Russell Bellomy Is Back, Shane Is Taking First Team Snaps, and Gardner Is Out This Week
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…
December 10th, 2013 at 9:51 PM ^
Shane should redshirt next year. What's the rule on that? Do we have to announce that in advance?
December 10th, 2013 at 9:54 PM ^
And no. He just can't play.
That said, I would agree with you if Gardner stays healthy and all Morris is going to see is crap time in September.
December 10th, 2013 at 10:30 PM ^
I hate to say it, but I doubt we go two years in a row without getting our quarterback injured for at least a short stretch. I think Shane will play next year, and I think Bellomy will be the third QB.
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.
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.
December 11th, 2013 at 12:00 AM ^
Meh no offense to Speight, but I kind of doubt he'll be much more than a career backup here anyway.
December 11th, 2013 at 12:23 AM ^
I pray he reads this and uses it as motivation. Jerk. He seems to be tearing it up from the bits and pieces I read.
December 11th, 2013 at 7:31 AM ^
He was sharing an idea based on a hypothetical situation that many of us know is unrealistic. He didn't bash anyone in his post whatsoever.
December 11th, 2013 at 7:44 AM ^
My guess is this was the ole "post got deleted so response looks odd in context" scenario.
December 11th, 2013 at 9:11 AM ^
Yea, there's a post under that one that I can see on my phone.
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.
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.
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.
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.
December 13th, 2013 at 12:46 PM ^
But your factual statement ignores NW, where easily there should gave been two if not three INT's, and many other very poor passes that could have been. I'm ok with Morris redshirting--after he loses out in a competitiion. I'm just saying we shouldn't pre-ordain the redshirt.
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.
December 11th, 2013 at 12:44 AM ^
I totally agree they should try this approach next year. Only play Shane if Devin is out for a significant portion on a game/season.
December 11th, 2013 at 9:30 AM ^
He's not a freshman next year, so he can't be redshirted without an injury.
December 11th, 2013 at 9:42 AM ^
NOT TRUE AT ALL
December 11th, 2013 at 9:46 AM ^
I don't think that's not accurate. Will Hagerup and Darryl Stonum are two recent upperclassmen who sat out a year (redshirt) for disciplinary reasons. You don't have to be a freshman to redshirt, as far as I know.
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.
December 11th, 2013 at 10:12 AM ^
False. You can redshirt anytime.
December 11th, 2013 at 11:06 AM ^
Good thing I can't be downvoted for my ignorance!
December 11th, 2013 at 4:37 PM ^
oh god, what horrible timing for this comment...
but hooray for the return of voting!!!
December 11th, 2013 at 7:41 AM ^
didn't he miss most of his senior year due to mono? If you RS him next year, you're talking about very limited playing time in three years. I can't imagine that is good for his development. . .
December 11th, 2013 at 8:34 AM ^
1. Gardner
2. Morris
3. Speight
4. Bellomy
I put this only if 1 and 2 are injured. I see a red shirt for Speight. But on the coaches depth chart he will be # 3. Bellomy will get garbage snaps only for the rest of his career.
December 11th, 2013 at 9:17 AM ^
can blow out the cup cakes by halt time for Shane to get some longer game time experience. He will probably be starting in '15.
December 10th, 2013 at 10:34 PM ^
Thanks. Then no way Shane ever gets a red shirt. I guess he plays his junior and senior years and thats it.
December 10th, 2013 at 10:00 PM ^
Shane should've redshirted this year. Not doing so was yet another mistake by this staff in their roster management of QBs.
December 10th, 2013 at 11:00 PM ^
He would have if Bellomy did not tear his ACL. That was obvious.
December 10th, 2013 at 11:16 PM ^
when did we ever need Shane to play? Cleary shouldve taken those limited game reps to preserve the redshirt of Shane
December 11th, 2013 at 12:27 AM ^
You can only say this in hindsight. Geez give the coaches some slack. If DG went down, we all would have been glad Shane got the initial jitters out against whatever MAC team he came in against
December 11th, 2013 at 1:30 AM ^
No, those games were too close for him to play in.
December 11th, 2013 at 4:59 AM ^
Beating CMU by 50 was a fever dream I suppose?
Still, I laughed.
December 11th, 2013 at 12:01 PM ^
I lol'd.
Sadly.
December 11th, 2013 at 10:47 AM ^
Burning a redshirt for fear of injury is probably one of the dumbest things a coach can do.
December 11th, 2013 at 7:15 AM ^
In the end, he did not need to play.
December 10th, 2013 at 10:59 PM ^
For the 808th time, Shane cannot red shirt.
December 10th, 2013 at 11:03 PM ^
Are you talking literally? Because he can.
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.
December 11th, 2013 at 4:39 AM ^
He owned you
December 11th, 2013 at 7:18 AM ^
It has been discussed a million times and he cannot get a red shirt.
December 11th, 2013 at 7:20 AM ^
Now you're just trolling.
December 11th, 2013 at 7:33 AM ^
How is Hagerup redshirting? He's not hurt.
You have no idea what you're talking about...but this is fun, so carry on.
December 11th, 2013 at 8:42 AM ^
Vulcan's cannot lie. Remember that.
December 11th, 2013 at 8:49 AM ^
I think he must be referring to wearing shirts that are red in color. In that case he is totally correct as Hoke would never allow Shane to get a red shirt.
December 11th, 2013 at 9:09 AM ^
I assumed he meant the Star Trek version of redshirts. We definately don't want Morris getting one of those...
December 11th, 2013 at 10:57 AM ^
But not your own facts.
December 10th, 2013 at 11:28 PM ^
Yes....Yes he can.
December 11th, 2013 at 8:37 AM ^
other times someone asked if he could red shirt?