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Home > Blogs > Buckeyes Beat > Archives > 2009 > February > 17
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
More kid QBs coming at Michigan
The quarterback situation was difficult at Michigan last season.
Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press wants you to know that 2009 could be even worse.
When Steven Threet announced he was transferring away from Michigan after one season of splitting time as the starter, the Wolverines were sent back to the QB drawing board. Except this time, the cupboard of experience is even more bare.
From Snyder:
But with Sheridan the only returning QB with significant experience — and his early-season decision making did not inspire confidence — Rodriguez and quarterbacks coach Rod Smith basically will have to start over, making last year a major loss.
And it’s not like last year was considered a major victory in the first place.
Nick Sheridan battled Threet for the starting job last year, but he was a walk-on, and he doesn’t fit well into coach Rich Rodriguez’ spread offense. So the question becomes, what does Michigan have in its two incoming QB recruits, Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson?
Good news: They’re respected recruits. Bad news: They’re still freshmen.
Forcier is a 6-foot-1, 185-pounder from San Diego and Scripps Ranch High School. If you want to know more about him, you can check out his very own Web site, which includes an entertaining section with scanned copies of his scholarship offer letters, including the letter from Rodriguez.
Robinson is a 6-foot, 180-pounder from Deerfield Beach, Fla. And, he was highly recruited, to the point that he could delay his decision until signing day.
Rodriguez himself made quite a pitch during a line of coaching visits leading up to signing day:
Just look at last week, when a parade of coaches came through Robinson’s living room. On Tuesday, Meyer showed up to make his pitch. Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin also was there on Tuesday.
From Wednesday through Thursday, Georgia coach Mark Richt, Auburn coach Gene Chizik and Central Florida coach George O’Leary visited. On Saturday, the entire Michigan offensive coaching staff showed up.
Rodriguez has told Robinson he can be the next White, a speedy, all-purpose quarterback who starred for Rodriguez at West Virginia. Rodriguez has no one like White at Michigan, and he has made it clear that Robinson could start as a freshman.
Indeed, he might have to.
