Whether or not
Even more than that, we have
Even more than that, we have 2(!) guys we can win with!
I know from experience dude. If you know what I mean.
agree
this offense allows the QB to tackled more than the old pro set.
I still worry about injuries derailing the whole thing.
life is like a box of chocolates... and you got the Whizzo Quality Assortment
As long as Denard doesn't run faster than light...
"I love him, he's a great coach, he's a great mentor, he's a great friend. He's every single thing you want a college coach to be, and he does it flawlessly." -David Molk
You cannot injure
what you cannot catch
Spread QBs don't get injured
Spread QBs don't get injured more often than Pro-style QBs. Someone did a diary on it a year or so ago. When Brian ever mentions it (which he still does on occasion) he suggests that it might have to do with pocket passers getting hit less often, but taking harder hits whereas the runners can juke/spin to avoid most of the force.
it obviously depends on the
it obviously depends on the qb. tate got hit a LOT last year...and he was limping from the ankle sprain on saturday. his size combined with his playing style/attitude leads to a high risk of injury. so yes, seeing an improved denard was a welcome sight.
And
he MIGHT hand it off.
Not that I loved Rich Rod less, but that I loved Michigan more.
There was a chance
that he was going to pass last year.
Unfortunately, there was a very good chance that the pass was going to be ill-advised and to someone in the wrong color of jersey.
I didn't look at his stats from last year, but it seemed he had as many interceptions as completions at times.
Wasting away in Ohio, a Wolverine in a sea of red and grey
he was awful last year
iirc, his average expected yards gained when he passed came out to 0 thanks to all of the INTs. and despite that, he still averaged 5 yards a carry. crazy good ball carrier.
...the Canadians make up for it with their emotion and classic ice-dancing skill.
I was actually impressed to
I was actually impressed to see Denard make a concerted effort to stay in the pocket longer. There were multiple instances where he could have ran for 15-20 yards, but he chose to continue to look for the open man. I'm not making predictions on his starter status, but it's clear he's trying to do the right thing and be patient. (I'm not implying anything to the contrary about Tate)
I understand that this was practice, QBs weren't live, etc. but I couldn't help but notice the very interesting dilemma that is created when Denard is in the game. When he rolls out (which he did a lot) the defense is forced to do one of two things: 1)send someone after him at the risk of getting burned and/or a dump pass to a streaking slot or TE; or 2)stick with the receivers and watch Denard waltz for first down after first down while eating a sandwich.
I can see it now...the first quote of his first interview after the UConn game..."Well, not quite sure how to say this, but...I'm kind of a big deal."
GO BLUE!
If a woman has to choose between catching a fly ball and saving an infant's life, she will choose to save the infant's life without even considering if there is a man on base.
Is it just me,
or is Hinton's headline a little too Cubs fans-esque?
I'm okay with the headline,
it reflects the current reality. Things need to change on the field before they change in the blogsphere.
Taking it one week at a time
What's wrong with being Cubs fan-esque?
personally
I was a little dissappointed Denard didn't run his signature play: Take snap, run off tackle.
Do you mean fumble the snap,
Do you mean fumble the snap, run the wrong direction, reverse directions, cut through 5 arm tackles, and take it to the house? That seems pretty signature to me.
Gardner tried that one
unfortunately he is not made of dilithium.
That's OK. Maybe Gardner is
That's OK. Maybe Gardner is made of Adamantium. I'll take that.
"...what do you say, is it the new Bluesmobile or what?"
"Fix the cigarette lighter."
He is a Wolverine
Throwing arm-
"I love him, he's a great coach, he's a great mentor, he's a great friend. He's every single thing you want a college coach to be, and he does it flawlessly." -David Molk
Denard's passer rating
rivals has put up an unofficial box score from Saturday:
http://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1076177
Denard was 9/12 for 170 yds. 3 TDs and 0 INTs. With these numbers, Denard's QB rating would be 276.5 (!) (and even 156.25 in the NFL).
Michigan QBs were 30/48 for 369 yds. 4 TDs and 1 INT. (150.41 NCAA, 105.3 NFL)
And yet, the D held the O to less than 4 YPC (50 car./191 yds. 3.8 ypc).
Those numbers remind me of QB
Those numbers remind me of QB numbers that were put up on our defense last year
Yeah
But these are against our defense.
not just "douchey" MGoBlog user, but now TRUSTED MGoBlog user
rush/pass combined:
every time Denard touched the ball, the offense could expect 11 yards gained.
...the Canadians make up for it with their emotion and classic ice-dancing skill.
Um, yeah. Funny how a 97 yard
Um, yeah. Funny how a 97 yard play can skew the numbers like that.
orly.
big plays are always only attributable to the defense? even still, Denard was at ~6 yards per play, which is still very good.
...the Canadians make up for it with their emotion and classic ice-dancing skill.
question
During the spring game, did anyone else notice that Denard doesn't tie his shoes? I am looking forward to hearing more about this in the fall from the commentators during the broadcast.
holy crap
His nickname makes so much more sense now!
It may have just been Denard's day...
He looked sharp. But it is just one day - let's not put too much behind it.
If there is a take away (as KinesiologyNerd and BorninAA say in their posts) at least he shows flashes of passing skills, and therefor can do more than run.
Wolverine Nation Unite!
It may have been one day,
but Denard was also the leader in the other 14 Spring practices. There was a reason he got the "start" at the Spring Game. Make no mistake about it - Denard is in the driver's seat at the moment. If the season started Saturday he would be going out for the first series. The thing is - the season starts in September. Tate has plenty of time to regain control. It's going to come down to putting in an individual effort over the Summer.
Given Denard's emergence, I have to imagine he has been putting in the time when nobody's looking. Perhaps Tate couldn't do as much over the Winter due to injury, but he needs to kick it into overdrive. If Denard continues to do work he will be our starter.
Dr. Saturday
sounds like he has visited MGoBlog often.
I do not mean to pry, but you don't by any chance happen to have six fingers on your right hand?
Yes
He has.
not just "douchey" MGoBlog user, but now TRUSTED MGoBlog user
Whether or not he supplants Tate as the starter appears more and more irrelevant.
The fact that when Denard enters the game he MIGHT pass makes his approximately 1 million times more dangerous. No longer can defenses crowd the line and assume he is going to take off.
Look out defenses, DENARD IS COMING ...