This time last year no one would have or could have predicted the course of events that would lead to Lloyd Carr's retirement and the hiring of West Virginia's former head Coach, Rich Rodriguez. However Appalachian State happened and with it a rushing current of many misfortunes in a once promising, but now only remembered as, plagued 2007 Football season for the Wolverines.
When the Maize and Blue began its coaching search after seasons end many of the Wolverine faithful were clamoring for Les Miles. Les Miles however, had a championship football game to focus on winning, and although Michigan was his dream job, winning a National Championship was something that Miles wanted more. Michigan was then forced to turn to their second choice, a man who missed out on coaching in the National Championship to Miles by one game, Rich Rodriguez. Although many Wolverine fans were disappointed in losing out on Miles, they may have gotten the better coach in the end. If you look at Miles and Rodriguez's careers respectively, Rodriguez practically built West Virginia into a national power by implementing his version of the spread offense, and by his fantastic talents as a recruiter. Whereas Miles inherited a championship-ready football team from now Alabama Coach, Nick Saban.
With Rodriguez comes a new system, and a new style of play in Big Ten Football and Michigan. The only problem is that Michigan doesn't have the players to fit into Rodriguez's spread offense just yet. Ryan Mallet, the number 2 quarterback in the nation when recruited by Lloyd Carr out of high school, came to Michigan (and who filled in admirably for Chad Henne in his first season), then transfered to Arkansas because of some disagreements with Rodriguez. Mallet also knew his large frame and his style of play didn't fit into the spread offense. It didn't help matters when Terrelle Pryor, the number one quarterback recruit in the nation, and a kid who Rodriguez had all of his hopes for next season riding on committed to rival Ohio State.
With the signing of Mallet in 2007 came celebration from the Wolverine faithful. That signing however may have had some massively negative effects on the quarterback situation in Ann Arbor this season. If Michigan would not have landed the five star recruit Ryan Mallet a year ago, then the Wolverines starting quarterback next year would still be on the roster. Jason Forcier, a dual threat QB who transfered to Stanford after the Wolverines landed Mallet, felt forced out of Michigan and knew with the acquisition of Mallet that there was no place for him on Carr's roster. That's unfortunate because the 6'2" 208 lbs quarterback would have fit in perfectly on Rodriguez's roster. In high school Forcier was the number eight quarterback in the country and was coveted by many schools including: Arizona State, Oregon, Wisconsin, Colorado, Utah, and Michigan. Michigan won out, but has now lost out on Forcier. During his junior and senior seasons at St. Augustine High School he threw for over 4,000 yards and 50 touchdowns and ran for 1,815 yards with 24 touchdowns.
It's not just coincidence however, that Michigan is now trying to land Jason's little brother, Tate Forcier. Tate is a practical dual threat clone of his older brother at 6'1" and 190 lbs, he is the number 17 quarterback in the nation this year. The other schools he has scholarship offers to other than Michigan include: Oregon, Penn State, LSU, Kansas, Auburn, and Virginia Tech. I have a feeling though, that with his talents as a recruiter, Rodriguez won't miss out on two Forciers while at Michigan. Word on the street is that although he takes his snaps as a Cardinal now, Jason has put in a good word for the school to his younger brother Tate.
comments (6) write a comment »
write a new comment
4 months ago
Michigan isn't going after Tate anymore.
from 4 months ago
While it's true that Michigan has already landed Shavodrick Beaver and Kevin Newsome, two highly talented dual threat QB's, they have not yet pulled their scholarship offer to Tate Forcier, if you ask me Rodriguez needs as many dual threat guys as possible on his roster because the guys he has now don't exactly look like perfect spread offense QB's- Fr. Steven Threat at 6'5" 225lbs, So. David Cone at 6'6" 214lbs, Jr. Nick Sheridan at 6'1" 207lbs, and So. Lee Mondol at 6'2" and 205lbs, and although you look at Sheridan and Mondol's smaller stature they are not exactly threats to run the football. What happens in two or three years if Newsome goes to the NFL early, and Beaver goes down, or what if one of those guys just doesn't work out, Rodriguez knows he needs insurance, and until they lift their scholarship offer to Tate I find it hard to believe that their not still going after him.
from about 1 month ago
funny, since Tate signed with Michigan Today
4 months ago
That is why you recruit in '10, '11,'12 recruiting classes. You don't need them all from one class. I have been told the hand writing is on the wall and Tate know the ship has sailed per say.
4 months ago
Can he hand-off or throw the "bubble screen?"
2 months ago
From what I could see in 2006 Jason Forcier and Lee Mondol looked pretty comprable in size. Nick Sheridan was smaller. I was excited when Mondol was recruited because it seemed that the team was moving in the right direction for a more diverse offense. He also would have been a great backup for Forcier down the road after Henne moved on, which would be in 2008. Mondol and Forcier are both multisport athletes that had tremendous high school careers winning several championships. It would have been nice to have both on the roster this year.
I noticed Mondol won another championship in the 2007 Southern California Bowl after leaving Michigan. Players that know how to win just keep winning
write a new comment