Media Day: Assistant Coaches
After Rich Rodriguez spoke to the assembled media on Sunday, I got a chance to talk to some of Michigan's assistants. I didn't talk to Calvin Magee or Greg Robinson because we've already heard from them in the past couple weeks, and I didn't get a chance to talk to Greg Frey or Adam Braithwaite.
Rod Smith
Each of the three quarterbacks brings something different to the table. Tate's experience of starting 12 games is a significant factor, but the coaches need to make sure he stays disciplined. Denard is the most explosive of the three quarterbacks. As for passing, "he's worked on it, I don't want to say refined." He deserves a lot of credit for putting in the effort, and "he's picked up the offense a lot more than what he had last year." Gardner is a superb athlete who is getting better every day.
The competition is helping the team, because each quarterback has to work hard every rep or risk being replaced.
Though Tate acknowledged slacking a bit this summer, "He didn't come in bad shape. He passed all his conditioning tests." He's been willing to put in the work in practice so far: "I've been pleased with him this camp."
Denard has a much better idea of the offensive scheme and what the coaches are trying to accomplish. "You don't cloud your mind and slow up your feet, and that's what he was doing last year." Over-thinking contributed to part of his problems last year.
Denard does a lot of work in technique drills, but he's not consistent yet. The coaches work on tightening his mechanics from weight transfer to follow-through, which is the sort of stuff a lot of high school kids don't learn. He came in as an athlete trying to play quarterback, and the coaches are trying to turn him into a quarterback who's athletic. He's been willing to put in the work.
Denard's ability to pass will open up defenses, allowing him to rush for more than the 5.1 yards/carry he got last year. "Not just the passing, but I've opened up the playbook a little more to him. We knew what we were gonna do with him. I think defenses knew what was coming." He has the potential to score 4 out of every 10 times he touches the ball due to how explosive he is.
Both quarterbacks at reading the defensive end on the option play. They're prepared to make the read against all sorts of different defenses, so they'll be familiar with everything they face.
"I don't know yet" if Denard will be the starter. The coaches are repping all three quarterbacks while the media focuses on Denard.
Tate came in a little more polished out of high school. Denard and Devin have needed more work on their throwing mechanics out of high school. Both must have worked hard individually this summer to be where they are today.
The different skill sets among the quarterbacks all fit in with what the offensive staff wants to do. They don't want a guy to just stand there. All three quarterbacks have the necessary mobility.
Fred Jackson
(Short but sweet)
On Stephen Hopkins: "Before he's done here, he'll be another Chris Perry. Feet, shallow cuts, power. I mean, I don't know if Chris ever weighed 230 or not."
4-5 backs will get serious playing time this year.
Tony Dews
"They're working extremely hard and doing well." Dews is a little more anxious to see how his guys can do compared to the past, because now there are people with three years in the system. They know the expectations of them.
Junior Hemingway and Darryl Stonum have been in the system since they were freshmen, and now they're able to help be leaders for the younger guys, because they've been there before.
As far as moving guys to the other side of the ball goes, Dews says "I don't worry about losing anybody if it's going to make our team better." It happens every year in college football, and if it's good for the team, "whatever's going to help us win and compete for BCS bowl games, I'm all for it."
Kelvin Grady has matured quite a bit. He's catching the ball well this camp. He looks a little bigger than last year, and is playing with more confidence. He is not one of the slot receivers who have gotten time on the outside.
Darryl Stonum "did come back in great shape. He's been kind of a piston. He's been out there rolling." Getting contacts has helped him catch better. He really started coming on in the spring, when he realized the opportunity he would have to be a starter. Wearing a cast on one arm helped train him to always catch with his hands. He understands the offense, but needs to refine his technique, and he's willing to do that. He's gorwn up and learned from his past mistakes.
Junior Hemingway has had a pretty good camp. "Junior has shown flashes for a couple years now. Obviously his biggest issue has been being on the field. Obviously when he's healthy and he's playing, he certainly can help us."
Bruce Tall
On Ryan Van Bergen - Works hard, always around the ball, "he's a great student of the game." He's bigger and stronger than last season.
Pass Rush with the three-man front is tough to evaluate right now. The Michigan offense doesn't have much drop-back passing, so they're hard to evaluate against. "It won't always just be three men rushing."
Craig Roh might be one of the guys adding pressure (from linebackers). GERG will put together some different packages to mix up pressure.
The freshmen have just finished school, and will be able to focus on football now. They're all doing well so far. Tall noted that there are five freshmen in his position group - Jibreel Black, Terry Talbott (Tall used to confuse the Talbotts' first names on recruiting visits), Richard Ash, Kenny Wilkins, and preferred walkon Chris Eddins.
Kenny Wilkins is working at defensive end. "He's pretty good-sized. He's probably up somewhere around 6-4, 270... He's got good size for a young player."
Tall wishes he could have picked a different number for Jibreel Black, so he wouldn't be compared to Brandon Graham so much. "55 was a very special player, and you don't want to put that on anybody."
Tony Gibson
Troy Woolfolk "was in great shape, he was having a great camp, you hate it for him." If there's any good to come out of his injury, it's that he gets to come back next year. It makes you sick to see a kid that's worked so hard go down.
"You know we can't sit around feeling sorry for ourselves because nobody else is going to feel sorry for us."
All the freshmen are playing hard. At free safety, Carvin Johnson is "doing a great job and has great ball skills." Terrence Talbott has been a pleasant surprise, and Cullen Christian has been practicing at both corner positions. All of them need to keep growing, and work on their tackling.
James Rogers has been playing well, but the second starting corner position is still up for grabs. There are still two weeks to prepare the guys to play.
August 24th, 2010 at 12:16 PM ^
The coaches' feigned ignorance as to what the players were doing during the summer is blatant, and funny to read. I love the caveats. The lawyers have done their jobs splendidly.
August 24th, 2010 at 12:37 PM ^
I was thinking the same thing.
August 24th, 2010 at 12:23 PM ^
He has the potential to score 4 out of every 10 times he touches the ball due to how explosive he is.
Rod Smith channeling his inner Fred Jackson.
August 24th, 2010 at 12:26 PM ^
I'm kind of disappointed we didn't get the full Fred Jackson treatment.
If Hopkins = Perry then:
Smith = Hart
Cox = Wheatley
Toussaint = Adrian Peterson
D. Hart = Herschel Walker
Any other obvious comparisons out there that aren't in any way over the top?
August 24th, 2010 at 12:34 PM ^
Mike Shaw is like Bo Jackson, only faster, stronger, and better at baseball.
August 24th, 2010 at 2:17 PM ^
This is one of the funniest posts I've read in months.
August 24th, 2010 at 7:34 PM ^
Thank you! Looks like the blind squirrel finally found his acorn.
August 24th, 2010 at 12:45 PM ^
So every defense knew he was going to rush and he got 5.1yds/carry. The 4 out of 10 makes me all all wet and tingle (sp?) down there as long as we don't go 3 and out all the time.
August 24th, 2010 at 12:48 PM ^
Trust me we will hardly go 3 and out much this season. No matter who is at QB or even at RB on any given play, our OL will be dominating a majority of each game. The OL is arguably the strongest and deepest position on this team.
August 24th, 2010 at 2:27 PM ^
as long as it is stronger than the other team's DL...
August 24th, 2010 at 12:28 PM ^
That's it? I think he mispoke and meant 12 out of 10.
August 24th, 2010 at 12:47 PM ^
I always think of Denard like the son in The Incredibles who has to slow down every once and a while so that the other players do not realize that he is powered by Dilithium.
August 24th, 2010 at 1:27 PM ^
Rod Smith != Fred Jackson
August 24th, 2010 at 12:48 PM ^
Man, it sure sounds like Denard is going to be the starter.
Granted that could be the coaches just allowing the media to focus on him and not saying anything different.
But considering that RR knows UCONN and beat up on them bad with Pat White, I just think Denard will see the MAJORITY of the snaps on September 4.
Tate will almost definitely see the field but will get <50% of the plays.
Just a guess though.
August 24th, 2010 at 2:03 PM ^
I had the opportunity to check out D-Rob's high school highlights (again) this morning and decided to check out WVU highlights from 2005 and 2006.
I'm not going to lie guys, I am still happy that we have two qb's we can with, but I get EXCITED about what Denard can do in this offense. On some of those Pat White runs, he had a wide open field to run because defenses knew he can get the ball (even with his not so perfect mechanics) to his receivers. The little spy that the D was putting on him was pointless, he would just run right past him.
Denard was predictable last year and still rushed for over 5 yds per carry with 8 in the box. Now with defenses having to rush four or a fifth man off the end or up the middle, we can finally have Denard inflict some real damage as he eats up yards in their vain zone coverages.
August 24th, 2010 at 12:51 PM ^
Smith: Noel Divine but faster, much faster!
Cox: more athletic version of Darren McFadden
Shaw: Chris Johnson
Toussaint: Reggie Bush with quicker feet and can run up the middle
White: Maurice Clarett
August 24th, 2010 at 12:55 PM ^
may be another Bear Bryant or Amos Alonzo Stagg. I don't know if he'll ever wear a herringbone hat, but ...
August 24th, 2010 at 3:35 PM ^
nice to see how you compare our current backs to existing stars. roll some of that up and save it for me.
August 24th, 2010 at 12:59 PM ^
He has the potential to score 4 out of every 10 times he touches the ball due to how explosive he is.
August 24th, 2010 at 1:52 PM ^
he scores, everytime
August 24th, 2010 at 1:06 PM ^
I'll admit I didn't follow every story line over the offseason, but for some reason I had no idea Stonum needed (and didn't have) contacts.
I suppose that explains why he had trouble adjusting to deep balls last year, as they were fuzzy nothings until they were right over his shoulder (or 2-3 yards off his shoulder).
August 24th, 2010 at 1:30 PM ^
I'm not sure I read this as Denard will start like everyone else does. Seems he will get a majority of snaps but "all bring something to the table" and "Denard's passing not refined" suggest to me that Tate might get regular snaps against UConn. We'll see.
August 24th, 2010 at 1:32 PM ^
I look forward to his comments on every interview he does. The biggest hype postion coach out there.
August 24th, 2010 at 1:48 PM ^
And people gave ME grief about overestimating Denard's scoring ability; at least I kept it to single digits. I like where your head's at, Coach Smith.
August 24th, 2010 at 2:31 PM ^
I think that Denard will be labelled the "starter" at some point during game week. But since Denard and Tate both have different skill sets, we will see a lot of both..........and probably a few snaps with both of them on the field together. the QB that is the "starter" at the beginning of the season, may not be the starter during, or at the end of the season. I think this will continue with Denard and Tate until Devin Gardner passes them both and locks down the starting job. I don't think that is going to happen this year, but I think it will happen at some point next season.
August 24th, 2010 at 6:38 PM ^
Both QB's will see the field against UConn. If one of them is performing/has the offense performing way better, they will probably get the majority of the snaps.
There's an old saying too: it's not who starts the game, it's who finishes it.
If UM is behind in the 4th quarter, it'll be interesting to see who RR has on the field at QB.
August 24th, 2010 at 2:52 PM ^
well if thats the case then it looks like Stephen Hopkins should be our starting runningback.
August 24th, 2010 at 6:27 PM ^
Hopkins is going to have one great year and 3 years that are okay, and RR is going to have to bring him into his office at some point and say that it's probably best if Hopkins transfers.
August 24th, 2010 at 3:03 PM ^
that Denard starts vs. UConn, only to see Tate start in South Bend. Not because Denard has a bad first game, but rather because Tate's a veteran who's played on the road, and his skill set might be a safer, more conservative choice in the first road game. We'll certainly have some choices, and if someone goes down it's like going from a 1 to a 1.2-- the drop-off is not much. This is good.
August 24th, 2010 at 3:20 PM ^
That is the first mention of Kenny Wilkins I have heard. Does he have a chance of playing this season. I thought with his size and maturity he would get a shot this fall. That doesn't seem to be the case.
I'd love to see Carvin Johnson be a starter. I think he might be a special player. Im not exactly sure why, maybe it's the name Carvin.
August 24th, 2010 at 7:04 PM ^
In this age of painful change, it's good to know that we at least have Fred Jackson to provide us with much-needed RB hype.
August 24th, 2010 at 7:59 PM ^
I don't claim to know for sure who starts at QB, but if I got a guy who can score 4 out of every 10 touches, it makes my decision pretty easy.
August 25th, 2010 at 5:29 AM ^
"You know we can't sit around feeling sorry for ourselves because nobody else is going to feel sorry for us."
Probably defines us as a team and a fanbase right now. This should be the header in place of the new PANIC command.
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