Devin Gardner's Certainty Is Uncertain
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I'll take "inappropriate file photos" for 1000 [Bryan Fuller]
The most important bit out of Hoke's latest presser will not please you:
Hoke: Devin Gardner held out of practice again today. Still using crutches
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) December 16, 2013 Hoke wouldn't go as far as calling Gardner questionable for the bowl game. But doesn't sound like a total certainty right now.
— Nick Baumgardner (@nickbaumgardner) December 16, 2013 Hoke probably wouldn't call Gardner questionable if he had been eaten by a dinosaur and was listed by the athletic department as (OUT—Time Traveling Velociraptor Attack). For this exercise we are assuming Michigan is issuing injury reports, and yes that's less realistic than Time Travelling Velociraptors.
If Gardner doesn't play in the bowl game, it's hide yo' kids time.
[4:08 PM] Ace: on the plus side, this could silence all the shane morris truthers.
[4:09 PM] Brian Cook: "plus side"
December 16th, 2013 at 4:23 PM ^
December 17th, 2013 at 11:07 AM ^
December 16th, 2013 at 4:23 PM ^
December 16th, 2013 at 5:38 PM ^
Gardner is at Michigan next year. Anyone else heard about his interest in playing WR and testing the waters for the NFL draft this year?
December 16th, 2013 at 7:14 PM ^
you Ace Williams?
December 16th, 2013 at 8:20 PM ^
Yep, a QB wants to not play QB and leave early to not play QB. Sounds perfectly possible.
December 17th, 2013 at 1:01 PM ^
December 17th, 2013 at 12:01 AM ^
December 16th, 2013 at 6:41 PM ^
December 16th, 2013 at 7:39 PM ^
December 16th, 2013 at 11:42 PM ^
Just give it to the blind kid.
December 16th, 2013 at 4:25 PM ^
I'm going with "precautionary" because I can't bear to think otherwise.
December 16th, 2013 at 4:27 PM ^
When I saw the post was worried that Gardner was reconsidering sticking around for the 2014 season.
Honestly, we are in trouble without him in the bowl game, but I can't possibly care too much at the BWW Bowl. I want a win, but it would be fun to see what Shane can do.
Get well, DG. God bless.
December 16th, 2013 at 4:40 PM ^
Baumgarder also had some tweets about a few of Michigan's players seeking evaluations for early entry into the NFL Draft. Hoke wouldn't say one way or another if Gardner was one of them. Also, I don't think reconsider is accurate. Devin never said he was coming back. Hoke just said that he thought he would be back.
Edit to add quote:
@nickbaumgardner: Hoke says Michigan has a 'couple' players who want to see their NFL draft stock. Won't say who.
December 16th, 2013 at 4:45 PM ^
should submit their profile for evaluations by NFL draft advisory board to see where they stand as a prospect. On a very rare case (like Andrew Luck), that a player will stay for one more year despite the 1st round grade. More times than not, the player who is hyped as 1st round pick decides to stay are the ones who never got a 1st or 2nd round grade from the advisory board.
December 17th, 2013 at 7:48 AM ^
but when making that point why wouldn't you just use Lewan as your example since he did the exact same thing and quite possibly would have went higher as a jumior than Luck would have. Not that it really matters why you did, I just found it odd that we have our own example who is still here at UM.
December 16th, 2013 at 5:07 PM ^
IIRC, those appraisals also provide some feedback to the kids. Why wouldn't you get advice as to what you need to work on next year to make it to the NFL? This seems like a win-win. The League gets better talent, and the kids get free advice. It just makes so much sense . . . Wait, it must be an NCAA violation. Nevermind.
December 16th, 2013 at 5:47 PM ^
Luckily, I don't think we have anyone on this team that would be a projected 1st/2nd round pick. Outside Lewan, obviously
December 16th, 2013 at 10:52 PM ^
That's not a good thing.
In fact, that's the f-ing problem.
December 17th, 2013 at 7:55 AM ^
I don't find myself on the same side of many debates as you (NTTAWWT) but I agree completely with your point.
We haven't been in a position where we have had many people entertaining leaving early in a long time and for good reason, our players just haven't been at that level. Lewan is the first guy in a while who was ready after his Junior year to go pro, but prior to that who would it be?
People who think having guys who are good enough to leave school early to play in the NFL is a bad thing boggle my mind. I mean, sure it's sad to see a guy you've cheered for leave your team, but the underlying message is your coaching staff is recruiting high caliber players and developing them into NFL quality performers. That's a good thing.
December 17th, 2013 at 8:26 PM ^
I think you misunderstood what the above poster meant. I don't think he meant "luckily we don't have any pro caliber players" because that would be ridiculous. I think he meant "luckily we aren't also losing a bunch of juniors in addition to having a sucky year."
We could be in a spot where we had a bum year and a we have a bunch of guys leave. This happens to teams sometimes.
Maybe he worded his post poorly, but I didn't read it like you guys did. I read it as "considering the season went as it did, luckily most of our talent is returning for next year." We all want high NFL draft picks on our teams, but when it's clear we don't have many, it's lucky that we don't have a lot of guys going to Shazer/Warren route and bailing after 3 years just to not get drafted.
December 16th, 2013 at 5:54 PM ^
December 16th, 2013 at 7:35 PM ^
NFL refuse to evaluate non-draft eligible players because it's a waste of time and resources where they could use that time to evaluate draft eligible players.
December 16th, 2013 at 7:45 PM ^
December 16th, 2013 at 6:30 PM ^
If Gardner left Michigan (I'm sure he probably won't), it would not be to go to the NFL. Far more likely it would be to do the Russell Wilson fifth year transfer since he has his degree.
Arizona would make by far the most sense if he went that route (coaching staff that recruited him, better offensive design, no incumbent for 2014).
December 16th, 2013 at 6:49 PM ^
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought the way it worked was a player could only transfer to another school for his 5th year if that school offered a grad program that the current school didn't offer.
December 17th, 2013 at 1:12 AM ^
The article in MLive stated that he is now graduated.
I didn't think that was writen idly.
Gardner took a beating this year. The interior line was a sieve, and he loses his two OT's to the NFL.
Maybe, there's a program out there with an OL that can give him a moment in the pocket that has a Master's program that UofM doesn't. My guess is double digit programs.
If he's thinking NFL, and why wouldn't he, he may be thinking "Russell Wilson did it, so can I".
He needs to get that stock back up. Not sure next year's OL will be any better - possibly worse. And no Gallon...
Hoke: "you'll have to ask him"
That's miles different than what he said last time when asked about Gardner.
One way or another, I think he's gone.
December 17th, 2013 at 1:29 AM ^
He's already in grad school at UM. He ain't going to leave his grad program mid-stream for another school.
December 17th, 2013 at 1:51 AM ^
But, chances are his true grad program is NFL'ology.
It's just a guess - 60% he goes, 40% he stays.
Which, of course is no different than saying 90% he stays and 10% he goes, or 90% he goes and 10% he stays. (You're always right when you give statistical probability, as long as you stay away from 100% & 0%).
Next years story will not be Gardner or Morris, or Chesson, or Ryan, or Green and/or De'Veon.
It's 99% how Magnuson and Braden (I guess) play OT, and how much the interior improves.
I'm hinging 90% of my Gardner prediction on him predicting a 70% chance that the OL will not be overall better, and a 25% chance the OL will be worse.
And my written predictions are at least 55% accurate.
December 16th, 2013 at 4:48 PM ^
Looks like our worries are unfounded.
December 16th, 2013 at 4:27 PM ^
The implications of losing this bowl game are pretty much nonexistant at this point. If it weren't for wanting these Seniors to be sent off with a win, I wouldn't care at all. Outside of that, winning this game will make the season no less of a failure.
Seeing Shane Morris play this game wouldn't be bad thing. He could get some game experience. It'd be fun to be able to see glimpses of what the future may hold.
But get well soon Gardner.
December 16th, 2013 at 7:20 PM ^
Winning a bowl game is so much better than losing, no matter the bowl or the opponent.
December 16th, 2013 at 7:50 PM ^
It might not matter for you, but I bet it matters a great deal to the players. Winning a bowl game would carry some positive momentum into the offseason and get some of the bad taste out of their mouths for the players, not the least of which Devin Gardner. Winning their last game in a winged helmet probably means a lot to the departing seniors. Lastly, winning a bowl game would be a strong closing statement to the recruits going into NSD that this program, while still rebuilding, is headed in the right direction.
December 17th, 2013 at 9:05 AM ^
1. Any momentum carried into the offseason would most likely be derailed by Al Borges' play calling (if you believe what this board says about him).
2. I mentioned the Seniors. Bowl games are 100% for the Seniors if its not the National Championship, or soon to be playoffs. If it weren't for the Seniors, I wouldn't care at all. But we have Seniors, so I do care.
3. I don't think a Buffalo Wild Wings trophy will attract McDowell to Michigan. He either will or won't on his own. No current commits (2014) will decommit because of a bowl loss. And our only NSD possibility is Vic Enwere. Which would be awesome if we could get him, but once again, what you do this year won't effect this years recruits. It may effect 2015 and beyond. But the fact that we are rebuilding should cover up a crappy BDubs bowl loss.
A few other things.
Shane Morris playing doesn't mean we auto-lose. The bowl game would be a better time for him to get his first start than say, if we were in a Big Ten Title race. Congratulations on 2000 points. Cool milestone there.
December 17th, 2013 at 10:24 AM ^
1. Whatever, been through this way too many times to rehash
2. Agree
3. Most people outside the program get 12-13 chances a year to form an opinion about a program. It's not like baseball where they play a billion games. Every game has a big impact in forming that opinion. Just look at how much the Ohio game did to boost everyones outlook here. Hell, look at how winning against Florida in 2007 changed the way we remember for Carr's entire career. This bowl game, even if it's "just" the BWW bowl, is the last chance for this team (coaches and players) to make a statement about who they are to the fans and the recruits.
4. Agree with Morris not being auto loss, but a true freshman playing his first game isn't going to give you the best chances. If Gardner is cleared to play, he should play. He's earned it.
December 17th, 2013 at 12:22 PM ^
If there is one thing we can agree on, it is that I hope Devin Gardner plays. I love watching him play QB for us. And he has earned it. After this season, to be able to pull his body back together and play another game as healthy as he has been since probably September, would be really nice.
If he is unable to play due to injury, then I will not be all "the sky is falling because Morris is playing," and that is due to my reasons stated in my OP.
December 17th, 2013 at 1:26 PM ^
Ok, I misunderstood you then, I thought you wanted to start Morris regardless to get him experience because the season is already lost
December 16th, 2013 at 11:05 PM ^
Winning the bowl game is important due to the prestige factor. A close second is to be competitive in a loss.
If there is a silver lining to losing Devin for this game, and I'm stretching here to consider this a silver lining, it is that if we lose the bowl game, we can vaildly attribute it to starting a freshman QB in his very first game (well... very first start).
Shane would be awful, but if he has the mental toughness, the experience could be priceless for him.
December 16th, 2013 at 4:27 PM ^
"Welp, it could be a lot worse."
December 16th, 2013 at 4:29 PM ^
Did he get hurt in the OSU game or in practice? I've got a lot of respect for the kid after watching him play this year and I really hope he plays in the bowl game.
December 16th, 2013 at 4:36 PM ^
DG's gotten progressively more and more hurt every game for the last two months. By the OSU game it was amazing he was able to play at all.
December 16th, 2013 at 5:42 PM ^
Getting sacked 5,000 times during the season probably didn't help matters.
December 16th, 2013 at 4:30 PM ^
somebody hold me
December 16th, 2013 at 4:35 PM ^
TomVH isn't walking through that door
December 16th, 2013 at 4:34 PM ^
Shane Morris Truthers: Demanding the long-form injury report since November 2013.
December 16th, 2013 at 6:49 PM ^
Brady Hoke just WANTS you to think that Shane Morris isn't the greatest 2nd string QB ever. I saw a blog post that told THE TRUTH on how Brady Hoke was the singular reason why Shane lost his 5th star. He knew a 2nd string with 5*s would be too much to keep on the bench
December 16th, 2013 at 10:04 PM ^
December 16th, 2013 at 4:36 PM ^
I'm not really sure what the concern is here. If Devin Gardner is hurt, sit him. Why even take the chance of him getting injured going into next season? This game means nothing, the season is already a total disappointment and there's really no difference between 8-5/7-6 in my mind.
Shane's redshirt is already burned, so if he plays, hey, that's good experience for him. It might be fun to see what he can do and if Michigan loses, we'll have a surefire excuse as to why! (Not that Michigan fans need any help coming up with excuses for football failures). And if we win and Shane looks good, we'll all feel better about the future (though it will create what should probably be a non-existent QB controversy next year).
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