COLLEGE FOOTBALL PREVIEW 2007
As quotes go, it seems awfully innocuous.
To Michigan fans, it is loaded with wonderful possibilities.
"We're going to play offense to the strength of our team," U-M offensive coordinator Mike DeBord said.
The strength of this team should be scoring touchdowns with enough frequency to border on offensive debauchery. In Chad Henne, Mike Hart, Jake Long and Mario Manningham, Michigan has the best quarterback-running back-left tackle-receiver combination in the country.
Throw in solid talent at every other position, and this has the potential to be one of the best offenses in school history.
I know, I know. Nobody turns a 20-point blowout into a three-point squeaker like Lloyd Carr. He would rather wear a sweater vest than pass three straight downs, etc.
Believe that if you'd like. But understand this about Carr: He can be reluctant to change, but when faced with incontrovertible evidence, he does.
The Rose Bowl against Southern Cal was incontrovertible evidence. The halftime score was 3-3. USC abandoned the run in the second half and used the shotgun frequently. Michigan stuck with the run and didn't have the shotgun as part of its regular offense. USC ran away with the win.
Well, the shotgun is now an integral part of the Michigan offense. The initial depth chart released this week features three receivers and no fullback -- an indication that U-M is not even faking a conservative approach.
What DeBord would not say is that the defense is so uncertain, the players' jerseys should all have question marks. But the Michigan coaches know this is not the 2006 defense. In the big games, they are going to pass early and often.
"We were very balanced last year in yards," DeBord said. "But as far as run/pass calls, we would like to be very balanced."
(Last season, the Wolverines rushed for 2,282 yards and passed for 2,538. But they ran 535 times and passed 331.)
DeBord has two other reasons to air it out:
1. Last year, they listed Jason Forcier and David Cone at backup quarterback, but they might as well have listed TBA and OMG. The coaching staff was desperate to keep Henne healthy. If Henne had gotten hurt in a big game, Michigan had a plan to insert true freshman running back Carlos Brown at quarterback. That's how little faith the coaches had in Henne's official backups.
This year is different. The No. 2 quarterback is freshman Ryan Mallett, who received recruiting ratings from "Five-Star Prospect" to "Dude, Check This Guy Out!"
"I'm not going to be afraid of throwing the ball when (Ryan Mallett) is in there," said DeBord, who was careful not to criticize Forcier, who has transferred to Stanford, or Cone, who is still at Michigan.
Michigan has a limited package for Ryan Mallett, but it is limited in size, not scope. Ryan Mallett can make all the throws; he just hasn't learned the whole playbook yet.
"It's limited (because) he knows those plays better," DeBord said. "It's exactly what they did with Chad his freshman year."
2. Last year was DeBord's first year as Henne's offensive coordinator. Now the coach is more comfortable with his passer.
"I knew I could trust Chad, but it had to be a growing thing for me, I guess," DeBord said. "I've got 100% trust in Chad. When we call a throw, I don't sit there and go, 'Gosh, take care of the ball.' I don't do that with Chad Henne. It's hard to really confuse him on defense. He's got the arm. He's got touch."
Despite the bitter double ending to last season, Michigan had a real chance at the national title. U-M showed in the second half against Ohio State that it could score with ease. (Privately, Michigan folks blame defensive backs coach Ron Lee for poor preparation and coaching. Lee has since found other employment.)
And the Wolverines could have beaten USC with a more aggressive approach. That was one of the few losses in DeBord's tenure that you could reasonably place on him. Michigan is 43-7 in DeBord's four years of calling the plays.
Expect at least another 10 wins this season. And don't be surprised if the offense "plays to the strength of the team" all the way to the Bowl Championship Series title game.
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