Threesomes at QB are Never a Good Idea, Coach Rodriguez
By Cecilio's Scribe on Aug 23, 2009 with Comments 0
Two Frosh Will be Part of Opening Day Threesome for the Wolverines(AP Photo/Tony Ding)
Why? The maize-and-blue are an interesting squad for starters (coming off of last year’s disaster), plus I’ve got a good buddy from high school who is always hyping the Wolverines, their recruiting classes, strength and conditioning coach and third-string walk-on punter. So, I’d heard plenty about highly-touted freshman signal-callers Denard Robinson and Tate Forcier. Logic had it that Rich Rodriguez’s presser might sort out the situation in terms of the two newbie QBs and junior Nick Sheridan and who might start the opener two weekends away against Western Michigan. Well, I guess he did that. Sort of…
Rodriguez is coming off a debut season in Ann Arbor during which he led the Wolverines to a 3-9 record, its worst in school history. That said, one does not go from standout couch to chump in a year’s time. New school. New personnel. New system. New style. It all takes getting used to and stability is a foreign concept. That’s why the decision to play three quarterbacks in the opener baffles me a bit.
I realize saying all three will play doesn’t mean that Michigan will be rotating quarterbacks each and every series. And who knows what happens following kickoff. However, the intent alone would bother me if I’m a Michigan fan (which I’m not, nor of any particular college team). Here’s the thing. I know the two-quarterback system is much more frequently employed in the college ranks and, at times, it works. I think the times it doesn’t work, however, still outpace the successes by a landslide.
Three quarterbacks, though? Two of the three being freshman? Sure, some are more runners than throwers and all that, but continuity, rhythm and all those things still matter. Moreso, it may be Western Michigan, but the Wolverines haven’t earned the right to take anyone lightly (or use games at experiments or tryouts for the starting QB job). WMU was 9-4 last year in the MAAC and went to the Texas Bowl (where, albeit, they got blasted by Rice). Michigan, sans their top 10 recruiting class yes, still lost to Toledo at home last season along with eight other defeats.
Here’s the biggest thing for me. What happens week two? Seven days after hosting the Broncos, Notre Dame comes to Ann Arbor and who takes the reigns then? This is less about the “vaunted” (not so much) Irish and more about the desire to not have a QB controversy heading into a huge game in the second week of your campaign. Who knows? Maybe one of three makes a definitive statement in game one against WMU. If not, though, you risk being at least somewhat “unsettled” heading into a game that could in many ways define your season.
Maybe it’s just me…I think the 2-QB system is never the best idea, but a threesome at QB seems an even worse concept. As I always say, we shall, of course, see…
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