Gardner's passes
I watched DG's pass plays against App, OSU and UN (from last year) this morning. There is a noticable difference in DG's mechanics and, more importantlty, he is not putting that much zip on his passes this year. This raises a question and a potential concern.
First, is he trying to impove accuracy by trying not to throw as hard as last year? Second, will that kind of approach work against teams with better DBs? For example, just check the first pass to Chesson and the last first two TD passes to Funchess. They were accurate, but were lobbed. Would those three passes be completed against a team with better coverage?
August 31st, 2014 at 1:01 PM ^
August 31st, 2014 at 1:02 PM ^
August 31st, 2014 at 1:46 PM ^
Exactly. Just look at Peyton Manning. He throws a lot of wobbly passes and it works for him.
August 31st, 2014 at 1:03 PM ^
Isn't lobbing it up to Funch a really, really good idea? He's rarely, if ever, going to have a problem with a DB getting in his way.
August 31st, 2014 at 1:06 PM ^
Funch, sure. But I saw the same thing the OP did - the outs to Chesson and Darboh floated much too long. Better opponents are going to snatch those up. My guess is that he has a stonger arm, but when he really zips it he loses accuracy.
I just hope he realizes against Sparty those won't be open, so throw it out of bounds.
August 31st, 2014 at 1:21 PM ^
and stuff.
August 31st, 2014 at 1:45 PM ^
I see what you are saying, but also think that this may have been intentional. He could see how open the receivers were, and pulled off velocity to increase the chances of them catching it. I only say "may" have been intentional, though. I don't know. But I wouldn't fret until I see evidence that this is an actual concern.
August 31st, 2014 at 1:06 PM ^
In one of the "countdown to kickoff" videos there was a clip of Nussmeir coaching Gardner on throwing "over" linebackers rather than trying to throw "through" them.
I'm no QB coach, but I suspect that's a sign of skill maturation ... knowing when to zip it vs. when to lift it over with some touch.
August 31st, 2014 at 1:11 PM ^
that's a problem the kid just never really got over.
He threw a nice deep ball, and he could throw it through a brick wall. But those touch passes just never developed.
August 31st, 2014 at 1:07 PM ^
He wasn't really throwing into tight windows so i have no problem with the touch he put on the ball. Thought they were situationally appropriate, which is a sign of growth. Anyways im just glad we are checking into runs now.
August 31st, 2014 at 1:12 PM ^
The only tight window pass was on the second TD to Funchess.
I guess you can count those passes a sign of maturation as DG knew that coverage was soft and wanted to make sure the pass is completed.
August 31st, 2014 at 1:10 PM ^
August 31st, 2014 at 1:13 PM ^
August 31st, 2014 at 1:15 PM ^
August 31st, 2014 at 1:24 PM ^
August 31st, 2014 at 1:17 PM ^
Let's just start threads to nitpick stuff for no reason.
massblue, haven't you learned your lesson?
August 31st, 2014 at 1:40 PM ^
He is throwing differently this year to good effects so far.
August 31st, 2014 at 1:57 PM ^
for accuracy in this game, and surpassed Brady's TD marks in the process. You want to criticize and critique his thowing motion, too? The kid can play. He throws better than any of those qbs from Buckeyeland, Pryor and Miller. And he just makes plays.
This guy is the prototypical quarterback in this day and age of the game, and Michigan fans have always craved his style. And now you are complaining because he lofts balls to wide open receivers or throws them soft so only his receiver can get them? He was13 of 14 yesterday, one off perfection.
August 31st, 2014 at 8:14 PM ^
are not complaints.
Got it?
August 31st, 2014 at 1:19 PM ^
They were thrown WAY WAY better than anything I've seen a Michigan QB throw in a long time. There is clear coaching intent in those throws. They were thrown to a very very specific spot so that the receivers could take a step back, wind up, and accelerate upfield through the ball and be running almost full speed when they made the catch.
Yeah, I think Nuss has Devin throwing the ball differently. And I think it is a GOOD thing. He's throwing like a QB, not just an athlete gunning a football around.
August 31st, 2014 at 2:52 PM ^
August 31st, 2014 at 1:40 PM ^
Nothing too complicated for the entire offense including the O-line. Coach Nuss passed his first test with flying colors. If they can execute similarly against a better opponent, Notre Dame, a 10 win season is suddenly a realistic expectation.
August 31st, 2014 at 1:44 PM ^
August 31st, 2014 at 1:48 PM ^
That pass had some heat on it and why beam the ball when your trying to lead the ball to the reciever.
August 31st, 2014 at 2:00 PM ^
"They were accurate, but were lobbed. Would those three passes be completed against a team with better coverage?"
Why do you assume DG is not adapting his passes to a) his receiver, and b) the coverage? In other words, why do you assume what you saw in yesterday's game will be what you see in every game? You take what the defense gives you, and that "you" includes your receivers.
August 31st, 2014 at 2:05 PM ^
TO CONVINCE YOU MOTHERJOKERS!!! Stood on his freaking head yesterday, for fork's sake. . .
August 31st, 2014 at 2:39 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
August 31st, 2014 at 2:54 PM ^
August 31st, 2014 at 2:24 PM ^
August 31st, 2014 at 2:52 PM ^
DG passing efficiency 267.4 #2 in nation—very close to #1 and way ahead of #3.
(although name not listed because he had one less than the 15 attempts required for listing).
August 31st, 2014 at 5:44 PM ^
about 2 maybe 3 difficult passes. Jury is still out on improvement for this guy.
August 31st, 2014 at 5:50 PM ^
He didnt zip any passes because he didnt have to. When the guy is wide open you just have to get it to him. I dont think his arm strenth is gone from last year.
August 31st, 2014 at 7:11 PM ^
they are thrown with finesse because that is the way they have to be because the flight of the ball is normally up and dropped in like a hand grenade. You'll see his arm strength on seam passes, skinny posts, etc. Not to worry.
August 31st, 2014 at 8:12 PM ^
Timing, accuracy and touch make the ball catchable by your guy. Great quarterbacks use velocity as needed to make it uncatchable by a defender and help the receiver.