Examining The University Of Michigan's Roster: Quarterback Edition

The block letter "M" in maize and blue has long been a team with great historic meaning and great football for years now.

Only until recently has there been major issues within the team, both on and off field problems.

I have never seen Michigan in such a bad way, however there is hope. There is a glimmer of hope, a light at the end of the tunnel, a...well you get the point.

Over the next few weeks, let's look at the depth of each position and give each position a grade.

Let's begin with the general of the team, the quarterback of course. Here is the list of quarterbacks on the Michigan roster:

No. 5 Tate Forcier 6'1" 194 lbs.

No. 14 Nader Furrha 5'11" 175 lbs.

No. 16 Denard Robinson 6'0" 185 lbs.

No. 17 David Cone 6'7" 222 lbs.

No. 20 Jack Kennedy 5'10" 190 lbs.

No. ? Conelius Jones 6'2" 197 lbs.

Quarterback is still the most important position on the field in any and every level of football. The quarterback is typically regarded as the leader of the team.

Sure, other position players can be leaders, but the quarterback is usually the key player to a team’s success.

Almost always a quarterback is leading the way, compared to a linebacker, receiver, or safety per se. Michigan seems to lack a true quarterback so far, but there is potential at the position.

Tate Forcier 

Last year after a 4-0 start and some gutsy performances from Tate Forcier, it appeared Michigan finally had their quarterback.

But due to injuries, freshman mistakes that are bound to happen, and a 5-7 finish, his status as savior is in question.

He has great intangibles and keeps plays alive, but his mistakes are too often and his durability is a huge question mark. This spring he has certainly been getting good competition at the quarterback position.

Denard Robinson 

Ol’ shoelace is the most intriguing quarterback at Michigan.

He may very well be the most athletic player on the team and Michigan has to find a way to get him on the field, if not at quarterback. 

He is an extremely athletic guy that can make big plays in a hurry. He recently ran a 60-yard dash in 6.81 seconds and has a reported 40-time of 4.38 seconds.

He can be very dangerous whenever he gets the ball, and don’t be surprised if you see some trickery when he is out on the field. Expect to see him lined up all over the field. He has huge potential.

Let's not forget about the new guys either.

Devin Gardner

Devin Gardner seems like he fits perfect for the spread offense. The 6’4” 200 pound true freshman has the size, speed, and upside to be a great quarterback.

He looked impressive in high school, however it should be expected that it might take some time for it to click. He may get red shirted this year, but do not be surprised if he can make immediate contributions. 

Conelius Jones

Conelius (not Cornelius) Jones is another good addition to the team.

He is a good dual threat quarterback/athlete. He may not be as highly touted as Gardner but he is still impressive, especially considering he has only been playing for a couple of years and has raw potential.

At 6’2” 197 pounds, he can be a difference maker at several positions.

His stats look like this: 1603 pass yards, 8 pass touchdowns, 771 rush yards, 17 rush touchdowns.

Those are not bad numbers at all. Should get red shirted but looks like a valuable asset in the years to come.

Nader Furrha 

Nader Furrha is an unknown to be honest. He is a sophomore walk-on who may never see the field.

He is only 5’11” 175 pounds and doesn’t have the best arm or the best speed. He should be a competitor though. Nothing more nothing less on Furrha. 

Let’s not forget about the lone senior quarterback on the roster.

David Cone 

Former Cy Young winner and perfect game pitcher, David cone has had a great career.  A five time All-Star selection and five-time World Series winner…oops wrong David Cone, sorry about that. 

Uhh, where were we, oh yeah. 

David Cone is the only senior in this quarterback group and has hardly seen any playing time throughout his career at Michigan. Cone does have a huge frame at 6’7” 222 pounds and a nice arm, but he is more well known for his rapping abilities, and of course that won’t lead to any playing time at all.

All in all, you can see that the Michigan quarterbacks have lots of versatility and nice depth. We have quarterbacks that have played and know what it's like to be out on the field in front of the crowd.

There’s good athleticism and tons of potential that can come out of this position. Overall, this group of quarterbacks gets a B- . Nice potential but still lots of work to do.

Next week, we will look at the running backs for Michigan.