October 27th, 2012 at 10:52 PM ^
October 27th, 2012 at 11:47 PM ^
Unless we can learn to have a decent running game (by RB's vs. QB's), we can't expect a decent passing game. It's too simple for defenses to be freed up to cheat for maximum pass coverage, while still being able to quickly come in for run support since we also primarily use delayed runs.
We need to run more "north and south" and should be punding away with Thomas Rawls instead of Toussaint & Smith who are now both dancing while looking for seams instead of running in anticipation of the whole that is supposed to be being opened for them. I believe Rawls runs hard and would help wear down the defense even when he doesn't get big yardage.
Is he dinged up or something? What a waste to not have used him to help take pressure off the kid (Bellomy).
October 27th, 2012 at 11:59 PM ^
October 27th, 2012 at 10:53 PM ^
October 27th, 2012 at 10:53 PM ^
I'm sure he has not practiced as much as one would want, but at this point he can't possibly be worse. At least he is a strong runner.
October 27th, 2012 at 10:58 PM ^
October 27th, 2012 at 11:03 PM ^
October 27th, 2012 at 11:07 PM ^
He may have been practicing the same number of weeks, but I seriously doubt he has had anywhere near the same number of repititions. And certainly not the game experience, nor the total experience (as he is a RS Fr)
On the other hand, there is little doubt that all practice aside, Bellomy has nowhere near the gifts that Denard does.
October 27th, 2012 at 11:15 PM ^
He's talking about Gardner, not Bellomy.
October 28th, 2012 at 3:21 AM ^
Either way
Michigan hasn't made signifigant strides coaching up a QB since Brady.
Hoke needs to take a long hard look at his coaching staff this year. Yea there are some talent issues still but the offense is a coaching problem.
October 28th, 2012 at 10:05 AM ^
Somebody did a pretty good job coaching up Denard going into 2010.
October 28th, 2012 at 10:50 AM ^
Yeah...they gave him really simple plays that didn't work against good defenses.
October 28th, 2012 at 11:07 AM ^
Michigan hasn't made signifigant strides coaching up a QB since Brady.Wha? Does the name John Navarre ring a bell?
October 28th, 2012 at 1:59 PM ^
You're right, Michigan has not made signifigant strides coaching up a QB since John Navarre. You're still talking about 10 years and 5 starting QB's
October 28th, 2012 at 11:16 PM ^
are you a sparty?
October 28th, 2012 at 11:07 PM ^
What about Mallett? He transferred to Ark and lit it up? You are saying that he was coached up from Ark in 2 months? You are a mess. Why do you even bother to post here. Go home to the RCMB.
October 28th, 2012 at 4:09 PM ^
He looked like he had slep through a few practices. Hope he gets better, but there is no question Gardner should have been put in.
October 27th, 2012 at 10:53 PM ^
October 27th, 2012 at 10:53 PM ^
for President.
October 27th, 2012 at 10:57 PM ^
No politics on MGoBlog!!!!!1
October 27th, 2012 at 11:02 PM ^
October 28th, 2012 at 12:29 AM ^
But he can still pass better than Bellomy.
October 28th, 2012 at 11:40 AM ^
As difficult as it is to comprehend, it seems that Kennedy is way behind RB. I, for one, would have liked to at least seen him in the last series. Perpertuating bad experiences for RB did nothing to help develop him.
Let's look on the bright side: Shane Morris won't de-commit for lack of playing opportunity.
October 27th, 2012 at 10:54 PM ^
October 27th, 2012 at 10:54 PM ^
He would at least provide the running threat.
October 27th, 2012 at 10:54 PM ^
I just... I just don't know anymore, man.
October 27th, 2012 at 10:55 PM ^
we're dead in the water unless they can get denard back in to run veers with him going left.
October 27th, 2012 at 10:55 PM ^
October 27th, 2012 at 10:55 PM ^
Are they going to call better plays with Devin in than they have with Denard or Russ?
October 27th, 2012 at 10:55 PM ^
At least Gardner has the athleticism to improvise...
October 27th, 2012 at 11:01 PM ^
Silly me, I didn't realize that some improv will totally fix what's wrong with this offense.
October 27th, 2012 at 11:04 PM ^
Who said it would fix everything?
October 27th, 2012 at 11:07 PM ^
The internet is for overreacting.
October 27th, 2012 at 11:44 PM ^
October 27th, 2012 at 10:57 PM ^
October 27th, 2012 at 11:25 PM ^
So you put him on the field at QB, and have him give/throw the ball to who? Damned if you do, and damned if you don't I guess.
October 28th, 2012 at 12:05 AM ^
Maybe the Devin could draw the plays up on the ground in the huddle. "You do a button hook in front of the red car, and you run a stop-and-go right at the street light."
The rest of the season is a different story if DRob has more than a one-game boo boo.
October 27th, 2012 at 10:55 PM ^
This is yet another reason why I wanted Michigan to take a QB in 2012. Denard's hurt, Gardner's at WR, and Bellomy is apparently our only option right now... Not that a true freshman QB would necessarily be more ready than Bellomy, but this is exactly why you take a QB in every class.
October 27th, 2012 at 11:21 PM ^
Was there any plausible (i.e., not a total reach of an offer) guy out there for us to get last class? If we're talking about total sleeper recruits, I'm not sure they would have been any better.
The killer for us was Stonum screwing up once again. If he were still here, he'd be our go-to receiver and Gardner would have remained at QB.
October 27th, 2012 at 11:24 PM ^
Tyler O'Connor, for one...
October 28th, 2012 at 12:50 AM ^
O'Connor hasn't seen the field for MSU this season, despite their own set of QB issues. I can't imagine he'd have been the answer on a night game in Lincoln his true freshman season.
It's not the 2012 QB recruiting class (or lack of one) that is hurting us now, it's the 2008-11 classes. Excluding Gardner, we have a grand total of two players currently at QB from those classes. Tate Forcier flunking out of school really hurt.
October 28th, 2012 at 9:14 AM ^
October 28th, 2012 at 11:43 AM ^
People keep saying this about MSU's WRs, but I've watched their last two games and they looked pretty good to me. Did they have any drops against us?
October 28th, 2012 at 12:45 PM ^
I caught about 10 minutes of their game yesterday and saw 3 drops.
October 29th, 2012 at 10:09 AM ^
Word from MSU practices is that if Maxwell gets hurt O'Connor is nowhere near ready to replace Maxwell, let alone step into Michigan's hybrid WCO-Spread.
Having him on the roster would be a nice security blanket for 2015, but wouldn't do much to improve the current situation.
Until something shows me I'm dead wrong, I'm sticking by the assertion that the coaches knew Gardner as a WR was a big gamble on Denard not getting hurt early in an important game leaving significant Bellomy time, and to move Gardner back to QB the following week if the injury is extended.
Given Gardner has not been the receiving threat we hoped (too many drops, not picking up the routes, indifferent blocker) despite the talent, I think we're late enough in the season now to audible out of that, go back to preparing Devin to take over for Denard, and hope Darboh has come far enough along to replace that production.
I really don't get why Jeremy Jackson is getting so much PT. I haven't yet seen him make a play that pretty much any WR should make. It's scaring the sh-- out of me that he's involved in so many plays and the target of so many 3rd downs because of what it says about Darboh. I don't see what Jackson can provide on any given play that you can't get by splitting Funchess out wide.
October 28th, 2012 at 1:44 AM ^
October 27th, 2012 at 10:55 PM ^
October 27th, 2012 at 11:02 PM ^
Actually, he very easily can. If he has not been practicing at QB, when was the last time he had to read a defense? Was he in for meetings about the Nebraska blitz keys etc?
Athleticism without preparation does not get you very far at this level. Making him the backup for next week and on is a different debate. Tonight- we are stuck with what we are stuck with.
October 27th, 2012 at 11:12 PM ^
3/16 passing, 38 yards, 3 interceptions, 0 yards rushing
How could he honestly be worse? Seriously? Give the ball to the other team faster...?
October 27th, 2012 at 11:21 PM ^
Well, just doing some rough math, he could have thrown 3 fewer completions, 13 more interceptions, and for 38 less yards....
Seriously, there is no coach that is going to put a player in to play a position they have not practiced at. They simply are not going to do it.
This is the cost of moving Gardner to WR. Personally, I am willing to pay that cost, because even if DG is better than Bellomy at QB, I don't think we were going to win this game with anyone but Denard at QB, and there are games that we will win with DG at WR.
But, I can understand those who are pissed at the coaches moving DG from QB. I just disagree.