Webb DetNews: High Impact Newcomers

I expect Fitz. Toussaint, Gallon, Campbell, Emillen, LaLota to make an impact

Is never close to his potential. ever. Tate may not be equal to Devin in talent, but he was still a top tier QB. In most programs, he would have redshirted, and been ready to play this year. I think people have very short memories about how good Tate can be. With an improved offensive line, and year under his belt, he should be a lot better. If Devin plays this year...I think that is a bad sign, not a good one.

Im not saying accuracy cant be taught im saying is a lot harder than u think. Especially for a QB who has to have the right motion of throwing and a lot of other things. Im willing to bet you that this year and probably next unless Tate is injured he will be the starting QB for us. Even if he is unseated it wil be DG and not Denard im not trying to be diss DR talent i just dont think he is superior as a QB to unseat Tate

Even with the depth, I would expect one of the early enrollees at RB and WR to contribute this season. Having Gardner in early will be nice in the long run, but I hope Tate and Denard progress enough that he can redshirt. I do not want to see another true freshman QB, if possible. In the meantime, it's going to be a long few months until the Spring game. Argh.

If nothing else, I think we can all agree that debating about who might start between Forcier, Robinson, and Gardner is significantly less gut wrenching than debating about who might start between Threet, Sheridan, and Feagin. The fact that people are getting chippy about this is pretty amusing. I think Tate emerges as QB-1, but I'm not arrogant enough to think my opinion holds more weight than anyone else's. And I, for one, will cheer whoever leads the team onto the field.

I think it would only be fair to Tate to consider what his numbers looked like when adjusted by removing his one disastrous game(OSU) and his two non-throwing games(EMU and Baby Seal U). Against OSU, Tate threw 1 TD and 4 INT's, coming into that game he had 12 TD's and only 6 INT's: a VERY good TD-to-INT ratio for a true frosh. Against EMU and Baby Seal U (aka Delaware St.), Tate only threw a combined 15 pass attemps and had no TD's or INT's. In those games UM went almost exclusively with the run and Tate did not get to pad his passing stats like most QB's will do when playing opponents of that caliber. So...Tate's adjusted 2009 stats (9 games not including the aforementioned 3) were: 133 for 228 (58.3% completion rate) 1717 passing yards 7.5 yards per attempt 12 passing TD 6 INT 190.8 yards passing per game Those numbers are really solid for a true frosh. Pryor put up similar numbers his freshman year and he was talked about as a darkhorse Hesiman candidate as a sophomore.

Get ready for some no fly zone.

I too am puzzled by the lack of love for Tate. I recall a good comparison prior to the season that Henne had 3 NFL receivers to rely on his true freshman year...and the hope was that the Minor/Brown led backfield would provide similar stability to a true freshman QB. What would Henne have done his Frosh year without Braylon, Avant and Breaston? And with an injured shoulder? We all know how much minor/brown saw the field at 100% and then their far and away best o-lineman, the catcher to tate's pitcher, Molk, goes down. Tate, all things considered, had a great true freshman year. He played hurt and he played in the body of a kid who had never lifted a weight until that January. I expect this kid to be a stud the next few years. He mentioned that during the last few games that the game started to slow down for him a little...this from a kid groomed to be a QB his entire life. It takes time, you can train the kid all you want, but until he plays against D1 college speed for a long period of time, it will not begin to take effect.