University of Michigan Quarterback Denard Robinson --- Is He For Real?

As a college football fanatic, I love watching young men play a game that has more weekly twists and turns than a Formula-1 auto race. I see more big plays per game in college football than the NFL by a long shot and many are just jaw dropping.

But how often do you see a relative unknown player make play after play from the quarterback position that either make you exclaim “Wow!” or leave you speechless? I'll bet not often, but after 2 weekends of play, there has been one such player that has gone from anonymity to household name to potential Heisman Trophy candidate.

Let's meet Denard Robinson, University of Michigan quarterback.

According to Bleacher Report, Robinson was highly recruited out of Florida high school football by such schools as Florida, Georgia, Kansas State, and Michigan. The sophomore signal caller was the backup to incumbent Tate Forcier last season before wresting the job this season.

Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez recruited Robinson because he believed he could run the spread option offense much like his former star quarterback Pat White when he was the head man at the University of West Virginia.

Why have coaches, opponents, teammates, and fans alike gone gaga over this young man? Let's look at the first 2 weeks.

In the Wolverines season opener at home versus Connecticut, Denard completed 19 of 22 passes for 186 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed for 197 yards on 29 carries for a total of 383 yards of total offense. Michigan defeated Uconn 30-10.

Last week at Notre Dame, Robinson broke the single game total offense record by toting the ball another 29 times for 258 yards and completing 24 of 40 passes for 244 yards. That's 502 yards of total offense...Five hundred and two! That's also believed to be a single game record in FBS history.

In a USA Today article written by Nicole Auerbach, Florida head coach Urban Meyer proclaimed Robinson as the best player in the country, or one of them. Said Meyer, "I haven't seen everybody play, but I watched that one. That was ridiculous. We recruited him hard, too. We knew he was a dynamic player and a good person."

After Connecticut's loss to Michigan, Huskies' boss Randy Edsall quipped, "Denard Robinson is going to make people look bad."

Wolverine coach Rich Rodriguez was asked about Robinson's heavy workload. His response was, "Everybody says you can't run your quarterback 20-something times a game." Then Rodriguez fired, "Well, do they say that when you hand it off to Barry Sanders? 'You can't run Barry Sanders 20-something times a game.' If you can handle it, you can handle it."

What do I think of Denard Robinson? I believe that he is a dynamic runner and a good field general. Like many spread option quarterbacks, he could improve his passing accuracy, although his numbers tell a different story. My greatest concern is that he could wear down under the rigors of such Big Ten defenses, particularly Iowa, Penn State, Wisconsin, and arch rival Ohio State.

As far as the Heisman Trophy? I would think not this season, but in 2011, he will definitely be a top candidate
for the award.

Enjoy!

Dick

Send email to dlafrance2@207me.com

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May The Forcier Be With You

I had a chance to play 9 holes of golf mid Saturday afternoon under gray skies. I didn't play particularly well, however anytime on the course is a good time in early September. After golf, I knew I was to get home in the middle of the Notre Dame/Michigan football game, hoping Notre Dame was flattening the Wolverines at Michigan Stadium --- "The“Big House” in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Much to my chagrin,The University of Michigan was hanging in there, not knowing they had jumped out to an early lead and the Irish coming back. I saw that Michigan was running the ball effectively in the first half and took it to Notre Dame right up the middle. I thought nothing of this, knowing that the true freshman quarterback of Michigan was just to manage the game.

To nobody's surprise, the game was tied at close at the half with the Irish holding a slim 20-17 lead.. The second half was sure to be a barn burner. But nobody could have predicted who the hero of the game would be. It was that true freshman quarterback for Michigan that was to manage the game.

Enter Tate Forcier.

Forcier, a true freshman from Scripps Ranch High School in San Diego, CA was highly regarded by Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez. Forcier was thought to be mobile with his feet, an accurate arm, and very confident even though he is a smallish 6' 1” 185 pounder. Exactly the type of quarterback Coach Rodriguez needs to run his offense, the spread option.

Was Tate all of that in the second half? Boy, was he ever and then some.

Forcier was as calm and collected as any player I have seen in a freshman in many, many years...including one Tim Tebow. I cannot remember Forcier being frustrated once during half number two and had the guts of a cat burglar. He stood up in the face of a fierce Fighting Irish pass rush and in the 3rd quarter he led the Wolverines to the lead with a 3 yard touchdown pass.

Oh, but the best was yet to come. The fourth was as amazing as they come.

With Michigan driving to the Notre Dame 31 yard line, Forcier dropped back to pass on a 4th and 3 play, and was under duress from the Irish pass rush. He spotted a seam up the middle and put a move on Irish linebacker Darius Fleming that left him dead in his tracks. Thirty one yards later, Michigan was up 31-20. Bedlam in Ann Arbor as most believed the game was salted away.

But as former Indiana head coach and now ESPN commentator Lee Corso would say “Not so fast, my friend.” as Notre Dame scored two TD's to regain the lead at 34-31. The Irish had the ball with less than 3 minutes to go and basically one 1st down away from victory. Notre dame ran on 1st down for no gain then tried two passes that fell incomplete. After the punt, Michigan had 2:13 left to either tie or win the game.

Forcier never flinched during the final drive completing six of seven including a huge 2nd and 15 completion for 11 yards followed by a six yard completion for the 1st down and a clock stoppage. After a dropped pass that would have won the game, Forcier coolly completed the 5 yard game winner to Greg Mathews. Indeed, a star was born!

After the game ended a few ticks later and “The Big House” rocking, young Tate Forcier was interviewed by reporters and said “I don't get nervous”. That was apparent, wasn't it?

Yes indeed, a new star was born in Ann Arbor, MI on Saturday September 12, 2009. Any college football fan would hope this star can stay healthy and University of Michigan fans hope he will be the quarterback for 4 years and a Bowl Championship Series (BCS) national title.

Welcome to major college football Mr. Tate Forcier.

Send email to dlafrance2@207me.com