Rich Rodriguez keeps quarterbacks a secret, plus Troy Woolfolk could play for Michigan football team next year
In one week, Rich Rodriguez expects to know who will start at quarterback for the Michigan football team. He might be the only one.
Rodriguez said he plans to keep his plans hidden for a while. He will probably inform the three candidates of his decision the day before Michigan opens the season against UConn, if not a little sooner. As for the rest of us?
“Nobody else will know until 3:30 p.m.,” Rodriguez said Wednesday, before clarifying the information. “What time is kickoff? 3:36? I stand corrected.”
Denard Robinson, Tate Forcier and Devin Gardner are competing for the job. Usually by this point in summer camp, Rodriguez starts giving the starter more snaps with the first team, going with a 60-40 split.
But he said Wednesday, the number of snaps for all three were relatively even.
MORE QUESTION MARKS
Elsewhere on the Wolverines, jobs are just as unsteady as quarterback.
“The competition at running back is clearly unsettled,” Rodriguez said.
It might stay that way for a while.
Junior Mike Shaw remains in a summer class that has divided his time between football and academics. Redshirt freshman Fitzgerald Toussaint missed practice Wednesday with an assortment of minor injuries, including a neck stinger. Austin White left the program last weekend.
Rodriguez isn’t worried.
“In camp, that’s the one position where you get banged up a little bit, so that kind of limits their development in some respects,” he said. “But we have some talent there. We’ll be OK.”
WOOLFOLK AND HIS REPLACEMENTS
Cornerback Troy Woolfolk underwent surgery on his dislocated ankle Tuesday night, and will miss the 2009 season. With a year of eligibility remaining, Michigan is optimistic he can return for the 2011 season.
“He’s got quite a bit of rehabilitation ahead, but they don’t see any reason he can’t be 100 percent this time next year,” Rodriguez said.
In Woolfolk’s absence, Rodriguez said as many as five true freshmen could see playing time in the secondary this year. Those decisions could be made this week.
“It’s kind of scary when you think about true freshmen playing in the secondary,” Rodriguez said. “But there’s some talent there, and the progression this week has been pretty good.”
Among the freshmen candidates at corner: Terrence Talbott, Cullen Christian, Courtney Avery and safety Carvin Johnson. Marvin Robinson could also see time at safety.
THIS AND THAT
The Wolverines conducted a scrimmage Tuesday, and will do so again Friday on a smaller scale. …
Candidates for the kicking job are still inconsistent, Rodriguez said. “The issue hasn’t been distance,” he said. “It’s just been consistency with making the kind of medium-range, the 35-yarder-or-longer types of field goals,” he said.
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