I need some sho nuff info, from real Michigan

[Hostile]

Hos,
Agree with your points on the QBs. One correction however, I think it is Randy Cross who tells the story of Montana noticing John Candy in the stands and it was in the Super Bowl right before they started the game-winning drive that beat Cincy. Montana was the ultimate "Joe Cool".

Funny thing Peyton said the other night on the NFL Network, "In His own Words". He said he's thrown a lot of balls for TDs that have been wobblers or not very pretty but they were accurate and hit his intended target. You are right he doesn't have the best arm, but he's got a very good one, it's extremely accurate and he sees things on the field other QBs don't see. He really impressed me in that piece the other night!

I looked it up and you are correct. It was Randy Cross. My bad.

 

[HoustonSucks]

Nice thread after three weeks of the HENSON SUCKS song.

There's one other thing in our favor in regards to Henson...... The TOXINS were the team who dealt him to us. Do you not see the irony? We have constantly been the burr under the Houston saddle. We have always overshadowed them. We have always been the yin to their yang -- what finer irony than for them to deal us a QB of the Future who takes us to the Promised Land twarting them once again?

It's destiny, folks.......

BTW, I'm only half - kidding.....

 

[SultanOfSix]

A friend who attended all of Henson's Michigan games still insists that he will be an absolute stud in the NFL eventually. Not just serviceable, or very good, but a STUD...even with all the recent setbacks. He's a Dolphins fan and was (still is) very upset that the Fins didn't go after Henson. Although he's a big Michigan homer, he's also one of the most smartest football fans I've ever known, so I'm going to continue having high hopes for Henson right now.

Actually, Miami was one of the teams that were very interested in him. Green Bay was as well. Henson chose the Cowboys and one of the reasons he did was because Bill Parcells was coaching them.

 

[Jarv]

Actually, Miami was one of the teams that were very interested in him. Green Bay was as well. Henson chose the Cowboys and one of the reasons he did was because Bill Parcells was coaching them.

Oh the irony of that...lol

 

[NovaCowboy]

I have a bad feeling he is more a product of the system. When was the last time that Michigan had a terrible QB?

yeah but when was the last time besides Brady of course that Michigan fielded a high caliber QB in the NFL?

Griese, Grbac and Harbaugh arent/werent exactly all pros.

 

[NovaCowboy]

Times change
The University of Michigan has become a QB factory for NFL
By Ron Pollack, Editor-in-chief
As published in print Dec. 31, 2001

Patriots QB
Tom Brady
In true man-bites-dog news, I give you the following …

The University of Michigan can stake claim to the title of Quarterback U. when it comes to providing talent for the National Football League.

A dinosaur just rolled over in its grave.

While Michigan is no longer three-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust, it is not exactly a wild-and-crazy, wide-open offense. Thus, it is truly astonishing how much QB talent it is pumping into the pro game.

Look at last season’s Pro Bowl. Two of the nine quarterbacks (Brian Griese and Elvis Grbac) named to the game were former Wolverines. That’s more than 20 percent of the quarterbacks named to the game. Somebody give Bo Schembechler CPR.

Look at this season’s starting lineups. Three of the league’s starting quarterbacks are former Wolverines (Griese, Grbac and Tom Brady). That’s almost 10 percent of the league’s starters.

Plus, Jim Harbaugh (doesn’t he qualify for Social Security benefits any day now?), Todd Collins and Scott Dreisbach (who couldn’t even hang on to a starting position at Michigan) are backups for NFL teams.

When you consider the fact that one of these players went undrafted, two more went in the sixth round or later, two more went in the third round and only one was taken in Round One (Harbaugh late in the round), their success is nothing short of amazing.

So how does a school that doesn’t exactly have a cutting-edge passing game and doesn’t produce early first-round picks (although Drew Henson would have done so had he not picked baseball over football) become Quarterback U. for the NFL? Here are my theories.

Michigan really stresses to its quarterbacks that they avoid mistakes. And while the Michigan attack is conservative, it is not so conservative that the quarterbacks never get to make plays.

These philosophies may seem to be at odds with one another, but they are not. Michigan plays very conservatively with a lead. It opens up the attack when it falls behind. What this usually adds up to are close games that are almost always competitive down to the final ticks on the clock. Thus, Michigan quarterbacks arrive in the NFL battle-tested by a ton of experience in crunch time of big-time games.

That’s another thing. Big-time games. Michigan usually plays a very competitive non-conference schedule. Add that to a Big Ten slate that, while often lacking in games against clubs ranked in the top five, has very few terrible clubs. Michigan quarterbacks are constantly challenged by respectable to very good opponents. You don’t get prepared for the NFL while steamrolling patsies.

Next on the list is the fact that Michigan quarterbacks are used to throwing to NFL-caliber talent. In particular, Michigan has been churning out NFL talent at wide receiver (Derrick Alexander, Amani Toomer, Tai Streets, David Terrell and, coming to an NFL stadium near you very soon, Marquise Walker). The Wolverines also have been producing quite a few tight ends and running backs for the NFL during this time frame, so Michigan quarterbacks don’t experience major culture shock when they get to the NFL and find themselves surrounded by so much talent.

Competition is another big factor. To win the starting job at Michigan means you have to beat out several other high school All-Americans. To keep the starting job is not assured because of all the competition. Dreisbach lost his job. Brady had to fight tooth and nail for his playing time because of the presence of the extraordinarily talented Henson.

Michigan quarterbacks tend to be smart. They may not always be amazing physical specimens, but they tend to understand the nuances of the position.

If you are looking for something in common about all of the qualities mentioned here, it is the fact that they are the qualities that typically lead to success in the NFL. Maybe not the qualities that make scouts’ eyes pop out of their heads at the Combine, but subtle qualities that are necessary to go from thrower to passer, from kid to man.

"I don’t disagree," said an NFL player personnel director to whom I explained this theory. "You know what, someone up there at Michigan has a plan. Exactly what you’re saying. There’s a blueprint for what they’re looking for at quarterback. You look at the guys that they have that come through there; these are all high-character guys. Smart guys. They are bringing in high-quality leaders and putting them in a position where they know there is going to be a ton of pressure on them, and they’re developing leaders. They’re bringing in leaders and guys that have that element. Whatever the blueprint is, they’ve got it. You can see what some of those elements are. There’s a lot of similar traits and characteristics to the players."

The other similarity that the Michigan quarterbacks have is a lack of pro hype. As stated earlier, only Harbaugh went in the first round, and that was very late. The Michigan quarterbacks get a luxury that young quarterbacks taken in the first dozen or so picks of the first round do not get to enjoy — patience from their organization.

If a quarterback is the first pick or the fifth pick or the 10th pick in the first round, he is expected to play early in this salary-cap era. Earlier than he is probably ready for. The result is that a lot of these quarterbacks are busts. The Michigan quarterbacks get to take their time, learn the system, develop the finer points of their game, and then they have gotten their shot when they are ready for it.

Somehow, the University of Michigan and the NFL have become an ideal marriage when it comes to quarterbacks.

I grew up watching Michigan football in an era when the Wolverines viewed the forward pass as a nutty, radical, dangerous concept to be avoided. Now the school is a QB factory. It’s almost enough to make me get my eyes checked.

 

[Alexander]

Any of you Michigan fans believe or are you concerned that Terrell will begin to fulfull his potential now that he's reunited with Brady? I thought that was a pretty smart off-season pick-up by the Pats.

It was so smart they just traded for Andre Davis.

I am not so sure he even makes their roster.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

It was so smart they just traded for Andre Davis.

I am not so sure he even makes their roster.

Oh really, I didn't see that. Is Terrell struggling in camp?

Yeah, I didn't say Terrell would do it, but teaming him with Brady again should have given him the best chance to do it.

 

[Banned_n_austin]

When he stops looking at one reciever the whole time, I'll be more of a fan ... but looking at DH play the position, he's not very good at making his reads from the little I've seen of him in action.

The grief I give him isn't for no good reason ... the guy needs to do a lot more than what he does. If he played a 16 game season, teams would have a field day reading the his eyes ... no way can this guy come on with the come on this year ... it aint happening ...

Never checks, looks scared and doesn't know the plays and playbook as well.

Ladies and gentleman, the #2 spot is primed for #9 ...

 

[aikemirv]

When he stops looking at one reciever the whole time, I'll be more of a fan ... but looking at DH play the position, he's not very good at making his reads from the little I've seen of him in action.

The grief I give him isn't for no good reason ... the guy needs to do a lot more than what he does. If he played a 16 game season, teams would have a field day reading the his eyes ... no way can this guy come on with the come on this year ... it aint happening ...

Never checks, looks scared and doesn't know the plays and playbook as well.

Ladies and gentleman, the #2 spot is primed for #9 ...

No excuses for Henson but let me asked you a question. How many plays does Henson get where they seem to open up the field for him.

Every time Henson and Romo get out there they are taking a bunch of 2-3 step drops and throwing. No time for checkoffs or checkdowns that I have seen.

Open up the playbook and see what both of them can do - if they fail, they fail, but lets see some real plays given to them and see if they can read the field - pressure or not.

 

[Banned_n_austin]

No excuses for Henson but let me asked you a question. How many plays does Henson get where they seem to open up the field for him.

Every time Henson and Romo get out there they are taking a bunch of 2-3 step drops and throwing. No time for checkoffs or checkdowns that I have seen.

Open up the playbook and see what both of them can do - if they fail, they fail, but lets see some real plays given to them and see if they can read the field - pressure or not.

Don't you think there is a reason for that?

Just looking at Henson in the pocket you can tell he doesn't have pocket presense. He's scared.

Last year, Tony Romo did this thing with his feet. Back and forth, back and forth ... kinda happy feet. I wasn't impressed that much with it either, but at least his head was up and his eyes were downfield etc ... that's changed this year, however.

My educated guess is that his experience with making reads and actually being behind a line made him comfortable with that aspect of his game enough to make adjustments to the feet part ...

 

[aikemirv]

Don't you think there is a reason for that?

Just looking at Henson in the pocket you can tell he doesn't have pocket presense. He's scared.

Last year, Tony Romo did this thing with his feet. Back and forth, back and forth ... kinda happy feet. I wasn't impressed that much with it either, but at least his head was up and his eyes were downfield etc ... that's changed this year, however.

My educated guess is that his experience with making reads and actually being behind a line made him comfortable with that aspect of his game enough to make adjustments to the feet part ...

I disagree, i think he looks much more comfortable if he drops back personally - I don't think he is comfortable with the 3 step drop and throw the ball!

 

[CaptainAmerica]

When he stops looking at one reciever the whole time, I'll be more of a fan ... but looking at DH play the position, he's not very good at making his reads from the little I've seen of him in action.

The grief I give him isn't for no good reason ... the guy needs to do a lot more than what he does. If he played a 16 game season, teams would have a field day reading the his eyes ... no way can this guy come on with the come on this year ... it aint happening ...

Never checks, looks scared and doesn't know the plays and playbook as well.

Ladies and gentleman, the #2 spot is primed for #9 ...

I would agree with you when you say he locks in on one receiver. I wouldn't say he looks scared, but I would say he seems to be pressing at times.

However, I totally disagree when you say he doesn't know the plays and the playbook. You said it. How do you know that? What basis do you have to say that? Because he looks at his wristband when the play comes in over his headset? Almost every QB does that these days.

 

[Banned_n_austin]

I would agree with you when you say he locks in on one receiver. I wouldn't say he looks scared, but I would say he seems to be pressing at times.

However, I totally disagree when you say he doesn't know the plays and the playbook. You said it. How do you know that? What basis do you have to say that? Because he looks at his wristband when the play comes in over his headset? Almost every QB does that these days.

The reports from the coaching staff are that Roam-o knows the playbook better ...

 

[blindzebra]

No excuses for Henson but let me asked you a question. How many plays does Henson get where they seem to open up the field for him.

Every time Henson and Romo get out there they are taking a bunch of 2-3 step drops and throwing. No time for checkoffs or checkdowns that I have seen.

Open up the playbook and see what both of them can do - if they fail, they fail, but lets see some real plays given to them and see if they can read the field - pressure or not.

I re-watched the game a second time after so many of the anti-Henson crowd were talking about Romo scanning the entire field and Henson locking onto one receiver and it was total fabrication.

Both QBs were reading only one side of the field and we had plays where we ran a short, medium and deep route on that side. Neither started on one side of the field and checked down to the other side. Both threw to what appeared to be their primary receiver on almost every throw.

From what can be seen on TV, both rarely looked at another receiver than the one they threw to. Their heads moved from one receiver to the one they threw to, about 3 times each.

So if one was locking on,they both were. Also factor in Henson was looking down the field more and had much worse protection.

But let's not let the facts get in the way.

 

[aikemirv]

I re-watched the game a second time after so many of the anti-Henson crowd were talking about Romo scanning the entire field and Henson locking onto one receiver and it was total fabrication.

Both QBs were reading only one side of the field and we had plays where we ran a short, medium and deep route on that side. Neither started on one side of the field and checked down to the other side. Both threw to what appeared to be their primary receiver on almost every throw.

From what can be seen on TV, both rarely looked at another receiver than the one they threw to. Their heads moved from one receiver to the one they threw to, about 3 times each.

So if one was locking on,they both were. Also factor in Henson was looking down the field more and had much worse protection.

But let's not let the facts get in the way.

Thanks, I did not get to tape it but I thought that was the case. I got TIVO Monday so I am ready to go!

 

[Banned_n_austin]

I re-watched the game a second time after so many of the anti-Henson crowd were talking about Romo scanning the entire field and Henson locking onto one receiver and it was total fabrication.

Both QBs were reading only one side of the field and we had plays where we ran a short, medium and deep route on that side. Neither started on one side of the field and checked down to the other side. Both threw to what appeared to be their primary receiver on almost every throw.

From what can be seen on TV, both rarely looked at another receiver than the one they threw to. Their heads moved from one receiver to the one they threw to, about 3 times each.

So if one was locking on,they both were. Also factor in Henson was looking down the field more and had much worse protection.

But let's not let the facts get in the way.

Actually, look a little closer. Henson locks on ... look at the time it takes him to make his reads. Romo's was hitting his 1 option and releasing the ball rather quickley.

I never said Romo was scanning the field. His line of plays were conservative. No doubt. But he makes his reads and releases the ball MUCH QUICKER.

There wasn't much to judge off of being one game, so I'm interested in seeing what happens tonite.

If Henson stepped up and quit playing like the dufas he looks like (guy looks like a dufas), I'll be a happy man. He's on our team. But right now, you can't look at that tape and come away with a lot of confidence in the guy w/o being a homer.

I've watched the clips about 5 times. And no one really slaps me in the face and impresses me, but the best looking QB as far as presence and execution that game was Tony Romo.

I'm really going to be looking at Drew Bledsoe and our O-line. The play from our offensive line last game was horrid. Our poor QB's were getting horrible protection on most plays. This concerns me the most after reviewing the clips.

 

[Banned_n_austin]

Thanks, I did not get to tape it but I thought that was the case. I got TIVO Monday so I am ready to go!

Someone edited the game and has all the plays from that game in the forum ...

If you'd like, I could get you the links ...

 

[CaptainAmerica]

The reports from the coaching staff are that Roam-o knows the playbook better ...

Please give me a link or attribute a media source to that statement.

I've read just about every report and chat from the camp reports and I have never heard that Romo knows the playbook better. I've heard he seems "more comfortable" in the offense, but that is not the same as saying he "knows the playbook better". That's apples and oranges.

I'm not saying you made it up and I'm not saying Romo doesn't look better at this point in Henson's development, but I have never seen that info and unless you have a reputable source, I believe that's an unjustified criticism that is part of the reason you take the cheap shots you take at Henson when you refer to him as a "clown".

Now if the coaches actually said that, then Henson needs to get his rear end in gear and get the plays down. There is no excuse for not knowing the playbook.

 

[SultanOfSix]

If Henson stepped up and quit playing like the dufas he looks like (guy looks like a dufas),

Pot? Kettle?

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Irregardless, looking like a "dufus" is irrelevant to play on the football field (see Peyton Manning - if "dufus" if someone who isn't that good looking which is completely subjective) and is nothing but a cheapshot.