Hoke: Denard "should be fine"
During his press conference today (going on now). He says the nerve running down the elbow was numb and tingly but should he should be able to play Saturday. It didn't sound like 100% sure but fairly confident.
Devin will get more snaps this week. More if Denard isn't progressing as well as they think he will. He will compete if Denard isn't ready.
Russell gained a lot of experience during that game. He'll learn from it. They need to do a better job of the blitzes.
October 29th, 2012 at 2:06 PM ^
I don't think Coach Hoke would have said "Denard is out for this weekend" even if he knew it for a fact. I'll believe Denard is healthy when he lines up under center against the Gophers.
October 29th, 2012 at 2:08 PM ^
October 30th, 2012 at 12:33 AM ^
in one package, but plays football instead.
October 29th, 2012 at 2:08 PM ^
Besides the clear lack of armstrength, I think we still know nothing about what Russ can do as a starter. Do I hope Devin or a freshman Morris rise up to take the reigns next year? yes, of course. In a situation like this, whoever comes off the bench when denard goes down is totally screwed --- maybe a few snaps with the first team during the last week?. Nebraska was going to tee off on that person. We were so lucky to have a former starter and generally experienced Forcier on the team in 2010. That is an anomaly. You generally aren't going to have a STAR qb1 and a rock solid backup.
So, 2 things:
(1) I disagree with those saying that Gardner should have been the guy. Nebraska's still going to tee off on the run, without even the faint hope of throwing to a guy like himself on the outside. Gardner's not really seemed all that comfortable or competent in his past mop-up duties. Add to that that he clearly HAS NOT PRACTICED AT A QB--- my guess is he has taken literally zero snaps in weeks, despite the coachspeak indicating that he takes reps here and there. I take my chances with the proclaimed back-up, and maintain the off-chance that a 6'4 athlete like Gardner can make a play from the receiver standpoint.
(2) I don't think we can crucify Russ until we have to see him play after a week of preparation to be the starter. Yes, he doesn't appear to have much of an arm, but on many of those throws against nebraska, he looked like he just had no idea what the play was supposed to look like or where he was supposed to throw.
Much more often than not, at ANY level, a backup QB in the game = death. On the positive side, Bellomy's tackle was fucking impressive.
October 29th, 2012 at 3:33 PM ^
You generally aren't going to have a STAR qb1 and a rock solid backup.Premier FBS teams should have a solid #2 option and if you have a running QB with a propensity for getting dinged up, you MUST MUST MUST have this #2 option. It's inexcusable for a coaching staff to somehow deny the reality of Denard getting hurt and allow a tire fire like that to happen.
October 29th, 2012 at 4:13 PM ^
It appears Ohio has figured out that Miller is the majority of their offense, and if he goes down they are screwed unless their backup QB is prepared to step in for clutch performance and OT win ...
Oh wait Kenny Guiton is a Junior. So other teams save their Junior bench QBs to employ as back up QBs ....
/S/
October 29th, 2012 at 2:38 PM ^
make me wonder WHY the trainers don't have Denard wearing some sort of pad on his elbow or forearm ? The was not any serious "hit" involved on the play.
Go Blue!
October 29th, 2012 at 3:41 PM ^
A pad there might affect his throwing motion.
October 29th, 2012 at 2:44 PM ^
Basically debunks all the speculations that DG's shoulder injury was what kept him from the QB job last Sat. We all know separated shoulder or simiar injuries don't heal overnight. DG should be our 2nd string QB on the depth chart and should start taking more snaps no matter how Denard feels. We learned this hard way.
October 29th, 2012 at 2:51 PM ^
How does this "debunk" such speculation? You're right, a separated shoulder doesn't heal overnight, which is why he might not have been taking reps at QB, but now that 3 weeks have passed, he's able to. Remember, preparation for Nebraska started right after the MSU game, and DG might still have been ailing.
October 29th, 2012 at 3:37 PM ^
Denard gets injured, and DG's shoulder is ready to take snaps?
I am not naive enough to believe such a coincidence. Besides, recent (post-Neb game) interviews indicate that DG took some snaps during the past week but didn't take "enough" snaps to sub Bellomy.
Above all, do you really believe that DG was healthy enough to play WR but not so much to throw a ball? Separated shoulder injury usually occurs/aggravates due to sudden impact on your shoulder, and WR's take sh** loads of hits and impacts. Do you think they would clear DG to play WR if he has a seprated shoulder, severe enough to keep him from throwing?
October 29th, 2012 at 2:52 PM ^
Do you think that it would be that bad for Belomy to get a week to know he is starting? If he is the presumed starter next year wouldn't you like some real playing time first? Hopefully Denard is good next week, but if not the sun will still come up and we will still beat Minnesota. Remember Nick Sheridan beat Minnesota.
October 29th, 2012 at 3:35 PM ^
never put up a stat line as bad as Bellomy's for that amount of time played.
I have zero confidence that Bellomy is the presumed starter next year. Not with that arm and the ineffectiveness of the run game. I have a very bad feeling we're going to need big plays from the QB positiion again next year.
October 29th, 2012 at 3:46 PM ^
One thing I can applaud Bellomy on was his effort on one of his interceptions. He sprinted to make a TD-saving tackle and the defense ended up giving up only a field goal after that. If we would have had some kind of an offense, that could have been a play that changed the game.
October 29th, 2012 at 9:31 PM ^
He looked extremely quick. I wouldn't have minded him running a few more times. He had Michigan's longest run of the night with 15 yards, and after watching some highlights there were certainly a few plays he could have kept the ball.
October 29th, 2012 at 4:47 PM ^
Perhaps we should expand our QB recruiting to more than Shane.
October 29th, 2012 at 4:49 PM ^
October 29th, 2012 at 5:16 PM ^
Jesus you guys are really reaching. So you are happy he didn't both tank and give up? He also could have batted down the snap and balled up into a fetal position on every play or played with his helmet on backwards or thrown every pass to the other team instead of every fifth pass. Better be happy about those things too. We should expect more out of a 2nd string QB for Michigan. And I 'm not blaming him, I'm blaming his preparation.
October 29th, 2012 at 9:30 PM ^
As were other Michigan fans in attendance and fans throughout the country, I was baffled as to how Devin Gardner was never put in. Sure Bellomy is the back-up and Gardner hasn't practiced, but Bellomy was horrible. He has a poor delivery, had no confidence, and looked ready for the game to end. Even if Devin hasn't been practicing at quarterback, he should have been put in. He is quicker, stronger, and more confident. He has played on the road before and would not feel as much pressure. Furthermore, Nebraska would not put as much pressure on Gardner as they know he could not have been intimidated by the "blackshirts." It is baffling that Gardner needed to put in. Bellomy stunk. This reminds me of 2008 when both Nick Sheridan and Steven Threet stunk, yet Rich Rod never gave David Cone a chance to play. Absolutely baffling. And then don't get me started on Rawls not playing.
October 29th, 2012 at 11:23 PM ^
Glad to hear denard is doing a lot better, hope he's at full strength by the end of November. Does any know what type of injury he had during the game? He wasn't able to grip a ball from what the announcers were saying. I'm assuming its an ulnar nerve injury.
October 30th, 2012 at 12:51 AM ^
While that sounds good and he may be ready to start against the gophers, this injury has me worried. I'm no doctor but I get the feeling this is the type of injury that isn't going to completely heal until the off-season and could easily be re-occuring (sounds like this is what made him leave the Illinois game).
My big concern now is will he be able to finish games? Since UM has no rushing attack unless Denard is carrying the ball, he's going to be taking hits. I'll be surprised if in any of the next 4 games he doesn't have to come out because of the elbow.