Devin Gardner for QB?

Submitted by nmajali on
Honestly, with the way Bellomy is playing, and with the situation at hand.. Can't they just put in Devin Gardner as QB.. He's more tested at this point..

rubs86

October 27th, 2012 at 11:47 PM ^

Unless we can learn to have a decent running game (by RB's vs. QB's), we can't expect a decent passing game.  It's too simple for defenses to be freed up to cheat for maximum pass coverage, while still being able to quickly come in for run support since we also primarily use delayed runs. 

We need to run more "north and south" and should be punding away with Thomas Rawls instead of Toussaint & Smith who are now both dancing while looking for seams instead of running in anticipation of the whole that is supposed to be being opened for them.  I believe Rawls runs hard and would help wear down the defense even when he doesn't get big yardage.

Is he dinged up or something?  What a waste to not have used him to help take pressure off the kid (Bellomy).

NYC Blue

October 27th, 2012 at 11:07 PM ^

He may have been practicing the same number of weeks, but I seriously doubt he has had anywhere near the same number of repititions.  And certainly not the game experience, nor the total experience (as he is a RS Fr)

On the other hand, there is little doubt that all practice aside, Bellomy has nowhere near the gifts that Denard does. 

BlueMarrow

October 28th, 2012 at 11:40 AM ^

As difficult as it is to comprehend, it seems that Kennedy is way behind RB. I, for one, would have liked to at least seen him in the last series. Perpertuating bad experiences for RB did nothing to help develop him.

Let's look on the bright side: Shane Morris won't de-commit for lack of playing opportunity.

Darth Wolverine

October 27th, 2012 at 10:54 PM ^

I do not get it either. I really want to hear Brady's explanation for this. This may be his worst coaching decision to date. There is absolutely no excuse for this. He has to know we can't win with Bellomy in.

Magnus

October 27th, 2012 at 10:55 PM ^

This is yet another reason why I wanted Michigan to take a QB in 2012. Denard's hurt, Gardner's at WR, and Bellomy is apparently our only option right now...  Not that a true freshman QB would necessarily be more ready than Bellomy, but this is exactly why you take a QB in every class.

snarling wolverine

October 27th, 2012 at 11:21 PM ^

Was there any plausible (i.e., not a total reach of an offer) guy out there for us to get last class?   If we're talking about total sleeper recruits, I'm not sure they would have been any better.

The killer for us was Stonum screwing up once again.  If he were still here, he'd be our go-to receiver and Gardner would have remained at QB.

jmblue

October 28th, 2012 at 12:50 AM ^

O'Connor hasn't seen the field for MSU this season, despite their own set of QB issues.  I can't imagine he'd have been the answer on a night game in Lincoln his true freshman season.

It's not the 2012 QB recruiting class (or lack of one) that is hurting us now, it's the 2008-11 classes.  Excluding Gardner, we have a grand total of two players currently at QB from those classes.  Tate Forcier flunking out of school really hurt.

 

Seth

October 29th, 2012 at 10:09 AM ^

Word from MSU practices is that if Maxwell gets hurt O'Connor is nowhere near ready to replace Maxwell, let alone step into Michigan's hybrid WCO-Spread.

Having him on the roster would be a nice security blanket for 2015, but wouldn't do much to improve the current situation.

Until something shows me I'm dead wrong, I'm sticking by the assertion that the coaches knew Gardner as a WR was a big gamble on Denard not getting hurt early in an important game leaving significant Bellomy time, and to move Gardner back to QB the following week if the injury is extended.

Given Gardner has not been the receiving threat we hoped (too many drops, not picking up the routes, indifferent blocker) despite the talent, I think we're late enough in the season now to audible out of that, go back to preparing Devin to take over for Denard, and hope Darboh has come far enough along to replace that production.

I really don't get why Jeremy Jackson is getting so much PT. I haven't yet seen him make a play that pretty much any WR should make. It's scaring the sh-- out of me that he's involved in so many plays and the target of so many 3rd downs because of what it says about Darboh. I don't see what Jackson can provide on any given play that you can't get by splitting Funchess out wide.

AgonyTrain

October 28th, 2012 at 1:44 AM ^

MN's true freshman qb Phil Nelson looked pretty good today. Think we probably could have had him. I agree that not taking a qb in 2012 was a colossal failure and showed some pretty horrible judgement of talent in terms of Bellamy. I hope to god someone can throw this in my face down the road but I don't think more experience is going to fix an incredibly weak arm. Maybe that is why hoke was talking about the weight he had put on or whatever. Next year has the potential to be a total offensive disaster, see msu 2012.

NYC Blue

October 27th, 2012 at 11:02 PM ^

Actually, he very easily can.  If he has not been practicing at QB, when was the last time he had to read a defense?  Was he in for meetings about the Nebraska blitz keys etc? 

Athleticism without preparation does not get you very far at this level.  Making him the backup for next week and on is a different debate.  Tonight- we are stuck with what we are stuck with.

 

NYC Blue

October 27th, 2012 at 11:21 PM ^

Well, just doing some rough math, he could have thrown 3 fewer completions, 13 more interceptions, and for 38 less yards....

 

Seriously, there is no coach that is going to put a player in to play a position they have not practiced at.  They simply are not going to do it.

This is the cost of moving Gardner to WR.  Personally, I am willing to pay that cost, because even if DG is better than Bellomy at QB, I don't think we were going to win this game with anyone but Denard at QB, and there are games that we will win with DG at WR. 

But, I can understand those who are pissed at the coaches moving DG from QB.  I just disagree.