Devin Gardner Appreciation Thread

Submitted by SugarShane on

 

Devin, wanna burn your redshirt and hand the ball off so I can teach Tate Forcier a lesson?  OK, coach.

 

Come in as a hybrid QB/WR in a dual-QB formation to mix it up?  No problem, coach.

 

We're thin at wideout, Devin.  Do you mind relinquishing your role as a heir to the QB throne to help our depth?  Sure thing coach.

 

Nevermind, Devin.  That didn't work out very well.  Wanna give it a go at QB this week?

 

 

 

 

Ultimate team player, and looks to be one hell of a QB.  Minnesota or not, this kid just made me very optimistic about the 2013 season.  

chitownblue2

November 4th, 2012 at 7:39 AM ^

I thought Gardner played great.

But to the people who want him to take over, look at what our running game looked like without DENARD. Until Toussaint bust through with a gravy TD, we were under 3 ypc. Denard's running has obscured the fact that we are an awful running team for some time, IME.

Also, note that we only had 380 yards of offense - against a shit defense - which is less than we were on pace to put on Nebraska with Denard, and equivalent to what we DID put on MSU - a good defense.

I don't put this on Gardner, because he played well with what he could effect, and he's obviously not Denard with the ball in his hands. But this offense works better, now, with Robinson playing. Aside from ND, he has been an effective passer this year (the WRs have killed him - he'll they had three drops for Gardner), and he supplies his own running game despite our struggling line play.

snarling wolverine

November 4th, 2012 at 11:19 AM ^

From what I saw, it took Gardner one quarter to get his "sea legs" back as a QB.  We gained nine yards of offense in the first quarter.  Over the final three quarters, he - and the offense in general - was excellent.  Minnesota's not that bad defensively, incidentally; they were 27th in the country in total D coming in.

I think Denard is the leader of the offense and should start when healthy, but there's no reason to downplay Gardner's performance.  He doesn't (yet) bring the same threat on the ground but to be honest, I thought he looked better as a passer than Denard has all year.  He was decisive, went through his reads and knew when to take off.  

 

 

InterM

November 4th, 2012 at 2:39 PM ^

I wholeheartedly agree with you, Chitown -- the "Gardner over Denard" argument is not well taken.  But now you know why some of us wanted to see what Gardner could do against Nebraska, when the game was still within reach but it had become clear that the offense was going nowhere under Bellomy.  The "Gardner is injured" myth was exploded yesterday, and Borges has acknowledged that he took at least some QB reps recently (though not as many as this past week, obviously).  So we'll always be left to speculate whether an ill-prepared Gardner could have given us more than what we saw from Bellomy -- and the Minnesota game strengthens my belief that he could have.

Bobby Boucher

November 4th, 2012 at 7:42 AM ^

He looks the part and should be great next season.  However, he's going to need those quick feet next season because of what our OL is going to look like.

Anyways, couldn't be happier he plays for Michigan!!

auger

November 4th, 2012 at 8:34 AM ^

No qb controversy but it feels great to know michigan has a capable backup and also a veteran for 2013 to show Morris the ropes or better yet have Morris redshirt

Wendyk5

November 4th, 2012 at 9:23 AM ^

I'm really happy for him. At one point when they finally announced he would be playing WR, I remember him saying his dream was still to play QB. I'm glad he got a whole game to himself. I met him at the Women's Football Academy and he's a really great guy. 

Sione's Flow

November 4th, 2012 at 9:55 AM ^

Congrats to Devin for an excellent game.  He certainly looked the part of a starting QB, not a converted WR, with a week of practice as QB.  I think Gardner will be the starter next year, Bellomy will be the backup.  I know were all super excited to get Shane under center ASAP, but I think redshirting him, will be a good idea.