2B - January 25, 2010
The M
Devin Gardner is not
next year's savior
So, Devin Gardner is officially on
campus - but be careful what you
wish for, Wolverine fans. He's not
the answer for next season.
Sure, he's tal-
ented, and his
running abili-
ties are a step
up compared
to Tate Forcier
in Rich Rodri-
guez's spread-
option attack.
Sure, in a few ANDY
years, with his REID
natural athletic
ability, Gardner
has the potential to leave his mark
on Michigan football history.
But he needs to sit next year.
If Gardner doesn't redshirt -
which would make him the first
quarterback in the Rodriguez era
with enough time to fully learn
the complicated offensive scheme
before being thrust onto the field
- it's going to negatively affect the
quality of the position in the long
run.
And, if you think about it, the
best possible scenario for the Wol-
verines would be if they were in a
position to sit Gardner, anyway.
That would mean that Forcier
continues to progress through the
spring and summer, becoming
more comfortable in the pocket and
reading defenses.
It would mean that he gets big-
ger, stronger and faster in another
year of strength and conditioning
under coordinator Mike Barwis's
rigid system.
And it would mean Michigan has
some consistency at the quarter-
back position - not another over-
whelmed first-year starter. That's
something maize-and-blue fans
completely took for granted during
Chad Henne's illustrious career. Or
even John Navarre's for that mat-
ter, though some might not look on
him fondly.
Next season, then, Denard Rob-
inson should stay at quarterback
- for at least one more year. He's
not the best option, but, barring
an injury to Forcier in which case
you could burn Gardner's redshirt
if it became necessary. He's a solid
backup quarterback with a great
change-of-pace running style.
That way, Gardner has two
seasons (2011 and '12) to back up
Forcier and play a Denard-like,
two-drive-a-game role (and, who
knows, possibly wrestle the start-
ing job away from him) and learn
the offense the right way.
Wolverine nation, I understand
that you're upset and want to win
right now. But Gardner isn't the
answer - this season.
How is another freshman quar-
terback going to solve anything?
He's talented, but the "freshman
moments" that plagued Forcier
last season aren't going to just
magically disappear. Henne was
an exception, not the norm, and
a freshman Gardner - no matter
how many Vince Young compari-
sons are thrown around by over-
excited national recruiting analysts
- would have plenty of cringe-wor-
thy mistakes if he's forced to start
next season.
Give him time to learn the
offense.
I think Rodriguez knows that
this would be the right decision.
But I'm worried that, under the
extreme pressure to perform in his
third season the helm, the coach
will be forced to make bold and
rash choices, including pulling the
gun on his ace recruit, which would
hinder not only Gardner's develop-
ment but also the team's future.
And it's not like the alternative is
a bad move.
I have full confidence that Forci-
er is going to be a good quarterback
at Michigan. He's got the skills,
poise and moxie to lead this offense,
given he has a talented surrounding
cast, which the Wolverines should
have next season.
I know it's tough, but hang in
there. PlayingGardner prematurely
would prove to be a very bad move.
- Reid can be reached at
andyreidpumich.edu.
0
lichigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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AARON AUGSBURGER/Daily
ds second place by over 100 steals, and
n surpassing the fifth-place finish at the
h established West Coast schools.
to win 9-4.
After struggling against UCLA,
fifth-year senior May put on a
quite a show, one that places her
second on the all-time saves list
with 429.
"I knew I could do better," May
said about the UCLA game.
"May by far was the differ-
ence," Anderson said afterthe win
over the Aztecs. "She knew she
was going to play against SDSU.
I'm fine with mistakes, just learn
from them and you'll get another
opportunity."
Senior captain Leah Robertson surpassed the 300-steal mark in the Wolverines opening weekend of the season. Robertson lea
she still has an entire season ahead ofther. Robertson's defense will be a key part of Michigan's success this season if they plano
NCAA Championship last season. By defeating San Diego State this weekend, the Wolverines proved that they can compete wit
KICKOFF
From page 1 B
Anderson said. "It pertains to a
message I tell the players, it is
about the program. Not the indi-
viduals, not themselves, but the
program."
The air was tense as the 2-0
Wolverines jumped in for a 9:15
Sunday morning matchup against
the five-time defending national
champion Bruins (3-1), who were
responsible for Michigan's early
exit last year from the NCAA
tournament. The third-ranked
Bruins entered the game rattled
after an unexpected loss to sev-
enth-ranked San Diego State.
Trailing by two in the second,
Michigan went.on a 4-0 run aided
by two UCLA turnovers.
The two-goal lead was short
lived, however, as the Bruins
scored three times including a
half-court buzzer-beater to go up
6-5 at halftime.
UCLA went on to win 10-7. But
the game was promising for the
Wolverines, considering in the
previous four meetings, the Bru-
ins had won by at least six goals.
"We're on the same level as
them now," Robertson said.
Coming off their first loss of the
season, the Wolverines took on
No. 7 San Diego State (3-1), which
was hot off of an upset victory
over UCLA.
The Wolverines were led by
freshmen Golden and Colton, who
combined for five goals. Thanks
to a dominant performance in net
from May, the Wolverines went on
m _I *-- 1 --- -1_ 1 T -T 1__ _ --
i nlrQ-ranKea vvolverines avenge
previous loss, defeat Nittany Lions
Pair of Wolverines grab
U.S. ice dancing crown
Cameron and
Kelley lead 'M' with
six top-three finishes
between them
By CAITLIN SMITH
DailySports Writer
Junior Chris Cameron ended his
routine, let out a shout of enthusi-
asm while holding up a victorious
fist and sprinted over toa line of his
teammates, waiting for high-fives.
It was only the first rotation, but
Cameron celebrated his 15.40 floor
performance as if he knew the
Wolverines were going to finish
the day with a win.
No. 3 Michigan did indeed
beat No. 6 Penn State in front of
a crowd of nearly 700 fans. Last
year, the Wolverines fell to the Nit-
tany Lions by just hundredths of
a point. But yesterday, Michigan
held a comfortable 10-point lead
throughout most of the match and
finished off with a total score of
355.65 to 344.75.
Though the Wolverines had a
shaky start to the season at last
weekend's Windy City Invitation-
al, they proved yesterday that they
deserve their third-place ranking.
"A lot of the time there is a tre-
mendous improvement between
meet one and meet two," Michigan
coach Kurt Golder said. "You kind
of knock the rust off and you figure
out some things about competing
again that you've learned a few
times before."
Cameron and junior Thomas
Kelley led Michigan in scoring.
Kelley took first place in both the.
horizontal bar and still rings, and
finished third on the floor event.
Cameron finished first on the floor
and second on both the pommel
horse and the parallel bars. He also
won the all-around competition
with a score of88.75.
Senior Mel Anton Santander
also performed well against the
Nittany Lions. Santander recorded
a top-three finish in two out of his
four events, and set a career best on
the pommel horse with a 14.95.
"Mel was just super," Golder
said. "I think he will be an All-
American this year. He's been on
a roll since the NCAA finals last
season and hopefully he can just
continue that through the rest of
the year because we need his help."
Golder gave the Newt Loken
Outstanding Performance award
to Santander for his strong routine
on the horse.
This award is given to a Wol-
verine after each meet, in honor
of long-time Michigan gymnastics
coach, Newt Loken.
Though Santander was proud
of his performance against Penn
State, he doesn't plan on becoming
complacent anytime soon.
"It's my senior year and it'sgreat
to come out strong in the beginning
for the first home meet," Santander
said. "However, I wanted to add
a couple more skills into my rou-
tines, to add more difficulty and
get a higher start value. Hopefully
that will help the team even more
than I did today."
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) - Meryl
Davis and Charlie White have won
their second ice dance title at the
U.S. Figure Skating Championships,
upsetting Olympic and world silver
medalists Tanith Belbin and Ben
Agosto.
Davis and White, who are both
juniors at Michigan, won all three
segments ofthe competition, capping
it with a magical and theatrical free
dance Saturday. They finished with
a U.S. record 222.29 points to notch
their first victory ever over Belbin
and Agosto. That's no small matter in
a discipline where past accomplish-
ments are often taken into account.
Emily Samuelson and Evan Bates
were third, likely clinching a spot
on the Olympic team. The United
States can send three dance teams
to Vancouver.
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January 17th-March 27th TIP: Anything metal
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Help us study strategies for preventing influenza
The University of Michigan School of Public Health is enrolling students living in
residence halls ina research study to see how well influenza ( flu') vaccines and other
strategies work in reducing the risk of influenza illness in university residence halls.
Participants will be asked to complete two surveys, one at enrollment and one in Spring
2010. Participants are also asked to report any flu-like respiratory illness. Ill persons will
be invited to have a throat swab collected for laboratory testing. All participants will be
invited to have a blood sample collected at the end of the influenza season to track
pandemic H1N1 infection.
You are eligible if:
" You are at least 18 years old
" You live in one of the following residence halls: Alice Lloyd, Stockwell, Markley,
Mosher-Jordan, or Couzens
Compensation: Participants are entered into a lottery for one of ten $100 cash cards for
each survey they complete. Participants will receive $10 for permitting collection of a
throat swab if they have a flu-like illness, and $20for permitting collection of a blood
sample
Investigators: Arnold S. Monto, MD; Suzanne Ohmit, DrPH; Allison Alello, PhD
IRBMED#: HUM00035609
For more information or if you are interested in participating, please contact our study
staff:
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