High praise for Denard from Fred Jackson
Fred Jackson in the Detroit News today said that in his 18 years at Michigan, he's never seen anyone so fast, and that "I mean, it's scary. Every time you miss him, strike up the band, it's a touchdown." That and other high praise in the article:
www.detnews.com/article/20090824/SPORTS0201/908240338/1004/-Mr.-X--chan…
August 24th, 2009 at 9:49 AM ^
"...even when his coach would tie them, they would come untied."
- Shoelaces haven't been made to contain Denard's feet.
"I promise you this, there ain't nobody in the country who can catch him," Jackson said. "In my 18 years here, I've never seen a kid that fast. Nowhere. And I've seen some fast kids on other teams, (but) I've never seen anybody that fast."
- honestly, when is the last time anyone around here felt we had the fastest player in the NATION? Wheatley? Trent? I am REALLY excited to see him play. Along with his other talents, how are you going to keep this guy off the field?
August 24th, 2009 at 10:37 AM ^
when is the last time anyone around here felt we had the fastest player in the NATION? Wheatley? Trent?
Funny. I don't think Trent was faster than a 4.5, so no, since Percy Harvin played football last year. But I find it funny that you asked the last time we had the fastest kid in the country, and you had to search "all the way" to 2008 for a possible answer.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:12 PM ^
Ironic that you mention Harvin in your response saying that Trent isn't that fast. Citrus Bowl '08 Trent, running at an angle, tracked down Harvin and prevented the touchdown (for the time being). That's actually when most if us realized that Trent was indeed faster than we might have thought.
I'm guessing that oversight also explains the light negging.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:44 PM ^
It was Capital One, but yeah, I was about to say the same thing.
Video here: http://umgovideo.com/avc-view.aspx?v=111
August 24th, 2009 at 1:18 PM ^
Capitol One Bowl is the Citrus Bowl, just w/ a newfangled corporate name.
August 24th, 2009 at 1:43 PM ^
I'm a corporate sell out and hack.
Chick-fil-a Bowl forever!
August 24th, 2009 at 9:51 AM ^
I watched him first hand and its true, the guy has some wheels. That being said, that alone will not win him the job in RR's offense. This QB battle is going to be going on all year long. May the best man win.
August 24th, 2009 at 1:32 PM ^
PAT. WHITE.
August 24th, 2009 at 5:45 PM ^
yeah, well, even Pat White Speed of Light split time with Adam Bednarik his first year.
August 24th, 2009 at 6:31 PM ^
Yes, he did. So? The point was that speed is not enough to start for RichRod. Pat White started 5 games that year, and he was an even worse passer at that point.
August 24th, 2009 at 9:51 AM ^
i enjoy sheridan never in pictures when qb articles appear, yet he's "still in the mix".
August 24th, 2009 at 1:35 PM ^
Probably because nobody in the press gives a fuck about getting a picture of him? He's still taking reps with the first team and starting scrimmages, so I'd say he is in the mix. For better or (likely) worse.
August 24th, 2009 at 9:52 AM ^
Every time you miss him, strike up the band, it's a touchdown.I just got shivers. If our o-line plays well and our receivers can make some good blocks, we can make a lot of people miss.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:03 AM ^
He actually said
"I mean, it's scary. Every time you miss him in practice, strike the band up, it's a touchdown. He's going to shock a lot of people." FWIW
August 24th, 2009 at 10:09 AM ^
I saw that after I clicked through the link... Not quite so shiver-worthy, but still awesome I guess. Hopefully it translates to games.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:10 AM ^
And you beat me to it.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:14 AM ^
Well - he has only practiced so far. How is this a bad thing?
August 24th, 2009 at 12:47 PM ^
Yes, I think we all agree here. I'm just flagging a partially incorrect quote. (Personal pet-peave.) I believe he's going to make big plays this year, there's no question. It's just slightly not as bold of a statement as it was originally portrayed.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:33 AM ^
where else has he seen him since he wasn't his recruiter? And doing that in practice at M is more impressive than doing in HS, even in Florida.
August 24th, 2009 at 2:14 PM ^
It just almost sounds like "everyone we play better watch out, he's going to run for 6 anytime you miss him" is a bolder statement than saying "in practice, he's lighting 'em up" My point is it sounds more like a prediction for future in-game success, versus an observation from practice.
I know it's a subtle difference, but I just think it gives a bit of a disingenuous impression essentially, that a coach seems to favor one QB over the rest.
August 24th, 2009 at 9:58 AM ^
Let's not blow this out of proportion. He isn't the country's fastest player. But he's in the top 5%, I would guess.
That said, I once again got a vision in my head of Robert Griffin, Denard Robinson and Terrelle Pryor soon ascending to the top of the CFB mountain where Bradford, Tebow and McCoy once stood.
Scoring TDs and circumsizing kids at three times the speed...
August 24th, 2009 at 10:06 AM ^
He hold's Florida's high school record for the 100M. I would guess that makes him one of the 3 or 4 fastest players in college football.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:15 AM ^
I think Maybe one of 3 or 4 fastest freshman in college football. Some guys gotta get faster in college, no?
August 24th, 2009 at 10:16 AM ^
How's this:
Denard is extremely fast.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:45 AM ^
...but who is faster, Denard or Tate?
Edit: Apparently the people who are negging me do not get the joke.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:17 AM ^
Either they don't get it, or it's a very old and played out joke.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:36 PM ^
Let's see who gets that. First one to respond gets cookies and mgopoints! (No googling)
August 24th, 2009 at 6:57 PM ^
Simpson
August 24th, 2009 at 7:30 PM ^
Cookies in the mail
August 24th, 2009 at 10:26 AM ^
That'll work. The guy in the Its all about DENARD diary called you chitownbrown by the way, and I laughed. Are you secretly a Texas A&M fan?
August 24th, 2009 at 10:39 AM ^
Look at it this way -
Denard runs the same speed that Percy Harvin ran this year at the combine. Harvin had the benefit of 3 years of strength and conditioning (as well as Gator pot and sex).
August 24th, 2009 at 12:46 PM ^
That sounds a might bit painful.
August 24th, 2009 at 3:05 PM ^
'Hey dude...here, in the swamp, wanna hit of this? Here, take it...RAWR!!!
August 24th, 2009 at 3:20 PM ^
but let's say Denard was one of the 20 fastest guys in Division 1A, or FBS, whatever. There's like 120 teams with, to throw out a number, say 80 players per team. If he's one of the 20 fastest dudes, that would put him in the top 1%, not 5%. Five percent would be like selling him short, lol.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:32 AM ^
I thought Demps had the Florida record in the 100M with a 10.01 100... or am I totally not getting this...
August 24th, 2009 at 10:46 AM ^
According to the records of the Florida High School Athletic Assn, Jeff Demps held the record of 10.37 he set in 2007's state meet until the spring state championship this past April, when Dentarious Locke ran 10.32. Denard ran a 10.74 in the finals.
Robinson ran a hand-timed 10.28 during the last track season, but official standards for timing mandate the addition of small increments of time to hand-timed results, meaning Denard's time ended up being over 10.5.
Regardless, chitown is correct: Denard IS one of the fastest players in college football. Top 3, top 5, top 10, I don't really care, he's fucking fast. Few things would make me happier than to see him rip off a 90-yarder against Sparty or OSU.
Does anyone know if he's ever returned kickoffs?
August 24th, 2009 at 10:48 AM ^
my data was out of date
August 24th, 2009 at 12:27 PM ^
He may not be THE fastest player in college football (though I'm guessing he's pretty damn close), but I don't think that matters. He's fast as hell, and he's starting to show that his straight-line speed translates to the football field.
If there is a better response to "OMG, Essss Eeeee Seeeee speed", I can't think of it.
August 24th, 2009 at 12:24 PM ^
and I couldn't be more excited to see Denard flying past defenders with his shoelaces untied. He may not lose his shoes in spite of not having them laced, but his speed and moves should cause some defenders to lose their jock straps this year.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:09 AM ^
"Every time you miss him in practice, strike the band up, it's a touchdown.[emphasis mine] Changes the meaning a little bit, FWIW.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:15 AM ^
It's still high-praise. I'm not sure where you're going with this.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:19 AM ^
I'm not saying that it's not high praise, because it is, rather there's a difference in Fred claiming that Denard will score touchdowns in practice vs games.
Again, not trying to diminish the praise, I just thought the quote in the OP was slightly misleading.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:08 AM ^
Allen Iverson isn't impressed.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:21 AM ^
I can't wait to see what he can do against Western in Game 1.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:28 AM ^
It kind of sucks not having "the guy" yet, but I think RR and staff know what they are doing.
Because my excitement for this season keeps on growing, I will throw out what I said a month or two ago. With Tate's passing ability*, Denard's running ability** and our running back core we could hang 50 on them. Gosh I can't wait for Sept. 5! You know it is only 11 full days until then.
(Obviously it would be necessary to keep WMU under 50 too)
*- not to sell him short in the running dept.
**- not to sell him short in the passing dept.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:47 AM ^
I don't buy everything Fred Jackson says. He also said McGuffie was the best freshman RB he has ever seen last summer.
August 24th, 2009 at 10:49 AM ^
mr. jackson can be a bit prone to hyperbole
August 24th, 2009 at 11:08 AM ^
Yeah, I also remember him last calling McGuff and Shaw the two best freshmen backs he'd every seen, or something like that.
August 24th, 2009 at 11:15 AM ^
Did you read the above two comments?