Hoke on Denard "He can be our QB"
On WTKA this morning Webb asked Hoke about Denard and Hoke had this to say.
"I've seen enough of him to know that he can be the quarterback of the Wolverines."
Rejoice!? I hope.
He also talked alot about how he will adjust his style to the personnel. This is all starting to sound like the transition might not be as rough as some of us feared.
http://wtka.com/index.php?fuseaction=home.podcasts_sel&id=10253
January 13th, 2011 at 11:29 AM ^
I think Hoke is going to turn out to be a damn good coach. I'm so happy that he sees Denard as our QB not just an athlete. Time to do the Hokey pokey.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:49 AM ^
I'm sure I am in the minority here, but I really think it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if Denard transfered.
Yes, I'm sure Hoke/Borgess will try to incorporate some spread stuff, but they are not going to run a read option spread to keep Denard. Therefore, Denard will have to be a pocket passer first and a runner 2nd. From what I observed this year, Denard was a spectacular runner and also hit many big plays when his primary reciever was wide open due to his threat of the runner. However, when D-Rob was forced to read the defense and go to his 2nd or 3rd option it often resulted in INTs.
As an opponent, I would much rather face D-Rob in a pro-style offense than Garder.
Just one Spartan's opinion.
Now, of course Hoke should try to keep Denard on the team, but what if he convinces D-Rob to stay but then Gardner beats him out and Hoke asks D-Rob to change positions. This could be a touchy spot. I know Denard is a great kid, but he may feel like the rug had been pulled out from under him.
It will be interesting to follow, but if Denard transfers I don't think it would be doom and gloom.
p.s. Was anyone else waiting for Hoke to take a guitar and smash it over Drew Sharp's head like Bluto from Animal House.?
January 13th, 2011 at 11:56 AM ^
for 2011: no
we would probably be doomed if we lost both tate and denard. devin is the answer in 1 or 2 more years
January 13th, 2011 at 11:57 AM ^
But look forward to Denard killing opponents for another 2 seasons!
January 13th, 2011 at 11:58 AM ^
Denard is a true sophomore. Please show me a true sophomore that doesn't have problems cycling through his reads. I seem to remember Cousins having the same sorts of issues last year, and you saw the progress he made this season. I think Denard was on par or better throwing the ball than just about any sophomore QB in the country, and if he makes even half the leap next year that he made between his freshman and sophomore years, his efficiency solely as a passer will be scary. Combine that with his running ability, and a coach that teaches him how to tuck it and run when his receivers aren't open, and he will be absolutely devastating.
January 13th, 2011 at 1:30 PM ^
agreed, when cousins was a RS freshman, same age as denard he looked lost as a QB.. Denard will get better, we haven't had an upperclassmen since Henne...
It will be nice to have Denard back there with plenty of experience. Devin is obviously a better pure passer, but denard just needs some reps and i think we all know he will put in the hard work to learn hoke's offensive scheme in the off season.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:59 AM ^
It would be the worst thing in the world, ok? It would literally be the worst f***ing thing in the world.
Stop trying to be so damn rational.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:03 PM ^
What you obviously don't know as a Sparty fan is that Denard is the heart and soul of this team. Hoke will be here beyond 2012, but for the next two years, Denard is the team leader on a peer basis. Virtually as important as his dilithium charged speed is the incredible person that he is and the way he inspires all his teammates.
January 13th, 2011 at 1:43 PM ^
Watching Denard lead Crisler Arena in The Victors on Wednesday night was absolutely phenomanal. That whole episode not only convinced me that he is staying, but he is Blue through and through and is the absolute leader of this team right now. His leadership ability alone is enough of a reason to keep him at QB.
January 13th, 2011 at 2:34 PM ^
I agree. Denard is the leader of this team, which is why it's so imperative that we keep him on board. If he were to transfer, then I could see that "making it OK" for other guys to transfer, leading to a mass exodus.
Seems like nothing to worry about though, as Denard is all in for Michigan, and not just its coach.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:14 PM ^
Avatar, not so much. Welcome anyway.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:16 PM ^
Devin is the future, Denard is the present.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:22 PM ^
Our true sophomore QB just put up 4,272 yards of offense and 32 total TD's. He had a higher passer efficiency rating than any season of Chad Henne's career AND led the Big Ten in rushing. Anyone acting like there is a better option anywhere in college football, much less on the current Michigan roster needs to stop smoking drugs.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:21 PM ^
But perhaps the biggest DOOM possibility of it, is the fact that if he does transfer, we are left with a Redshirt Freshman who is unproven (although a stud who, theoretically at least could be better than Denard with Hoke at the helm) and DOOOOOOOOOOOM.
If Denard transfers, we are one torn ACL or broken leg from Threet/Sheridan Round 2.
January 13th, 2011 at 1:52 PM ^
From above (I don't know how to put this in a yellow box): "From what I observed this year, Denard was a spectacular runner and also hit many big plays when his primary reciever was wide open due to his threat of the runner. However, when D-Rob was forced to read the defense and go to his 2nd or 3rd option it often resulted in INTs."
I assume since you're an MSU fan that a lot of what you saw of Denard this year was UM vs. MSU (and highlights of other UM games). The MSU game was definitely not his best game, in fact, it was arguably his worst of the year, especially in terms of passing.
I don't deny that Denard needs to improve as a passer, but he was able to deliver the ball on the money in tight windows at times as well. He just needs to develop some consistency in his throwing. The other point (made above), that he is only a true sophomore, leads me to think that his passing will continue to improve.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:30 AM ^
My hope is that Hoke/Borges incorporate spread elements to customize the position for Denard, and it works so well that it becomes our permament offense. Wishful thinking perhaps, but certainly possible.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:31 PM ^
I second this, I always have liked teams with dual threat QB's more, they're much more dynamic and exciting. At the college level, the threat of injury is much less when compared to the NFL, and even less when you have a guy like DG a.k.a. VY 2.0.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:30 AM ^
Niiiiiice. Shoelace will go a long way to getting us wins this season. And it should be pretty obvious. Knowing what a big Michigan fan Hoke is, I'm sure he's watched more than enough games this year to realize that.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:31 AM ^
was so used to the same ole regime that when Rod came in and blew up the program, they figured that all coaching changes are like that. Sure, every change will have attrition, but not a complete blow-up of styles, etc...
Not all changes are that way. It has been said many times, the best coaches take the players they have and adjust, not make the players change immediately. I think that is what Hoke will do.
I will caution, though, I doubt we will know the real cost of attrition till after spring ball, when the depth chart picture comes into clearer focus.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:31 AM ^
Is Denard best at QB if we don't run the spread though? I have my doubts. He is a superb spread QB, but if they start running a more traditional offense I don't know if he is the best QB anymore. Also, his best shot at the pros probably is at another position. I really hope he stays because he is an incredible athlete and weapon no matter where he plays, but I honestly don't know if he is our best option at QB if we aren't running the spread.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:34 AM ^
Denard is the quarterback of this football team. Period.
January 13th, 2011 at 1:15 PM ^
I realize I will taking a neging for this, but that's fine.
Why do I have to just stop? Why can't I have an opinion? I love Denard, I think he seems like a great person and is obviously an incredible athlete. Why can't I have an opinion that in a pro-style offense he may not be the best QB on the team? Which by the way, a whole lot of college coaches agree with me because only spread teams recruited him as a QB and Steve Sharik in his diary says what may be best for Denard is a trasnfer to Oregon.
I am not bashing Denard, I want him to stay desperately. In fact, I hope we run an offense that suits his skills so that we keep him at QB. But if, and only if, we run a pro-style offense, I think that Denard might not be our best QB, I think DG or someone might be better in that system. And if Denard isn't the starting QB, which in that scenario it's possible he won't be, then why not put the best athlete on the team on the field in another capacity? The "group think" that the point system creates can be really annoying sometimes.
I am not hating on Denard, I don't want him to transfer, I fully support the team and Denard. I am just sharing my opinion that it's POSSIBLE Denard isn't the best QB on the team if we use a pro-style offense. For everyone to get their panties in a bunch about that pretty reasonable suggestion is crazy to me.
And all the comparisons below to Vick are fairly irrelevant. Sure, they are both mobile and athletic QB's, but that doesn't mean Denard is Vick or Vick is Denard.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:40 AM ^
it seems like Denard can throw the football, just needs to work more on accuracy which I'm pretty positive he will be doing that this off season. Plus do we have anyone else on the team as of now that can be better than him? I would rather have Denard than any other guys on the bench. DGardner will be good, but he falls in the same boat as Denard just taller.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:49 AM ^
Denard can probably be very good in a pocket passing situation. Most of his errant throws were on the run or running from a DE. It seemed like when he did drop back to pass with time he was on the money.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:59 AM ^
Think back to that pass Denard threw to Martavius in the Gator Bowl. That shows you his potential as a pocket passer. Add in the running ability and there are hybrid offenses that can use him almost to the max. After last year, I'm not sure he can take the pounding of being the first running option anyway.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:38 AM ^
Denard is a QB - he threw for nearly 2000 yards, while being the feature running back too. doesn't matter what O you run, as has been discussed elsewhere all over this board, Michael Vick wasn't featured in a spread - a great athlete like that can make a non-spread much more dynamic. everything doesn't have to be option read.
The Hokester will find the right way to use him. Denard for Heisman 2011!
January 13th, 2011 at 12:25 PM ^
Denard threw for 2570 yards this season. Also, ran for 1702. Impressive, and has never been done before.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:55 PM ^
I think it does sort of matter what offense you run, especially in light of the fact that he's spent his first two years at Michigan learning and practicing an advanced spread concept. He is a special athlete and player, and while talent overcomes a lot, it is still important to find a system that will better utilize his skill set. This is not to say Hoke et al need to run a spread for Denard to be effective, but it's a bit naive to assume you can just drop him in to a Pro Style with a FB and 2 TEs and expect production similar to what he put up last season.
January 13th, 2011 at 1:19 PM ^
Yes, he threw for over 2k yards and had a lot of stats as a QB in a spread system. That doesn't mean he will have similar success in a pro-style system. Look at the numbers all the QB's for Tech had over the years. How many of them had any success in the NFL in a pro system? Zero. The system matters.
January 13th, 2011 at 2:28 PM ^
Don't you have any recollection of the "mobile QB" issue?
For so long, we would face a somewhat mobile drop-back passer who, when the play broke down, could shred us for 9 yards on a 3rd and 7. Think about Denard in that situation (especially if his passing continues to improve):
1) If they stack the line to prevent him running, he distributes the ball to receivers in single coverage (which is usually a receiver win), or
2) If they play two-deep coverage and rush 3 (or even 4), he runs for first downs on every play and TD's on occasion.
Win-Win.
The offense doesn't have to be Shoelace running first for him to tons of success.
I'm not exactly sure what you mean by "QB's for Tech," but most NFL teams have some form of the wildcat that they use with differing levels of frequency.
January 13th, 2011 at 2:46 PM ^
Texas Tech is what I meant. Should have been more clear. Point being, Every year Texas Tech QB's would put up an insane amount of passing yards and TD's. Was it because they were insanely awesome QBs? No, the system did that. They didn't make it in the NFL, often times not even picked up. The system matters. So to say, "oh well look at the passing yards Denard had so obviously he can pass" is an invalid argument. The spread aided his passing numbers because teams were so freaked out about the run. Is it possible that Denard can be a good pro style QB? Of course, he is a fantastic athlete. Do I think that is the most likely outcome? No, honeslty I don't. But I know one thing, his numbers within the spread have zero bearing on his numbers in a pro-style offense.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:39 AM ^
When Denard was in the pocket, he was at his worst.
But, I will say that Hoke should be able to land a superb QB coach (Loeffler...fingers crossed) who can help develop that aspect of his game. Sure, Tall did a good job, but I'd imagine (conjecture) that Tall had limited experiences with true pocket passing.
I can see an offense that is similar to what the Eagles run with Vick... a West-Coast style that calls for short, quick routes, a homerun ball here or there, and Denard scrambling around.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:42 AM ^
Mike Vick is pretty OK this year in a pro style offense.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:14 PM ^
Vick was pretty good in college without the spread offense too.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:47 AM ^
In addition to his ability as a football player, I hope he stays because of the person he is, which is the reason I wish him nothing but good things in life. His character and humility are very refreshing. He is loved by his teammates for reasons that go way beyond his 40 yard times.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:02 PM ^
Amen! His leadership during this change is just as valuable as his ability. If he says, works hard on the new offense, his teammates will rally around him.
I think opposing coaches will have a harder time prepping for UM. With the spread, they knew what they were getting. Now, if Denard does stay, they know there will be specfici Denard designed run elements, but no real clue how it will all be incorporated.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:31 AM ^
Last night at the bball game, the video screen showed Denard sitting in the stands. People started cheering, and Denard started clapping along, smiling of course, then pointed right to Coach Hoke (courtside), who was standing and clapping. Hoke then pointed back at Denard and they were smiling and nodding, cheering, etc.
It was a cool moment, and an impromptu exchange that I don't think would happen if there weren't something positive going on there. I'm optimistic.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:42 AM ^
I didn't see that much, damn B1G Network, but I did see Denard clapping and smiling. That smile lit up Crisler last night. I definitely think that could be a great relationship.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:31 AM ^
Would somebody give the guy more than a fucking day to start making a bunch of assumptions about what's going to happen with Denard?
January 13th, 2011 at 11:34 AM ^
Up to this point I haven't heard Hoke say he thinks Denard can be a QB. The fact that he came out and said Denard is a QB and he is willing to adapt his scheme goes a long way to Denard choosing to stay here.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:35 AM ^
I think he was referring to the "customizeable spread sets" assumption.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:36 AM ^
Not aimed at you at all; it's the "basketball on grass" people that are freaking out about him leaving. Hoke's not an idiot; Robinson is popular and a superstar and I'm sure he'll do whatever he can to keep him on board.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:41 AM ^
Sorry about that. I misread your comment.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:44 PM ^
I took that comment and the comment Hoke made about defense wins championships, as a shot at RR and Gerg's soft on the field product.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:47 AM ^
Yeah, Hoke is kind of an X factor since most of fans know so little about him. Hearing that at least puts to rest speculation he'd try to move Denard to a back or slot receiver or something insane like that.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:37 AM ^
Could we stop acting like a particular version of the spread offense is the only way to effectively use a dual-threat QB like Denard.
Any offense that makes him the QB and lets him throw the ball a lot and run the ball a lot will be successful. The kid is the truth and only dumbass internet posters think there is any chance of Hoke moving him away from the quarterback position or forcing him to stand in the pocket on every play and never run with the football.
January 13th, 2011 at 11:47 AM ^
I agree with you but isn't this what Tressel did with Pryor a lot the first couple years? Trying to make him something he wasn't?
January 13th, 2011 at 11:50 AM ^
That's what Pryor wanted. To groom himself as a pro QB. It's not what Denard wants. Though if it is, we certainly can do that too at this point.
January 13th, 2011 at 12:38 PM ^
This is what I am on board with. He's shown the ability to 1) improve, and 2) work hard. Combined with special innate ability (strong arm, freaky legs) and he can excel in any system
January 13th, 2011 at 11:52 AM ^
Please don't compare Pryor to Denard ever again.