Roster Report Card - Offense

Please no on Toussaint fielding punts or kickoffs, we have enough trouble keeping him healthy without him taking massive shots on special teams.  

I highly disagree that the QBs were an A+, and that is even given the fact that Denard has amassed production beyond my wildest dreams.

However, his passing is still average at best and he fumbles quite a bit. There are definite things that happened this year that he can clean up in anticipation of 2011. If he cleans those things up (I"m thinking the INTs v. Michigan State, the crippling fumble versus Ohio State in particular), he will likely be invited to New York and Michigan will get invited to Pasadena.

I think Tight End is a little underrated by the OP. TE in this system don't get enough credit, IMO. Koger is a good TE that can make some spectacular catches, but can also drop some easy ones. Webb is a good blocker that can also make some nice catches and rake up some YAC.

Personally, I would love to see the TE get more involved in the offense. I see as Denard matures more and learns his progressions more he will throw to his TE more. Throughout the season, I could see the TE open in the middle of the field while Denard went for the long ball in double coverage. But again that comes with experience and learning the progressions more.

this was a good assessment,especially concerning the future. There is always room for improvement, and hopefully we get our special teams situation taken care of. Not so sure about giving away a scholarship though on a kicker.What Gibbons needs to do is stop thinking so much and go back to basics.

I don't agree with the A + rating for the qb's but the fact that we have two capable and intelligent true-sophomores at the position reminds me that we truly have a bright future ahead of us. 

I also think we should bring in someone to push Devin!  Denard will continue to grow into a beast with Tate on his cottials.  Devin could use the same type of push although he sounds as though he's holding his own with Denard & Tate in practice.

Competition at all positions is a good thing.  This is notably true in regards to the defensive improvements we need to see for next year. Hopefully, we'll hear some chatter on how well the competition and experience is developing on that side of the ball.  Cheers and nice post.

Excellent debate on the A+, which I hoped for.  Isn't it fun debating whether the QB position is an A-, A, or A+?  I didn't clarify exactly how I was grading, hoping for some more open discussion.  But what I was trying to do is predict how confident we should be for a given position going into spring practice and the 2011 season.

Denard has things he needs to improve in order for this team to contend for a title - that's obvious.  But considering his age, how he fits in the system, how well he progressed/performed this season, and who his back-ups are - can you think of a better situation? 

In 1998 the Brady/Henson/Dreisbach trio probably matched the current depth chart for potential and fit to the system.....but none of those guys had ever played.  Denard finished 6th in the Heisman voting as a true sophomore in his first year of starting. 

The WR into outside and slot, I think a simular breakdown by position for the O-line would add value.  Overall I enjoyed your thoughts and appreciate the effort.

Rumor has it his scalding finish to the season has him focused entirely on prepping for the MLS draft.  Don't expect any further appearances in the winged helmet.  Obviously, good for him, but a downer for those hoping he might be the answer to our kicking woes on Jan. 1 or beyond.

Personally, I view quarterback as an A currently, with a move to A+ if we can get one in this class.

The more I think about your rankings and the reasoning behind them, the more I agree.  Here's some speculation on how these rankings could change in the relatively near future:

The running backs weren't able to consistently take pressure off Denard this year (especially when it mattered), but there's a number of them there with talent.  I'll go out on a limb and say that the running backs will be healthier next year and that will make a difference in the on-the-field performance.  So, I'll bump them up to a B, contingent on D Hart signing.  

If we get a TE to sign, I would bump up the tight ends to B-.  If we sign one and Ricardo Miller changes positions to TE, then a B or B+ could be warranted.  If we get that fourth offensive lineman in this class, the O-line goes up to A- in my book.

Anyone bold enough to take a stab at the defense?

You were right on the money on grading the running backs (B-).  If that group improves and we add the talent that we are recruiting to the bunch, it could take our offense to even higher level. Think Oregon. If one or two of the backs can separate themselves, and we show more speed and power, then defenses have to worry about one more home run threat. Nice position to be in for upcoming seasons.

The diarist is presenting the "state of the roster" summary and assigns grades. Are these grades for the past season, or expected grades for next season? And what qualifies the diarist to assign grades to players? Plus, the post is completely lacking in any quantitative assessments. If I were Omameh, I'd want to know why the OL got a B+. If I'm a future NFL draftee, don't I get an A? Lewan, Omameh, and Molk are future NFL players. Three A's. So are the other 2 linemen that bad to drag the group down to a B+? I just get the sense this post was put together in 10 minutes or so, no offense.

I have no problem with the A+ grade because every one of are QB's showed they could perform when called upon. We have a starter who put up numbers that no other player has put up in history, a backup who performed admirablly when called on and a 3rd stringer who by all accounts may have more potential than the two guys in front of him on the depth chart.

There were still too many fumbles and unforced errors to be an A+ (yes, I do understand it was Denard's first year starting).

The QBs were good against the worse teams on the schedule but not against the better teams.  Plus they were injured too much to get an A, second, until either Denard or Tate beats MSU or OSU, I'd hold off on anything in A category.  UM QBs are measured by how they do in the big ten and how they do against MSU and OSU, not racking up yards.

An A or A+ QB has to win, and neither of these guys, save vs. ND have won anything of note.