GBMWolverine: Mailbag Question -- Michigan Football -- Denard Robinson

Posted at 6:00am — 7/24/2011

GBMWolverine: Mailbag Question — Michigan Football — Denard Robinson

I hope all is well! And I also want to tell you again how wonderful the site is! A while ago you all mentioned that the membership keeps growing, I hope this trend continues for the site.

I have never posted – I am not a big poster, but more of a voyeur; however, I have a question.

I wanted to ask you guys about Denard Robinson. There has recently been a rumor up on another message board that Denard is “not picking up the offense quickly.”

This view seemed inconsistent with what has been stated by others, but I am leery of:
A) Posting this type of question on the board-
B) Since non-members can see it, I don’t want to give ammo for any flame jobs.

That said, I am concerned about the perception that Denard is not picking up the new offense and hope it is just a “BS” rumor. The message board poster came across as an “inside” type of guy.
Is it better to wait until chat or just post? Is it “taboo” to ask about info from other sites?

Thanks!
Micah O.

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GBMWolverine Response:

Our site is indeed continuing to grow daily, even during the slow time of year.

Well, this is the simple answer: we indeed know about the post you are talking about and the source.

The term “insider” is one that has no clear and distinct parameters of definition. An insider is assumed to have precise and accurate knowledge, but that is an underlying assumption that is subject to error. Just look at some of the major network insiders with the positions given that end up faulty.

For example, we all remember that a millionaire big network insider informed us all that Les Miles was coming to Ann Arbor a few years ago.

There is, like in many human endeavors, a continuum as to being an insider. A practical operational definition may be that one with the status of insider receives pertinent information of value that only a few gain access. Even if the statement is inside information, the statement does not guarantee accuracy or take into consideration the process of fluid change. So, this continuum could have total BS on one side and material privy only to expert sources that have used evaluation, extreme expertise, and direct and accurate observation on the other end. Most of human endeavor is somewhere in the middle.

Suffice it to say what this source has stated, our observation has not confirmed. This source has also given in recent years glowing reports of program, players, and practices that clearly did not equate to on the field results.

So much for the above, and now on to the really important part of the response concerning your question and comments. At the very least take anything said at this point in time, in the middle of the summer, with a grain of salt.

Denard Robinson has not been coached since spring practices, at least not by this Michigan coaching staff, and anybody stating Denard is not picking up the offense needs to first understand that February, March, and the April spring practices serve as a start to learning an offense and is not the final chapter. Since coaches cannot observe summer workouts, one can deduce that such a statement is not based on direct observation, but perhaps at least partial rumor, with a possible intent of trying to stir the pot, or serve as a catalyst for message boards during a slow time for football coverage.

Perhaps the best course of action is to put forward what is known (versus speculating on the unknown).

First, Denard is one of the hardest workers on the team. He has never shunned extra work to learn or improve. There is no indication that he has changed his stripes.

Second, keep in mind that Denard ran a similar type of offense in high school, so it is not completely new to him, including working under center. Some are under the impression that Denard has only ran a RR type of offense his entire career, an inaccuracy.

Third, there are skills that Denard must improve upon, frankly like almost all quarterbacks. Denard does need to work on the deep ball touch, reading pass coverage, even the read option. More than anything he needs to execute the basic passing options of the offense with accuracy and correct decision-making. He is certainly not yet an elite passer and may never be one. But his history indicates he will grasp areas of improvement, work on the skills needed to improve, and in the end improve. The offensive coaches will observe what he is capable of doing as the season nears and design the game plan around such reality.

Could the switch from read option to the west coast offense that Coach Borges is implementing be hitting a few bumps? Sure, anytime you teach a new set of fundamentals and terminology some growing pains are to be expected. This is why offensive coordinators absolutely love three and four year starters at quarterback. It is a position of great importance and development is neither easy nor quick.

We will be skeptical of such rumors until camp starts in August. As this is being read there are a few Michigan quarterbacks working very hard to grasp the offense as well as can be expected at this time of year.

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Written by GBMWolverine Staff

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