January 13th, 2011 at 6:05 PM ^
2 years into his M career and he's already one of my favorite Wolverines since I've been born. I love him. No homo.
Okay maybe a little bit.
January 13th, 2011 at 6:12 PM ^
My 5 all-time favorite Wolverines that I saw play, in no particular order (b/c I can't put any of them at number 2)...
Rob Lytle
Rick Leach
Anthony Carter
Mike Hart
Denard Robinson
(OK, in order of the years they played here).
Denard is something special and has bumped Desmond or Gordie Bell into 6th place.
This is fantastic news...Denard staying, not Gordie slipping...
January 13th, 2011 at 6:14 PM ^
No Woodson?
January 13th, 2011 at 6:19 PM ^
Yeah how can u not have Desmon and Charles on this list??
January 13th, 2011 at 6:56 PM ^
Edit:
My top 5 Michigan players of all-time:
Bell, Lytle, Leach, AC, Desmond, Woodson, Hart, Denard.
(please excuse my SEC math)
January 13th, 2011 at 7:21 PM ^
I also watched and loved Gordie Bell, but it seems to me Jamie Morris was an upgrade of the same concept. He's got to be on my list somewhere…
January 13th, 2011 at 8:28 PM ^
Very good point...
For me, Gordie Bell was in my very first backfield. I was 7 or 8 and Ufer was indoctrinating me with tales of Dennis Franklin, Gordie Bell, Rob Lytle...an impression was burnt into my soul.
When Jamie came to Michigan I was a high schooler and while I loved his style and contribution...I was less impressionable so he doesn't pass Gordie in my list of eight 5 favorites.
Leroy Hoard on the other hand...crap. Why did I have to think of him.
I'm adding Leroy to my SEC list of five. And since I mentioned Dennis Franklin....
Favorite Five:
Dennis Franklin, Bell, Lytle, Jim Smith, AC, Leroy, Desmond, Woodson, Hart, Denard.
Point being, Denard evokes emotions in me that those other guys did. And that is something special.
At a time that has found Mgobloggers sniping at each other and Brian, let's remember why we love Michigan. My favorite 5 (or so) is only the beginning for me.
January 13th, 2011 at 6:37 PM ^
I had class with Gordy Bell! Truly a forgotten Wolverine. The man could really run. Fred Jackson would have declared him better than Barry Sanders
January 13th, 2011 at 6:37 PM ^
That is the exact same list that I would have!
January 13th, 2011 at 6:08 PM ^
Looking forward to 2 more years of this smile:
EDIT: Beat me to it right above! Oh well, can't get enough of it!
January 13th, 2011 at 6:05 PM ^
I had a feeling he was going to stay. He is a champion and a team player. I sure hope we find a way to use and develop him to his ultimate potential.
January 13th, 2011 at 6:07 PM ^
There is a line. Especially when the subject shies away from the limelight.
January 13th, 2011 at 6:07 PM ^
Tyrod Taylor should have been a spread qb but he played mostly under center. Denard can do it too.
January 13th, 2011 at 6:09 PM ^
This is tremendous if true. It will be the first time in years we'll be starting a QB who is NOT a first time starter. What a concept! I forgot what that was like!
January 13th, 2011 at 6:09 PM ^
and there was much rejoicing.
January 13th, 2011 at 6:12 PM ^
Let's create a false panic wave about Denard leaving and then celebrate the prodigal son's return. You dummies create your own misery.
Denard IMO, was never going anywhere.
Denard is smart, super talented and dedicated to succeed. Only in your twisted panic laced minds was Denard ever on the verge of leaving.
Brian's on the (cuss word) ledge, please let me join him.
January 13th, 2011 at 6:18 PM ^
^this^
January 13th, 2011 at 6:41 PM ^
The only reason he came to Ann Arbor is because RR was the only one willing to give him a shot at QB. Playing in the spread won't get you in as a QB in the NFL, though. So, if Denard wants a shot at QB in the NFL, this is his best opportunity. If it doesn't work out, he has a great education to help him out.
January 13th, 2011 at 6:44 PM ^
His high school football coach must have been swept up in the same wave of paranoia, then?
January 13th, 2011 at 7:54 PM ^
Maybe we've gotten to the point where we're expecting the worst (and some might say rightfully so after these past three or four years).
January 13th, 2011 at 6:13 PM ^
The blurred figure with dreads, appearing to wear #16 will be back! GO BLUE
January 13th, 2011 at 6:14 PM ^
Is there a Huge Show link for this interview?
January 13th, 2011 at 6:34 PM ^
Audio online at mlive now.
http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2011/01/brady_hoke_on_the_huge_show_de.html
January 13th, 2011 at 6:35 PM ^
EDIT: beaten.
January 13th, 2011 at 6:14 PM ^
great news, if true, but the real story will be told when Hoke & Staff start to install the offense. Having Denard is a great morale boost to anyone despondent over the CC, but we'll have to wait to see how he is deployed. I could see a rough transition if they are hoping to retrain him to a completely different system. Consider me cautiously optimistic at this point.
January 13th, 2011 at 6:20 PM ^
From what I gathered, DB made a point out of making sure Denard would be mantained as the team's centerpiece in every conversation he had. Hoke can his staff have ran versions of the spread and DB confirmed the importance of a HC who could tailor the offense around his players. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I would be extrmely surprised if our offense is not tailored to fit Denard's style of play. I expect to see his 'playcalled runs' diminish (which needed to happen regardless) but I see a spread-esk offense being utilized next year.
Do et, Hoke... Just Do et
January 13th, 2011 at 6:43 PM ^
The standard West Coast is a pass-spread predecessor. A modern West Coast multiple tailored for the threat of running QB seems to be a lot of what we ran anyway when teams would keep stacking the box against us and our read-run game.
January 13th, 2011 at 6:21 PM ^
And we have just secured our most important commitment of all this recruiting season.
January 13th, 2011 at 6:22 PM ^
Any word on Jack Kennedy?
January 13th, 2011 at 6:36 PM ^
This was the best news of the day! Denard is a team player.
January 13th, 2011 at 6:41 PM ^
Yay!!! Now lets see what they can do with him!
January 13th, 2011 at 6:47 PM ^
Good News, now my son and I can proudly wear our "Dreadfully Fast" T Shirts again in public.
January 13th, 2011 at 6:54 PM ^
URGENT: Where can I get a "dreadfully fast" t-shirt?
January 13th, 2011 at 7:10 PM ^
and I can wear my "Shoelace" shirt I bought from the MGoStore.....that has already faded and reads "S oel ce"
January 13th, 2011 at 7:39 PM ^
In that interview, Hoke says that they will have plays dedicated to running the QB, that they will try to use some of the things UM was already doing (presumably things that worked), and his belief in Denard as a passer. Pretty general stuff but still more on his willingness to use the offense's successful pieces to the extent he can.
Of course, Andre Ware absurdly concludes from this that UM will go a different direction at QB.
January 13th, 2011 at 9:36 PM ^
ESPN: What's your message to him (Denard) going to be?
Hoke: ... we all understand the talent and the gifts that he has... our message is he's a guy we would like to have lead our program... he can be a great fit and lead our offense"
OK so he doesn't want to switch his position, which I should have inferred from his earlier comments, but thank the lord.
ESPN: What sort of offense will we see next year at Michigan?
Hoke: ... physical at the line of scrimmage... want to be able to run the football, whether it's with the quarterback or back in the backfield...
Yes!
ESPN: So are we going to see the same system... we saw last year (meaning the Spread offense)?
Hoke: Well I think you'll see some of it, I think there's no doubt about that...
Hells yes's are in order. And a BH tendency - started every answer with "Well... "
January 13th, 2011 at 7:16 PM ^
Hail Hail
January 13th, 2011 at 7:24 PM ^
And that is really freakn' awesome!!!! Next seasons offense should be pretty good now that's its Leader is going to be there. Now if we can just fix that defense.
January 13th, 2011 at 7:28 PM ^
THAT'S AN AUTOMATIC 4 WINS ON THAT SCHEDULE, BECAUSE THERE ARE AT LEAST 4 TEAMS THAT CANNOT STOP DENARD! Way to go Brady - you already topped RR's first year, just sitting down with the quarterback!
January 13th, 2011 at 7:29 PM ^
This is great news because I truely believe that with Denard on board everything else will fall into place, at least attrition wise. I was wondering if anyone on here believes that Denard could still win the Hiesman?...Or will he lose out to the Pro-Style offense and it's tendency equally distribute the football?
January 13th, 2011 at 7:31 PM ^
Denard's post Notre Dame game interview. They show him the clip of his long TD run from scirmmage, and when he sees Roundtree stand the db on his head, he gives the world's bets AAAAAHHHHH.
January 13th, 2011 at 8:12 PM ^
Maybe the sky isn't falling...?
Our best offensive player is staying. Our best defensive player (Martin) is staying. Zettel is a possible (again) get. We've got 2 four-star D-line (Christian Heyward and Mustafa Jalil) guys who could go blue but weren't on the radar before. I even read an article (can't remember where or would cite) suggesting that Hoke has a chance to turn Arnett blue. While we likely won't (ok...we won't) get Dee Hart back, the worst fears of those who worried about massive attrition upon firing of RR might be allayed.
Go Blue!
January 13th, 2011 at 7:56 PM ^
2 more years of some of the most amazing highlights in Michigan history!!!!
January 13th, 2011 at 8:01 PM ^
What a michigan man is. Denard thats what!
January 13th, 2011 at 8:01 PM ^
Hope he stays but it's almost too late to transfer. If he leaves, it will be after spring practice.
January 13th, 2011 at 8:16 PM ^
between the attitude of the players rr recruited and welcoming bh and not saying anything negative about rr's firing compared to what happend when rr was hired by lc's players. i think a great credit goes to rr for teaching kids how to behave and for not saying anything publicly how he was ran out of aa in lieu of a "MM." rr's kids seem a bit more mature than lc's kids...yes i cant wait for the good old days to become the new good old days! bring on the fcs teams and losing the rose bowl...oops...alamo bowl...any bowl game and midwest recruiting...great!
January 14th, 2011 at 8:41 AM ^
What you did there. Rr had his chance and phuked it up. Get over it.
January 13th, 2011 at 8:25 PM ^
woooooooo
January 13th, 2011 at 8:26 PM ^
A ray of light, thanks Denard