Interesting quote from Rod Smith on Gardner

Submitted by David F on
Maybe this tips the coaches hand on a potential Gardner redshirt.
Question: Can you talk a little bit about coming in, in January? Obviously he just got here; what kind of advantage does that give him especially at a harder to learn position like quarterback? Rod Smith: “I think it’s huge. It gives him five and a half years of school to play four years. So he’ll get 15 spring ball practices under his belt. He’ll have all summer. He’ll get to work out this whole semester with Mike Barwis. So it’s huge. It’s almost like a season almost. It gives him a huge head start in his maturation process and development process that he could get acclimated to school and football.”
http://michigan.scout.com/2/945057.html
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white_pony_rocks

February 9th, 2010 at 12:22 PM ^

i don't think he has to win a bowl game since we have no idea at this point who they will play and since the Big 10 usually plays up in bowls. but since we can look at the schedule next year we can put a quantity on number of wins it will take for him to keep his job (which is also an opinion, but one you can quantify)

Joined: 02/16/2009

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Tater

February 9th, 2010 at 12:35 PM ^

I don't think RR has to win a bowl game, either, but he definitely has to get to one to keep the freep maggots at bay. I think 8 wins in the regular season and a victory in the Crap-it-all Bowl would be a nice season. I also think that a redshirt for DG, while it would be really nice, isn't in the cards. RR told him he would have the chance to compete for the job, and he could easily get to second on the depth chart. I think the best possible scenario would be to have him ready but only burn the redshirt if Forcier gets injured again. As much as I would like to see Denard on the field as a slash, I think it may be better to keep him at QB for at least another year. There is one possibility that nobody talks about: what if Denard progresses to a very good QB this year? It certainly isn't out of the question that he could improve greatly between his freshman and sophomore years to a point where he can move the team as well as Forcier. It would be a nice "problem" to have.

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David F

February 9th, 2010 at 12:47 PM ^

Disagree. That would be 9 wins total, no? That'd probably make us Citrus Bowl champs. No way that's the bare minimum. Shoot, I would definitely take that right now. I think the real minimum is something like 7 wins. 6 wins and a crappy bowl game win (a la Weis two years ago). 7 wins and a crappy bowl game loss. In general terms, I think people forget that the U-M administration has historically been much more patient than other universities in firing coaches. As long as the team improves and the future looks bright at the end of the season, he'll still be here.

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switch26

February 9th, 2010 at 1:35 PM ^

Really depends on injuries and how much denard develops as a QB. If tate's arm still bothers him or he gets hurt and Denard still can't pass we are in a hell of a lot of trouble. I just don't want to see another QB starting for the 1st time again this year. Obviously one of the huge reasons why we have had so many fing t/o's the last 2 years, that lost us easily 3-4 games last year.

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HAIL 2 VICTORS

February 9th, 2010 at 1:45 PM ^

Although there is a ridculous and unfair amount of pressure on RR for 2010 (pressure that should be reserved for 2011) the only pressure DG should be feeling is Barwis standing on his chest as he bench presses. If Forcier falls to injury 8 wins is not happening. If Molk reaggravaites that knee 8 wins is a huge question. with a healthy Molk and Tate I want to believe 8 wins can happen but the secondary is young enough to place that in question. Of all the questions for 2010 the role of DG is not one of them.

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brendandavis22

February 9th, 2010 at 2:49 PM ^

i see a few people have said Tate is 200lbs. Is this fact or are people just saying that and/or expecting that? EDIT... i just saw the story on detnews.com about Devin Gardner in which RR says Tate is now 195lbs.

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