2B - October 3, 2011
0
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom
Gardner serves best as Robinson's sidekick
L evin will probably be
one of the best quar-
terbacks in the Big
Ten, once he gets to start."
Denard Robinson's voice
dripped with a confident ease,
as he looked
the reporter
in the eye.
He was dead
serious.
Had Rob-
inson just
watched
his room- TIM
mate, Devin ROHAN
Gardner, play
against the
same Golden
Gophers he just ran circles
around himself?
Gardner's much-anticipated
first pass was a lame duck to
Jeremy Gallon on a long pass to
the sidelines - the same kind
of pass the lore of Devin Gard-
ner and his strong arm said he
should make.
On his second throw, Michi-
gan bootlegged Gardner out and
he found Junior Hemingway in
the soft spot of the Minnesota
zone for 14 yards.
When Gardner ran, his
strides were long and deceiving-
ly fast, compared to Robinson's
quick jabs that help him shake
defenders in a phone booth. By
the time Gardner came into the
game to replace Robinson mid-
way through the third quarter,
Robinson's legs or the threat of
him running had created a 45-0
lead. By then, Gardner's runs
must've looked like they were in
slow motion.
For weeks, fans and the media
alike clamored for a glimpse of
Gardner. Conventional wisdom
agreed: Robinson is unlikely
to stay healthy, considering his
past bumps and bruises. And
Gardner could have potentially
offered a better option in the
passing game, running Michi-
gan offensive coordinator Al
Borges's pro-style attack.
Lightning bolts didn't strike
down defenders as Gardner ran
and his passes weren't laser
beams, so his debut wasn't as
advertised.
His delivery wasn't as clean
and as pro-ready as you may
remember from the spring
game. There were a few crisp
throws and a few off-target
tosses. He scrambled to buy
time, and ran the read-option
well with freshman running
back Thomas Rawls.
But Devin Gardner wasn't
Denard Robinson.
Gardner quarterbacked three
meaningful drives, resulting in
two field goals and just Michi-
gan's second three-and-out of
the afternoon.
One day, Robinson may be
right that Gardner will be a star
in this league. Until then, he too
needs to work on his footwork
and mechanics. Because Satur-
day was enough of a sample size
to clearly rule out any absurd
quarterback controversy. The
best thing for Michigan is if
Gardner just waits his turn.
Despite the questions about
Robinson's 49-percent comple-
tion rate and six interceptions
through four games, Borges
stayed true to his mantra: We
have Denard Robinson at quar-
terback.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime
player.
I won't be the one who goes
down as having squashed Denard
Robinson's potential, he was
almost saying.
Would you want to be that
guy?
So what if Robinson couldn't
hit open receivers against East-
ern Michigan and San Diego
State? Borges reasoned that
the Wolverines won the game
two quarterbacks who can run
and throw the ball on the field
at once. It'll certainly be fun
to watch. But it's only possible
because of Denard Robinson.
The threat of him running the
ball makes that diamond pack-
age that much scarier.
Borges called the set four
times - two of which were fakes
to Robinson going one way.
Gardner ran one for a first down
and Toussaint had a IS-yard
gain the other.
Examining Robinson's
numbers - 169 yards passing,
51 yards rushing, three total
touchdowns - they're not that
impressive on paper. But his fin-
gerprints were all over this win.
And that's how it should be for
his remaining time at Michigan.
Look around the Big Ten.
Quarterbacks, just as much as
brute strength, rule this con-
ference. Later on Saturday, the
veteran Russell Wilson severely
outplayed the raw Taylor Mar-
tinez and Wisconsin pummeled
Nebraska, 48-17. Ohio State,
Penn State, Northwestern,
Indiana and Minnesota all have
questions at the position. All
could finish as the bottom five
teams in the Big Ten because of
it. And Martinez could be the
only thing holding the Corn-
huskers back.
If Michigan wants to keep
its train rolling, it'll have to rely
on Robinson not playing poorly
again in Big Ten play. Gardner's
not goingto save them.
Whether Robinson's passing
continues to improve remains
to be seen. But Hoke and Borges
have one hell of a weapon to use
against the rest of the Big Ten.
May the best quarterback
win.
- Rohan can be reached
at trohan@umich.edu or
on Twitter: @TirnRohan
MARISA MCCLAIN/Daily
Sophomore quarterback Devin Gardner completed 2-of-5 passes for 31 yards in his season debut Saturday.
because of Robinson's legs.
Robinson did it again against
Minnesota.
All season, opponents had
game-planned to just stop Rob-
inson. Borges finally figured
out how best to counter that
scheme, and still exploit his
once-in-a-lifetime player - as
a decoy.
Want to stack the box and
play the run? Borges planned to
get Robinson going in the pass-
ing game with easier designed
plays and easier throws. On Sat-
urday, Robinson completed his
first 11 passes and his mechanics
looked sound against the lowly
Golden Gophers.
Want to shade defenders to
Robinson's side of the read-
option? Robinson will hand
the ball off to a running back
who'll gladly run through that
giant hole on the opposite side.
Fitz Toussaint exploded for 108
yards and a touchdown on just
11 carries.
Want to (almost literally)
have your entire defense watch-
ing Robinson's every move?
Borges is going to run misdirec-
tion and trick plays, getting the
defense to follow Robinson one
way and have the play flow the
other. That was the new theme
of the offense.
Michigan coach Brady Hoke
explained it like this: "When
you have a quarterback that
threatens people because of his
ability to run, that's part of it.
That stuff is like the old coun-
ter play, which you don't see
a whole lot of people running
anymore. It's a lot of traction
one way and then going back the
other way."
That's how you end up with
363 yards rushing and 7.6 yards
per carry as a team.
For now, Gardner's role is
perfect as Robinson's sidekick.
Borges installed a trick package
that Vincent Smith said they
called "Two." Lined up in a dia-
mond formation, Gardner under
center, and Robinson and two
running backs behind him.
Imagine the possibilities with
0
0
Ezurike powers Blue with three goals
STEVEN BRAID team," Ezurike said. "I'm just
Daily Sports Writer glad that I could help the team."
In a 2-1 win against the Corn-
Sophomore Nkem Ezurike huskers (2-3-0, 5-6-1) on Sun-
spent all of practice last week day, Michigan had its hands full
hearing about the scoring on defense.
prowess of Nebraska's Morgan The Wolverines were forced
Marlborough and Iowa's Cloe to double and triple-team
Lacasse - Marlborough - she entered
two of the MICHIGAN 1 the weekend with 15 goals in
Big Ten's IOWA 0 10 games - to try to limit her
most lethal MICHIGAN 2 opportunities around the box.
goal-scor- NEBRASKA 1 Even though five different
ing for- players were tasked with cov-
wards. ering Marlborough throughout
During the Michigan wom- the match, Michigan coach Greg
en's soccer team's first Big Ten Ryan suggested that the team's
road trip, Ezurike outscored player most responsible for
each of them and proved that containing the elite goal scorer
she also belongs in that discus- played on the other side of the
sion. ball.
Ezurike was the lone goal "(Ezurike) being able to score
provider for the Wolverines (3-1- with very little help allowed
1 Big Ten, 8-3-2 overall) on the us to keep extra players back
weekend, exploding for three to shut down (Marlborough),"
total goals in two games. Her Ryan said.
play helped Michigan beat Iowa "She did have a goal, but she
1-0 and Nebraska 2-1. only had three shots today. We
"It feels great to just be able were really able to limit her
to score and contribute to the attacking play because (Ezurike)
Without Hunt, M'
splits two matches
ANNA ScHULTE/Daily
Sophomore Nkem Ezurike scored all three of Michigan's goals this weekend.
was able to put us on top."
With her teammates keeping
Marlborough in check, Ezurike
made the most of her opportuni-
ties.
In the 15th minute, she con-
trolled a lob from redshirt junior
forward Clare Stachel at the top
of the box and sent a shot past
Nebraskagoalkeeper Emma Ste-
vens.
Ezurike struck again in the
second half.
Seconds after halftime, she
scored her seventh goal of the
season, netting a lob from 35
yards out - which later proved
to be the game-winner after
Marlborough squeaked a shot
past redshirt junior goalie Haley
Kopmeyer in the 66th minute.
Michigan's strategy against
Nebraska on Sunday mirrored
its game plan against Iowa (2-1-
2,10-1-2) on Friday night.
With almost all of the Wol-
verines playing back to try to
defend Lacasse, Ezurike was left
as the lone striker on many pos-
sessions.
But even against undefeated
Iowa, that was sufficient.
Benefitting from a Hawk-
eye defensive miscue, Ezurike
provided Michigan with all the
offense it needed when she tal-
lied the lone goal of the game in
the 54th minute.
"Recently, (Ezurike's) been
getting frustrated just because
she's been getting some great
chances but she's just had a lit-
tle bit of bad luck," Ryan said.
"But I told her to keep shooting
because she's going to continue
to get great chances. This week-
end, she took advantage of her
chances and she scored three
great goals."
With Ezurike leading the
way offensively, the Wolverine
defense could focus on stopping
Iowa's aggressive play late.
The Hawkeyes had chances
to score in the final minute, but
Kopmeyer made a critical save
to preserve the win. She ended
the game with six saves to earn
her sixth shutout of the season.
She finished the weekend with
16 total saves.
After the Wolverines' tough
home stand last weekend
against Minnesota and Wiscon-
sin, Ezurike understands the
importance of these two road
wins. In the heart of their Big
Ten schedule, this road trip will
serve as a big confidence boost
for her squad.
"Being on the road is always
tough," Ezurike said. "Being
able to get two wins on the road
in the Big Ten, its just going to
give our team a lot more confi-
dence."
MATT SPELICH hit at sharper angles and go
Daily Sports Writer over blocks," said senior libero
Sloane Donhoff. "It is alot hard-
Michigan women's volleyball er to dig against a team like that
coach Mark Rosen celebrated when they are physical, can hit
his 50th birthday this past around the block, and essential-
week. When he blew out his ly pick their shots."
candles, Fletcher, although frustrated
he wished MIHIGAN 0 with the loss, does not attribute
for a the Cornhusker victory to the
healthy NEBRASKA 3 team's size alone.
team and MICHIGAN o "I mean, I'm 6-foot-4 too,"
back-to- Fletcher said. "I play against
back home conference wins this (sophomore middle blocker) Jen
weekend. Unfortunately, nei- (Cross) everyday, so it's not this
ther wish came true. new thing. The Big Ten has big
The 17th-ranked Wolver- girls. As far as I'm concerned,
ines (2-2 Big Ten, 14-2 over- it was just another team on the
all) split the weekend playing opposite side of the net.
without senior outside hitter "Our attacking and put-
Alex Hunt, who was out with ting the ball away is where we
a shoulder injury. With sopho- lacked tonight, but that doesn't
more outside hitter Molly Toon mean we're going to blow up
in Hunt's place, Michigan or freak out on Monday and
blanked Iowa in three sets on change everything. The things
Friday night and fell to No. 7 that are working we're going to
Nebraska in three the follow- keep them there, and the things
ing evening. we need to work on we're going
It's pure speculation to say to get a little better on every
that the resultswould have been day."
different if Hunt was healthy, Michigan had one less kill
but it's clear that the void left than Nebraska in the total
by the All-American was hard count, but with the disparities
to fill. Against the Cornhusk- in the error and block columns,
ers, the Wolverines looked to the Wolverines really had to
senior middle blocker Courtney step up their kills and put more
Fletcher and sophomore outside balls away. No one would have
hitter Lexi Erwin. Both play- done that better than Hunt.
ers racked up kills in the double Instead of focusing on what
digits, but that wasn't the decid- could have been, Rosen took
ing factor in the game. this game in stride as yet anoth-
Nebraska and their force- er learning opportunity for his
ful front line blocked twice as constantly improving team.
many attempts as Michigan and "We have to be more con-
forced the Wolverines to make sistent as a team," Rosen
twice as many errors - much said. "That was the separa-
like the 3-0 set loss to Purdue tion between us and Nebraska
did a week ago. tonight. Sure, some of their
The Boilermakers share players were a little more physi-
many characteristics with the cal than ours, but really it came
Cornhuskers. They are aggres- down to being able to execute
sive teams, quick in the air and consistently. We would have
fantastic blockers. What sets times that we were hitting
Nebraska apart, however, is really well, and others that we
that it has have the longest front weren't.
line Michigan has seen this sea- "We've now seen the bar.
son - each player is taller than That's where we have to be by
6-foot-3. the end of the season. I'm confi-
"Nebraska is a much taller dent we can compete at that top
team, so that means they can level."
0I
0
0
0