Russell Bellomy Is Back, Shane Is Taking First Team Snaps, and Gardner Is Out This Week

Submitted by MJ14 on

In practice on Tuesday, freshman quarterback Shane Morris took snaps with the first team as Gardner's replacement. However, Hoke also announced that quarterback Russell Bellomy -- who suffered a torn ACL last spring -- returned to practice Tuesday, as well.

Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner will miss practice this week at least until Thursday with a turf toe injury.

Devin should be fine for the bowl game. I like the idea that Shane is getting a chance to get some first team reps. Also good to hear Bellomy is back.

Link to source: http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/10116284/devin-gardner-m…

Mr. Yost

December 10th, 2013 at 10:41 PM ^

It's highly unlikely, but the "what if" was if DG was healthy all year. If that's the case, then I think you go ahead and redshirt Morris, let him practice as the #2, but Bellomy gets the crap time playing time.

It's a hypothetical and it's not like it's never happened before where a starting QB goes an entire year without getting hurt or dinged.

champswest

December 10th, 2013 at 11:30 PM ^

or that Hoke would even consider it. In your scenario, in 2015 Morris would be the starter with 3 years left and Speight would also be coming off a red shirt and have four years left. So he rides the bench for 3 years behind Morris and then starts as a senior?

My preference would be to play Morris as much as possible next year, even in close games, to get him as much game experience as possible. That way, in 2015, when many people think we will be at peak and have a favorable schedule, we would have a junior QB starter who actually had some experience. When Shane graduates, Speight would still have 2 years left.

Avon Barksdale

December 11th, 2013 at 7:13 PM ^

But how one can look at HS statistics and intangibles and say Speight is going to be worse than Morris is beyond me? What has Shane Morris ever done in shoulder pads to let you know he will be better than Speight?



And I don't say that as a negative of either, it's just illogical to say based off numbers and competition in HS that one will be better than the other.

Mr. Yost

December 11th, 2013 at 7:29 AM ^

This is like the opposite of redshirting him if he's only going to get crap time.

The problem is...no coach in the world is going to sacrifice one year for the next. Hoke would be nuts to put a new QB in a close game unless the current QB is THAT bad or he's hurt.

I'd argue that this is even more unlikely of a scenario. Even though on paper it's better than playing him 20 snaps vs. crap teams (against their 3 team, with our 3 teams and handing the ball off 90% of those snaps)

At least this would give game experience.but again, not happening. People wanted to fire Hoke THIS year. Could you imagine putting Morris in for a series and breaking the rhythm of the offense and us losing because of it? Or what if he does well and it's just one good series vs. him actually being the better QB. Now you have a QB controversy.
IMO, that's even more of a NCAA Football '14 scenario.

wolverine1987

December 11th, 2013 at 12:31 PM ^

That presumes that Devin is a lock to be our QB--I do not agree that this should be the case. Devin, even before injury and the collpase of the o-line, proved himself to be a tunrover machine. This may be a lonely opinion, but I would have a full competition all spring and fall pre-season between all three--give Morris a chance to earn the job. If he doesn't, then consider redshirting.

Magnus

December 11th, 2013 at 12:40 PM ^

"Devin, even before injury and the collpase of the o-line, proved himself to be a tunrover machine"

Except he wasn't. He only threw 1 interception in the final 6 games, and while there was an occasional fumble (Iowa), he did a much better job of taking care of the ball. There was a clear maturation process that took place.

Yes, there were still issues, but the line and his receivers can be partially blamed for the sacks, the incompletions, etc.

It should always be an open competition for a starting job, but honestly, Gardner puts Michigan in a much better position to win than Morris.

Magnus

December 13th, 2013 at 1:35 PM ^

I'm not in favor of pre-ordained redshirt, either. And yes, my factual statement ignores the Northwestern game, because the passes that could have been intercepted weren't intercepted. He also had some passes to Devin Funchess against Iowa that could have been good plays or touchdowns, but I'm not giving him credit for a 50-yard touchdown pass to Funchess that didn't happen. The bottom line is that he only threw one pick in the second half of the season, and he didn't have many fumbles, either. So if a guy is a turnover machine for the first half of the season, but then he takes care of the ball during the second half of the season, I don't see how anyone would reach the conclusion that he turns over the ball too much. I used to poop in my pants when I was a wee lad, but by the time I was 5, I'm pretty sure I couldn't justifiably be called a pants-pooper.

HipsterCat

December 11th, 2013 at 10:11 AM ^

as long as you dont play a year you "redshirt". you have 5 years to use up your 4 years of ncaa eligibliity once you enroll in a college or university. it has nothing to do with being a freshman and can happen at any point in the process. 

if you get injured and play in less than 3? games i believe then you can send an appeal to the ncaa to get a medical reshirt and get an extra year of eligiblity. 

Mr. Yost

December 10th, 2013 at 11:14 PM ^

...yes he can.

You may be confusing Shane with someone who got a medical redshirt...because if that's the case, then no, they lose their "traditional" redshirt.

In Shane's case, like every other student athlete in America. He gets 5 years to play 4. He can pretty much redshirt at any point as long as he hasn't sat for a medical or something like that.

He could go do a mission next year and redshirt if he wanted...When he got back he'd be a redshirt sophomore. It doesn't matter. Unlikely doesn't mean it absolutely can't happen.

It's unlikely that any coach has ever redshirted two seniors in three years...but Hoke did - even though the first time Stonum messed up and got kicked off the team.