We won't know who's starting at QB until game time
Hoke, on naming the starting QB vs. Minnesota: We'll wait until game time.
— Michigan Football (@umichfootball) September 24, 2014
Hoke says Michigan has an idea of what it wants to do. Sounds like the decision has been made. He's just going to wait to announce it.
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) September 24, 2014
No clarity until Saturday, it seems. Let the speculation commence:
Baseless speculation: Shane Morris will start. Not much reason to wait to announce the QB starter if there's not going to be a change.
— Ace Anbender (@AceAnbender) September 24, 2014September 24th, 2014 at 12:19 PM ^
why tell Minnesota which QB to prepare for?
September 24th, 2014 at 12:34 PM ^
Hoke says if they were to make a change on the O-Line, he's not going to talk about it. ... Fair enough
— Josh Newkirk (@JoshNewkirk7) September 24, 2014
September 24th, 2014 at 4:40 PM ^
We will be deploying a "tackle over" scheme that Minnesota is totally unprepared for!
September 24th, 2014 at 8:00 PM ^
September 24th, 2014 at 12:40 PM ^
It's a little sad that we need to play these games with Minnesota, though, isn't it?
September 24th, 2014 at 1:40 PM ^
No, it's smart, but you can find something negative in anything if you look hard enough.
September 24th, 2014 at 3:26 PM ^
Every coach in the world does this. Why would any coach reveal personnel to the opponent, no matter how small an advantage it gives? Sure it's not that much of a strategic advantage with both QB's looking shaky and with Minny already assuming Gardner will go...but this is football standard practice for coaches. Get over it.
It's like asking your opponents in poker to show you their cards, or demanding that the writers of the Walking Dead tell you what is going to happen before the show airs.
Lot of things to criticize about Hoke, but this one is just dumb.
September 24th, 2014 at 3:43 PM ^
I'm not criticizing Hoke for playing coy. Here's what I'd say:
Coaches hold their cards close to their vest when they can. Normally the starters are obvious. So if Hoke were asked who's starting at LT, he'd presumably say "Mason Cole" because any other answer wouldn't give him any advantage. In this case who's starting isn't obvious because both of our potential starters have not played well of late. And Hoke shouldn't tip his hand, because we could actually lose to Minnesota and we can use every advantage.
So the sad thing is really that the team is in this position: on the edge of survival in a crap Big Ten, with very poor quarterback play.
September 25th, 2014 at 8:40 AM ^
Fair explanation, thanks.
September 24th, 2014 at 7:01 PM ^
will start one or the other and depending on performance, switch to the other for the second half.
September 24th, 2014 at 12:19 PM ^
but Ace seems to be on to something. If it was DG, it's easy to just say he's the starter and no one cares. If you're going to start Shane amidst an already swirling media storm, it's probably best to not have your next 4 days be thrown into heightened media chaos by announcing a QB change. It probably is Shane, maybe we'll get to see him do something other than turn the ball over
September 24th, 2014 at 12:44 PM ^
You can make the same argument that you wouldn't bother to discuss (or not discuss) an injury if a starter is returning.
Hoke's top priority isn't managing the media, but media memebers are prone to thinking it's about them.
September 24th, 2014 at 1:47 PM ^
Not necessarily. If it is Gardner, Hoke could be using the uncertainty to make Minny prepare for both. It also takes a bit of attention away from all the negativity swirling around right now.
September 24th, 2014 at 2:08 PM ^
As someone noted, it's a shame that we have to use even little advantages like this (make Minny prepare for both), but Team 135 needs all the help it can get at this point.
September 24th, 2014 at 5:59 PM ^
September 24th, 2014 at 12:22 PM ^
It's Russ Bellomy time.
September 24th, 2014 at 12:27 PM ^
We were waiting for just the right time to UNLEASH Russ against Minny.
September 24th, 2014 at 12:46 PM ^
A Date With Speight?
September 24th, 2014 at 2:02 PM ^
It's Russ Bellomy time.
I was thinking about him the other day.
Wouldn't it be great if Michigan goes way up on Minnesota and Bellomy comes in and lights things up even more? I'd love to see that just so Bellomy can have the personal satisfaction of it.
September 24th, 2014 at 2:10 PM ^
in the Spring. (Which of course shouted "Devin will be our starter".)
September 24th, 2014 at 12:30 PM ^
Maybe Morris will start and Gardner will play wideout on half the plays. Then we'll give it to him literally every time he's on the field a la Ohio State 2012.
September 24th, 2014 at 12:49 PM ^
Wasnt the OSU game we didnt use Denard very well? I remember there was one game late in the year (Iowa?) we killed it with both of them together in the backfield for 1 half and then the 2nd half Borges thought it was working too damn awesome and decided to stop doing it. Can't remember if it was OSU or the week before.
September 24th, 2014 at 12:53 PM ^
it was the OSU game. UM used Denard but if memory is correct, rarely were Denard and Devin on the field at the same time. They'd put Denard in at QB and pull Devin. Since Denard couldn't throw, OSU knew it was probably going to be a running play.
September 24th, 2014 at 3:14 PM ^
You remember correctly. This was one of the most excruciating games to watch and probably largely responsible for Borges' (somewhat undeserved, but in this case absolutely true) reputation among Michigan fans as the worst play caller in the known universe.
September 24th, 2014 at 12:30 PM ^
September 24th, 2014 at 1:25 PM ^
Garrett Moores has been berry berry good to me.
September 24th, 2014 at 12:31 PM ^
Jerry Kill already said they are preparing for Devin to start, so lets surprise them and put in the gun slinger!
September 24th, 2014 at 1:24 PM ^
That's what she said.
September 24th, 2014 at 2:23 PM ^
Oh, yeah. Answering that will get you a half-then-full game suspension.
September 24th, 2014 at 12:31 PM ^
Jabrill Peppers for QB while he's not playing nickelback or returning punts. According to Fred Jackson, Jabrill is Devin Gardner, only faster.
September 24th, 2014 at 12:32 PM ^
September 24th, 2014 at 12:32 PM ^
September 24th, 2014 at 12:33 PM ^
Since every week is now going to be a referendum on how good the program is, I am all for any edge that the staff can get for Saturday. If the uncertainty at QB makes it harder for Minny to prepare, great. However, I am sorta afraid that it isn't going to matter who plays QB.
If it doesn't matter who is playing QB, I would hate to see Devin Gardner "rewarded" for his efforts with a seat on the bench.
September 24th, 2014 at 12:33 PM ^
Not disclosing who the QB gives Michigan a mild advantage. I say mild advantage because both Morris and Gardner run the same offense and Nussmeier hasn't taken advantage of Gardner's dual-threat skills in any meaningful way this season. There's always the threat of Gardner using his legs as a serious weapon, and it's one more thing for Minnesota to focus on this week that they could otherwise put aside if Morris was named the starter.
September 24th, 2014 at 12:33 PM ^
September 24th, 2014 at 12:33 PM ^
I'd be surprised if it isn't Shane at this point. I don't really see that going any better than having Gardner play, though. If Gardner is a little banged up that probably makes the decision a little easier. Perhaps Shane has passed Gardner in his presnap read ability? Regardless, I'll be at the stadium cheering for the team. Won't be booing anybody not in Minnesota gear.
September 24th, 2014 at 12:34 PM ^
Unless were conceding the season already, I think you got to stick with Gardner. He's had some issuse, but I don't see how that dosen't give us the best chance to win.
September 24th, 2014 at 2:28 PM ^
You don't start playing for 2015 when you're tied for first in the B1G at 0-0.
Let's wait until the season is actually lost, not predictably lost, until we start playing for future years.
I think Hoke has slim chances of returning for 2015 as it is. If he goes with Shane, I think those chances get even smaller.
(I can see having Devin run more and giving Shane a quarter or so to lessen the pounding on Devin and to have Shane less unprepared should Devin get injured.)
September 24th, 2014 at 3:59 PM ^
This was my position on Robocroft's since-deleted "I Think It Should Be Shane" thread.
Unless Gardner is obviously injured in a mnner that is having a degenerative effect on his playing, he's the starter as long as the B1G is still attainable. And since no one's played their first conference game, it's attainable to anyone at this point.
Shane just hasn't been the stand-out, obviously better QB in the games he's gotten into since last year. Gardner starts until he's too hurt to play or until Michigan is no longer a threat to win the B1G.
That being said, it's pretty weird to keep a third-tier program like Minnesota guessing who your starting QB is going to be when neither ofthem have looked especially good this year. It would make sense for Shane to start with this being the case. Who knows.
September 24th, 2014 at 5:30 PM ^
Hoke may be playing for his job and not the season.
Also, in one of the letters in Brian's mail bag, the writer tells about a hit Devin took and none of the OL helped him up. I've seen that play out in NFL games and the next week the back-up QB starts. I get the feeling that the OL may not totally support Devin.
You see the OL pick up the QB all the time ("sorry man, my bad" /extends hand). Not helping your teammate and leader is a bad sign.
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September 24th, 2014 at 9:10 PM ^
that play in question was an INT by devin. so the OL kind of have to go and tackle the guy who caught the pass.
September 24th, 2014 at 12:35 PM ^
September 24th, 2014 at 12:43 PM ^
He started against KSU in the bowl game.
September 24th, 2014 at 12:46 PM ^
like to pretend the bowl game last year didn't happen.
September 24th, 2014 at 2:12 PM ^
That tree defintely fell in the forest with no one there to hear it!
September 24th, 2014 at 12:36 PM ^
well, since the injury secrecy has really shown to have giving opposing defensive coordinators headaches in trying to prepare for our offense, it stands to reason that if we're tight-lipped about every bit of news now they won't stand a chance!
September 24th, 2014 at 12:40 PM ^
On the other hand, why make it easier?
September 24th, 2014 at 3:03 PM ^
its just embarrassing
September 24th, 2014 at 12:40 PM ^
I don't know anything anymore.
September 24th, 2014 at 1:04 PM ^
Who do you think you are, Al Borges?