Practice Bits: Nick Sheridan? Seriously? Seriously. Comment Count

Brian

Carlos Brown pitching the ball; via the Daily.

There was another open-ish practice yesterday. It was significant for two events. Event #1 was Mike Shaw smoking guys. Jim Carty:

The freshman from Ohio sprinted past the first defensive player, then cut back around the second. If that had been all he did, it would have still been an impressive display of speed and shiftiness, but highly touted freshman corner Boubacar Cissoko was still between Shaw and the end of the cone.

Shaw hinted at a move and then simply squared up and pancaked Cissoko. Rolled right over him. With authority.

"Ohhhhhhh!" went the team.

"Wow," whispered a reporter.

Shaw and McGuffie were specifically called out as freshmen who will be contributors this fall:

"(They) are two guys who will not be redshirted," Rodriguez said Tuesday. "The biggest (issue) as freshmen coming in is, can they mentally handle the schemes and the pace? Those two have shown they can so far. They've done enough to convince us they can contribute as freshmen, and I think as much mentally as physically.

"They're both fast, explosive players that I think are good with the spread system, so we're excited about it. As much as anything, I like the way they practice. Coming here in the summer helped. They're practicing like they've been here longer than a couple weeks."

Elsewhere in the youth movement on offense: Odoms and Robinson are obviously taking hold of the slot position. Toney Clemons, the nominal spring starter at the position, is now moving between the slot and outside receiver. Kevin Koger got special mention when tight ends were discussed; sounds like that DE move is off the table; Barnum and Khoury mentioned in a question about which true freshmen OL have a shot to play. No O'Neill, about which more later

Event #2 was a seismic shift in the quarterbacks competition. You can read this on any of the premium sites or in the Carty article, and I believe it to be true: Nick Sheridan, not Steven Threet, is your probable starter. The media got to see Sheridan significantly outperform Threet yesterday in the 30 minutes they were allotted. I have some inside baseball on this one suggesting that this is no smokescreen or motivational ploy and that Sheridan is currently the legitimate favorite to start against Utah. Hide the children.

This may not be hugely important. No matter who starts chances are he struggles at some point and the other guy gets a chance to prove himself. But the assumption that it was Threet with Nick Sheridan an emergency option is right out. According to Rodriguez, Feagin...

Justin has been okay. He was a little hampered the last couple days with a sore shoulder. This morning he looked a little bit better, but he has got a long way to go, more mentally than anything else, because there is so much for him to learn.

...does not seem a viable option yet.

Inside bits! A previously-reliable emailer provides practice insights from someone with an opportunity to take in an entire practice session:

  • Practice is extremely intense and the tempo is high. This would normally be blah blah blah but this individual has seen a lot of different colleges practice; this is a notable difference between Michigan and the typical program. Coaches were a little too intense, maybe, choosing to yell at guys instead of showing them how they screwed up. Notable exception: DC Scott Shafer, who was a technique hound instructing everyone on the defense.
  • The offensive line, as expected, looks rough. O'Neill has a great frame and upside but is not ready to play this year.
  • Confirmation that the young tailbacks looked excellent; Shaw "one of the fastest players I've ever seen in college."
  • Thumbs up to Cissoko.
  • Regarding EEEE Barwis: it's not so much that Barwis is a god who raises wolves and all that, but that Michigan's previous regime was hopelessly out of date. Of all the football factory schools, Michigan had a reputation around the NFL for having the least prepared, least conditioned athletes. [I find this a little hard to believe given all the guys who leap directly into NFL starting roles, but this guy's assessment comes from a place of great credibility. It does seem clear that some guys had ample motivation and training (Edwards, Hart), but others (Watson) were just this side of "blogger." -ed]
  • Trent is "way ahead" of where he was last year at this time and is the best NFL prospect on the defense. (Of players eligible for the next draft, so it's basically just him and the DL. I don't know if that's good. Next bullet.)
  • The defensive line plays too "stiff" -- not exactly sure what the upshot of this is -- and was not as impressive as Michigan fans might hope.
  • Not shocking: things are "ridiculously open" compared to the Carr regime.

Let's see Weis try this. Entertaining tidbit from Mark Snyder:

[Rodriguez was] standing over kicker K.C. Lopata as well, trying to rattle him on each successive kick, wagering something out of our earshot. Yet it became abundantly clear when the kicking drill was done and Rodriguez himself hit the deck and cranked out a bunch of pushups in the middle of the field. Rodriguez's energy with the players was clear and they all seemed to be engaged by his interaction.

And finally we can say what we've been waiting to say. The uniforms are official, the pads are on, and there's no quarter left for Michigan football fans:

uniforms-suck.jpg

The away jerseys suck.

Comments

Meeechigan Dan

August 13th, 2008 at 4:19 PM ^

Sheridan does have a scholarship now, dex. And you disagree that if they score 21 points a game, they will win 9?  Last year, 7 opponents scored 21 or less. The defense, IMO, will be better, with few substantative losses, a better attacking system and a more fit team.  Maybe not 9, but 8?  Miami (Ohio), Toledo, NW, Minnesota, Purdue, Penn State, Illinois, MSU?

OK, a slight exaggeration.  Only slight, though.

Ellipses Man

August 13th, 2008 at 5:13 PM ^

I was at the App. St. game and I can tell say that If Sheridan starts and it doesnt go well, they'll be a Bryan Wright feel. I've seen what happens when 20,000 kids from the student body go home and dissect coaching moves instead of doing their Bio Engineering homework. It can ugly real fast, REALLY FAST. And then what? You have a stadium of 100000 plus going,"Well if he's the starter then what?" And the thing is it could be an interception that goes for a TD and it's the WR fault because his route was a wrong read. The crowd will blame Sheridan. And a lot of people who read this, in this moment, before the season has started, will say,"yeah duh." But you have to factor in the,"what if's," to starting Sheridan and Threet. We now know that Feagin does-no-throw-spirals. You know what I mean? 3 and 13, Spartan Stadium, you're down 14 or 3, 3rd quarter against 3-3-5 or some cover zone.......you need someone who can drop a dime in there. You're gonna need it. You know listen, I havent seen a practice and I dont know if Sheridan can throw or for matter Threet. I dont. I have faith in the staff to know. I'm uneasy about it because the QB position has been solid for my whole entire life at Michigan. I dont know if Threet throws the out as well as Chad Henne, I doubt he does. But my thing is this, if RichRod scraps Threet, for me as a fan, it seems like the hot blonde whose kind of dumb who can't figure out why the smart guys never stick around her life. There are upsides to Threet and Sheridan, ones a coaches kid the other a national merit or valedictorian or something. BUT....Sheridan relishes the underdog role and if you start him and the team does not win or it goes rough the media and fans will call for Threet who is better in a starting role. So why not start Threet and go to Sheridan. I think Bryan Wright and KC Lopata showed that logic well enough. It's a preference call.......you'd have to be at the practices and watch the spring practices to see what they see. As long as were better at throwing the ball than Juice Williams Ill be happy.

Ellipses Man

August 13th, 2008 at 5:43 PM ^

Sorry Im working and Im just throwing stuff up. But I think you start your show horse in Threet and if it goes South you go to your Work Horse in Sheridan. There's character and then there's characterization....if you're show horse shows no character.......he's gone. That is what playing QB at Michigan has been about....there are no show horses. And when so much is unknown about the QB batte.......in my opinion and Im not the coach, you say to the two young guys,"Whoever starts is somewhat sacrificial here guys....." And in that, I think you have to let Threet go first......because then the crowd will rally behind Sheridan all the more.

This team is going to go through some ROUGH stetches offensively on the road. And Threet got injured the first snap of practice or something crazy like that. We were bailed out by Chad Henne ALOT. He learned to make reads and throws in plays where the coaches did'nt even know there were throws to be made. And to get to that point.......you need to go through a few 3 and 11's and 3 and 8's on the road dude in plaes like The Rose Bowl and The HorseShoe and Camp Randall. You can't just play EA Sports and think this is all going to materialize over night for these two QB's or this offense.

And the other thing is this....I'm not overly sold on Kevin Newsome or New New. I don't see him as a throwing QB at all yet. Feagin.........as far as I've read is virtually.....he.....doesnt throw spirals. I just have sort of felt in RichRods responses that there is this, coach-player animosity between Threet and RichRod. He's quick to uhh spout of something on the negative top about the kid. It almost seems like some weird competitive thing. My literal gut feeling when I saw the interviews was instantly, Sheridan's starter. And I think that is more or less for Kevin Newsome than it is for this year. But my feeling as of today is that Newsome is already gone and will not be a Michigan Wolverine and that Shavodrick Beaver will be. Just an opinion. And I also think Justin Feagin will not be a QB next year at all.

And I like RR and his whole staff. I do. I just saw the MGOBLUE interviews and to be honest, Shafer seemed to stand on his own the best. Every other coach seems to respond like a back alley gang member or one of the heads of the Chimeara. And yeah he was'nt on the WV coaching staff last year. I get that. But my point is if you look at the other MI coaches, minus Andy Moeller....kidding.....but MI assistant coaches seemed to stand alone and get other jobs. With this group they are or seem to be as of today , a package deal. Which is good and bad. My hope is that RR stays more 7 years here and in that time we see some of his assistants move on to be Head Coaches as well. Because it advances the larger Michigan Family. But I like em. You can rip on me now for saying that but if in 7 years this whole staff goes on to another school i'll be laughing alone.

Meeechigan Dan

August 13th, 2008 at 5:48 PM ^

Seriously, what's the best formula for minimizing f-ups with a new system and a sub-optimal offensive line? A drop back passer? Or a scatty little dude that can consistently get outside the pocket and find the various electrons buzzing about within 10 yards of the LOS and get it to them?  Like you, I don't want to chase the Bryce McNeals of the world screaming away because we've abandoned the downfield passing game, and like you I recognize that it will be easier for defenses to stack the line and stop the spread option if we can't throw downfield. But it's not like we are talking about sitting Doug Williams to play a scatty dude.  It's scatty dude vs. underwhelming statue-like dude.  If that is true, I want scatty, savvy, coach's son dude all day long.

kgh10

August 13th, 2008 at 6:41 PM ^

Why is everyone under the impression that Sheridan is not as much of a statue as Threet? Because he's smaller? Vince Young wasn't exactly 5'11" and he could sorta move a lil bit. Threet and Sheridan were once both considered pocket passers so I don't get where this "scatty, savvy" thing is coming from. These are some weird conclusions based off of a few better practices. Was it not more than 3 days ago when Threet was the smarter, better QB and Sheridan was throwing ducks everywhere? And since when was the mystique of the coach's son so important beyond media fluff stories? Gahh, I don't know.

turbo cool

August 13th, 2008 at 6:07 PM ^

michael hunter, are you by chance a slightly retarded foreign exchange student under the age of 7? if not it's fine, i'll still be amused by your absurd posts.

Sommy

August 13th, 2008 at 6:09 PM ^

After doing some reading, I don't think it's terribly surprising that Threet isn't quite what we thought he would or should be.  Yes, he was an Elite 11 QB, yes, he was the #9 QB in the country, but look at the offers he was getting -- a lot of MAC schools, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, etc.  Georgia Tech was arguably the best offer he got.  I'm certainly no expert, but if you're an upper echelon four-star recruit, shouldn't you at least have one or two offers from schools that are actual football powers (Georgia Tech doesn't count, sorry)

http://michigan.rivals.com/viewprospect.asp?pr_key=44954&sport=1

Ellipses Man

August 13th, 2008 at 6:26 PM ^

I think it's just tough for a lot of to us imagine life without a Henne, Brady, Henson type figure....me included. You know Threet may be over rated. Perhaps the guy from CMU, LeFebre or however you spell it is the best QB this year in the whole STATE of MICHGAN. As a Michigan fan it is really a first I think, for me at least, to say,"Not only in experience...........but in talent.......you know I think Bobby Hoyer of MSU and that Lefevre or Lefebre or however you say it.......are probably BETTER QB's than anyone UofM has and I think that's a first for the psyche of Michigan Football." Threet or Sheridan is a toss up question........heres my thing, if you know you are going to play both of them.......which RR has almost said he would, then it shouldnt matter who starts. Look at Henne's sitch with the Dolphins........he's battling MCCLown and Beck.....then Parcells gets Chad P. back........just to groom Henne more. If RichRod could trade for one player........it'd be QB lol. But my point was.....Henne won't start, maybe Beck would in the pre season would or now in real time it's gonna be Chad Pennington(?). See we basically have,"drafted," Kevin Newsome or S. Beaver. So we're playing this hand off. So, play em both.....I just think you start Threet........

chitownblue (not verified)

August 13th, 2008 at 6:46 PM ^

KGH,

Small white guys are "scatty and savvy" by definition. Don't you read Fire Joe Morgan?

But in all seriousness, you're right. Sheridan has been termed, in virtually everything I read, as a pocket quarterback. Rod Smith, in the Rivals annual, actually said Threet was faster.

chitownblue (not verified)

August 13th, 2008 at 7:00 PM ^

Except that's contradicted by the coaches, the players, and Sheridan himself. What they said is that he's "more mobile than Threet".

I'm taller than Vern Troyer, but that doesn't mean I'm tall.

And "savvy" is a projection of our own hope/wishes. We've seen him throw something like 7 ugly passes in a spring game. We say it because he's the son of a coach and "savvy" is something people often call unathletic white players.

Ellipses Man

August 13th, 2008 at 7:06 PM ^

Threet reminds me some of a Todd Collins type guy:

http://www.nfl.com/players/toddcollins/profile?id=COL694708

http://www.mgoblue.com/football/playerbio.aspx?id=69042

Almost the same body types......

http://www.nfl.com/players/briangriese/profile?id=GRI028314

http://www.mgoblue.com/football/playerbio.aspx?id=130934

Griese at 6'3 6'2 and Sheridan at 6'1 6'0

You could say that Threet got hype for his heightRecruiters love height for factoring in success. I am not a height lover or some guy who thinks because youre tall youre going to be great. For one I am 6'6 6'7. Truth be told.....Will is the key. And in recruiting high school kids, will is tough to see. Or Desire and drive is tough to see......

I think one thing is clear to both QBs at this point and that is......there is none sexier so to speak that the other in terms of a long term 4 year tenure or marriage here. They are both needed and yet only somewhat wanted. Sadie Hawkins stand in prom dates so to speak. So if one starts, the crowd and paper may crown them the default winner. The blogs will be commenting like us here. But In realiy they both know, it's a one year deal.

I mean Terelle Pryor(?) would've started here at Michigan. But anyone who knows anything about recruiting could tell about half way through that crazy crap that he was part of the nation of ninnies......or the selling price was too high for most buyers......I'd take Sheridan or Threet over Pryor any fricking day. Bill Parcells or Bob Kraft never drafted a QB from tOSU. EVERYONE KNOWS THAT. Terelle went where he was safe, where there was a safety net. Never wouldve made it as a WOLVERINE. I think Newsome is the same way. Don't be surprised to see him with a Frank Beamer or a Butch Davis out of the blue...or VU. He does not strike me as a PRO QB either. If I was a betting man.......Tate Forcier and S. Beaver will be in combo soon. There's a reason why T. Forcier is hanging around and acting inconspicuous about Michigan.

chitownblue (not verified)

August 13th, 2008 at 7:16 PM ^

Dan, you can argue about it all you want. But Sheridan being "more mobile than threet" does not equal "a savvy scatty guy". He is a pocket passer, and has played and practiced his entire career as such. Chad Henne was fast for a QB, he ran a sub 4.5 40, but he couldn't scramble.

And "savvy" is, as I said, your projection on to him.

Michigan Arrogance

August 13th, 2008 at 7:20 PM ^

is hereby nominated for inaugural MGoBlog thread of the year.

what the hell does it matter who is named #1 QB? both are equally inexperienced. give me the guy who has proven in practice to make the right decisions and not turn the ball over.

OT: i'm glad to see that MDan is better looking in real life than what i imagined all these years.

 

kgh10

August 13th, 2008 at 8:34 PM ^

It doesn't matter obviously, but does any of the crap message boards discuss matter? I thought that was an unwritten rule of the internet.

The point if discussing it is the fact that two days ago when Sheridan was sucking and Threet was considered the frontrunner (even though the coaches said nothing denoting an advantage between either QB), people never gave the guy a second thought. Now that Sheridan has been doing better they create a bunch of magical attributes he didn't have two days ago. They are still pretty much the same guys, and that is worthy to call out and discuss.

Ellipses Man

August 13th, 2008 at 7:22 PM ^

Listen...........I know the spread and shred is here to stay in Division 1 football....but humor me for a second.......you see that Todd Collins still is in the NFL right? You see his height right? 6'4 6'5.......dude do you realize how many great and I mean GREAT DIV II and DIV I QB's NEVER............even got a WINK from an NFL squad dude because they were under 6'2..............DUDE I KNOW PLEEENTY. BUT Im not a zealot for height....I'm not fundamentalist when it comes to needing a tall QB........but listen....I doubt Pat White is going to be an NFL QB dude. So for Coach Rod And Coach Rodriguez.....so for Threet, they have a guy who is a prototypical, drop back, pocket passing Michigan QB. One who if you ran Threet at say Eastern Michigan and Sheridan at University of Michigan.........THREET, not Sheridan simply because of his height.......and height alone would get MORE NFL COMBINE LOOKS. PERIOD......He's got the IQ and the other intangibles.......QB is one of those positions where it's factored in, height that is. So RR cannot demonize Threet for two reasons.......1. He's got only Sheridan as a backup 2. He's not that fricking bad. So if, for the sake of getting the right guy or right QB in there, you take a recruit like Threet......and you RIDE him into a mental case........and Sheridan goes down.........You've got an unproven 6'0 tall kid trying to throw passes in the SHOE in NOV. At that point all hell breaks loose.

They are going to have to have a passing game! PERIOD. PERIOD. lol

You cannot throw dump passes to slot guys for a living. PERIOD. In hopes of letting them make something vertical out of something horizontal. Sorry. SO........Threet.......on virtue alone has to be included.

If you go back and watch the first TD thrown by Henne in the Outback Bowl........it's a gritty touch throw, one I did'nt see Pat White make all year. Chad Henne is getting primed to start for a Bill Parcells led Football team. Go watch RichRods reaction to that pass.....with his hand under his chin.......he looked impressed. Michigan will need over time to find a hybrid and or marriage between Pat White and Chad Henne...or Pat White and Tom Brady.....When that happens you can count the days till RR wins his first NC.

Michigan Arrogance

August 13th, 2008 at 7:23 PM ^

sheridan is more athletic. a bit faster, a bit quicker. how much 'a bit' is, IDK. either way, if he can execute the offense more successfully than the other guy, i don't care what his 40 time is, what his hight is, or whatever.

chitownblue (not verified)

August 13th, 2008 at 7:23 PM ^

ESPN: "Both potential starting quarterbacks -- Stephen Threet and Nick Sheridan -- are pass-first players with limited mobility".

Rivals: "He runs about a 4.7 and is quicker than he looks but not a running option."

Athlon: "For any speed, the Wolverines will need to turn to Freshman Justin Feagin."

chitownblue (not verified)

August 13th, 2008 at 7:25 PM ^

DanK - I'm not saying Sheridan will be bad, or if he is better, worse, or as good as Threet. I find it amusing that, based on 3 press clippings, people are 2 minutes away from turning him into David Eckstein.

Ellipses Man

August 13th, 2008 at 7:40 PM ^

The Michigan Florida bowl game last year was a perfect example of what happens when you recruit a bunch of small fast guys that places like Rivals fall in love form overly padded and manufactured high school stats. The NFL drafts size because it can coach skill. When you watch the replays of that game, the Outback Bowl that is.......you have to say to yourself....is this is in a few years.......are we the new Florida? Michigan Football was never a destination.....it was a place you went to go to get better and move forward not just move on.

What Michigan Football will need over the next two years really is what the ohio state buckeyes got the last two years in recruiting. For one an offensive and defensive line and two the QB recruits it needs. We've got slot scholarships coming out or bunghole. This current staff has gotten everything it wanted, more than the last school they coached at offered them. 1 million dollar weight room, tv shows, and so on and so on.......I hope for their sakes it pays off. Im cheering for em. 

Tacopants

August 13th, 2008 at 7:51 PM ^

I'm making a promise to myself that this is the only time I will respond.

 

1. The Capital One Bowl is different from the Outback bowl. One is in Orlando, and less mediocre than the other in Tampa.

2. We won the Capital One Bowl because everybody was finally healthy, and Florida's secondary blew. Little slot guys do not play corner and safety. Florida's offense went the length of the field several times and scored after M turnovers. It's not their offense that let them down.

3. If by being the new Florida, you mean keeping top 10 recruiting classes, getting a ton of Florida kids, getting a Percy Harvin and a Tim Tebow, winning a National Title by beating Ohio State, and generally be acknowledged to be a National Title contender year in and year out, then yes, I would like Michigan to become the next Florida.

Michael

August 14th, 2008 at 4:24 AM ^

Their offense did let them down when they couldn't complete a pass on their last drive because it's not designed to do that. Hunter does have a point: we will NEED to be able to throw the ball down field in order to win the close ones. I don't think RR is stupid and that's why he's still going after guys like Bryce McNeal.

West Texas Blue

August 13th, 2008 at 7:47 PM ^

Nothing like a good ole' QB controversy to stir up the fan base.  Guess we haven't had a QB controversy since Brady/Henson, and that was during time of dial-up, no blogs, and no organized Michigan boards.  This is definitely going to be an interesting season.

Michigan Arrogance

August 13th, 2008 at 7:59 PM ^

posts twice b/c he literally leads me down one path just to make the complete 180deg opposite conclusion i would make:

"...when you recruit a bunch of small fast guys that places like Rivals
fall in love form overly padded and manufactured high school stats.
"

 ???

Ellipses Man

August 13th, 2008 at 9:05 PM ^

The thing I was trying to say Michigan Arrogance was that if.......if you call a good game........a balanced game.......which is what MI did in the Capitol One Bowl Game.......Offensively speaking here.......it doesnt matter if you run spread and shred or POWER I football........you just have to know when and where to mix it up........Norm Chow......pretty damn good at that.........Mike DeBord.......no comment. What we saw in that last bowl game was a lot of SHOTGUN formation..how many time over the last 4 years have you seen a Michigan QB get sacked by a blitzing weakside CB??? Thisnk to Jon Navarre and USC....think Nebraska and Henne......think USC and Henne....they will flood your memory and why is this....because Pete Carroll knew MI woudlnt go from the gun even when the run wasnt working and since theyd pass off of play action you could blitz a corner and by the time the MI QB would be at his 7 step slow a foot drop back hed be eating TURF! They were at times so painfully oblivious and downright arrogant they lost games....Against FLORIDA in the bowl...almost all weret Spread and Shred formations....if not spread like plays. And by mixing it up.....a team of, well, injured or almost healed.....supposedly slower.....big time big ten lurches so to speak......who are slow a foot as our SEC brethren like to call us.......put a good whooping on ol Florida. So....when I look at recruiting.......small, quick.......slot like db/wr/rb dudes.........Im ok with it.......BUT

It's recruiting for the sake of recruiting for the spread and does not create a balance. And that is not always a good thing. Michigan showed they could play with em. What we need to recruit is balance..........we can have a few big lineman.......slower LB's......and we will........but I don't get the warm fuzzy when I look and see a roster of 5'9 4.4 dudes. I'm ok with it when it works.......

tOSU has a recruiting class in place which will keep them on top of us for at least two more years. Look at the backups........look at the recruits, look at whose starting.....were no where neat em yet. BUT........if we call a good game 

Ellipses Man

August 13th, 2008 at 8:21 PM ^

I just jope for his sake he is true to his word. As a coaching staff they said,"we will alt mod or change our attack based on who we have at those positions. We do not need a running QB in this offense." Ok.........So the first thing thats established by the new people is that what we have in stock is ok. Ok I say as I shrug my shoulders. Wilfred Brimley/Joe Tiller meanwhile is calling this dude a snake oil guy. Trying to make RR lose in the court of public opinion. And there is a way that he could. If Sheridan starts..........and does ok but not great........and then he slides........throws pics.........or something like I dont know a few loses happens.......and then they make the switch right......here comes smarty pants steve.......they go more vertical in their attack and they win. What then?? What then? You know whose gonna subversively attack RR and MI in the court of public opinion???? Ohhhhhhhh Kirky Herbstreidt..........ohhhhhh Chris Speilman..........you can almost hear em already......."I guess Coach Rodriguez saw something in Sheridan before the season started that he liked more but since the addition of Steven Threet and Michigan going back to its roots here Brent...........that they look good........perhaps they have now learned to modify their system around their talent. I mean with the loss of Ryan Mallert and really Jon Weinke they seem to be finding their passing game with Threet and thus that is opening lanes for the spread." Behind closed doors of course the recruiters will say that RichRod really did two things:

1. He was stubborn to embrace Theet and drop back Passing game and tried to do or go with what he knew......

2. He lied and didnt really change to the talent.

 

So if you go with Sheridan.........and Threet wins games for you in the long run........thats a small subtle uh oh for recruiting. Because then people will say well,"why didnt they start that guy?" Which will lead to......"Maybe he didnt really want to change his sytem...." which will lead to," I guess Tiller was somewhat right....."

And another thing with Florida..............dude..........the best team is by far USC......Florida to me is a flash in the pan so far. NC? Yeah they got one........Heisman? Yup. USC..........They got plenty of both. AND WHY? They are a more balanced program. When you have a Carson Palmer.......Matt Leinhart........pick any of their NFL wideouts.....defensive and offensive lineman.......Lofa...........its an endless list and to be honest......a more balanced and yet TRADTIONAL team. They are not a spread and shred. They are not a stubbon run left, run right, pass and pray team. They are the complete mix used almost perfectly every down they play. Florida may get there. But the jury is still out on them. If USC beats TOSU and Georgia goes undefeated.......and they wind up playing for it all.......that will be a good game. Id like to see an SEC PAC10 final this year to shut everyone up. 

 

Ellipses Man

August 13th, 2008 at 8:47 PM ^

Well heres the thing....on this blog the ripping of Nick Saban is widespread. Ok fine. But heres the thing.......whether he smoked pot, chugged cases of Jack Daniels we lost a really good pocket passer in Mallett. Dude the kid was 19. Then we lost Weinke........and now maybe we have uhhh Newsome...Newsome right........But you know Im not feeling the conviction and just utter adherence to his word from this Newsome guy.....I'm picking up some TP, some Terelle Pryor vibes.........last minute switcheroos.........you know when we brought Rich Rodiriguez on there was a known fact within the hallowed halls of he university that RR brought with him a system and that system was not what the old regime ran. And even the recruiting for that system was different. So everyone knew there was going to be some attrition and some additions that would take an adjustment phase. The worry is that the coaches said we will change our system to just keep down the attrition. Because when Mallett and Weinke said no way......we were down to slim pickings. But we knew that time would come. When TP said Id rather be a Buckeye it was a tough one for some but not for most MI fans. But with these two guys, Sheridan and Threet..........they have to make a call.......but youd hate to see them make a call with Sheridan and then Threet comes in and goes ape shit...........Thats why Id go with Threet and Sheridan in the first game......start Threet though and I think thats what will happen. I mean go with Sheridan and he wins great. Im gonna be there yelling for the kid. But first games, espeically this one, youd hate to see the fans and the players turn on Sheridan.......I dunno Id just go with Threet, cautiously, but with Threet. Simply because if Threet bombs, psychologically the guys on the team will rally to get through Nicks drama as he learns. The defense will rally around him. Sheridan could be a huge rallying point.

Ellipses Man

August 13th, 2008 at 9:19 PM ^

Im not on meth fool.

I'm passionate..........

One thing I think.........for this year is that the TE's will have an above average statistical year. If you look at BYU.......and what they've done with their TE core.........and they basically do what Rich Rodriguez does over there.......TE's are the biggest part of their spread and shred package........And I think the reason is......when your QB'ing the spread and you go through your line check downs and then the play starts.........you.........see the CB take away your A and B route and then the MIKE LB takes away yourt slot dump pass........if and this is a big if for us as Michigan fans........if you have a smart TE...who can read defenses.......and he can sit down between the LB and the FS, you can dump to them. Now BYU has some scholarly dudes at TE and if Im not mistaken they are also a preseason top 15 nationally ranked football team. And their use of the TE Is well known. So I think Kroger, Watson....Webb and uhhh the dorm room guy Carson Butler........if they can read defenses.......they'll save our season. In the spread, defenses key on the slot and then key  RB when they establish the QB cannot run. Ok......so basically your TE becomes an extension of the QB.......with no Pat White......the TE is almost taught to read the LB and FS to get a sort of pop pass which is ummm the equivalent of having a running QB. So I hope with no real running threat..........that you see MI TE's have a monster year......Massey actually might look stellar if hes the guy or the starter. Because those guys are the release valve in this version of the spread. If you you tube some BYU you'll see it. 

Yeah no meth, just overly passionate typing at work so Im moving quick 

Michigan Arrogance

August 13th, 2008 at 8:49 PM ^

i think i finally understand what you're saying. but the answer to the question, "why didnt they start that guy?" will be that 'that guy' wasn't as accurate and made bad decisions with the ball in camp. 

the thing i don't get is this: why are these 2 Qbs considered to reside at opposite ends of the spectrum? i mean, if Navarre is 1 and Mike Vick is 100, i get the sense that sheridan is like 55 and Threet is a 45. why do people think sheridan is an 85 and threet a 15? (i hope it's obvious that i'm not talking talent/NCAA09 scale in this metric, but rather 'style of QBing' independent of talent)

and it's the same with the offense... one QB will not have a greatly different package than the other. because (IMO) both are closer in skill sets than most think, i think the offense is essentially INDEP of the QB (removing CB23 and Feagin aside). therefore, what it comes down to is this: which can run this offense more successfully? that means which is more accurate, makes better decisions, holds on to the ball and yes, which can make a little something out of nothing with their legs or their arm or their pocket presence or whatev.

 

Musket Rebellion

August 13th, 2008 at 9:27 PM ^

If Michael Hunter represents the future of the English language then my degree is about to be completely unnecessary. Although if English is about to go the way of Latin then at least Hunter is funny about it.

Ellipses Man

August 13th, 2008 at 9:25 PM ^

I am actually a screenwriting major and it ruined me. LOL. My teachers all said the goal of screenwriting is to write like you talk since no one speaks in perfect english. So throw away your strunk and whites now and write like crap and you'll make it in this business. It's reall y no excuse though...I just have little time to blog and I love this site.....so I just quick throw it up. By the time the season starts I'll have my mojo condensed and grammatical ;) If that is even a word lol Im all spirit brother, take me for who I am lol