Michigan Football: Tidbits from MaizeMan — Spring Practice Recap — Miscellaneous Topics
Posted at 8:00am — 4/18/2013
Michigan Football: Tidbits from MaizeMan — Spring Practice Recap — Miscellaneous Topics
1) Will UM’s running game be improved in 2013?
This was a huge point of emphasis this spring and results were mixed. First you have to consider that UM has no #1 RB at this point and during the spring coaches alternate RB’s on almost every snap. So it is impossible to establish a so-called “rhythm” between OL and RB’s. In addition every RB has different vision so a particular play could be blocked a certain way and have various results depending on who was carrying the ball.
Apr 13, 2013; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Fitzgerald Toussaint (28) on the sideline during the Spring Game at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY SportsAnother point to consider is because of the transition from running basic spread plays and now pro-style or “West-coast” type running plays the offense was very basic in their approach to plays in the future there will be much more added to offense, but it will be basically off the same fundamental plays.
2) Will Gardner be an athletic QB who can be a good QB or will he become a good QB who happens to be athletic?
Not sure is this question makes sense to most, but to me is the key for 2013.
There are signs that Gardner has become more like the kid who first came to UM in terms of doing all the extra stuff necessary (film work–working on fundamentals, etc>).
With Gardner, in some scrimmages he has a tendency to immediately becoming that “athletic QB” instead of being a QB first and relying on his athleticism is he has too.
Apr 13, 2013; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Devin Gardner (left) drops back to pass during the Spring Game at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY SportsWith the injury to Bellomy, in a strange way, it actually helped with this process with Gardner because he was very limited in what they let him do which meant instead of tucking the ball and running, he had (at times) force the ball.
3) Just wanted to mention that I have been going to these sessions for over 15 years and I have heard all the coaches talk about “giving each player a chance” to show what he can do. Most years I thought it was smoke and I really believed the players themselves knew if they were getting a fair shot.
This spring, I really thought every player was given multiple chances to show their individual progress. Both in scrimmages and in drills. Even the break down drills had a physical nature to them and there were many one on one sessions.
Even though fall practices are when positions are won—a player can hurt their chances in spring. I think there were a couple of players who really hurt their positions.
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Written by GBMWolverine Staff — MaizeMan
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