Michigan Tuesday: Should Devin Gardner Redshirt This Year?

One of the big questions around the Michigan football team this Spring and Summer is whether highly recruited dual threat QB Devin Gardner should redshirt during the 2010 season.

First off, I don't fully understand the redshirt rules. I thought you were able to participate in a few plays (like less then 10%) in the non-Big Ten season and still keep your redshirt status. The NCAA web sites says something completely different: You should know that NCAA rules indicate that any competition, regardless of time, during a season counts as one of your seasons of competition in that sport. It does not matter how long you were involved in a particular competition (for example, one play in a football game, one point in a volleyball match); you will be charged with one season of competition.

So with that explanation from the NCAA, let's talk about a few facts we didn't have a month ago:

• Devin has enrolled early. He got in late but got in.


• Since Devin had to catch up on class, he didn't start football training until earlier this month.


• Devin will be able to get 15 extra practices in the Spring and participate in the Spring Game.


• It seems that Nick Sheridan will become a graduate assistant and not play during his senior year.


• Devin's throwing mechanics digressed during his senior season and he dropped a few places in the QB rankings.

With the new news above, it seems Devin will be at worst the 3rd string QB going into the season with Nick not participating this year. There is also the belief that Michigan is going to try to get the ball in the hands of Denard Robinson more often. Devin is Michigan's talented and fast backup QB. We could see Denard at running back, slot WR, and even returning kickoffs in 2010. If you expose your second string QB to more hits, of course that increases his chances for injury. You will need a QB that is ready to play if both Tate and Denard go down, which would be Mr. Gardner.

On the other side of that, Michigan fans and Michigan coaches don't want to go through another year of a true freshman running the Rich Rod offense. Two years in a row is two too many! The best scenario I believe for Michigan fans and the Michigan program is for Devin to be the 3rd string QB, being ready to play, but not having to. This would give Devin more then a year practicing RR's offense and would separate Tate and Devin another year in eligibility. So my vote is to prepare like your going to play but let's hope he gets a redshirt. It would also be great if he could get some snaps against UMass and Bowling Green if he didn't have to burn a redshirt.

Another question you might have is: If it becomes an emergency situation and both Tate and Denard go down, does Michigan have another QB if they don't want to burn Devin's redshirt?

Answer: Yes, they have two guys. "President" Jack Kennedy, a redshirt Sophomore from Walled Lake, Michigan. Jack got a couple snaps against Delaware State last year. Also, Nadar Furrha, a redshirt Freshman for Ann Arbor Pioneer. Both guys are walk-on's and both are 5'11. It will be interesting to see how many snaps they both get in the Spring Game. That might go along way in forecasting what Michigan's QB strategy will be in 2010.