the third quarter on a 14-yard run by Shawn Tims, Griese and Streets hooked up again to put Michigan in front, 14-13.

This time, Griese found Streets behind cornerback Dee Moronkola on single coverage off play action for a 58-yard score with 5:07 left in the quarter. It was the sixth touchdown reception for Streets this season and eighth in his career.

“(Streets) made two great plays,” said Griese, who was selected the most valuable player of the game. “He should have been the MVP.”

The scores tied Streets with 13 other players for most touchdown receptions in a Rose Bowl game.

“Brian just threw perfect passes,” Streets said. “I’m just happy they connected.”

The plays, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said, accomplished their purpose and much more.

“They were designed for teams that load up to stop the run,” Carr said.

Before that, for much of the first half, the Wolverines focused on short swing and screen passes that never inflicted serious damage to Washington State.

But when the opportunities developed to test the Cougars deep, to at least surprise them, Michigan came up big.

“We were going with what the defense gave us,” said Streets, who finished with four receptions for a season- and game-high 127 yards.

Streets was pleased that Michigan’s underrated offense was able to go toe-to-toe with Washington State’s heralded attack. The Cougars outgained Michigan, 398 yards to 379, and Ryan Leaf passed for 331 yards, the fifth-best performance in Rose Bowl history, but Streets felt vindicated.

“All they were talking about all week was about Washington State’s offense,” he said. “I was personally getting tired of hearing about Ryan Leaf.”