Can DG be fixed? Who Broke Him?

This is why I'm probably more excited about Alex malzone's future more than most. Kid is undersized won't wow anyone with the look test. But the dude is a gamer. You can have a huge arm, you can have all the athletic ability in the world. But you gotta be able to manage games and make the right throws and the right time. I watched the Iowa LSU bowl game from about 10 years ago the other day. And little Drew Tate was a man among boys. I have been lucky to watch Alex play numerous of times, and I'm telling you guys. Might be 3 or 4 Years down the road. But this is the kid, that's going to be our next QB to get us to the Rose bowl. As far as Devin, I love the kid. But he doesn't have it. Who's fault that is, not sure. But he's lost. Morris might have it, but he's still raw and right now. This team doesn't need a gunslinger. They need a mechanic.

It's not one thing that needs to change either way, it's complex.

DG came to Michigan about as raw as you can be as a QB. He was a phenomenal athlete that spent much of his time with his eyes on the defense looking for how he could make plays. He was like that because he was successful like that.

He got into college and was rushed onto the field by Rich Rod when Tate decided to go all Tate. Rich Rod wasn't really an advocate of teaching technique at the QB position as far as throwing. His thought was similar to those that don't fix a shooters mechanics in basketball; essentially, fixing things can only make them worse. Rich Rod's focus was have some simple read and get the ball out on time and where it needed to be. Get the reads down in the run and pass game, and go from there.

Then Hoke came and brought Borges with him. Borges had a West Coast Offense system that relied on timing, technique, and mechanics to beat the defense. You don't need the strongest arm, but you need to be accurate and on time, so mechanics are an emphasis. Borges then proceeded to focus a ton of time on footwork his first few years. The idea being: get the feet right, then the timing is right, and then the rest of the mechanics follow suit. This is harder and in ways more foolish than taking a guy that had never been a QB and teaching him how to be a QB with good mechanics, because both Denard and DG had been QBs, not only for years in High School, but for multiple years in college. They had taken a ton of reps as QBs already.

So then the third year under Borges happened. The OL was a mess, the offense couldn't work the ball down the field. You see flashes of what DG can be: his mechanics look good, he can throw all the throws, he's fairly accurate. But then the OL begins breaking down more and more. What happens then is mechanics start to revert under pressure. DG's eyes start dropping like they did in high school. And the problem snow balls as Borges starts calling more "unleash the dragon" plays because he doesn't trust the offense to be consistent. So suddenly DG is taking more hits, and it just gets worse.

Then DG gets a third OC and QB coach. Now this coach is focusing on getting the ball out on time and focusing a little more on the defense and trying to get the offense to be consistent and simple. With those things being stressed, mechanics slip again. DG still hasn't gotten over the pressure from last year, and now the problem has at least partially shifted from the interior OL to the edges of the OL.

So basically, three different coaches have focused on completely different things in quite different offenses. DG came in raw, and when he started getting pressured, reverted. It all snowballed.

If things come together, which they could, DG's potential is through the roof. He's learned a lot about QB play, he's learned a lot of tricks of the trade from a few different guys. But that's asking for a lot to click and sink in mid-season, which is unlikely. He may be the best QB Michigan has right now, but he looks uncomfortable right now, both with the offense, with the pressure, and with himself and his capabilities (confidence) right now.

One thing from rewatching the game: Putting DG under center with this offensive line is a terrible idea. When they run shotgun and someone gets beat, he usually has time to avoid the rusher and either scramble or get rid of the ball (as this year we are seeing a lot more of individuals being beat rather than wholesale collapse on the line). But when he's under center and they are calling play action, he's got no chance. He turns around and he's already being hit. 

He can be fixed.  Probably not in the time left in college, but Gardner has all the tools to be a good QB.  As for who broke him, let's just say it's a combination of a crappy offensive line, a bad OC, and a clueless HC who demands an archaic offensive philosophy that flies in the face of reality.

I personally believe DG has very poor confidence, one bad game or throw and all of that talent and naturally ability just goes down the drain. That's what it seems like at least.

I don't think a Qb should be told he is a legend until he is 40 years old.

Just going to pile on and agree with what many have already said, but it's clear what's wrong with DG and what will fix him.  He's a spread-option QB being asked to run pro-style play action.  The coaches can either try to adapt the scheme to suit DG, or they can try to mold DG to suit their preferred scheme.  The latter does not seem to be working out too well.  DG is not AJ McCarron, so why run an offense that is suited for AJ McCarron?  I see two options going forward:

1) Keep the current scheme and if so bring Shane in to run it; or,

2) Adapt the scheme (even a little) to suit DG's talents.

I think option 2 gives Michigan a better chance to win.

 

What i dont understand is not one designed run for DG yet..Either his foot didnt heel right which at times seems possible like the missed pass to Funchess that DG seemed to not push off his foot..Or if he isnt injured then the coaches need to go because you dont go 4 games with DG and not call a designed run

DG isn't broken.  The offense is because it has a coordinator who is used to having the best personnel money can buy. Worse yet, that OC is runing his offesne according to David Brandon's MANBALL mandate. MANBALL only works when you have a large personnel advantage.  When the personnel is close to equal, it might as well be a neanderthal trying to fight a ninja.

The #98 was a horrible idea. What a clown show Brandon & Hoke has made us ... ugh

What this team has been missing since 2007 is a good QB..after Henne/Carr era was over we have had bad QBs, especially pocket passers...until we get a QB who can read defenses, have a good pass efficiency and is quick on his decisions we are doomed. The QB is the leader of the pack, he can make or break a team...you can have the best OL, RBs and WRs but if the QB sucks, then its over..
msu 2013 perfect example, one they found Cook, then they took off...sorry but Its over for DG, and we cant keep blaming the OL anymore, it seems like the game is too fast for DG and he has gotten very slow on his decision making

It's too late for DG to excel in this offense in its present form. Too many flaws in his game as a pocket passer. Holds the ball too long. Has trouble reading defenses and going through progressions. They can still make this offense work though and even make it dynamic if they tweak a couple of things. They (coaches ) need to use him a lot more in a zone read run option offense. Check out what Nebraska and Wisconsin are doing. Their QB's aren't better than Gardner. They are just being used by their coaches the right way and are utilizing their strengths( running ) and incorporating it in their offenses. So yes DG and the offense is broken. but yes it still can be a great offense this season IF Hoke and the O.C. can be bold enough to do it with him too.