B1G awash in running QBs
The three top rushers in the conference are all QBs: Taylor Martinez, Denard Robinson, and Marqueis Gray. The three top rushing QBs in the country are all in the Big Ten. In addition to those three, Nathan Scheelhaase, Russell Wilson and likely future starters Braxton Miller (ugh) and Devin Gardner (yay) can all burn you with their legs. Adam Rittenberg discusses this trend.
Right now, B1G has a better crop of running QBs than any other conference - who would have predicted this state of affairs 10 or even 5 years ago? Hopefully the inability to defend against a mobile QB is one Michigan tradition that doesn't come back.
September 21st, 2011 at 12:56 PM ^
I really wonder how much Devin will be asked to do with his legs here. Obviously he has speed, and he's a large human being, but I wonder what Borges is going to do over the next year and 2/3 to develop him into a starter, and how much of that development will be working on his QB running skills.
September 21st, 2011 at 1:08 PM ^
My guess would be that he won't be calling too many 'designed QB runs' like he does with Denard and will work to truely develope Devin into a pass first QB with the ability to really hurt the opponent with his legs in a broken-down passing play. Obviously this is assuming (I think safely) that we will have a strong RB to carry the run game as well so there will be no need to rely on your QB to also be the lead rusher.
September 21st, 2011 at 1:12 PM ^
I tend to agree. Sadly, the best comparison I can think of is TP, but the guy did win a lot of games...If he can play a TP role in the offense with a QB run once or twice a quarter to mix things up we should be in good shape with the way Hoke is recruiting. Especially since Devin is still pretty young and doesn't need to start right away, he should be able to pick up on whatever.
September 21st, 2011 at 1:32 PM ^
except better at passing and worse at being a shithead.
September 21st, 2011 at 1:42 PM ^
If TP had just kept his mouth shut I would have no problem comparing him and Devin. He was a good QB for OSU for almost three full seasons and is probably about the same fit to Tressel's prototype offense that Devin will be to Borges, but it sucks to compare two people with their respective reputations.
Hopefully Devin is a better passer than Pryor was, because all hell will break loose across the B1G with a passing Devin, Dunn and a TBD 5* WR.
September 21st, 2011 at 2:02 PM ^
September 21st, 2011 at 5:37 PM ^
Substitute the name Pryor with Robinson and this post will be much more accurate.
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<br>*except for the winning in spite of
September 22nd, 2011 at 1:47 PM ^
What has Devin Gardner accomplished on the football field to have a TP comparison?
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<br>Who knows how his career will play out. He's young and will be sittin' on the log this year and next, but right now Gardner is much closer to being the next Xavier Lee, Kyle Wright, Garrett Gilbert, Ryan Periloux, Justin Zwick, Willy Korn, Dayne Crist or Aaron Corp, than being the next Terrelle Pryor.
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<br>The five-star QB savior fail list is disturbingly long. For the good of "The Game" I hope Devin Gardner, Braxton Miller & Shane Morris aren't added to this list.
September 21st, 2011 at 1:38 PM ^
Vince Young. Also large, mobile, could kill you with his legs, and he did a bit of winning as well. Plus, while he has had his own demons, they're more of the psycological variety and less of the creepy-old-glass-salesman-tats-for-cash-for-jersey variety
September 21st, 2011 at 1:45 PM ^
I would love nothing more than to have VY type production out of Devin, but isn't Texas' offense built for a guy like Young? I doubt Borges puts DG in a position to run for 200 yards in a game.
September 21st, 2011 at 8:40 PM ^
In 2005, Texas basically ran two plays: zone read and the Tecmo Bowl play with two guys running a streak and the tight end running a flag. Vince Young was just that awesome.
Personally, it's unfair/unrealistic to even hope for that from anyone. For that matter, reaching Terrelle Pryor's overall level of production is pretty unrealistic. Hoping for Gardner to be really good and not leave Michigan with crippling sanctions seems like a solid goal, however.
September 22nd, 2011 at 12:40 AM ^
What about say 2005 Troy Smith? Tresselball offense, but with the ability to kill you with his legs. That year he got 2,282 passing yards (62.9% completion) and 611 yards rushing. Hate to compare to a Buckeye, but that seems like a good goal for DG.
September 21st, 2011 at 1:33 PM ^
Devin ran a Zone Read against eastern and kept it. My guess is this year Devin is running this year's offense though and not an offense built around him. How they'll build the offnese around him... who knows?
September 21st, 2011 at 2:01 PM ^
Do you see a Jason Cambell with a little bit more speed?
September 21st, 2011 at 1:12 PM ^
I think Devin is a perfect transition guy from Denard to, most likely, Shane Morris. He's kind of the in-between guy. He definitely has some speed, but he's not the most agile guy from what I have seen in his limited snaps. I think Devin won't be asked to do nearly as much running as Denard unless his passing skills aren't what they are cracked up to be. I hope we all get to see Devin get some considerable snaps soon (due to a large lead), although EMU was probably the best opportunity. It should be interesting to see how D.G. has improved so far at Michigan.
September 21st, 2011 at 2:37 PM ^
Devin has the talent to make plays with his feet, but Borges will only run a handful of designed runs for him. QB power is Denard's signature play, but Gardner will get more standard QB draws and plays with an option to take off ifthe play breaks down. Asenior Gardner will be a nice throwback to the days QBs waited until their upperclassmen years to start. I am also very interested in seeing how Gardner has progressed throwing the ball and would love to see him lead a few drives in a blowout.
September 21st, 2011 at 2:46 PM ^
any longer than Denard as a running QB. The cumulative punishment of hits during the year would be just as telling, if not worse. You described him as a "large human being." If the weights and heights on the UM roster are correct, Devin is 4" taller than Shoelace, but only weighs 10 pounds more. While DG certainly has muscle tone (as does Denard), he could also fairly well be described as "tall and gangling." If anything, Gardner would be just a taller, slower target than Denard.
IIRC, Devin doesn't weigh much more than he did coming out of Inkster HS. At that time, I had envisioned him growing into Vince Young or Tim Tebow proportions. Not going to happen. He can still be a fine, mobile QB in the transition to a pro-style offense, however. He certainly has the tools to be a better passer.
September 21st, 2011 at 5:18 PM ^
than Denard on what Al Borges wants out of his QB for his offense.
Devin is a natural passer who has the athleticism to escape pressure. He's the future of the program.
September 21st, 2011 at 1:12 PM ^
Even 5 years ago I would have laughed if you told me the top 3 QB rushers in college football were from the big 10.
September 21st, 2011 at 1:15 PM ^
Why do people write such insane articles? Everyone knows that you can't win in the B1G with a running QB in the spread. Nebraska wasted their time switching conferences.
September 21st, 2011 at 1:48 PM ^
Umm.. Why is this shocking? Rick Leach?
September 21st, 2011 at 2:21 PM ^
Your not getting the point. Its not that the big ten has never had good running qbs, take randel el for example. Its just that its never had so many good running qb's.
September 21st, 2011 at 3:28 PM ^
While sitting here in the Wayne county government building I can't pull stats, but I bet if you looked back over the "power I manball" era of the big ten you'd find something similar.
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<br>Bet is two rusty nails at knights.
September 21st, 2011 at 4:03 PM ^
WORRIED about INJURY?
*watches Vick and other statue QBs get blown up in the pocket*
September 21st, 2011 at 6:29 PM ^
I really hope that Borges likes what he sees and decides that he doesn't need to recruit statues for his offense. After being trounced by Roger Staubach, Troy Smith, Donovan McNabb, and every other mobile QB that has frustrated the Michigan defense, it has been great to see Michigan be the school that has the fast QB that scares everyone else.
I really hope we don't return to the days of QB's who are so slow that they have to watch out for pigeon shit.
September 21st, 2011 at 7:38 PM ^
THAT SHIT WON'T WORK IN THE BIG TEN!!!!!!!!!
September 21st, 2011 at 9:51 PM ^
I prefer the pro style qbs, those r the ones who go on to win superbowls, ofcourse their goal is to win in college, but now a days almost every qb can run, shane morris I believe runs a 4.7. but its his ARM that will be tearing up defenses. If Denard can become more accurate, everybody would fear him. rite now they don't respect his ARM.
September 22nd, 2011 at 5:48 AM ^
Don't these teams know you can't do well in the Big Ten unless it is out of the Power "I"?