Gardner and future trick plays
Does anyone here besides me think Coach Rodriguez will implement Gardner in some trick plays whereby he'll be a WR on a designed play, either lining up pre-snap at QB or with Forcier/Robinson also on field ? I hear he's also sublimely talented at WR, and would have been also a five star WR, and can totally see it. He could even line up at WR position and receive a lateral toss pass from Forcier, and either then throw it or run it from the near sideline.
August 19th, 2009 at 11:25 AM ^
Im pretty sure that they will redshirt D-Gardner. Why would they waste a year of eligibility on a couple trick plays? A 5th year with him is much more valuable.
August 19th, 2009 at 11:43 AM ^
My sincere hope is that Tate locks up the starting job this year and we can redshirt Gardner. Then Gardner can play some junk time in his RS FR year which will be Tate's junior year. You MIGHT get a trick play then. But remember, most trick plays open up a player to the possibility of being injured more than just a normal play. I certainly don't want Gardner getting injured.
Anyways, hopefully, by Tate's senior year they'll be some real competition between him and Gardner for the starting spot.
I doubt that it'll work out this way though. I'd expect that Gardner's superior talent and physical measurables (i.e. that kid is tall AND fast!) will give him the edge and may make RichRod play him earlier and more often than I would like.
August 19th, 2009 at 11:46 AM ^
True. But RR believes if a player is good enough to play now, he will.
I believe he will be our backup next year. With Denard being he 3rd string while playing slot/qb/rb (all over the field).
No better way to get experience late in the 4th qtr rather than redshirting.
August 19th, 2009 at 12:31 PM ^
Optimally it would be great if he would redshirt in 2010. But in this day and age I just can't see Scout's #4 ranked QB (tongue and cheek - don't get me started on ratings) sitting out an entire year. He probably feels that he could come in and compete this fall, let alone waiting 24 more months to hit the field.
August 19th, 2009 at 8:02 PM ^
I don't know man. With a few exceptions, QB's who sign with big time programs expect to sit a year or two before they see the field. It's the exception to the rule to play as a freshman, true freshman especially. DG doesn't have the skill yet to leave early for the NFL, so he knows he'll be around for a little while. A lot of good QB's only started for 2 years in college, some only one (Mark Sanchez, for example).
August 19th, 2009 at 11:30 AM ^
I'm all for talking about the upcoming season before it happens, getting into 2010 already? There's enough to worry about now let alone a player who isn't even on the team yet.
August 19th, 2009 at 11:55 AM ^
I'll talk about anything and everything Michigan Football right now. There's not enough news and conversation about this year's team to keep me completely occupied, so some future speculation doesn't bother me too much.
As far as Gardner's trick plays are concerned, I think everyone else hit the nail on the head. Hopefully he'll be redshirted, and get small amounts of playing time the next year. At that point we might see a trick play or two, but I don't think RR wants to turn his offense into a trick play circus.
August 19th, 2009 at 2:46 PM ^
I think our offense will be exactly that once it becomes very effective, a trick play circus, much akin to our old Mad Magician offense.
I didnt make any mention of Gardner redshirting. I do think we will see at some point in the future, both Gardner AND Forcier/Robinson on the field at the same time, and I think we will see the associated trick plays.
August 19th, 2009 at 11:47 AM ^
What's to stop them from doing the same thing this year with Denard and Forcier? I doubt they'll burn a redshirt for the sake of a few plays. My guess is that if Gardner redshirts it will either be because he earns the starting job as a freshman or because both T-Force and D-Rob get injured.
August 19th, 2009 at 12:14 PM ^
I was about to write (essentially) the same post myself.
Wildcat with Denard?
End around (with pass option)?
iirc, Denard has also rated well as a WR/slot (though maybe not 5 star...) I just think that he's too good of an athlete to keep him off of the field.
August 19th, 2009 at 2:26 PM ^
Why? Because neither Tate nor Denard are exceptional WRs. Having Gardner lined up wide and a quick lateral pass to him, isolates him to a corner and tops two defenders and possibly have another WR with him. To isolate Gardner in space is what you want.
We did this a few times last year, quick passes to the sideline, but line up Gardner out there, and design a lateral, and it could become a nice play.
August 19th, 2009 at 12:35 PM ^
Great post (as always) at smart football about some teams using a quadruple option.
The new quadruple option is as follows:
1. hand off to the fullback
2. keep it himself
3. pitch to RB
4. pass to the WR
Now imagine is Denard is the second option for Tate.
That means that Tate could:
1. hand off to the fullback
2. keep it himself
3. pitch to Denard
4. pass to the WR
If Denard takes the pitch, he could also pass to the WR, creating the fifth option.
Dare to dream.
August 19th, 2009 at 12:55 PM ^
and how long to you reckon that play will take to develop? as soon as i read that i thought of PSU's first play against us in the '97 game (can't link it, work computer blocks youtube but i think you might know what i'm talking about)
August 19th, 2009 at 1:28 PM ^
I wasn't implying that this would necessarily be plausible, hence the ending "Dare to Dream."
It could be a cool contingency if the play got blown up in backfield and Tate pitched it quickly. Then instead of Denard only having the option of running into more linebackers, he could toss one over the top to a WR.
August 19th, 2009 at 1:06 PM ^
sigh
August 19th, 2009 at 2:32 PM ^
Regardless of who starts, who gets redshirted, etc., let's just hope over the next few years that there is so much mop up time (the good kind) to be had that RR and the gang's toughest decisions will be who gets to take a knee at the end!
August 19th, 2009 at 7:40 PM ^
..as the first-string "taking the knee" player.
August 19th, 2009 at 2:39 PM ^
Gardner is a qb only, I believe.
August 19th, 2009 at 4:00 PM ^
That there was some whispers that Robinson and Forcier would both line up in the backfield with a RB for a few trick plays. I mean it would make sense - how on earth would you cover anything if you had two QB's, fundamentally different QB's, and a RB in the backfield. Pass or run they could get you for some big yards. I would love to see something like this end up actually being true and in the playbook.