Justin Feagin
So I have been reading this board for sometime and this will be my first post.
What im wondering is whats up with Justin Feagin? He obviously isnt a fantastic QB, but with our lack of depth at the position I thought we'd at least have heard a little here and there about him. If not at QB then maybe slot?
Anyone have any info? Seems like somebody fast and athletic would at least get some playing time or a shot at it.
According to RR he just doesn't have the arm strength or accuracy to be a legit threat to play at QB. He did a little Wildcat last year. Denard Robinson will take that role in 2009.
Justin doesn't have natural WR instincts either. I was told this by an insider I have no knowledge myself of this. Hopefully he finds a role on the team.
April 20th, 2009 at 11:02 PM ^
He will compete with Tate for that starting position. Tate got a head start on this kid. But he is still a baller.
April 20th, 2009 at 11:04 PM ^
Let me be the first to openly count out Denard Robinson.
Barring injury, Denard Robinson will not be our starting quarterback in 2009.
There. I said it.
April 20th, 2009 at 11:24 PM ^
Agreed.
I hope that D-Rob does well, and it's hard to definitively count him seeing as we've never seen him play, but I doubt he'll be AS GOOD or BETTER than Tate.
I really don't get how people that haven't ever seen a kid play can can confidently proclaim that he'll be a factor once he gets to college, especially at QB. The proper stance with any freshman kid at any position is "I hope", not "I know" or even "I think". Colleges are littered with kids who didn't work out, and nothing is less sure than projecting from HS to college.
Of course, you could take my position to mean that I'd disagree with Magnus saying he won't start, but I think that's justified because most schools didn't even recruit Denard as a quarterback, making projecting him even more doubtful than usual.
Go Blue Wolverine magazine, published by Rivals, there is a blurb saying, in summary, that Feagin showed marked improvement in his comprehension and execution of the offense, to the point that he is a viable 3rd string, or clean-up QB. If this is true, and not written to pander to the partisans, that would be great for depth, and practice squads.
hmmm..then why did we see Kennedy instead of Feagin? Not to say that Kennedy didnt suprise me, but a legit 3rd stringer youd think would get some playing time in the spring game.
had mono nucleosis
makes sense, thanks
seems like a waste to even have him on the team if he has no role then?
special teams it is then!
Feagin spent all of last fall practicing to be a QB. After a period of time, it was determined by the coaches that he was more useful in the slot, and began playing there.
Because he hadn't practiced at the position, at all, he was behind everyone else. IIRC, he did get on the field some on kick coverage teams at this point.
When Threet got hurt, and our QB depth chart became Sheridan and Cone, Feagin was forced to STOP practicing as a slot, and start practicing as a QB. He got into the last 3 games as a QB, but never threw a pass.
He will end up being a slot, but he got jerked around positions for situations out of his and the coaches control. In terms of him being a QB, the fact that they refused to allow him to throw pass when we down 30+ to OSU in the 4th quarter should tell you all you need to know about their faith in his arm.
@ therealtruth - thanks, very informative
I was wondering where he was the last few practices. Mono would splain it. After Sheridan got hurt, Feagin was working with the qbs. Watching practice videos and from everything I read, it seems Feagin has great "ball-handling" skills and very good running ability, but as mentioned above, can't pass worth a lick and never will. I say his best contribution to team would be as scout team qb, emergency game qb and/or one or two play change of pace guy. The real question: can he tackle? Because boy do we need help at safety.
has the size to play safety, and M seems to have stocked the cupboard w/ slots receivers, so why not. He was recruited by Miami and Florida (I think) so he must have athletic. I still wont give up on him as a QB, but after watching Tate in the spring, it seems clear that Tate is the future QB at UM.
The question becomes, b/t Feagin and Sheridan, "who you got"?
April 20th, 2009 at 10:55 PM ^
With such little depth at QB, I doubt Feagin will play defensive back at any point in his career. He obviously possesses some talent on the offensive side of the ball, and if there were an injury or two at QB, it's easier to move back to QB from wide receiver than it would be from safety.
He burned his redshirt last year, and he needs to be there for depth this year. And even though Sheridan obviously isn't a great QB, he could graduate after this year, meaning the QBs would be Forcier, Robinson, and Gardner (plus any other Class of 2010 kids). That's still not a ton of depth.
Anyway, I think Feagin is an offensive player for good. And if he ever switches to safety, that's bad news because it means Williams, Bell, Emilien, Gordon, etc. haven't worked out back there...
April 20th, 2009 at 11:27 PM ^
I thought when he started playing in games it basically disregarded the redshirt he had claimed?
Maybe I'm just wrong about it.
I just thought if you redshirt someone but then they end up playing that year, it's like the redshirt never happened, it just counts as a year off of the eligibility.
April 20th, 2009 at 11:29 PM ^
You're right.
When he started playing in games, he kissed his potential redshirt goodbye. Unless he redshirts in the next three years, his last season will be 2011.
April 20th, 2009 at 11:47 PM ^
the poster not understanding the phrase "burned his redshirt." If so, in this case, "burned" means wasted, or not used. If that wasn't the confusion, then I guess I don't get it either...
Yep.
Seriously, what do we have to lose at this point?
Welcome to mgoblog.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv5RQyV3OWQ
That The Coner will not give up holding the clip board for Feagin.
I am thinking that if RR has not put him in that spot to throw yet there is a reason but I was just thinking it might be kind of cool to see RR run a trick play like Carr did in the ILL game in '07 where Manningham got a pass in the backfield and then threw to Arrington in the endzone. Something like that would be pretty cool to see and if the D does not expect it, it could work, or might be worth a try anyway.
The QB situation should be fine after this year, so Feagin won't be needed for depth, and should have a chance to go to the other side of the ball if he wants to. It's not like UM doesn't need depth at safety.
If Feagin feels "lost in the shuffle," I am guessing that he transfers out after this season. He was too good and too hyped in high school to feel that he should stay at UM and not play. I would imagine that he gives it this season before transferring "home" to FAU or FIU.
All in all, this is good for UM. It is an indication that the talent level is creeping back to "normal" in Ann Arbor.
After this year, we'll have a maximum of four QB's (Forcier, Robinson, Gardner, whoever). Gardner and Whoever won't have taken any snaps, and it's not even clear that Robinson will stay at QB. I don't think they can afford for Feagin to switch after this year.
If we have four QBs, that should suffice. A frosh with no experience but actual QB skill is better than a guy with a tiny bit of experience (it was a few dozen snaps, no more) and poor QB skills. If Feagin can contribute more on D, they'll put him there, and he can take his redshirt while he learns the position.