Denard Robinson Not the Answer for Michigan Wolverines: Bring Back Tate Forcier

Calling all passengers of Denard Robinson's bandwagon, please buckle your seatbelts, you are approaching some serious turbulence.

It really is amazing what a difference a year can make, especially in the demanding world of Michigan football.

When Tate Forcier arrived on campus a year ago, the entire student body saw him as our savior.  And after a captivating 4-0 start culminating with a win over the hated Notre Dame Fighting Irish, our feelings had been validated.

Now, as Forcier enters his second year, fans are clamoring for freakishly fast sophomore Denard Robinson to seize the starting job, and the media appears to think that they will get their wish.

Are you guys crazy?

I don't know what games you were watching, but I'm pretty sure every time that Denard entered a game last year, there was a collective crossing of the fingers of Wolverine fans, praying that he wouldn't pass the ball.

Remember when he was brought in to lead the game-winning drive against Iowa after Tate struggled?

Well, if you don't recall, with the game on the line, he made a pathetic pass right into a Hawkeye defender's chest.  There couldn't have been a Wolverine within 10 yards of the pass.

There's a reason Denard had only 31 pass attempts all year, as opposed to 69 rushing.

He's not an every-down quarterback, plain and simple.

Sure, he's exciting and is always a threat to take it to the house, and I love him as an athlete. He definitely deserves his reps (mostly rushing) and he brings an exciting element to our offense. But he isn't the answer to our passing woes.

Say what you want about Tate, that he holds on to the ball too long, doesn't have a rocket arm, and criticize his arrogance.  I can't dispute any of that.

But the facts show that he had a pretty solid year for a true freshman, and we can only assume he'll build on it this year.

Also, chew on these stats to put the Tate vs. Denard debate into perspective.

Tate: 58.7 completion percentage, 281 passing attempts, 10 interceptions, 28.1 attempts per interception.

Denard: 45.2 completion percentage, 31 passing attempts, 4 interceptions, 7.75 attempts per interception.

Obviously, it's a small sample size for Denard, but project his numbers as if he were the starter last year, and he would have thrown a whopping 36 interceptions last year.

Now that's just downright terrifying.

Tateon Manning?

Let it be known I'm really not a huge fan of Tate, but my point is that we Wolverines are overreacting to what was a solid freshman year overall.

Here are some numbers you ought to see, comparing four players who started as true freshmen in college, starting with Tate, who you all seem to think is so awful.

Tate Forcier:

CMP   ATT   YDS   CMP%   YPA   TD   INT   RAT

This isn't great, I understand, but please realize: he was a TRUE FRESHMAN, on a pretty bad team, to boot.

Now, for the comparisons.

Player A:

CMP   ATT   YDS   CMP%   YPA   TD   INT   RAT

Now you're probably thinking, who the hell is this guy, he sucked almost as much as Tate.  Well, it's a much more highly-touted player, one who many scouts will argue deserves No. 1 overall consideration for the 2012 NFL Draft.

It's the USC phenom himself, Matt Barkley.

Still feel like Tate has no hope?

Player B:

CMP   ATT   YDS   CMP%   YPA   TD   INT   RAT

This dude was a hell of a lot worse than Tate, he must be working at a fast-food joint somewhere, right?

Wrong.

This is Matthew Stafford, the 2009 No. 1 overall pick of the Detroit Lions.

Still not convinced, check this one out.

Player C: (Fun Fact: I derived his Passer Rating myself: be impressed)

CMP   ATT   YDS   CMP%   YPA   TD   INT   RAT

Again, he was only a little better than Tate! He probably got replaced in his second year, by the Wolverines fans' logic.

Wrong again.

This is the one, the only, Peyton Manning.

Tate may not have been great, and he may never be, but imagine if Tennessee gave up on Peyton after a merely decent freshman season.

So, Michigan men and women, please, I beg of you, give Tate a second chance.