Michigan Football fans knew there were going to be major changes when Head Coach Rich Rodriguez was hired to reconstruct a program with a 'boring' offense. Ann Arbor bristled with excitement at the prospect of a high-flying spread offense after countless years of Lloyd Carr's three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust philosophy. Changes were expected, yes, but the ones that came were far from what the school had in mind.
After three years of losing, bad defense and more losing, the experiment ended and a 'Michigan Man' was brought in to return the program to the level of stability it had maintained for over a hundred years. Rodriguez left Brady Hoke one shining piece to work with: Denard Robinson.
After the Tate Forcier craze ended four games into his college career, the future of Michigan's offense was filled with uncertainty. There wasn't a dominant running back or the usual group of stud wide receivers to shield the weakness, and the defense certainly wasn't going to be the team's specialty.
[caption id="attachment_4150" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Robinson's unstoppable rushing ability carried the Michigan offense for over two years."]
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That's when Robinson stepped up and took over with a new style of offense; not the spread or the ground-and-pound. No, he ran the Denard offense.
At the beginning of the 2010 season, Robinson took over the starting quarterback job and ran with it, literally. He set a school record for total offense in the game against Notre Dame with 502 yards, and continued to set records throughout the entire year. He was the first quarterback in college football history to rush and pass for 1,500 yards, and he did it as a sophomore.
Robinson's final two seasons included more of the same. His running ability was indescribable, and he gave Michigan a chance to score on any play, no matter what the circumstances were. He had iconic plays, like those in the final quarter of the 2011 night game against Notre Dame, and unforgettable runs like the 53-yard touchdown dash against San Diego State.
What Robinson gave the fans in Ann Arbor is exactly what they asked for in hiring Rodriguez: excitement. His scrambling plays were so unconventional and unpredictable that he left fans shaking their heads in disbelief as he sprinted into the end zone. The greatest rushing quarterback to ever play the game was affectionately nicknamed 'shoelace,' and did more than anyone could have expected from him; giving viewers a chance to step back and really appreciate the unique talent they were witnessing.
Unfortunately in college football, everyone graduates.
Normally, when an iconic player like Robinson leaves a program there are a number of question marks about how the hole will be filled. Michigan, however, knows exactly who they'll turn to in the 2013 season.
[caption id="attachment_4151" align="alignright" width="300" caption="After Robinson's elbow injury forced him to play running back, Gardner looked comfortable leading the Wolverine offense."]
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On October 27, 2012, Robinson suffered an elbow injury on his throwing arm and was removed from the game. After a shaky-at-best performance from Russell Bellomy throughout the remainder of the game, Hoke's coaching staff knew they needed to make a change.
Quarterback-turned-wide receiver Devin Gardner got the nod, and was moved back to his original position for the remainder of the season. Luckily, he looked very comfortable doing so. Robinson's injury turned into the play that indirectly answered questions about the future, as Gardner stepped in and locked up the job as starting quarterback.
Though he lacks Robinson's breakaway speed and superior elusiveness, Gardner is a mobile quarterback that likes to use his feet to extend plays and examine multiple options. The redshirt junior is much more accurate than Robinson, and showed the ability to make the big throw on-target during his short time under center in 2012. His big arm helped him create a strong connection with receiver Jeremy Gallon, whose production soared in the games quarterbacked by Gardner.
Gardner's play saved the Michigan offense, much like Robinson's did almost three years earlier. With a potential quarterback controversy looming upon Robinson's graduation, Gardner showed that he was the perfect fit for an offense transitioning back to a more physical style of play. He is more suited to stay in the pocket and hit receivers between the numbers than Robinson was, yet he can still turn a broken play into a positive gain with his legs. Gardner will be more effective in the play action as running backs like Fitzgerald Toussaint and Derrick Green return a powerful rushing threat to Ann Arbor.
[caption id="attachment_4152" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Gardner's accurate arm will headline the return to a more conventional Michigan offense."]
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Michigan can also feel more secure about the health of their offensive leader, something that has been a nagging worry for the past two seasons. Gardner is bigger and stronger than Robinson, and isn't afraid to throw the ball away if a play breaks down. By avoiding those extra hits and staying on the field, the Detroit native will thrive in an offense built for him to succeed.
Gardner's emergence at the end of the 2012 season has allowed Michigan fans to enjoy the offseason with hopes of a Big Ten Championship in the upcoming year. Michigan's season rests largely on the shoulders of the 6'4" junior, as he leads an intriguing mix of veteran and young talent on the offense.
One thing will be very clear: Devin Gardner is not Denard Robinson. The most exciting college football player of the past three years has moved on to the NFL, and there will likely never be another quite like him.
What the new quarterback can provide is a return to normalcy. The past few seasons have been uncharacteristically inconsistent for the University of Michigan football program, after going away from what they knew for so long.
As the last signs of the Rich Rodriguez era continue to fade, fans can remember the excellence of shoelace and look forward to the return of classic Michigan Football.
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