Queen of the Big House Speaks

[Rockie]

Angelique S. Chengelis
U-M can't afford to start another freshman quarterback

So former Inkster star Devin Gardner has enrolled at Michigan, and the potentially next great quarterback will participate in spring practice and compete for the starting job this fall.

Operative word: Compete.

This is good news for the Wolverines, who need as much competition as possible at every position and definitely need depth at quarterback. Having never seen Gardner play in person, my understanding is he's very gifted and could become something special.

Operative word: Could.

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Clearly, Gardner, who began classes last Tuesday, wants to be the starting quarterback this fall. He's said so, and going through spring drills, which start in March, is a strong head start toward reaching that goal.

Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez has repeatedly said competition is wide open at all positions, and no one is suggesting it should be otherwise. But the reality is this: Would it be in Michigan's best interest to start a first-year quarterback for the third straight season?

After seasons of 3-9 and 5-7, breaking in a freshman quarterback cannot be high on Rodriguez's to-do list. Gardner should be given every chance to compete and succeed, as should sophomore backup Denard Robinson, but the starting job at quarterback should belong to sophomore Tate Forcier, assuming he continues to make progress.

Stick with the sophomores
Rodriguez didn't have a choice last year. Nick Sheridan started four games in 2008, but the junior didn't have the tools -- although he certainly understood it -- to run Rodriguez's offense. That left freshmen Forcier and Robinson. Forcier enrolled early, and after an injury to Sheridan, took the majority of snaps during spring practice. Robinson arrived on campus last summer.

And so it began with Forcier earning the job and keeping it the entire season. He battled injuries and had his share of highlights and lowlights. But logic says Forcier and Robinson should improve this season. Logic also says they'll be the quarterbacks this fall, Forcier the starter and Robinson the backup (who should, by the way, be used a bit more liberally than last year).

It's always exciting to see what freshmen can bring to the table, and we know Rodriguez doesn't shy away from playing them their first season. We also know there's considerable interest in seeing what Gardner can do, but even before he takes his first snap in March, can he really do better than Forcier and Robinson?

Better question: Are Michigan fans willing to go through another season of a freshman quarterback making typical freshman mistakes when there are two sophomores who already have gone through their share of freshmen mistakes?

The answer: It has to be in everyone's best interest to wait until at least 2011 to usher in the Devin Gardner Era.



From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100123/OPINION03/1230386/1131/sports0201/U-M-can-t-afford-to-start-another-freshman-quarterback#ixzz0dXl3zFGd

[joeismyname]

I agree with this 100%. Both Tate and Denard showed many flashes of brilliance last season, and they should absolutely improve, especially Tate. I still want Devin to compete so he gets better, but Freshmen QB's are just destined to make huge mistakes in crucial moments because they have not learned how to finish out games and win in college....we all thought Tate was the exception to that rule, and how quickly that turned on us. They say Devin is like a Terrelle Pryor or Vince Young clone, which is awesome, but Vince wasn't prominent until his Junior season and Terrelle made tons of mistakes his freshmen season. Both those guys had way better rosters surrounding them as well. We should not start Devin next year unless it is absolutely necessary, but I guess in the end it RR's decision, I hope it's the right one.

[ironhide]

It is fantastic that Devin will be here in the spring! IT can only make us that much better!
As for who will be the Qb, that is where the point is missed. Who moves the team the best in the summer will start. Period. That may not be for the whole season, for a whole game, or even for a whole series.
Devin and Tate will bring different gifts to the table. Tate is the passer, and before he INJURED his shoulder (glenoid labrium tears should sideline a QB but he kept trying) he was clearly special. We have yet to see just how good Tate can throw the ball. The player he was against ND was not the player we saw against OSU. The difference was the injury. OSU did not dominate us with their defense. Devin, on the other hand, can flat out fly. He is the runner and the slasher. He is not as fast as Terelle Pryor, but his arm NOW is stronger than his OSU counterpart. Go on you tube, he is making 70 yard laser strikes in HS that Pryor cannot do in college.
So we may again see a platoon, but it is clear that the offenses in college football must ramp up the surprise factor as the defenses have caught up to the spread hybrids and have clearly gone past the 1990's pro style. This year brought the wildcat play. Look to see Tate and Devin, or Tate and Denard lining up together in the same backfield. What's going to happen then?
One thing about RR and Calvin Magee, they will do some wild and crazy Sh_T with that offense!

[Columbusisawhore]

I agree with this article for the most part. I think Tate was able to show flashes of brilliance earlier in the year BEFORE HIS INJURY, and will be very effective as a QB with this extra year of size and conditioning. He's already got the game experience and I think he's the logical choice to start this year. No doubt that Devin Gardner is a special talent coming out of HS, BUT HE IS A FRESHMAN AND HE WILL MAKE FRESHMAN MISTAKES. Where I have a problem is with Denard Robinson... IMO he needs to be the #3 option at QB, but see the field as a hybrid slot receiver/RB like a Percy Harvin. If you can get him in space, Robinson will make phenomenal plays. D-Rob has to know that if he wants to make it in the NFL he won't be doing it at QB bottom line, again IMO i believe the coaching staff could make this a big selling point to keep him happy and get this kid involved.

[1OSUNUT]

You guys say you cannot replace Tate with Gardner this year - but it would be even harder to replace him the next two. This year Tate is only a sophmore with one year of experience - next year he will be a junior with two years, and so on. The more years Tate is your QB - the harder it will be to replace him in fear of regressing or breaking team chemistry. How do you replace an experienced guy with a player as green as Gardner will be ? RR cannot afford to have another season like the two he just had - and that will almost be a sure thing if Gardner starts. I don't think he becomes your starter untill Tate leaves or gets injured.

[Columbusisawhore]

You guys say you cannot replace Tate with Gardner this year - but it would be even harder to replace him the next two. This year Tate is only a sophmore with one year of experience - next year he will be a junior with two years, and so on. The more years Tate is your QB - the harder it will be to replace him in fear of regressing or breaking team chemistry. How do you replace an experienced guy with a player as green as Gardner will be ? RR cannot afford to have another season like the two he just had - and that will almost be a sure thing if Gardner starts. I don't think he becomes your starter untill Tate leaves or gets injured.

There's always the possibility of red-shirting Gardner to get an extra year of eligibility out of him. In that case, he'd probably be the backup to Tate in 2011 and 2012, and would be primed to come in his junior year with three years already in the system (conditioning, offense, etc), more mature and able to run the offense. This option also puts a QB with an extra year of experience and conditioning behind center for the season. I think Tate post-Indiana/Iowa is not the Tate Forcier you will see when he's back to 100% in the fall. This would be an option for BUILDING THIS PROGRAM FOR THE FUTURE.

[tpilews]

There's always the possibility of red-shirting Gardner to get an extra year of eligibility out of him. In that case, he'd probably be the backup to Tate in 2011 and 2012, and would be primed to come in his junior year with three years already in the system (conditioning, offense, etc), more mature and able to run the offense. This option also puts a QB with an extra year of experience and conditioning behind center for the season. I think Tate post-Indiana/Iowa is not the Tate Forcier you will see when he's back to 100% in the fall. This would be an option for BUILDING THIS PROGRAM FOR THE FUTURE.

Yes, I think this is the ideal route to take with Tate/Gardner. Well, this is what you want at every position, ideally.