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Posted on Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 6 a.m.

Gator Bowl gives Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson a chance to earn respect

By Pete Bigelow

DENARD-ROBINSON-IND.jpg

A bowl game is another chance for Michigan sophomore Denard Robinson to show he's a quarterback, not just a running back taking snaps.

Lon Horwedel | AnnArbor.com

In his freshman year at Deerfield Beach High School, assistant coaches tried to push Denard Robinson into playing defensive back. In his senior year of high school, college recruiters called, but mostly because they wanted the fleet-footed standout to play cornerback, running back or wide receiver.

In his freshman year of college, Robinson answered unending questions about whether he’d eventually move to a different position. Despite enormous success this season, Denard Robinson’s status as the Rodney Dangerfield of college quarterbacks has not abated. In fact, it’s only grown in recent weeks.

Amid his preparations for the Gator Bowl against Mississippi State on Saturday (1:30 p.m., ESPN2)), he’s received the biggest back-handed compliments of his young career.

On the strength of his breakout sophomore season, Big Ten coaches named Robinson their Offensive Player of the Year. But they didn’t name him their first-team quarterback. Or their second-team quarterback.

Those honors went to Northwestern’s Dan Persa and Wisconsin’s Scott Tolzien, respectively.

After Robinson became the first quarterback in college football history to both run and pass for at least 1,500 yards in the same season, Robinson was named a first-team all-American by the Football Writers Association of America.

As a designated back.

Apparently, the organization decided to ignore one half of Robinson’s accomplishment. Boise State’s Kellen Moore claimed the first-team quarterback spot, a curious choice in its own right.

Two big-time awards. Two big-time slaps in the face.

There’s no other way to read the slights. Robinson has broken Beau Morgan’s NCAA single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback (1,643). He ranks 21st in the nation with a 152.9 quarterback rating. He’s earned the right to be judged on the position he plays.

But it’s clear his skills as a quarterback are not valued.

Never mind that Robinson conducted two game-winning drives this season that required precision passing, or that he completed 62 percent of his passes for 2,316 yards and 16 touchdowns, or that all the Heisman talk came during his true sophomore year.

“Some people might not still buy him as a QB,” said Art Taylor, Robinson’s high school coach at Deerfield Beach. “But he’s probably OK with it.” Or maybe just used to it.

In high school, Taylor remembers recruiters tried to cajole Robinson into playing different positions on the college level. They weren’t listening to what Robinson said.

“He was telling guys, ‘I want to play quarterback, quarterback, quarterback,” Taylor said.

Years later, the refrain should be modified. After shredding the record book, he deserves to be judged as a quarterback, quarterback, quarterback.

Maybe against Mississippi State, he can secure some of the respect he has rightly earned. The Bulldogs rank 28th in the country in points allowed.

Their defense has turned in the best performance of the season against reigning Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, who rushed for 70 yards and passed for 136 more on Sept. 9.

Newton’s total offensive yardage that day of 206 that day was his lowest all season.

The Gator Bowl provides Robinson with the opportunity to shed his not-quite-a-quarterback baggage. A national audience. A New Year’s Day bowl. A well-regarded opponent.

Should Robinson deliver in that setting, it’d be the surest evidence yet that Michigan’s standout is indeed one of the nation’s best quarterbacks.

Given the track record of disrespect, just don’t count on it changing anything.

Pete Bigelow covers the Michigan football team for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at (734) 623-2551, via e-mail at petebigelow@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @PeterCBigelow.

Comments

Steve

Mon, Dec 27, 2010 : 10:43 p.m.

Michigan fans, I am a mountaineer fan. I was so dissapointed and yes mad at coach Rodrigueaz when he left WVU, But, the man is a good coach! And from one mountaineer to another I hope He has succes in the Gator bowl! But that is not the reason I am posting! Denard Robinson is perhaps one the most exciting quarterbacks I have seen since Pat WHite! But even more than that, I saw this young man in a post game interview a while back! He impressed me! I think He deserves the total support of the Michigan faithful, for just being a good young man. And darn it, let's face it the wolverines are struggling, but he strapped on his shoes and was a great player and even a better young man. Michigan fans I am ruiting for RR to win the Gator Bowl! This comes from a mountaineer! And I am proud of D Rob, wish the heck he played for WVU, but I support this good young man! Good luck wolverines in the Gator Bowl!

azwolverine

Mon, Dec 27, 2010 : 8:14 p.m.

DRob is indeed a very good QB. He is a fantastic runner and a good passer. His passing is enhanced by the fact that he is a dangerous runner and defenses can't simply pin their ears back and rush him. I agree with 3andOut, though, in that he would be an even better QB in a more balanced attack in which he isn't forced to run the ball 25+ times per game. It would certainly help to keep him healthy and in games, that's for sure. It would also help him to be more effective against top-notch B10 competition, which he was not this season. Much like the entire offense, he was slowed and stopped in many of those contests. Again, in a balanced attack, that would be far less likely and would make DRob even more dynamic. Great job DRob. Keep it up!

Tally10

Mon, Dec 27, 2010 : 4:54 p.m.

Running the football is also one of the quarterback's function, although lost in the popularity of the forward pass, we seem to forget it and rate QB's on their pass efficiency and TD's/Int's ratio only. DRob is one of the most balanced (pass, run & handoff) and exciting QB's in all off College football. He may not be on the passing level as some but most aren't even close to him running. And he's a much better passer than the others are running. Just because DR runs the ball more does not disqualify him as being a quarterback. Good job DR!!!

Lorain Steelmen

Mon, Dec 27, 2010 : 2:06 p.m.

JimNazium's post was right on the money! DRob is still learning the ropes, and Tate has made great strides in maturity. The future is bright under the direction of Rodriguez! The real UM fans can see that as the defense matures that RR has the program on the right track and he will have many, many, great seasons here. I think its' cool that Drob will be an all-american in TWO categories. Both athlete and Quarterback! Good for him! But the greatest thing about DRob, is his authentic humility, and his focus on, THE TEAM. There are many great kids on this team, on both sides of the ball, as will become very evident during the next two years. RR has done a great job recruiting under adverse conditions, and this will only improve, going forward!

3 And Out

Mon, Dec 27, 2010 : 2:28 a.m.

D Rob will thrive in Harbs multifacted offense... people think its going to be all Navarre and 3 yards cloud of dust....well think again...Harbs has 360 plays in his playbook and never shows the same offensive set twice in a row... If/When Harbs is hired... look for D Rob to thrive in his system...and not get killed trying to run it 29 times a game either!

XTR

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 11:08 p.m.

More coaches/media of other teams and places see Shoelace more of runningback than a QB. Very awesome in running the ball, not quite in quarterbacking the team which explains the kind of awards he got.

BlueGator

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 7 p.m.

One of the great things about Shoelace: the only football-related respect that seems to matter to him is that of his teammates. Hope you have a truly spectacular game, Denard, back here in your home state next Saturday.

Mick52

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 5:11 p.m.

Good article Pete.

RudeJude

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 3:57 p.m.

For a sophomore who quarterbacks a 7-5 (3-5) team, who has thrown 10 interceptions (only Pryor has thrown more in conference - 11, with 25 TDs) between his 16 passing touchdowns, Denard Robinson has been sufficiently recognized and respected for his quarterback-related feats. I have to wonder, where is this track record of disrespect? He is an All-American (even if its not for quarterback, is that not enough?), he led the Heisman race before Michigan lost big against quality opponents (and when was the last time a player won the Heisman after leading his team to a 7-5 (3-5) record?), and it's universally recognized by those outside the Michigan universe that without his tremendous, record-setting play, Michigan would be sub.500 this season. How much more respect does Robinson need? Its not disrespect, only a lack of education. Denard Robinson is a trailblazer in the running-quarterback position, one that is not fully understood by the college football world, hence the lack of a proper award for Robinson's 1500+/1500+ yard season. Its like finding a new species of animal, nobody knows yet how best to classify it, but no one doubts its unique and meaningful. It's hard to classify Denard Robinson, and thus find the right position for him, as the recruiters mentioned in the article discovered. Hes expanded the quarterback position, or merged it with the running back position into a hybrid eclipsed by no one, Randle El, Tebow and Michael Vick included. Who knows, if Robinson keeps breaking records during his final two seasons, and Michigan recruits a team that enables him to play big against the Top-25, maybe someday the running quarterbacks will vie for the Robinson Award? Heres hoping D-Rob thoroughly educates the college football world in 2011. Go Blue (296 words)

DonAZ

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 3:42 p.m.

Some statistical comparisons: o DR was #43 in nation in passing percentage (Tolzien #1) o #61 in nation in passing yards (2316 vs. #2 Jones OK with 4289) o #7 in nation in yards per attempt (Newton #1) o #55 in nation in TDs thrown o #65 in nation in least INT thrown (Persa/Stanzi tied for #2) o #4 in the nation in Rushing (Next QB: Newton at #13) o #17 in nation in TDs rushing (Newton, Kaepernick tied for #3) Again, I like Robinson. I love his attitude. I'm happy he's Michigan's QB. But in virtually every statistic he's well below those considered elite QBs.

DonAZ

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 3:13 p.m.

TulsaTom has it exactly right. Denard is a great athlete and a great threat running the ball. His passing is pretty good at this point but not in the same class as someone like Kellen Moore, or Andrew Luck. It's not just about yards, or even just about percentage. There is such a thing as the quality of passes in certain circumstances. I wish Michigan had a running back along the lines of a healthy Brandon Minor from a few years back. Having the additional threat of not just another running, but a runner of some power that can't be ignored would give Robinson a chance to be more of a quarterback in the complete sense of that word.

tulsatom

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 2:47 p.m.

It is no secret that Denard is a better runner than passer at this stage in his career. His ability to run is what worries teams, not his passing. To most teams, he is a "Wildcat QB" who plays every down, which is why he wasn't selected as an All-Conference QB. His throwing ability and decision-making in the passing game should improve in the next few years as he gains more experience because this is really his first full season of college ball. I think Miss State will stack the line to stop his running so the U-M passing game may decide the outcome of the Gator Bowl.

Sean T.

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 12:45 p.m.

Do you honestly believe that Tate Forcier will be in a Michigan uniform next year? I believe he will transfer because Denard is the starter and probably is the only shot at RR keeping his job. Tate is the better overall QB on this team but it just so happens that he is a slower runner than Denard. For this Offense, I admit Denard should be the starter because RR doesn't worry about balance from his offense as a whole, just from his QB. I think Denard is a great talent but I believe that there were 5 other QB's that were better than him in our conference this year.

Jim Nazium

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 10:18 a.m.

This kid is a fine example of working your butt off in the off-season and coming back with a vengeance. He is one of the most exciting players to watch in College Football and he is still so raw, I can't wait to see how he'll do next year. Tate also deserves a lot of credit for improving and finally maturing and coming around after being humbled and going through growing pains under the eyes of an over-zealous media. Remember all the folks who Insisted, " Oh, Tate said he's Finished, oh he'll transfer for sure, he'll Never play another snap for Michigan, oh he's so finished here, oh the sky is falling....". hahahah Great Job Denard, good luck in the Bowl, and you too Tate, you guys are doing well. Go Blue!!!

joey z

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 9:51 a.m.

The nice thing would be to see an article about Denard and not make it about the coach. Enjoy the kid and forget about the coach just for one day!

missionbrazil

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 9:45 a.m.

Forever27 "you're exactly right. The real slap in the face is the "fans" of the program that take every opportunity possible to trash the program they claim to love." To be fair, people who do not want RR as HC are still "fans" and they do support the program and the players and the university. Just because they have a different opinion than you does not mean that they are not fans and do not support the program or the players. That is an unfair "slap in the face" too. It's fine that you have a different opinion, and it's fine that others have a different opinion than yours.

Forever27

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 9:28 a.m.

@MikeB, you're exactly right. The real slap in the face is the "fans" of the program that take every opportunity possible to trash the program they claim to love. Robinson was disrespected all season and he deserved to be recognized for what he truly was; the best Quarterback in the country.

NoSUVforMe

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 9:19 a.m.

Rich Rod deserves credit for bringing this fine young man into the program. He also deserves credit for believing in him when many felt that Tate was the better quarterback. But, most of all, Denard Robinson deserves credit for being a credit to this great university and football program.

MikeB

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 8:58 a.m.

Tell you what a slap in the face is - several posters taking shots at someone who isn't even named in the article. That's a slap in the face to a young student athlete, who is a gifted football player. Denard Robinson deserves the awards he has received; he earned them on the playing field as a Quarterback. I too wonder why he did not receive awards as the quarterback who lead a young team to a New Years Day Bowl game and a 7-5 record, which hopefully will soon be an 8-5 record.

missionbrazil

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 8:16 a.m.

If it weren't for D Rob's great athleticism he wouldn't have received these great awards. The Big 10 coaches and the Football Writers Assoc. found a way to recognize his great talent and they found a way to reward his great season... so what if it wasn't technically at quarterback? The awards are still a great compliment and honor for a great humble player.

Macabre Sunset

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 8:11 a.m.

Why is it disrespectful to give an award to the quarterback of a 3-5 team? The Heisman talk was only the blathering of sportswriters who didn't notice that Michigan's schedule was as back-loaded as any school in the country. Most of RichRod's gimmickry doesn't work against decent competition.

NoBowl4Blue

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 7:59 a.m.

Denard has respect, Cry baby doesn't. What is Theo going to do when Cry Baby is fired?

JimRhatt

Sun, Dec 26, 2010 : 6:24 a.m.

How can any of those awards be a slap in the face? I know what Pete said, but, come on. All those similar "slaps" haven't effected him. All his sports life, he's proven that he can do what he sets out to do. He has 2 more years to accomplish those lofty goals. I think he'll step up. When the defense improves and he doesn't have to play so many desperate downs, or if Dee H comes in and takes some of the heat off, watch out. Go DRob! Go Blue!!