Joe Milton working with Ronnie Bell and Devin Gardner
Fluff article over at Wolverine Digest talking about how Milton has stayed in Michigan to build chemistry with Ronnie Bell and he has been working on his mechanics with Devin Gardner. Makes me excited to hear about the eventual QB competition between McCaffrey and Milton and see who come out on top.
Side note, Gardner is a fantastic ambassador for the Michigan program. Despite not getting the proper coaching and facing stacked boxes all the time, he has always been a proponent of Michigan football and talks favorably about it. I hope he finds success in whatever avenue he pursues, whether that be coaching or anything else.
I wish nothing but success for these kids. Let's get it.
I'll be honest...this QB battle makes me nervous. I can't imagine either Milton or McCaffrey holding a clipboard(or transferring). Spoil of riches....
I can't imagine either Milton or McCaffrey holding a clipboard(or transferring).
Why? It ain't like either of them has exactly proven themselves.
Well thanks, Dick. Now they're both gonna get injured the day before the season starts.
I'm not sure why this was taken negatively....I am so excited to see both under center, that it is going to be disappointing to not see McCaffrey or Milton leading this team since we can only have one QB.
It's because nobody has any idea what you're trying to say, not unlike the literal doctor from Arrested Development:
+1 for any Arrested Development reference
Actually you can have more than one - it's a very physical game
Gardner might be my favorite modern player. He is so justified in taking down the program and hasn’t at all. Good dude.
I’d like to see him in the AD office if he doesn’t go into coaching or broadcasting.
I agree. You have people like Edwards and Ray that had all the success in the world at Michigan and still love to run their mouth. Then you have Gardner, who got boned over in every possible way, and he’s been nothing but class. Funny world.
It’s true. I don’t know if Gardner would have had a long NFL career with good coaching, but he definitely would have had enough athleticism to get drafted and make some money for a couple years.
It really sucks he missed out.
Gardner got boned hard when they hired Nussmeier!!! That dude ended any hopes of 2014 season. That said, loved Devin Gardner!
Hoke and Gorgeous Al started breaking Gardner before Nussmeier was an option. Hell, they broke Denard before Devin even got his chance! That slow morph-over from Rich Rod's spread to the Hoke/Nuss' pro style was fucking brutal.
I personally kind of wonder what would have happened if Hoke had actually had a real QB coach at Michigan. At San Diego State he had Brian Sipe, and Ryan Lindley got a look for a few seasons in the NFL.
It'd be great to see Devin as a program ambassador in an official capacity, maybe in the booth and/or in the field. Heck, maybe he'd do well in the recruiting world of football.
I love Gardner
Gardner is a bit of ham, he belongs in broadcasting for sure.
I'll say this, nobody talked more shit than Devin at practice and workouts. Loud too - you heard him throughout the facility. But he was really unique in his ability to compete in a positive way in drills and workouts and then lead as a team guy in game situations. Definitely wish he got to play here in a different era. Gattis would love him.
No better example of that leadership than The Game 2013. One of the all time great rivalry performances, even in a loss
I love DG interviews. He’s hilarious and like the OP said an awesome ambassador for UofM.
Gardner seems like a great guy/leader. He faced a lot of adversity in college for a highly recruited athlete and didn't transfer.
- Injuries
- Coaching Change
- Position Change
- Three number changes (/s)
I think he has bright post playing career ahead of him whether that's in football or putting his Master's in Social Work to work.
He would've looked awesome in 7 for his entire career.
I do believe 98 was a weight he had to carry that affected his psyche and performance.
I don't think the number had anything to do with his psyche or performance. I do think that the offense he was asked to run had everything to do with breaking him.
^^^From the RR spread to Borges' West Coast first as a WR then QB (midseason, no less) to that god awful One Back under Nussmeier - all the while with no OL support
Didn't seem to get him when he was shredding Notre Dame while picking defensive linemen out of his teeth.
Yes, that is far too light for someone his size at his position. I understand that some players need to lose weight for their position, but 98 is nuts.
Gardner is such a fine gentleman. Even OSU loves him after his show of support after JT Barrett went down in the game.
Harbaugh will play both QBs like Carr did with Brady and Henson. McCaffery and Milton present opposing teams different skill sets.
Did ANYONE think that was a good idea, either at the time or in retrospect?
I believe the best thing Michigan can do is come out of camp with one guy at the wheel. The best QB should be starting regardless of seniority. Substituting QB's in and out seems like a quick way to kill team chemistry and gameplay.
The Patterson/McCaffery packages last year were ridiculous and unnecessary.
Does Okorn have another year of eligibility? He deserves another shot.
I remember stories of Speight and O'Korn lining up teammates for unofficial practices. If only Speight hadn't gotten injured (or did the other teams just figure out what he could or couldn't do?)
When has Harbaugh ever platooned his QB's? Find one time in his coaching career where he did that, please. We may not agree that he's picked the right guy, but he'll pick one guy and stick with him until there is literally no other option available before replacing him. This is the Harbaugh Way...
Theoretically, Milton and McCaffrey offer different skill sets. From what we have seen in limited snaps, they offer the exact same skill set. Good to good + athlete that isn't a dynamic thrower.
DMC is more accurate and Milton isn’t made of glass.
I would disagree and say Milton has the potential to be a dynamic thrower. The TD pass he threw to Giles Jackson in garbage time last year against Rutgers was arguably the best throw made from the QB position all season.
I likes Joe. His name is Joe.
Me to.
But how does Joe find time for golf?
Too soon man
oldest daughter asked devin to her senior prom a few years back. he got right back with a very nice answer, basically saying he'd love to go if he wasn't (at that time) in japan playing football. what a cool dude, and of course, what a stud for the abuse he took and the effort he continued to expend his entire career
So one of Michigan's potential QBs is getting lessons in QB mechanics from a former Michigan QB that did not get "proper coaching". What could go wrong?
The douche comment came much later than expected but the board did not disappoint overall.
No need to get your panties in a wad. I think very highly of Mr. Gardner as a person and as a representative of the University of Michigan...just don't have the greatest confidence in his ability to teach the finer points of QB play. I know, I am a horrible human being for thinking it.
More like Mr. Asshole.
...I'll see myself out.
Is Devin Gardner the perfect picture of QB mechanics? Probably not. But Gardner's issues which came from poor coaching had to do with reading defenses, and being put in an offense that both utilized his skill sets and gave him the best chance to succeed.
But I think it can only be advantegeous for Milton to have Gardner work with him on mechanics.
And it's not like he stopped playing football when he left Michigan. I'm sure he understands the subtleties of the game very well at this point.
Yeah. That's why he is still playing in the NFL...oops.
So. Um. Great story!
where's Nico
Hitting the links!