Breaking Down Michigan's Lengthy Quarterback Problem
Fans will have to wait until Saturday to see whether Devin Gardner or Shane Morris starts versus Minnesota, but Michigan is no stranger to quarterback controversies.
The turmoil began as soon as Lloyd Carr announced his retirement, and both Brady Hoke and Rich Rodriguez have struggled since with a series of talented but flawed players at the most important position on the team.
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Prior to Rodriguez, Michigan enjoyed a steady stream of prototypical NFL-ready quarterbacks, tall in stature with rifle arms and solid decision making skills. But most importantly, they were recruited and developed for a specific style of play that favored game managers over playmakers.
Brady Hoke fueled the latest controversy when he refused to name Devin Gardner as his starting quarterback during his regular Monday afternoon press conference. He continued to play coy throughout the week, declining to name a starter.
As Hoke’s future hangs in the balance, here is a look back at Michigan’s troubled quest for a premier quarterback.
Quarterback U
Lloyd Carr’s retirement marked the end of a remarkable period of consistency and depth at the quarterback position for Michigan
Consider the 1997 national championship team that had three potential NFL caliber quarterbacks battling for the starting position; Brian Griese, Scott Dreisbach and Tom Brady. Griese would lead Michigan to the Big Ten title and national championship followed by a decade-long NFL career as occasional starter and backup.
Dreisbach began his Michigan career with a spectacular fourth-quarter comeback versus Virginia in 1995 and played professionally during a nine-year career in the NFL, NFL Europe and arena league. Brady completed his Michigan career after battling with phenom Drew Henson and became one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL history.
| Ryan Mallett | 2007 | NFL, 2011-present | NA |
| Chad Henne | 2004-07 | NFL, 2008-present | Tied 2004 |
| Matt Gutierrez | 2002-05 | NFL, 2007-11 | Backup 2003, 2004 |
| John Navarre | 2000-03 | NFL, 2004-07 | 2003 |
| Drew Henson | 1998-2000 | NFL, 2003-08 | 1998, 2000 |
| Tom Brady | 1996-99 | NFL 2000-present | Backup 1997, 1998 |
| Brian Griese | 1993-97 | NFL, 1998-2008 | 1997 |
| Scott Dreisbach | 1994-98 | NFL, 1999-2002 | Backup (1997-98) |
| Todd Collins | 1990-94 | NFL, 1995-2010 | Backup (1990-92) |
| Elvis Grbac | 1989-92 | NFL 1993-2001 | Backup 1989, 1990-92 |
After Brady’s graduation Michigan turned to the enigmatic Drew Henson whose development at quarterback was stunted by his professional baseball career. When New York Yankee owner (and noted Ohio State booster) George Steinbrenner lured Drew Henson away, he was replaced by John Navarre who filled the position until graduating. Both quarterbacks played at a high level and Michigan enjoyed great success with them at the helm.
Matt Gutierrez was groomed to replace Navarre, but an injury gave Chad Henne an opportunity to start as a true freshman. He never relinquished the starting position and Ryan Mallett was expected to succeed him.
Every quarterback who started for Michigan from 1989 to 2007 had strong collegiate careers and played in the NFL. Even some of the backups (Dreisbach, Guiterrez and Mallett) had professional opportunities to continue playing after Michigan.
This was a remarkable recruiting advantage, and Mallett was poised to be the next great Michigan quarterback.
But it all changed when Lloyd Carr retired.
Rodriguez Era (2008-2010)
Rich Rodriguez arrived on campus, and a number of players decided to leave the program. Part of this was the normal churn of players deciding that they didn’t fit the new system. But in a controversial move, Carr let it be known that he would approve transfers and even reportedly advised a previously committed quarterback recruit to switch schools.
Mallett, the most talented quarterback on the roster, took the exit and transferred leaving Rodriguez to make do with Nick Sheridan and Steven Threet.
Sheridan had played his high school football locally and was a solid, if not spectacular recruit. As a Michigan legacy (his father Bill had been Michigan's linebacker coach from 2002-04), he joined Jason Carr (Lloyd), Jeremy Jackson (Fred) and Jim Harbaugh (Jack) as the son of a current or former coach given an opportunity play for the Wolverines.
Threet was a transfer dropback passer who left Georgia Tech when the coaches who recruited him departed the program. Like Mallett, he was tall with a big arm in the traditional mold of previous Michigan signal-callers.
Unfortunately for Sheridan and Threet, Rodriguez didn’t need traditional dropback passers—he needed quarterbacks who could run his revolutionary zone-read offense.
Sheridan and Threet tried their best, but took brutal beatings at the helm of the offense as the team finished an abysmal 3-9. Threet, who would later have success in a traditional offense after transferring to Arizona State, retired from football after suffering four concussions, two of which happened after leaving Michigan.
Sheridan, who on past Michigan squads would have been relegated to holding a clipboard and signaling in plays as the third or fourth quarterback, was pressed into service and paid a physical toll running Rodriguez’ offense. He also retired from football despite having remaining eligibility.
Justin Feagin was a late addition to the team, he would appear in three games but eventually be dismissed from the team after the details of a failed drug deal were revealed.
The 2009 season saw the addition of two quarterbacks who were better fits for Rodriguez’ system. Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson split the quarterback duties with Forcier eventually being named starter and being honored as a member of the freshman All-Big Ten team. But a better fit at quarterback didn’t translate into success on the field—Michigan finished 5-7.
Forcier had been groomed to play quarterback from a young age and had two brothers who also played the position collegiately. While blessed with great physical tools, Forcier struggled off the field and was ruled academically ineligible near the end of the 2010 season. A career that began with such promise ended when he was dismissed by athletic director David Brandon a few weeks later. Forcier never played college football again.
The 2010 season saw the emergence of Denard Robinson as Forcier career's imploded. Robinson was the dynamic player who Rodriguez needed, and he was spectacular.
But the team still finished 7-6. Although Michigan finished the season ranked No. 8 nationally in total offense, Rodriguez was undone by the inability of his team to play respectable defense.
Rodriguez' inability to successfully utilize Threet and Sheridan put the program in a hole he couldn't recover from.
| Alex Malzone | Committed | NA | NA |
| Shane Morris | 2013-present | NA | NA |
| Devin Gardner | 2010-14 | NA | NA |
| Denard Robinson | 2009-2012 | 2013-present | NA |
| Tate Forcier | 2009-10 | NA | NA |
| Justin Feagin | 2008 | NA | NA |
| Steven Threet | 2007-08 | NA | NA |
| Nick Sheridan | 2006-09 | NA | NA |
Hoke Era (2011-present)
The Hoke era began with the dismissal of Forcier and most notably the decision by Denard Robinson to stay with the program. Unlike Rodriguez, Hoke began his tenure with a talented, experienced quarterback.
During the 2011 season everything came together. With competent defensive coaching, Michigan finished 11-2 with a BCS Sugar Bowl victory over Virginia Tech and seemed poised for greater things the next season.
But things began to sour in 2012. Offensive coordinator Al Borges began to move Robinson under center, negating his ability to run the ball. Defenses also began to adjust, challenging him to pass the ball more. At 5’11” he was short for a quarterback and had difficulty seeing downfield and reading pass coverages.
A lack of talented receivers caused Devin Gardner to move to wide receiver, possibly hampering his long-term development.
Later in the season when Robinson was injured, backup Russell Bellomy only completed 3-of-16 passes for 38 yards with three interceptions in a crucial game versus Nebraska and prompting Gardner’s return to quarterback. Robinson, hobbled by numerous injuries, teamed with Gardner to complete the season a respectable 8-5.
If fans were disappointed by 2012, they were absolutely mortified by 2013. Gardner took over the reins after Robinson graduated and was promptly moved to receiver in the NFL.
Michigan was again lean at quarterback, with Bellomy being out for the season because of an ACL injury.
Gardner looked good initially despite playing behind an epically bad offensive line. In the preseason, Michigan touted its return to power football, but as the season progressed Gardner was the only player consistently running the ball with a success.
But being the focal point of the offensive wore him down, and Michigan would begin a slide that would carry through to this season.
Gardner took a beating, missing the bowl game because of an injury while throwing 11 interceptions as Michigan finished 7-6.
In 2014 the offensive problems forced Hoke to hire a new offensive coordinator.
So far the results have been underwhelming.
Through four games, Gardner has already thrown six interceptions. The offense that was supposed to be simplified and streamlined has failed to score touchdowns in two games.
The season is barely a month old, and Hoke’s tenure is in jeopardy as he contemplates benching Devin Gardner.
Conclusions
Forget every remaining game on the schedule except for Michigan State and Ohio State. Victories over these two rivals would guarantee that Hoke returns next season.
Gardner is a better quarterback than Morris right now. But it’s not about which quarterback has a better chance of beating Minnesota.
Four games into Gardner’s senior season, his track record indicates that Michigan is on track for epic defeats in East Lansing and Columbus. After which, Brady Hoke and perhaps even athletic director David Brandon will be fired.
He doesn’t seem to be a good fit for whatever offensive scheme Doug Nussmeier is trying to install.
The last six seasons show what happens when players are put in systems that don’t match their skill sets. Rodriguez was dumped and Hoke is on the verge of the same fate.
If Brady Hoke can’t see it’s time to start Shane Morris then maybe he doesn’t have the skill set for his job either.
Phil Callihan is a featured writer for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotations obtained firsthand
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All season statistics from mgoblue.com, official University of Michigan athletic department web site.
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