Devin Gardner, Cade Hater

Cade is a great leader and teammate, he's not a great QB.  He's a solid to good QB at the D1 level which is probably good enough at UGA or Bama where a game manager is all that is needed to win championships - as you are surrounded by NFL talent at every position on both sides of the ball.

For UM, as currently constructed, however, we need absolutely elite QB play.  We need to pull a Clemson where we have some elite players, some really good players, and generational QB play - as we are not stacked with 5 stars across the board.

With the players and speed returning on offense next year, JJ can potentially be that generational game changing QB that can make a very good team elite, and able to compete with teams with superior talent all around.  Cade can't. 

TBF, Cade probably would have looked a lot like Stetson Bennet last night if playing for UGA, but he doesn't, and their D-line was way too much for us given Cade's limitations. 

Until we start recruiting at Bama, UGA, OSU levels we will need elite players at specific positions to compete at an elite level.  Elite D-line (edge and Tackle) and QB would allow us to cover up for deficiencies (good but not elite talent) at other positions.  

And this is exactly how Clemson has managed to beat elite OSU and SEC teams in the playoff. Elite D-line play and generational QB's (Lawrence/Watson).  

Almost all of us didn't play quarterback at Michigan, even if some of us played it in high school or at other colleges, but Devin just seems to have an axe to grind like some say.  Cade has his limitations, but he got us to the playoffs. It's a great starting point for the future of Michigan football. Maybe people would give Devin a little more listening to if he was more constructive in his criticism instead of shooting from the hip like most of us fans do.

Wouldn't call him a hater.  I would call him an armchair QB with a lot more experience than the average armchair QB.  He also knows better than anyone what it's like to get a snap and be in fear of your life.  He was critical of the read by Cade and believes the WR was running a different route.  I also have to imagine he can talk directly to Cade and should have left it off social media.

Uh, I told my son that it should’ve been a back shoulder fade. Anybody watching was wondering why he threw it up like that. Bad throw. He played horrible. Had happy feet. It’s not being a hater stating the obvious. My only criticism of the coaching was to start JJ in the 2nd half. That was what Saban did with Tua. It was evident he was dialed in last night.

And people are boo hoo-ing the offensive line, but Stetson Bennett got hit and pressured also, the difference is that he was able to scramble, buy time, and kept his eyes downfield. The offensive line just needs to give you a couple seconds and they did that. It is up to the QB to do something.  Cade is too slow to do much of that and his eyes would drop to the rush. And by the time he was pulled it was clear to see that he was shell shocked and in over his head. I think it was the first sack he took he had time due to max protect, but he just conceded the sack before they even reached him. He just went fetal position.

Just guessing. But maybe A former M QB knows more about quarterbacking than you do?

I said this in another thread, it's just a little ironic that it's obvious we wouldn't be in the semifinal without cade as our starter, but JJ was the only who could have won us the semifinal game.

Seriously. It's shameful, he just can't stop won't stop bashing Cade, all season long. He'll toss out one little bone (or more often back handed compliment), then the very next sentence back to trashing him. And most of it is nonsense. 

I've lost a lot of respect for Devin. He also blows his own horn an awful lot. 

Alternative theory: 

McNamara made a bad throw.

Baldwin ran a poor route.

And Gardner is unnecessarily harsh on McNamara.

All three are true.

I've been off the Gardner bandwagon as an analyst (I loved him as a player) for a long time. I think he's too emotionally invested in Michigan to be trustworthy when it comes to his analysis of Michigan. I would rather hear him talk about and analyze other teams like he does on TV sometimes.

Anyway, about the play - if the WR does not win the route, then you either don’t throw it or throw it out of bounds. Period. 

Devin appears to be a fine person. But when you start complaining about a 20 year old that helped us win the Big Ten I would think you might have something really done something yourself. He had some decent games but I don’t recall any all big ten honors. His best win against ND didn’t he throw a interception in his own end zone ? I don’t mind honest evaluation, but just to hammer someone ever chance you get gets old quickly. I do think JJ will probably win the job next year or certainly play a lot more, but we will see. Georgia thought the same thing with their team.

We can all analyze this till the cow comes home, bottom line in a best of 7 we’re swept in 4 straight not winning this game or any other against Georgia this year.

Writing a whole post to defend Cade’s decision on this particular play sure is  something.

Definitely right to put the focus on Devin Gardner, too.

I find it weird that people find his commentary relevant. He's welcome to comment but I'm not sure I get why people get worked up. If you watched last night's game how do you come away thinking 1. Cade is the problem 2. Cade can win you a game on his own. 

Also, Freeman looks pretty rah rah. Feels like hoke. He'll get some recruits early but lose big games. I predict failure in 5 years or under

The check down to Corum was the correct throw on this play, nobody within 10yds of him. 

Here's how I feel. 

I loved Devin Gardner as a player at the University of Michigan.  He was awesome, and got screwed by poor coaching or whatever. 

However now he is not a player for the University of Michigan and while I completely respect what he did here and I love his analysis, he's still just a media mouthpiece trying to generate views.

Cade was not good against UGA last night, but those two picks were not in him. Baldwin gave up on the route and had no idea a pass was being thrown his way. 

Cade is what he is…a game manager. To beat Georgia, without Georgia talent, you need a game changer. I stated often that I was worried about Cade getting flustered and he did. Maybe had we converted early the outcome would have been different? Maybe not. The D sure as hell didn’t help matters.  I love Cade and wish him the best but I think it’s time to hand the keys over to JJ. As far as Gardner goes, I agree that he shouldn’t be throwing rocks in his glass house. 

I’m wondering—what are the Cade apologists on this blog going to do with all their free time next year when JJ takes over?

Look, I can respect Cade the same way I respect Navarre. Both were QBs who played well enough for their more talented supporting casts to propel the team to great seasons and beat elite OSU teams. But when you go up against an elite defense like Georgia, you need an NFL-caliber QB, and Cade is not that. Michigan’s defense made mistakes but gave up over 100 fewer yards than Bama did. But Bama has a Heisman Trophy winning NFL first rounder at QB. That’s the difference.

As for this play, it’s open to interpretation I suppose, but Devin’s take is not crazy and does not constitute “hating”. The corner is clearly expecting a pass to the end zone and is playing off. OP here seems to think that in spite of this, Cade should still throw it to the back of the end zone and Baldwin should go up and seize it from the CB like he’s Braylon fucking Edwards against MSU. It would be nice if he was, but he’s not, and Cade knows that. But Cade is a pre-snap-read QB who doesn’t make on-the-fly adjustments like throwing a shorter pass to a wide open Baldwin around the 5 yard line. Given that half of Cade’s shorter passes get knocked down at the line or hit his OL’s helmets, I can’t say it would have made a difference—but Devin’s defense of Baldwin here is not unreasonable.

I don't think this is Cade hate. He doesn't even directly mention Cade.  He's more defending Baldwin and he has a point. 

The CB is giving him so much cushion the throw needs to be a back shoulder underthrow, not a corner throw.  Cade just chucked it up without seeing this.

I think Devin has solid analysis.  There were many head scratchers during this game where players seemed to stop early...

That being said, I will take Devin Gardner's analysis over the OPs.  

I like Cade.  I think we are fortunate to have him.  But given a choice between Cade and JJ, I'm taking JJ.  He held that recruiting class together and I really want to see JJ, Edwards, Anthony, and Corum on the field together.  

Georgia blitz their linebackers almost every play to put pressure on the QB or stop the run. It just seem like there should have been a lot of 10 yard crossing routes open. Cade just could not release the ball quick. The OL did a poor job but it was tough for them trying to block those quick LB.

That play by Cade was inexcusable.  Threw off his back foot and not even remotely defensible at that point in the game.  Cade had a really bad game, missed throws early allowed Georgia to build an insurmountable lead and there was never any indication Cade was going to be able to do anything to rally the team offensively.

He had a great season, but poor game.