Rich Rodriguez: All three Michigan Quarterbacks "Look Like They’re Going to Play in the Opener."

by Maize n Brew Dave on Aug 24, 2009 10:52 AM CDT Comment 13 comments

No. No no. No no no no no nononononono.... gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

Asplode3_medium

Rich. Please. I'm begging you. Please stop saying things like this:

"In what order and how many, I couldn’t tell you," Rodriguez said. "Right now, all three of [Michigan's Quarterbacks] look like they’re going to play in the opener."

I can't take it. It's killing me. Look. I understand Nick Sheridan put in the work last year. Heck, he probably does have a better grip on the play book than Tate Forcier or Denard Robinson. But you will never be able to convince me that in a game situation he's anything other than completely overmatched rec league player we saw last year. Barwis or otherwise.

My complaint is more execution based. Sheridan has all the breakaway speed of a three legged turtle and the arm strength of a can of peas. He's just not a good fit. Period. Tate and Denard? Both are faster. Hell I'd take Denard's arm right now over Sheridan's because it comes included with his legs. Forcier's got a better arm, better feet and is less likely to get get sacked for a safety. All you have to do is look at the stats, man!

Stats Overview	Passing
YEAR	CMP	ATT	YDS	CMP%	YPA	LNG	TD	INT	SACK	RAT
2008	63	137	613	46.0	4.47	45	2	5	6	81.08

Rich, this happened last year. Sheridan was "better" in practice than Threet. So he (urp...) started. Look at the history, man. It's a mirage. Sheridan is not a starting D1 quarterback. Don't do this to us again. Let the kids play. Sheridan is, at best, an insurance policy. Seriously. In one week of practice, Robinson had touchdown runs of 58, 68 and 72 yards. How many of those has Sheridan chipped in? I'm going to go out on a limb here and say none. I've seen last year's footage, Forcier's arm strength is double Sheridan's, and plus, he's accurate on the run! You were at the Spring game. Don't you remember the 60 yard bomb Tate threw to Stonum? Sheridan's longest completion last year was a 45 yard screen pass.

I know you don't want to tip your hand. I know you've gotta feed some misinformation to our opponents. I get it. But please. At least wink when you say it. Give us some kind of warning. My ticker can't take much more of that.

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I see this as some what of a slap in the face to WMU in a sense that by playing all 3 QBs Rich thinks it gives them the best chance to beat the Broncos.

by Avalanche318 on Aug 24, 2009 11:17 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Let's All Take a Deep Breath!

“Right now, all three of [Michigan’s Quarterbacks] look like they’re going to play in the opener.” What does “right now” mean? Well, it doesn’t mean come September 5 all three will play. It means only, at this very moment, Rich Rod is not willing to name a starter, for whatever reason. Nowhere in this statement did Rich Rod say all three WILL play in the opener. All three won’t—I’m positive of that. Rich Rod has forced himself into saying these kind of things. He preaches compeition and he really wants it—at every position—because he believes it makes everyone better. And that’s probably truer for freshman QBs. He wants everyone, except for the known quantities like B. Graham, O. Ezeh, S. Schilling, D. Warren, etc., to feel like they have to compete on each and every play in practice to earn a starting position. Rich Rod thinks the team is better served in Fall camp if each quarterback thinks he has a shot to start. Especially when we still have two full weeks of practice left.

Tate will be named the starter soon. Rich Rod just can’t say it yet. I’d be alarmed by this comment if it didn’t come on media day and it came only days before September 5.

Please don’t blow yourself up.

by k-raw on Aug 24, 2009 12:10 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Your taking this out of context. He wants to see the quarterbacks develop. Yes, there may be a time when Sheridan may need to see the field, but rest assured it will be the lightning speed of Robinson burning down the field and the accurate arm of Tate, and not Sheridan when the season starts.

by JC314 on Aug 24, 2009 12:13 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

At least there are decent options...

There “have been more big plays generated by the offense in practice this camp compared to last year, and the quarterbacks have been part of that success.” Hooray!

http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/08/23/whos-michigans-qb-good-question/

by M. Katz on Aug 24, 2009 12:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I know there's coach speak involved here

So no one needs to worry about me going postal, but we all “knew” Rich would play Threet going into last year and instead we got Sheridan.

Mind you I’m confident that Forcier or Robinson takes the majority of the snaps this year, but last year’s Sheridan debacle is still etched in my corneas. But him throwing it out there as saying all three will play just makes me cringe. There are better ways to say nothing if that’s his intent.

I’ll breathe easier when I see Tate or Denard under center to start against WMU. All the camp reports I get seem to indicate that’ll be what happens. But until I see it or hear it definitely, I’m going to be a little apprehensive.

Maize n Brew
Because Football is Better with Beer

by Maize n Brew Dave on Aug 24, 2009 12:32 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Maybe....

…Rich is just confident that we’re gonna blow them out of the stadium so there will be plenty of mop-up time for Sheridan. Huah? Huah??? Huah.

Road Games

by Reed97 on Aug 24, 2009 12:39 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Apparently it was a joke

Indeed, Rodriguez seems to have said the opposite. From MGoBlog’s summary of his comments:

The QB situation should be settled by the first game, but probably not long before it. Note: The “all 3 QBs will take snaps” AP article floating around is really disingenuous. The only time Rodriguez mentioned such a thing was a joke that all 3 would play at the same time. While it wouldn’t surprise me if all three guys took some snaps against Western, this current talk is really much ado about nothing.

by Rasmus on Aug 24, 2009 1:06 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Hmm, watched the video

on MGoBlue, which is just excerpts. The joke about all three playing together is cut out. My guess is that is came right before the quoted comment, which seem like a follow-up to something like that.

And note the Freep article leaves out his further comment — that the game is “two weeks out” and “a lot is going to happen in those two weeks.” He definitely did not say that all three would play in the opener — only that “right now” (i.e., yesterday) it was still a possibility.

Sheridan has always been the only option other than the freshmen, so his spot as backup is set — if he gets playing time early on, it’s just to get him ready to take over if it comes to that.

Maybe all he’s really saying is that Shoelace is still in contention for the starting job?

by Rasmus on Aug 24, 2009 2:51 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think

the quote was a way to end all of the asking about who will be the starter… I don’t take it too seriously.

We shall return to Galactic Days standing strong, and unafraid, we'll carry on...

by Pinchy The Lobster on Aug 24, 2009 3:56 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

He qualified the hell out of his statement...

with “right now” and “a lot can happen in two weeks”.

I ain’t skeered.

GO BLUE! http://www.maizenbrew.com/

by SCM on Aug 24, 2009 4:54 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

All three quarterbacks will not play!

I think RR is just giving Western Michigan something extra to think about. Do they prepare for the guy with the most experience, the guy who throws the best or the guy who runs like a deer? Its good strategy. I’m sure by game time he will have one guy he feels is his best chance for success, which I feel is Tate. If he begins to struggle, then he’ll make a switch. Thats my two cents. MichiganMichael

by MichiganMichael on Aug 24, 2009 7:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

When will you learn...

Rich Rodriguez is a terrible talent evaluator!! He didn’t start either Pat White or Steve Slaton until they were forced in due to injuries. Slaton ran for five touchdowns in three quarters as an injury fill in against Louisville as a freshman, AND DIDNT START THE NEXT WEEK!! Coach Rod may be Rich… but he is still a ROD!!

by Go Blue Chunks on Aug 26, 2009 12:57 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs