In defense of Rudock
Reading through comments on various threads I see a lot of negative stuff being directed at QB Rudock. I realize everyone is frustrated with the loss but I would like to offer a different way of looking at his play.
Yes, he is not the most accurate passer by a long shot- I think this is something outside of his control really. If he could find a magic way to become more accurate he wouldn't hesitate to take it. But he can't. He is who he is and is trying to play the best he can within his god given limitations. Accuracy is almost impossible to teach.
He had a number of interceptions with Utah and has since then tried very hard not to hurt the team with these in the future. Amazingly his effort is paying off and he has really not given up much in the way of turnovers since then. He is trying to control those things he has power over.
He does get the job done- he had MSU beat yesterday. It may not have been pretty but he got the job done.
Coaches don''t have a better QB to replace him with so its not his fault he is playing- he is doing what the coaches are asking him alone to do. We would be much worse off without him, if we are to trust the judgement of our coaches.
The kid is who he is and is doing what he has been asked to do. He cannot change himself greatly but he is winning with the changes he can make.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:08 PM ^
How did he get the job done? The offense scored 23 points despite having excellent field position nearly the entire game. Rudock was bad, the line was bad, the backs were bad, and the receivers were bad.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:12 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 12:13 PM ^
The game was won because the defense held the #4 team in the country to 21 points. 230 yards of offense is horrendous any way you slice it.
October 18th, 2015 at 1:53 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 12:15 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 18th, 2015 at 12:47 PM ^
We win with one more good play or one bad play by MSU, thougout the game! No one play lost it. If we had made one more play we wouldn't even be in that situation. Also, if Dantonio hadn't messed out timeout management, there would have been a lot more time left on the clock.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:56 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 1:06 PM ^
Not really in this case.
Blake O'Neill lost Michigan the game. I don't say this to disparage him or because I don't like him or because I'm mad at him.
For 59:50, Michigan played 23-21 football. We put our strength (defense) on the field to win the game and they stopped their strength (offense) to give us an easy run out of the clock. All Blake had to do is catch and kick a somewhat low snap and we win. He didn't do it.
Its not piling on or anything, its just reality. Michigan played well enough to win until one player blew it. He seems like the type of guy who knows and understands this and will become a better player for it.
October 18th, 2015 at 1:54 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 2:02 PM ^
He didn't disparge the guy. He did lose the game. He catches the snap, we win. He fumbles it and falls down we win?
He is an elite athlete, playing at and elite school. We can't criticize?
Lighten up. If a poster gets personal I am with you, but commenting on his football play. Nope.
October 18th, 2015 at 5:29 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 2:45 PM ^
We may have played "well enough" to win, but we also played poorly enough to lose. MSU outplayed us the second half. 230 yards of total offense won't do the job very often. Given how well O'Neill played up to that point, he is not alone the reason for the loss.
October 18th, 2015 at 5:25 PM ^
Blaming the outcome of a 60 minute game on one player is absurd.
Blake blew that play, but the defense gave up 3 touchdowns and the offense struggled to move the ball all day long.
If Rudock takes advantage of the any of a half dozen opportunities to connect with an open receiver, we win that game. If the defense doesn't give up a 74 yard pass to a fullback in the 4th quarter, we win that game. If Smith simply picks up one first down on the last drive, we win that game. There were a lot of things that could have happened to change the outcome of that game, that didn't happen.
Blake blew one play, but any one of those plays could have changed the outcome of the game.
We had a 2 point lead for most of the 4th, but couldnt score to put the game out of reach and then we made a bad play that cost us the game. Newsflash: that's what happens in close games.
The fact that we *almost* got away with a win (in a game where were outgained by the opposing team by 150 yards) doesn't mean were the better team. If you want to win, score some points, don't give up easy touchdowns, or pick up a first down when it counts.
October 18th, 2015 at 6:41 PM ^
I honestly don't want this to seem like I'm piling on, but this post demands a response.
The team was 99.8% favorites to win pending a punt by Blake O'Neill. Our strength had just put their strength away to keep the lead. The coaches ran the clock down to the bare minimum as they should have. Again: The odds were 1/500 that MSU wins at that point. The rest of the team had done enough to win. All it took was catch and kick and its over. He didn't execute (partially cause of the low snap, but it wasn't that awful, it hit him right in the hands) and we lost. That simple.
I mean, he was a big reason why were up (our ST play is why I give the wanking motion to the offensive yard discrepency that favored State). He's a great punter. He seems like a quality dude. But he lost the game. Shit happens, he's a normal human being and he panicked. You, me, anyone probably would have done the same thing.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:07 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 18th, 2015 at 12:36 PM ^
would make UM worse, not better
October 18th, 2015 at 1:26 PM ^
Because his numbers are so irreplaceable. 180 yards a game 5 td's, 6 ints and a few fumbles. We would have been worse for 2 or 3 games with someone like Speight, but by now we would be better off. Rudock has serious field vision issues. He has enough accuracy to be successful, but he just doesnt see the field very well, is slow to read defenses, and is scared to throw sometimes. Even on passes he completes it's because the reciever is so wide open that timing doesn't matter.
October 18th, 2015 at 1:38 PM ^
There's one QB on Michigan's roster that has thrown TD passes.
Rudock.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:08 PM ^
I'm grateful that Rudock is on the team and have faith that he is the best option available this year. His inability to hit the deep pass is frustrating but I don't blame him for that, he just has his limits and it isn't helped out by Chesson not being a natural reciever and the WRs inability to consistanly create seperation. I can't even imagine where this team would be if he hadn't transferred.
I really put the blame for the offensive woes on Hoke and his staff. They had 4 years and they couldn't recruit a single decent QB, WRs who can create seperation, and or RBs with speed. I have faith in Harbaugh to fix it but it won't be overnight.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:15 PM ^
Isn't it contradictory to say that Rudock can't hit the deep ball yet the WRs don't get the separation he needs? Chesson had one big drop; that wasn't on Rudock. But it was bad to see him unable to hit Chesson for what would've been a touchdown. Or underthrow Chesson, which nearly led to an MSU interception. Rudock did well in managing the game. But I'll be glad to see a QB who can do the basics and make deep throws and throws away the ball (to the sideline) before they are sacked or when the screen breaks-down. This isn't to sound thankless to Rudock for giving his all, but his limitations as QB prevent the offense from fully blooming.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:25 PM ^
I don't think it's contradictory as those are both problems with the offense. Rudock needs all the help he can get with the deep passes and his WRs don't give it to him so it compounds the issue.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:44 PM ^
That was actually a back shoulder throw that you see competent passing teams doing all the time. When the DB has his back to the QB, the QB throws it short and lets his WR adjust to the ball since he can see it and the DB can't. Chesson should have made that play, but he is not a very polished route runner yet. He's a great player, but he needs more seasoning at WR.
What baffles me is that they've seen Rudock missing these deep balls to Chesson, yet they continue to call the play. Are they working in practice, but missing in the games for some reason? If they are having the same issues in practice, let's get somebody else out there. I guess that 10.3 speed is rather enticing, but it's just not working so far.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:51 PM ^
If you don't throw it long, the opposing D won't respect it. Not that the balls were overthrown, but Chesson is WIDE open (nobody in 20 yards) then pass completes. The D has to have somebody out there. If we didn't throw long, they could shorten the field, making our medium and shor passes a lot harder.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:59 PM ^
Or throw the ball away? He's very good at those things. And I don't mean that in a derogatory way. He's a good decision maker and is good at the basics, he just can't hit the deep balls. He had no turnovers and 6.7 YPA against a very good defensive line that was getting good pressure. Had at least one dropped pass (Chesson), and the Butt catch was probably a catch and certainly wouldn't have been overturned had it been ruled a catch on the field.
The Chesson overthrow hurt, but he's been doing that all year, those long balls just aren't his thing, but that's the only thing he doesn't do well.
He really didn't make a terrible throw all day. Even the Chesson underthrow could have been made, Chesson just made a weird play in which he jumped way too early on the ball.
He's by far the best we have and was plenty good enough yesterday to beat a top ten team.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:24 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 12:08 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 12:30 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 12:34 PM ^
Here are your options:
Shane Morris, Wilton Speight, Alex Malzone, Zach Gentry.
Latter two are true Freshman, Morris has never thrown a TD pass, Speight hadn't played prior to mop up duty.
October 18th, 2015 at 1:16 PM ^
that we have, doesn't change the fact that we are getting only average play at that position and we need to be better if we expect to beat the better teams. Cook kept MSU in the game yesterday. With only average play from him, UM wins easily.
October 18th, 2015 at 2:04 PM ^
I think most fans with common sense are not questioning whether Rudock should play. We are just comparing him with other QB's.
He is a solid QB, but to be elite we need elite QB's. Say what you want about MSU, but Cook's throws were impressive.
He put them where only his guy could catch them consistently and he had two nice deep balls.
October 18th, 2015 at 3:10 PM ^
Do you think most fans with common sense put all blame for the loss on the punter?
October 18th, 2015 at 3:32 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 4:50 PM ^
Rudock is decent, but not elite. Glad to have him for this year.
He has limits seeing all receivers, and his deep balls are not great. So his ceiling sort of does put a limit on Michigan's offense this year.
On the other hand, he seems good at checking into plays, decent at pre-snap reads, and he is a good short and medium passer, etc.
He has some strenghts abd some weaknesses. To be truely elite, Harbaugh will need to find/develop a QB that is a level aboth Rudock.
But Rudock is not a bad QB. Like most QBs, he is just not complete package.
But I am sure that Michigan is better off with him than without him.
Look, he did enough to have the lead with 10 second remaining. But for a 1 in 1000 event he would have done enought to win the game.
And he will lead M to several more wins this year.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:38 PM ^
In Jim Harbaugh's opinion, it's not even close.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:47 PM ^
True...but it is obvious it IS a FACT since no one is even sniffing the field...
October 18th, 2015 at 12:58 PM ^
be in much better shape with a better quarterback which I think is true. I realize Rudock is the best we have and I'm not saying it as a knock on his effort. The fact is he does what he can do but he's not accurate.
If you look at the stats from the game, the surprising thing is the quarterback rating is much closer than I would have expected:
Cook was 125.3 and Rudock was 116.4. However Cook was facing a much better defense. Cook was having success with Burbridge who is a great receiver, but the ball was where it needed to be. Rudock's passes looked no where near as polished nor accurate. Some of that may be due to the receivers. We don't know what would happen if Michigan had a quarterback like Cook. My guess is it's a much different game.
There is no question there is a talent difference. At the same time, I know where we might be without Rudock and appreciate the effort he gives.
October 18th, 2015 at 1:08 PM ^
Of course a better QB is better! Better is good! Everyone likes better! Cook is excellent: top 2 college QB and a possible first rounder. Of course we would love to have that, but first rounders don't come along very often. Have we ever had a QB play well enough to be selected first round at Michigan? I don't think so. Not Brady, not Henne.
Reasonable expectations people. Hopefully, Harbaugh will get the talent and develop it, but you have to be happy with what he brought in this year to patch a huge hole.
October 18th, 2015 at 2:55 PM ^
as stuffing the run pretty good. Their O and D lines are pretty good and that is where UM dominated in the past games this year, UM may have even been outplayed on the lines or at least even.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:08 PM ^
Yes, there are plays to be made out there that he is missing, but he is the best we have, and he is giving his best. I don't know what else we can ask of him.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:08 PM ^
That's all he is. He is what he is. Ripping him apart is a) not cool and b) ignores the fact that the kid is playing up to his ability.
If Shane Morris wasn't in whatever state he is in(shellshocked or just not good?) and could perform he'd be starting. But he isn't and here we are.
John O'Korn needs to live up to the preseason hype next year.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:31 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 1:10 PM ^
people have been ripping him apart all season. There's a reason Harbaugh to the media had to say, look, he's the best we have by far so stop asking about it.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:11 PM ^
But isn't the problem that he isn't making some of the tough throws he routinely made at Iowa? We all know he isn't Andrew Luck, but with Harbaugh's coaching I expected an improvement from 2014 and it still looks like a significant regression.
That said, we are lucky to have him and I know he's busting his ass to do everything he can. As others have said, we would be really screwed without him.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:53 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 3:23 PM ^
Brian UFRed his games last year and he charted pretty well. His strenghs included medium to short range accuracy -i.e. hitting people in stride allowing for yac, and an adequate deep ball if he can step into it. He hasn't met that level of performance yet.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:09 PM ^
October 18th, 2015 at 12:17 PM ^
The no turnovers thing has been nice, but if he could connect at all on a deep ball we'd be undefeated. The inability to do so cost us wins at Utah and against MSU.
But it is what it is at this point. Its not in his arsenal, it will keep our offense limited, and it will probably cost us another loss or two down the road. Sometimes you just are what you are, and Michigan is a great defensive team with a handicapped/limited offense. And teams like that generally finish with 2-4 losses.
Its tough to be really good on both sides of the ball.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:48 PM ^
like letting a 400 pound fullback get behind you for a 74 yard completion, but let's not blame the players right now. They need our support to rally and finish strong. 10-2 and a three-way share of the East division is still in play. And yes, I do believe that.
October 18th, 2015 at 5:06 PM ^
Before the MSU game, I thought Michigan might beat Ohio State. But regardless of how the MSU game ended, I think we have pretty slim chances there. MSU was very weak in the secondary and we could barely do anything to exploit it. Ohio State is a more talented D, and a more potent offense. Gonna be tough to beat that with our limitations.
9-3 would still be a good season though.
October 18th, 2015 at 12:10 PM ^
Did what was needed of him. He did his part in helping us win that game yesterday. He is a scapegoat for people that don't want to blame O'Neil. How anyone can blame a mediocre QB for not being great is beyond me. I wish he would have switched that last play up to a bootleg and not a standard Smith run but what are you going to do.