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 11th, 2013 at 10:10 AM ^
December 11th, 2013 at 11:51 AM ^
The OL next year should be improved. There will be at least three, probably four starters with significant experience in the previous year. So the second-year improvement dynamic will be in place for all of them. By the start of the B1G schedule, barring injury, DG should have markedly better protection.
So DG will get a chance to shine, to not make the kinds of mistakes you list. If he continues to have problems, then, sure, Morris will be given an opportunity to take some meaningful snaps. But that's not my expectation. Gardner will be lights out next year in B1G play. He carries the torch for Denard, Lewan and everyone else who stayed.
I won't say I have high expectations for the team as a whole next year, but I will say that it will be the most enjoyable season in a long time. The team will play well. 2013 will be seen as the final transition year of the Hoke era. The glorious part of that is Hoke gets a quarterback who will be 22 next year (Devin turns 22 this December 14), and 23 with an LSA degree and a Master of Social Work for his final game.
December 11th, 2013 at 9:48 AM ^
I would like to see a two-QB system next year. I think it's a win-win-win all the way around. Gardner gets breaks throughout the games, which could help with durability. Morris gets valuable playing experience, and opponents have to game plan for two different style QBs.
December 11th, 2013 at 10:15 AM ^
I don't. Gardner is a better quarterback right now, and a better athlete. Plus, the offense was unable to handle too much this year with Gardner being both a spread and a pro-style quarterback. I don't know why we should expect another young offensive line to be able to handle the same type of disjointed offense once again.
December 11th, 2013 at 11:28 AM ^
at places that do this.
Thought Indiana had us but they kept switching back to the 'passer', then when the injury happened we got the interception from a cold qb. Oklahoma too, their d is near elite but the o is predictable when one or the other qb is in.
The qb's need time with the line & receivers to get a rhythm, a feel for each other. Constant switching plus a young o-line is unfair to both the qb's and the line, who we need to exectue basic, simple stuff.
DG will be a monster if given time, and a couple of wideouts who can create separation in that improved pass pro time and pocket. Shane can watch and learn.
Worrying that so many think the offense will be basically the same next year unless there are radical changes (mass firings, high risk systems, etc.).
Q for the more coach-savvy: do you think OSU was a preview of our offense next year? Or does our new receiver corps / backfield / o-line experience dictate something different? Maybe a question for a different post...
December 11th, 2013 at 12:36 PM ^
I believe that the OSU game was a preview of the 2014 offense. I think Michigan needs to be more of a shotgun and zone running team. They can still mix in the inverted veer with Gardner out of shotgun, but they probably still won't be able to run power and iso because of the line. The interesting thing will be to see if they can find a running back to run inverted veer with Gardner. The RB is supposed to be an outside threat, but if teams aren't afraid of Green/Smith/whoever's speed, then they'll just take Gardner every single time.
Anyway, I don't necessarily think Michigan will throw it 45 times a game next year, but that looked like the direction Michigan should be going, at least until Gardner graduates. The running game might revert back to power/iso when Morris or Speight takes over in 2015, though.
December 11th, 2013 at 12:54 PM ^
I hope so too Magnus. From your lips to God's (or Borges's) ears!
December 11th, 2013 at 1:07 PM ^
Bring down a slot receiver, be in Norfleet or Hayes, as the outside threat. It tips it, which people will complain about, but at least as far as Hayes he has some experience running the other stuff and blocking from the position as well. And if guys like Green or Smith can be a bit of a lead back on occasion, a la Hyde, then even better. It maintains the inside threat in a another way while giving the edge run a chance.
December 11th, 2013 at 1:36 PM ^
December 11th, 2013 at 6:42 PM ^
...but your reasoning is AWFUL.
Michigan isn't the pros.
December 11th, 2013 at 7:08 PM ^
December 11th, 2013 at 10:46 AM ^
Sorry if this has been addressed elsewhere, but why can't UM say Shane Morris was injured mid-season and apply for a medical RS? Didn't they do something similar for DG (i.e. pretending he was injured in his Freshman season, thus the reason he only saw a few snaps in a few early games)?
December 11th, 2013 at 11:11 AM ^
Morris appeared too late in the season. You can only play in the first few games if you want a medical redshirt, and I believe Morris's last PT was against Michigan State in game 8.
December 11th, 2013 at 11:55 AM ^
The rule has two parts. You have to play in no more than 30% of the regular season and the injury has to occur in the first half of that season. So he can only have played in four games (the NCAA rounds up: 30% of 12 is about 3.6, which rounds up to 4) before the midpoint of the season. Shane meets the first criteria, but not the second.
Plus, you have to have an actual, documented injury. In DG's case, they documented the injury at the time. I remember some speculation as to whether or not the injury was very serious, but it was reported and obviously a doctor signed off on it. Nothing like that was done for Morris, even if he hadn't played in the game at MSU.
December 11th, 2013 at 10:52 AM ^
talk about which QB will do this or that, reminds me of the mid 1990s.
December 11th, 2013 at 11:12 AM ^
This blog really sucked back then. No negbangs and no TomVH.
December 11th, 2013 at 1:20 PM ^
December 11th, 2013 at 3:41 PM ^