Coach’s Corner: Breakdown of the Quarterbacks:
Posted at 8:00am — 8/14/2010
Coach’s Corner: Breakdown of the Quarterbacks:
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The quarterbacks in Coach Rod’s spread are the key to the offense.
Coach Rod is adamant that the decision about whom the starting quarterback will be at season’s start is not finalized until near game day, at least to the media or other onlookers. Coach Rod has informed us several times that even if he has made a final decision that coaches and quarterbacks are aware of, he is likely going to keep the media (and the other team) guessing.
With the above in mind this is our assessment based on spring practice and spring game performance.
1) Denard Robinson – Members of our staff have been watching Michigan football for over forty years, one well over 50 years, and several of us have attended Michigan football games since 1967, one since 1960. Consider that Denard Robinson may be the best athlete that the GBMWolverine staff has seen in a Michigan uniform. We are aware of legendary Michigan players, and fully understand that as of yet (and it is very early in his career) Denard’s resume is nothing next to the greats of the past. But as a pure athlete, Denard is pretty special. Denard is not just fast, but explosive, sudden, and has an acceleration that is scary. He can make a defender look foolish in a heartbeat. Denard also has more arm strength than many believe. If the offense can execute and diversify, forcing defenses to play honest, Denard could be devastating.
The big question will be Denard’s accuracy. Can he complete enough passes to keep defenses honest and will the coaching staff trust him enough to free up the offensive look?
Coming out of spring practices, Denard Robinson was the clear leader in the clubhouse. In the practices viewed this spring, Denard was the evident leader in all but one, hence the status of clear-cut starter.
2) Tate Forcier – Don’t count him out, not yet, maybe not at all.
This is a proud player with the talent to lead this offense.
This spring the moxie and swagger just didn’t seem the same that we saw in the first four games of last year’s football season.
To win his job back, Tate must return to the fearless leader we saw in the first five or six games of 2009. He also needs to get back in the good graces of his teammates and put in the necessary work that is required by a starting (and effective) quarterback.
Reports before Tate arrived on UM’s campus indicated he was a gym rat, but since arriving the evidence for that assessment has dwindled. It is time to get in gear and put the time in, or Tate will be the back-up signing in the plays this fall. Forget entitlement, last year is finished, and the competition is ongoing and still undecided.
Tate has gifts that can serve him and the team well. He has the best mechanics, flat out, on the team. Tate has sufficient speed to at least worry a defense. Tate can be a very effective leader (as can the other two candidates). His arm strength, while not Henne-like, is pretty good, certainly sufficient.
3. Devin Gardner – He is the Future, no one can deny this kid’s wealth of talent and size.
Devin still has some mechanics issues; once they are ironed out, watch out!
We saw something special this spring, but again remember the defense was in basic coverage and scheme most of the spring, so the performance was more physical and hard to judge skills like reading the defense, running audibles, etc. Also, the offense was using a limited amount of plays.
Devin’s size is a real asset. He can see down field, and surprisingly Devin was the best of the three at staying in the pocket and executing a downfield passing game. But, while Devin may not take the ball to the house from 80 yards like Denard can, he can certainly scramble and break tackles for valuable down the field gains. He has much to learn, but the skills and moxie (plus maybe an “unteachable” sixth sense) are there, period, end of that discussion.
The big questions will be can Devin adapt to the full offense, along with being able to read the defense once practice situations turn into real, on the field games, where a quarterback must identify and execute against disguised defensive coverages and blitz packages?
We cannot see Devin red-shirting, especially in this offense. It could happen, but both Denard and Tate would need to stay healthy the entire year. We believe Devin will be worked in slowly, much like how Coach Tressel managed Pryor early during his freshman year.
How the team is doing after the first half of the season, and the performances of Denard or Tate, will be wild cards that may determine how much Devin plays after, say, Michigan State.
One staff member is thinking outside the box and asserts that Devin could easily contribute at wide receiver with his size, strength, competitiveness, and good hands. But such a venture would, of course, hinder his development at quarterback. And as the quarterback of the future, such an undertaking is unlikely to ever happen. But if it does, this would be the year.
Written by GBMWolverine Staff
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