Coaches will typically say that they have to find as many ways as possible to get the football in the hands of their best players. For Michigan, Denard Robinson gets the ball every play as a quarterback, but coach Brady Hoke is still experimenting with his senior. During last week’s win over Michigan State, Robinson appeared on a kick return.
That may not be a one-time thing. Hoke said Thursday on 97.1 The Ticket that “it’s a possibility” Robinson will continue to be on the field for kick returns this weekend against Nebraska (and beyond).
“You got a pretty good athlete in a guy who, if he can find a seam, he’s hard to catch,” Hoke said in the interview. “You might as well use your players. The objective is, when you’re in championship-game mode every week, to win the game. So how can you prepare your team and your players to win the football game?”
It’s an interesting move (or, a mind game) on Hoke’s part. In theory, yes, you want to find as many ways as possible to put your most dangerous weapon in a position to make a play. That’s Robinson, and it’s not like he projects as a quarterback in the NFL. Robinson’s going to have to make the move away from center at some point in his post-collegiate career -- why not see if he can impress scouts with his versatility?
But Robinson is also Michigan’s most valuable player on offense, and exposing him to any more hits -- it’s not like Shoelace is the biggest player out there -- could sideline him when the Wolverines need him most. How would Hoke deal with that consequence?
“Well I never hear the end of stuff anyway, so it doesn’t matter.”
(Hat tip: Mlive.com)