Lynn Henning Says Denard Should Run Less
Apparently Michigan will have Denard run the ball Saturday, "but at what cost to Robinson." Apparently he will get hit harder and harder as the season progresses not only when he runs the ball but also - get this - when he throws the ball! We better limit his touches asap. Lynn went out and found some "expert" testimony to this effect. Count me as "very concerned". From his post game comments RR seemed like he agreed - I mean it's about time he started looking out for the well being of his players instead of locking them on the practice field and weight lifting facility for 12 hours every Sunday.
September 8th, 2010 at 3:41 PM ^
And back away from the buffet. Moron.
September 8th, 2010 at 5:35 PM ^
When something works, like Denard running against UConn, you keep going to it until the opponent can stop it. (See Lombardi, Vince; Hayes, Woody and Schembechler, Bo). Future opponents will look at the film, scheme to take away the quarterback run and we will counter with Toussaint (if available), Shaw, etc or the maybe the slot or TE dragging across the vacated middle. You know this, I know this and Henning knows this. But the idea that you can get a bunch or ignorant readers to shake their heads in agreement and bitch that Rodriguez ought to unilaterally disarm is catnip to lazy newspaper writers.
Aside: when Tressel got his first OC gig at Syracuse, in the very first game he opened by calling the same play 10 times, an off tackle run. The head coach phoned upstairs and asked if Tressel had any other plays to call. Tressel responded he did and he would call one just as soon as the opponent could stop the off tackle. I'm sure Henning would have objected.
September 8th, 2010 at 3:42 PM ^
Lynn Henning should write less.
September 8th, 2010 at 3:42 PM ^
Thank God Lynn Henning is here to tell us these things, I don't know what I would do without his invaluable journalistic prowess.
September 8th, 2010 at 3:56 PM ^
If Lynn Henning said it, it must be true and we must all bow down and submit to the Gospel. Coach Rodriguez, please bench Denard so he does not get hurt. Nevermind the fact that he won't be in the game making plays - at least he won't be getting injured!
This just in - there is a chance I could get into a car accident on the way home from work this evening so I am just going to stay here indefinitely.
September 8th, 2010 at 6:29 PM ^
Is it OK if I wipe my butt now????
September 8th, 2010 at 3:43 PM ^
Lynn Who? It's pretty obvious at this point all Detroit MSM writers are not worth reading except for Chenglis. Just ignore the others' garbage.
September 8th, 2010 at 4:21 PM ^
in my opinion.
September 8th, 2010 at 4:34 PM ^
Wojo is usually pretty reasonable, neutral, and above all - humorous (including self depreciating)
September 8th, 2010 at 5:23 PM ^
I believe you were looking to use the phrase "self deprecating".
September 8th, 2010 at 9:14 PM ^
No, he had it right. I can understand your confusion, however as the preparer of Mr. Wojo's tax return last year I can confirm that he did indeed claim a deduction for depreciation of his actual body.
We were going to use straight-line, but decided on MACRS as a reasonable approach. I mean, with the advances in modern medicine, there's no reason he can't live to be 245, maybe 300.
September 8th, 2010 at 7:04 PM ^
No Wojo?
September 8th, 2010 at 3:43 PM ^
what do bikini models with twitter accounts say about DROB? We need to send everyones opinion to RR so he knows what to do
September 8th, 2010 at 3:55 PM ^
LOL. Great idea. I mean obviously he has been so influenced by the thoughts of the "experts" roaming the press box so far.
These writers know at this point, they can't control him or the direction of this and it pisses them to high heaven. They write their junk for the ill-informed casual "This is Michigan" fan and the haters. Lots and lots of both roam free sadly.
Michigan draws ratings and eyeballs to the web page. Negative spin about Michigan and you can probably double it.
At least Mitch Albom had the good sense a couple weeks ago to try and make peace and finally let Rich answer some nagging questions free of interpretation. Probably knowing that this will turn and maybe he can be the Rich Rod insider/buddy. Sort of like the role Henning tries to play with the Tigers.
September 8th, 2010 at 3:45 PM ^
Let's get the ball in the hands of Potempa, so our elite speed players don't get hurt. (Is he still on the team?)
Perfect.
September 8th, 2010 at 3:47 PM ^
I think Denard should have less carries but run more.
7 carries for 237 yards would satisfy me.
September 8th, 2010 at 3:48 PM ^
this is the new anti-RR talking point: yes he won by 3 tds, but what about his poor qb?
if the guy cured cancer there would be an article the detroit media wondering why so many poor cells had to die for RR's success
September 8th, 2010 at 4:01 PM ^
Man if I could give you 10 for that, I'd do it.
September 8th, 2010 at 3:52 PM ^
Oh no! You mean our QB shouldn't set the record for most rushes ever by a Michigan player in a season!? Wow Detroit News got a steal with this guy! He is a genious! Idk if anybody else would have noticed that Denard shouldn't run 29 times week in and week out! Absolute genious.
(I think by genious, I must mean something along the lines of... idiot.)
Go Blue! Spank the Irish!
September 8th, 2010 at 3:52 PM ^
T8Gr8: "You should run less"
LetzGetDenard'd: "LOL"
T8Gr8: "I mean you could get hurt or something"
LetzGetDenard'd: "haha"
T8Gr8: "Stop running."
LetzGetDenard'd: "ummm"
NotUrGardnerVariety:
September 8th, 2010 at 3:55 PM ^
Personally I'd like to see Denard run less. As awesome as Denard is, a good chunk of his yardage came from dropping back on 3rd and long, looking around and going "Man, no one is open. Oh well." *takes off for a 10 yard gain*
Denard running less would imply we were getting WRs open deep for him to hit and we had a consistent running game from the RBs that was putting up yardage. I'd love to see Denard getting about 10 design runs / read options a game and then another 7 or so runs when he sees a hole, pulls it down and hits the gas.
September 8th, 2010 at 4:00 PM ^
Yeah, I think the issue is him learning more about protecting himself rather than taking on the hits. He even mentioned that after the game.
As you point out, a lot of it is "Brady needs to throw to someone besides Moss" expert opinion from the 07 season.
If it is there, take it. I don't see any other teams laying back from their strengths. Maybe these guys watched Coach Carr call plays for too many years.
September 8th, 2010 at 4:50 PM ^
I think that someone did a breakdown of Denard's running plays and determined that only a couple were scrambles due to no one being open.
Quite a few more were on read-options of course.
So although I agree that 15-20 carries would be much better, he did not get 29 because he just ran on every passing play.
He got 29 because they couldn't stop it. And if a team can't stop it, then we should run him 29 times every game, just like RR said in his presser.
It would be ridiculous to pass the ball or give it to the RB when the QB run is working repeatedly. Until the game is out of hand, you have to give yourself the best chance to win on EVERY SINGLE PLAY.
Now I doubt that the QB run will be as successful against future opponents as it was against UConn. But if it is, you have to keep on running!
September 8th, 2010 at 4:01 PM ^
Interesting, I think she should talk less.
Less is more?
September 8th, 2010 at 4:41 PM ^
Lynn is a man.
September 8th, 2010 at 4:58 PM ^
September 8th, 2010 at 5:37 PM ^
For a minute there I thought I was losing my mind. Either that or I thought he had become a transvestite.
September 8th, 2010 at 4:41 PM ^
It's a man, baby!
September 8th, 2010 at 4:13 PM ^
September 8th, 2010 at 4:35 PM ^
I mean, holy cow, that guy AVERAGED over 52 touches a game (attempts+rushes+receptions, not sure if rushing includes sacks or not) over his final 3 years at Purdue and look at him! Just a washed up nobody who can't even roll out of bed from all the hits he took in college.
Oh, wait, what?
September 8th, 2010 at 4:45 PM ^
...that is actually a pretty horrible comparison
September 8th, 2010 at 4:50 PM ^
He was going on about how the passing attempts are, presumably, just as bad for him as running so I fired up the sarcasm meter and let it fly!
September 8th, 2010 at 5:13 PM ^
as molasses is to alcohol
September 8th, 2010 at 4:02 PM ^
7 yards a pop I want him running as much as possible. Unlike OSU, I'd like to see what happens when a QB's strengths are highlighted and utilized. Anyone can get hurt on any play--no use in playing scared. Plus, we actually have competent backups. I'd avoid bubble-wrapping Denard unless one of the backups gets hurt or disappears. Remember, there's no longer a redshirt to preserve.
September 8th, 2010 at 4:03 PM ^
September 8th, 2010 at 4:06 PM ^
I find it incredibly amusing that naysayers like Henning are fully expecting Denard to run 30 times every single game.
"Oh, well, he's totally going to get killed running the ball 30 times per game."
"Oh, really? No fucking shit. Odds of Denard averaging even over 25 carries per game this year: 0.00000000000000000000001 percent."
September 8th, 2010 at 4:23 PM ^
September 8th, 2010 at 4:06 PM ^
How soon until someone suggests we run the fake draw a la Tim Tebow? I'm guessing another day or so until that thread erupts.
September 8th, 2010 at 4:11 PM ^
I think it could be particularly devastating. But with this new threat of injury to Denard, well, I just don't think it is worth putting him at risk like that.
September 8th, 2010 at 4:27 PM ^
Honestly, after the sarcasm wore off of that post, I can envision Denard taking the snap, immediately taking it forward and then step back to throw either deep or to the flats. Safeties/linebackers will have to bite if he is running consistently.
September 8th, 2010 at 4:17 PM ^
how much skill Shaw or Smith has at throwing the ball. a hand-off that lets Robinson run to the left and catch and then throw deep or run would be epic
September 8th, 2010 at 4:20 PM ^
fakes of all varieties work well in an offense like this. When you have a young QB, the defense expects a more one-dimensional, vanilla offense. I think every single fake hand-off pass play worked last Saturday. The fake screen then pass to TRob obviously worked well too. I wouldn't be opposed to a fake draw pass of some sort. Not so sure we want a jump pass though.
September 8th, 2010 at 4:17 PM ^
Caputo and Henning should have lunch and discuss their differences.
September 8th, 2010 at 5:02 PM ^
I'm sitting in the library, and your profile pic is extremely hot. I don't if it's the green tea or what, but I am very aroused. That is all.
September 8th, 2010 at 4:20 PM ^
Count me as "very concerned". From his post game comments RR seemed like he agreed - I mean it's about time he started looking out for the well being of his players instead of locking them on the practice field and weight lifting facility for 12 hours every Sunday.
Is this your opinion because I didn't find this in the opinion piece? Do you really think RR doesn't care about the well being of his players?
Or is my sarcasm meter off? If so nevermind
September 8th, 2010 at 4:27 PM ^
happens to all of us in the middle of the week.
September 8th, 2010 at 6:33 PM ^
My sarcasm meter pretty much runs 24 / 7.
September 8th, 2010 at 4:21 PM ^
He's going to run the ball less then 29 times in the majority of the games. I think his 29 carries agains UConn was a product of not wanting to open up the entire playbook with Notre Dame upcoming, and the fact that once RR knew they couldn't stop the QB power he kept going back to it. Denard is in great shape and he will be fine wih whatever work load RR and Calvin put on him.