Devin Gardner Appreciation Thread
I was pretty bummed after the game on Saturday. But before anything else came to my mind, my first reaction was a feeling of sympathy for Devin Gardner. I can't harken back to a time where a QB has received as much punishment as Gardner did in East Lansing. Yet, despite getting hit on almost every throw he made, he continued to fight through the punishment and try to lead the team. Sometimes it looks like he's the only one out there trying.
The offensive line should be embarrassed for allowing him to get hit as many times as they did. Sure, MSU's defense is one of the best they will ever face in their careers at Michigan, but there has to come a time in a game where they say enough is enough and hold themselves to a higher standard in protecting one of their teammates.. with or without proper coaching. Thank goodness the coaches pulled him at the end of the game. The last thing they needed is for Gardner to take more punishment in a hopeless situation.
I know that Gardner isn't a world-beating QB. But given time to throw, he can be a very good QB. I don't know many QBs that could take the punishment that Gardner has taken and continue to play. Even with the struggles this season, Gardner is the man that gives Michigan a chance to win every game that they have left on the schedule because I know he's going to get back up and play against Nebraska where he'll probably take another beating. Beating Ohio is a long shot... but Gardner gives them a chance.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm glad Gardner is out there leading the team and I have no doubt he'll keep playing despite the beatings he'll receive. This team needs him.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:10 AM ^
Despite his turnover issues, Gardner has been a bright spot for this team all season. I agree.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:54 AM ^
then Devin should get 8 gold stars for his performance this weekend. We faced
- the #1 defense
- on the road
- without the assistance of a run game
- and he was sacked 9 times
- and probably hurried/hit another 10-20 more times.
He fumbled zero times and didn't throw a pick till we were in near-desperation mode.
8 gold stars for Devin Gardner
November 4th, 2013 at 1:14 PM ^
of the Branch - Morelli hit - except our guy was on the receiving end this time.
November 4th, 2013 at 4:02 PM ^
November 4th, 2013 at 11:11 AM ^
Guy must have been fearing for his life out there. Most of the reason why I said I don't blame him for having more picks than last year because he's always rushed this year. It's the same situation as Andrew Maxwell for msu last year.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:18 AM ^
My problem with DG was that I believe on half those sacks he had time. Now maybe people were covered but you either do something or throw it away if you cant. I specifically remember when where Funchess was open in front of him and a second later he takes a sack, he had ample time. Or on that 4th and 1 where the previous play he runs and pretty much stops at the first down marker, go earn that yard! Now DG has some good things about him but except a few games, he has looked awful. However I'm not going to pretend to know how to fix him because that's the coaches job, not ours to be arm chair coaches.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:30 AM ^
before the marker late was simply an act of self-defense, not in the sense that he was "scared" but because he had taken an unreasonable amount of punhishment before that and I really think he felt as though he could have been seriously injured. We were out of the game at that point, we could have cleaned up the score a little but the game was over.
To your other point, I don't think that Devin reads defenses well. I don't think he ever has and I think that is why Rodriguez never gave him a serious look and why Hoke originally turned him into a wide receiver before Denard's injury. I think he has a good arm but he locks into receivers and really seems to have difficulty seeing how a play is developing. He needed to make some split second decisions in that game to run, and you could see the wheels turning in his head. By the time he committed to running it was too late and he was swarmed. Some of that can be fixed with experience, but some of it cannot be taught.
Giving Gardner #98 was a mistake. I am not saying that he is not a great kid who should not be held in high regard, but it created a level of expecation that he simply cannot live up to, IMO. I am concerned about where Devin is mentally right now. Hopefully he is resiliant because I think that is the kind of game that can stick with a quarterback.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:40 AM ^
Rodriguez never gave him a chance? Gardner was a freshman when Rodriguez was here. He also never gave Jake Ryan a chance, I guess.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:42 AM ^
think he is a quick read?
November 4th, 2013 at 11:43 AM ^
He actually gave Gardner more of a chance than Ryan, what with Gardner playing as a true freshman as Denard's back-up to start the season.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:43 AM ^
should be worn ONLY for the game honoring the Legend. Keeping the number is senseless.
My appreciation for Devin increases with every game, especially considering the fact that the OC has no clue how to change a game plan around a re-building offensive line. This should have oocurred to the OC after Akron, or UConn, or Penn State or ......
Go Blue!
November 4th, 2013 at 2:35 PM ^
I like the idea of making the Homecoming game the one game a year where all of the legends jersey's are brought out.
We still pay homage to players of the past, while allowing the current players a chance to make a legacy of their own.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:48 AM ^
Doesn't even matter if the DLine and LBs are in your face. This OLine needs to MAN UP and block someone. Piss poor O Line.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:59 AM ^
several instances in the first half, particularly the first quarter, where he had time to throw off play action. He ate nearly all of them. At some point you just air mail that thing 20 yards over everybody's head if it is not there.
November 4th, 2013 at 12:20 PM ^
Obviously the oline is not helping, and I get that, but I just think DG adds to the problem by not being a quick decidion maker.
November 4th, 2013 at 12:24 PM ^
Don't get me wrong, there are things about Gardner that I like. He has a better arm than Denard, but obviously can't break the 70 yard td run either even though Gardner is above average in that aspect. It's just starting to feel like Gardner is an extension of Denard even though you're trading off his legs for his arm but still not the ability to read coverages. I'm just not convinced if Gardner will make that leap from now to his senior season which is next year. I'll agree with the OP though that there are a lot of good things to like in Gardner, just thought that a Junior qb would have some of the issues he has figured out by now.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:39 AM ^
Agree that seems like he should have tucked the ball and run if he didn't see anyone open. But then I wonder if the coaching staff is reluctant to let him do that, due to only having Morris as a backup.
The sliding just short of the first down line isn't a big deal. He was close, he obviously thought he was going to get it.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:14 AM ^
He seems much better with taking care of the ball as of late. Pretty surprising he didn't have an interception until it was already desperation time. Pretty sad when Gardner taking sack after sack instead of tossing loads of interceptions is the bright spot for the offense.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:19 AM ^
Without you I would have got killed on Saturday.
Your friend,
Shane Morris
November 4th, 2013 at 11:20 AM ^
are all great. I'll always support Michigan and I support each and every player, but those three are the main reasons I still look forward to the next game (from a pure football standpoint.) Despite Gardner's TO issues, I love watching him sling it all over the place.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:21 AM ^
Gutsy, and he's done that for a few games. I know pulling up before the first down was rough, but he made up for that a couple downs later by putting his head down and ramming. I think he immediately regretted pulling up short, as a poster said over the weekend.
He made nice throws when he had time, got beat to hell, tried to rally his team. Devin, Funchess, and Gallon can't do it by themselves. Not against that D.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:21 AM ^
I didn't like that he either (a) lacked the awareness to pick up that final yard, or (b) shied away from contact rather than pick it up. On him being out of the game, If I learned he asked out of the game or did not vehemently disagree with the coaches for taking him out, I would be disappointed. If it's true Hoke benched him over vociferous objection, I don't have a problem. But whether it was Gardner or Hoke, it wasn't a good look for the team's leader to sit the bench with a vacant stare while his team was still getting pummeled on the field.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:53 AM ^
I have never seen a qb take a beating like Devin did on Saturday. I have no problem whatsoever with him sitting. Didn't blame him for the not picking up that last yard either.
November 4th, 2013 at 1:00 PM ^
(b) shied away from contact rather than pick it up.
He was constantly running into Spartan players to get extra yards in the first half...especially the run where he broke a tackle, ran to the sideline, dodged another would-be tackler to pick up another 3 yards only to get hit by 2 defenders and still ran/stood tall until he was pushed out of bounds...After a game like that, are you seriously questioning DG's toughness and desire to win/play in the game to the final snap???
November 4th, 2013 at 1:49 PM ^
That's dumb. The guy was taking an absolute beating in a blowout game. There's no point in risking him getting hurt further when there are 4 games and a bowl to play for. Not to mention avoiding losing practice time to rehab over the summer. What would be the point in going back in there? To say, "HURR DURR LOOK AT HOW TOUGH I AM GAIZ". It's the smart thing to do. His line couldn't protect him.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:21 AM ^
I thought, aside from holding on to the ball a little too long a couple of times, Gardner really didn't have a bad game. He couldn't get much going with no protection, but he really stuck with it despite the punishment he was taking. It takes a certain kind of person to get back up and keep at it, given all the abuse he was taking.
He can be an awesome player when he's on, even if his TOs can be crushing at times (a problem that seems to be improving, in my opinion).
November 4th, 2013 at 11:21 AM ^
November 4th, 2013 at 11:23 AM ^
He fought really hard for yards on his last couple of runs - too hard, really, for his own well-being.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:28 AM ^
Forget the other two dozen plays where he got blasted and focus on the one he was short. I cannot fathom questioning Gardner's toughness after that game. .
November 4th, 2013 at 11:48 AM ^
This comment is utterly ridiculous.
November 4th, 2013 at 8:45 PM ^
November 4th, 2013 at 9:06 PM ^
November 4th, 2013 at 11:21 AM ^
I'm a Michigan fan, so regardless of how our team performs, who our players are and how on the outside I react to their performace, I appreciate each and every one of them. That said, there's not a single player or coach on this team who couldn't use some improvement. Devin does have some deficiencies that do magnify some of the already overwhelming issues of this line. Physcially it is all there, mentally it's not. When he's on top of his game, he's one of the most dangerous QBs in the country. But like any other QB, when he's making mental mistakes, he brings us down further. This OL is the hand that he's been dealt. If they can't get it together, it's up to him to make the most of it and make smart decisions in the time this porous line alotts him. Even with us not winning the line of scrimmage, we can find a level of success this year, though that ceiling there may be more limited than we all realized at the beginning of the season.
I'm grateful for Devin and I know he has the talent to trascend his situation, I just need him to realize that himself and step up to the plate, which goes without saying. The number 98 deserves at least that much out of him.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:23 AM ^
I thought he fought very admirably on Saturday. He's not a perfect QB, but I sure as hell wouldn't want to see what this team would look like without him.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:22 AM ^
I swear I saw him cough up blood after that last INT. Poor guy didn't have any protection all game
November 4th, 2013 at 11:35 AM ^
Can someone confirm or deny if he got hit on his interception play? He walked off with help and did the drunk man sidestep just before the sidelines. Not sure if they showed it on TV but I saw it Sat. but couldn't see a good replay if he got hit. I am assuming he did and was concussed.
That stadium is awful. Trash everywhere when you enter, small concourses, that ribbon was interesting, bathroom circulation was beyond awful, even the big screens seem like an afterthought built like an erector set. I thought PSU was the ultimate compilation of afterthoughts, but it was certainly built and designed to accomodate the 100,000 plus crowds whereas when Spartan stadium is more than 2/3 full, it is a cluster f@#$. That is my shred of dignity that I have left after that ass beating.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:48 AM ^
Go Blue!
November 4th, 2013 at 11:23 AM ^
His ability to keep getting back up, knowing he was just going to get hit again, was nothing short of heroic. It was like a prize fight. They kept delivering haymakers right to the face, but he would just stumble back, collect himself, and push forward again. That is a great example of leadership for the younger players, and someone I am proud to have representing the maize and blue.
While it wouldn't have helped him take less of a beating, I would love to see him try to throw the ball away more. I don't know if he is scared from the interceptions earlier in the season, or thinks that he can run out of anything, but there were so many times where he was out of the tackle box and should have just thrown it past the line of scrimmage, so far out of bounds that no one could catch it (except Sir Charles, because he's a superhero). That would have helped change a lot of "third and half a mile" to "third and tens."
November 4th, 2013 at 11:29 AM ^
I like my QBs a little more rah-rah than DG, that's just me. Probably silly and unimportant but I feel better when I see my team's QB exhorting his teammates. It looks like Devin often isolates himself on the sideline, doesn't interact much. In his defense, the sideline reporter did say that in the second half she saw him urging his OL to give him more time. I'm also not a huge fan of his frequent limping/ginger walking off the field. Even when he scores. Where's the exuberance, DG???!! Seems like the weight of the world is on his shoulders. Sorry this was supposed to be the appreciation thread.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:30 AM ^
November 4th, 2013 at 3:29 PM ^
He would be elite if he was being given the right opportunity to grow, instead of being forced to run for his life behind his hypothetical O-line.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:31 AM ^
With this line and none of the other quarterbacks being very mobile, it will be a disaster.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:43 AM ^
Somehow I think Gardner leaving early won't be an issue.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:32 AM ^
He took a beating like a true #98 and I've got nothing but love for him. Michigan Man through and through.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:37 AM ^
November 4th, 2013 at 11:41 AM ^
The kid is all heart, just like his former roomate Denard which I think rubbed off on Devin. To have the guts and will to stand in there against MSU's defense with a pourus o-line is impressive. He deserves nothing but respect but instead "fans" call for his head. He was forced to carry the offense (8 carries for Fitz) against the Spartan D and you know he was back at practice today while I would be in the fetal postion. Again, nothing but respect to Devin for all he has accomplished on and off the football field.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:44 AM ^
I agree with the main argument. DG has been great, and those directing their ire at him are only demonstrating their ignorance.
However, I really tire of the sentiment that the OL should have realized they were performing poorly and begin to "hold themselves to a higher standard". This is basically the same argument as "come on, man." Oh, ok.
Football is hard. And sometimes, perhaps even most of the time, failure isn't the result of a lack of toughness or lack of desire or lack of concentration. It's a lack of ability. If you're getting beat by blitzes and twists that are so well-disguised that you can't figure out where they're coming from on a given play, or if you're getting beat because the guy across from you is just a lot bigger or stronger or faster or more skilled, you're not going to start suddenly winning those battles by "getting your head in the game" or whatever.
November 4th, 2013 at 11:57 AM ^
Comment of the year.
November 4th, 2013 at 12:45 PM ^
Can you just copy paste the last two paragraphs as a rejoinder to all the 'The OL needs to man up!' comments? Excellent and concise reply.
DG is a hero for standing in there and taking it, battling all the way through.