Cam Gordon's status
I read the injury updates and press conference news on an on again-off again basis, but not enough to know a whole lot about the details of certain injuries and likely outcomes. In terms of what I know, Cam has a serious enough but not very serious injury that has kept him sidelined but mysteriously not prevented him from at least part time contribution in practice. His complete dissapearing act in games continues to puzzle me a little if he is playing in practice and Troy Wolfolk continues to play with a macro fracture of his entire body.
Cam always struck me as a "tweener" who may have been out and out confused by the dumpster fire of a scheme that he was largely responsible for putting out last year as a freshman. Given our youth at linebacker and the departure of Kellen Jones (ouch), could a redshirt be in store for Cam to shore up his understanding of this defense and bring back additional experience for the long-term.
Anybody with any insight into his situation and what may be going unsaid for the time being? Correct me if I am wrong, but he has not seen one down this year, correct?
October 6th, 2011 at 10:49 AM ^
He's a RS Sophomore this year.
So unless he gets the Case Keenum/Van Wilder redshirt waiver...that option is out the window.
Also, with all of the freshman we have coming in AND Ryan being a RS Freshman, there is no reason to try and stall his progress.
There may be more to the story than we know, some say they want Ryan over Cam. I don't think so, the best players will play and the coaches will put him out there when the doctors clear him and he's performing the way he should be.
One more thing to consider...we're back in the Lloyd Carr "we don't tell shit about injuries" train of thought. Barnum, Cam, etc. could all be out for a month and they wouldn't tell us. It would be "day to day, week to week." Just have to get used to it.
October 6th, 2011 at 10:52 AM ^
This is a busted thread then to a certain degree. I did not recall that he was red-shirted. I guess there is still a remote chance that he could again but unlikely like you said. I still find it odd that he has not even sniffed the field somewhere, special teams? Perhaps its still just injury, but he could get injured in practice too if it is something he could aggravate. Still mildly perplexing.
October 6th, 2011 at 11:14 AM ^
I was under the impression that to get a 6th year, you really had to miss consecutive seasons due to injury. Keenum was certainly healthy in 2009. Interesting that he would be eligible, but I remember that Jake Locker was not (not that Locker would want to petition for a 6th year after last year and his high draft status).
October 6th, 2011 at 12:07 PM ^
I may be mistaken, but I don't believe they have to be consecutive, but rather two seasons lost to injuries. I'm also pretty sure that the NCAA takes a closer look at these injuries when it comes to a sixth year. Something like Devin Gardner's medical red-shirt (please let that happen) wouldn't fly in trying to get a sixth year.
October 6th, 2011 at 10:55 AM ^
The thing that makes it extra mysterious is Hoke didn't say "day to day, week to week." He said "Yes, I think so" when asked if he would play against Notre Dame and continues to say he is practicing and getting better.
Even Pierre Woods played a little in '04 when everyone was having their big (and justified) "WTF where is he?" fit.
October 6th, 2011 at 10:59 AM ^
October 6th, 2011 at 11:00 AM ^
My theory is that Cam has perfected a new technique whereby he can tackle a ballcarrier just by looking menacingly at him. Hoke knows that the NCAA will institute a new rule prohibiting this play once he uses it in a game, so Hoke is saving it for a crucial moment.
October 6th, 2011 at 11:10 AM ^
conceived while considering my own thread, Cam was recruited as a wide receiverish substance, correct. I know they bulked him up a little (lot) but that can be undone. With an eye toward the future and only Darryl Stonum standing between us and the shortest receiving core ever fielded next year, I wonder if they are going all "wide receiver-tight end-pro style-i am bigger than you so I catch footballs and you don't" with him. Like our Kellen Winslow, only with some positive human qualities.
October 6th, 2011 at 11:15 AM ^
Stonum, Roundtree, Jackson, Robinson, Dileo, and Gallon, yeah...WR is wide open besides those 6 guys plus '12 recruits. Gordon would certainly make our 4th string WR depth look a little more full.
October 6th, 2011 at 11:24 AM ^
Jackson and J. Robinson are buried on that depth chart. They haven't shown anything that would suggest the coaches would favor them over incoming players to the position.
October 6th, 2011 at 11:26 AM ^
thats probably why he said 4th string wide reciever
October 6th, 2011 at 12:38 PM ^
They're behind a lot of upperclassmen who are talented and have proven productive and clutch. It's no major knock on these guys that they haven't beaten out Hemingway, Roundtree, and Odoms. Gallon shot up the depth chart to usurp Odoms, but besides that, you wouldn't expect seniors to get easily displaced. Even Braylon and Desmond had to wait their turn.
October 6th, 2011 at 11:30 AM ^
Have any of them looked like frickin Tim Brown to you this year? Just saying, I really don't think it is an outrageous consideration.
October 6th, 2011 at 12:40 PM ^
That's your measuring stick?
Well OK - Brown didn't make a significant contribution till his Junior year. So yeah, being a backup and catching a handful of passes now again puts them right on the Brown track of success.
October 6th, 2011 at 3:15 PM ^
For this idea to make the least bit of sense wouldn't they want him practicing at receiver now?
October 6th, 2011 at 11:23 AM ^
I highly doubt it. All reports coming out of spring and fall camp were that Cam is our second best linebacker and was one of the only locks to start on D (along with RVB, Martin, Rowe, Demens and Woolfolk). The back tends to be a tricky injury. My guess is Hoke is just being careful with him and being all Loyd about it. I'm looking forward to him getting back on the field and giving us some depth at linebacker for the second half of the season.
October 6th, 2011 at 2:19 PM ^
October 6th, 2011 at 2:46 PM ^
A quick google search tells you that it is this guy:
Craig Rowe
- Founder, WhyPark
- Cleveland/Akron, Ohio Area | Internet
Since this guy was out of eligibility, Craig Roh ended up winning the position.
October 6th, 2011 at 11:13 AM ^
This isn't a great mystery. Other than the coaches saying he might play every single week, there's no reason to think he isn't. Since you can't trust coaches to be honest about these things, draw your own conclusion - he's hurt. Believe otherwise when you see him on the field.
As for what he is - I wouldn't call him a tweener. As a recruit, everyone had him pegged as an athletic linebacker, and that's what he seems to be. The safety thing was an unnecessary distraction driven by extreme need at the position.
I can't say if he'll start over Ryan or not, but he's probably better than Beyer and should be useful in passing situations and against mobile QBs.
October 6th, 2011 at 11:15 AM ^
October 6th, 2011 at 11:41 AM ^
I, for one, am appalled that the coaches aren't giving us all the factual details surrounding Cam, or any other player for that matter. This is an outrage. Hoke doesn't get it.
(Do I really need to add ---> /s)
October 6th, 2011 at 11:57 AM ^
I think Hoke has changed the tide on the rivalry. Hell people in Ohio are starting to believe him. Never in a million years I would have thought that. Selling Michigan jerseys is a good start.
October 6th, 2011 at 12:17 PM ^
I cant wait to see Cam out there. He was solid last year i want to see him hit someone so hard snot bubbles would be coming out of their noses!
October 6th, 2011 at 1:15 PM ^
Should see how we play the next couple of games and then decide what to do with his redshirt.