What are your expectations for Devin Gardner in 2013?

The Denard Robinson era of Michigan football is officially over.

Now the Wolverines’ offense is solely in the hands of Devin Gardner.

Some Michigan fans have been waiting a few years for this time, while others feel Robinson was one of the all-time greats in Michigan’s football history.

Either way, now is Gardner’s time and the expectations for him are great.

The junior is a clear upgrade in terms of his passing. He completed 59.5 percent of his passes last season, going 75-of-126 during the year, which spanned five games and four starts. Gardner averaged 243.8 passing yards per game in his five appearances and he accumulated 11 touchdown passes to five interceptions.

I don’t think it is asking too much for Gardner to throw for over 3,000 yards and 25 touchdowns this season, as long as he stays healthy. I would expect Michigan to keep Gardner more in the pocket and not have him do too much running, like it did with Robinson.

Gardner averaged just 2.1 yards per carry last season, and while he is a great athlete, he is not nearly as comfortable running with the football as Robinson. I don’t think the Wolverines will shy away from having Gardner run a few times each game, but I don’t expect them to put Gardner in a position to get hit often.

Gardner gives Michigan the ability to run a pro-style offense that should be very effective and should get the Wolverines’ receivers more involved in the offense. Michigan hasn’t averaged more than 250 passing yards per game in a season since Lloyd Carr was the head coach. That could change this season.

What are your expectations for Devin Gardner in 2013? Will he ultimately be the quarterback that Michigan fans want?

How many yards will Devin Gardner pass for this season?

The 2013 NFL Draft and how it played out for Michigan & Michigan State

The NFL Draft was completed over the weekend and five players from Michigan and Michigan State were selected during the three-day event. Here are my thoughts on each of the players that got their name called.

Le’Veon Bell, 2^nd Round Pick (48) to Pittsburgh Steelers – This seems like a perfect fit for Bell, who is known more for being a physical back than a finesse player. The Steelers have question marks at running back, which opens the door for Bell to earn carries right away. Bell should earn the respect of the fan base, as the Steeler fans like their workhorse players.

Dion Sims, 4^th Round Pick (106) to Miami Dolphins – Sims went a little quicker than I expected, but Miami has really put a focus on getting faster as a team and is trying to reshape its offense. Sims will need to improve on his blocking ability, but he provides Miami with a tight end that is already physically ready for the NFL and has good hands and feet for a man of his size.

William Gholston, 4^th Round Pick (126) to Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Gholston is a player that could be a fourth-round gem, or he could amount to nothing. It all depends on what Gholston’s motivation and work ethic is. Gholston has the physical tools to be a great player, but he has been known to back down from a challenge. He will be challenged every day in practice and every Sunday in games. He is going to have to be physically and mentally better than his opponent instead of just rely on his natural talent.

Denard Robinson, 5^th Round Pick (135) to Jacksonville Jaguars – Robinson was one of the picks that everyone around the country was paying attention to. I personally thought he could be a good fit in Detroit, but the Jaguars scooped him up in the fifth round a few picks prior to the Lions being on the clock. Jacksonville is in need of playmakers to help quarterback Blaine Gabbert come along. Last year the team added Justin Blackmon and this year it should have a healthy Maurice Jones-Drew back in the mix. With Robinson, the offense has some options as he can take some carries out of the backfield or on a reverse, he can catch some passes and he can sometimes throw the ball. There is a history of success for former college quarterbacks at the receiver position and Robinson has the talent to have a good NFL career. His biggest challenge will be staying healthy when his small frame takes the big hits from NFL defenders.

Will Campbell, 6^th Round Pick (178) to New York Jets – This was a surprising pick for a few reasons. Campbell wasn’t really on the draft radar, and when he was picked, he was picked to play the offensive line instead of defensive tackle. Campbell has experience on the offensive line during the 2010 season at Michigan, but it was a bit of a shocker to see him drafted by the Jets to play guard. At 6-5, 318 pounds, Campbell has good size to compete for a spot on the line, but there will be some bumps in the road as he transitions to the other side of the ball.

Who will have the best NFL career?

What was disappointing about Michigan's football season

The 2012 season is now completely finished with last night’s BCS Championship Game.

Michigan finished the season No. 24 in the AP Poll and completely out of the USA Today Poll. The Wolverines were behind teams like San Jose State and Northern Illinois in both polls. While you can argue that Michigan isn’t worse than those teams, the point is that Michigan didn’t live up to expectations this season.

The potential was there all season. Outside of the loss to Alabama (which was only strengthened by the Tide’s performance against Notre Dame), the Wolverines could have won all of the other games they lost.

Each loss had a different story. One loss was about the offense turning the ball over. Another loss was about the defense struggling. Other losses were about injuries and preparation.

Coming off an 11-win season, it was clear that an 8-5 record wasn’t expected this fall. It could have been expected, but Brady Hoke has set a high standard for himself and the program, and this year didn’t live up to that standard.

It’s hard to really point the blame in any one direction. The offense, defense and special teams all had high points and low points. Ultimately, the blame probably falls on the coaching.

It’s not that I think Michigan has bad coaching, quite the contrary. But, when a team has a letdown and there is no single reason why, that tends to fall on the coaches.

I think Michigan will improve on this season and Brady Hoke seems to be the right man for the job, but Wolverine fans didn’t like 8-win seasons when Lloyd Carr was around, so they probably won’t accept many of them from Hoke.

So, where does your blame fall for the season?

What was the most disappointing aspect of Michigan's season?

Outback Bowl Prediction

I don’t see the Outback Bowl turning out well for Michigan.

I don’t see this game being terribly lopsided, but I think the Michigan offense will have problems moving the ball against a strong and speedy defense like South Carolina.

Defensively, I think Michigan can keep South Carolina in check, but the Gamecocks will still find a way to score enough points to win.

South Carolina doesn’t quite have the same defensive talent that Alabama has, but it’s not far off. Devin Gardner will have to have a tremendous performance for Michigan to win, and I just don’t think he’s ready to carve up this defense quite yet.

Denard Robinson has struggled running against tough defenses like this, and I don’t think he is going to have that much of an impact when the Wolverines call his number.

If Michigan is to win, it will probably take a defensive or special teams touchdown, and you can’t really expect those to happen.

In the end, I see Connor Shaw making enough big throws to set up a few touchdowns and a few field goals, while Michigan will be clawing for everything it can get on offense.

Prediction: South Carolina 20, Michigan 10

Keys to victory for Michigan against South Carolina

Michigan returns to the football field coming up on Tuesday afternoon. Here are my keys to victory for the Wolverines against South Carolina in the Outback Bowl.

Mix it up with Denard – In the loss to Ohio State, Michigan became far too predictable on offense when Denard Robinson was on the field. The Wolverines didn’t have Robinson throw a single pass, which allowed the Buckeyes to stack the box when he was on the field. If Robinson is going to take any snaps at quarterback, he has to make a few throws throughout the game to keep the South Carolina defense honest. Michigan is much more likely to break a big play if the Gamecocks have to respect that Robinson could run or throw each time he touches the ball.

Keep Devin/Denard clean – The Michigan offensive line will be tested by an impressive front line for the South Carolina defense. If Michigan is going to be able to move the ball, the offensive line has to win the line of scrimmage and keep Devin Gardner and Denard Robinson from being sacked. The Gamecocks have an impressive 40 sacks this season, led by stud sophomore defensive end, Jadeveon Clowney, who has 13. If South Carolina is able to consistently get into the backfield, it is going to be a long day for the Michigan quarterbacks and the Wolverine fans.

Create turnovers – This South Carolina defense is good. The Gamecocks are only giving up 17.4 points and 312 yards per game, and that is with a SEC schedule. Michigan probably isn’t going to find a lot of consistent success on offense. The Wolverines can’t expect to drive the field 80 yards each time it needs a score. That means the Michigan defense will need to find a way to create turnovers. South Carolina has been pretty good at not turning the ball over, as it has just 19 for the season. Michigan also hasn’t been great at creating turnovers, as the Wolverines have only 17 for the year. But Michigan has to find a way to make South Carolina cough the ball up, especially when the Gamecocks are in their territory. One key turnover could decide this game.