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With classes out, Michigan's Devin Gardner went to school
1:38 PM, July 27, 2013 |
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Seahawks' worst fears on Percy
Harvin come true
Michigan Wolverines quarterback Devin Gardner is interviewed during the Big Ten media day at the Chicago Hilton. /
Jerry Lai, USA TODAY Sports
by Mark Snyder,
USA TODAY
Sports
FILED UNDER
USA Today Sports
USA Today NCAAF
CHICAGO - Watching at the Manning Passing Academy in
Thibodaux, La., this month, Fox Sports analyst Charles Davis was
surprised to see Michigan quarterback Devin Gardner's skills.
"He has the charisma, he has the leadership, he has that presence,
that 'it' factor," Davis said this week at the Big Ten media day.
"Watching him throw the football is pretty nice. Good footwork,
good balance, the ball comes off of his hand really well, nice
compact delivery. There's nothing about him that didn't register
right when you watched him. I could feel it from the different guys
who were doing the evaluating. He would throw and throw, and as it
went on the enthusiasm kept bubbling over. By the end, you almost
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With classes out, Michigan's Devin Gardner went to school | Detroit Free Press | freep.com
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That was only part of the Devin Gardner
experience as he toured the country - from
Chicago where he worked with QB guru
George Whitfield Jr. to Oregon with the Elite
11 camp and then finally with the Mannings
at their annual event.
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As he enters his first season as Michigan's
incumbent starter, Gardner is leaving nothing
to chance.
Even though there was no local blueprint for
his adventure.
"I always knew those things were opportunities, but I didn't plan the
summer like I'm going to go to this and this. I just decided, I want to
get better," he said. "Anything that could help me get better, I was
going to do that. The Manning camp and Whitfield being in the
same place (Chicago) where I was going to be, those are all things
where I can get better and compare my skills to other great
quarterbacks."
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Even though Gardner has started only five games at quarterback at
Michigan, the final five of 2012 after Denard Robinson injured his
elbow, he's already entering that class with the nation's best.
Whether Gardner deserves the classification, the experts saw
enough in that small sample.
So Gardner got approval from offensive coordinator Al Borges and
consulted his friend, Clemson quarterback Tajh Boyd, who had
gone through some of the camps before. It helped that Wolverines
head coach Brady Hoke already had connections and respect for
all of Gardner's stops, plus no fear they would cloud his thinking.
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"How can't you respect Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning? He
learned a lot," Hoke said. "I think it's been good. ... When I asked
him what'd you learn? As long as he learned something, and
there's an affirmation on what he's been taught (at Michigan), that's
been huge."
For all those lessons, Hoke and Borges will finally get their hands
on him when camp starts Aug. 5 to see his summer progress.
Gardner has so many natural tools - the throwing mechanics are
solid, and his legs make him a dangerous running threat - that their
focus will be on his head.
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at B1G media day
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PHOTO GALLERIES
Decision-making will be the primary point, hoping to avoid the
Wolverines' 18 turnovers from last year's five losses. Gardner had
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With classes out, Michigan's Devin Gardner went to school | Detroit Free Press | freep.com
7/31/13 7:20 AM
five interceptions in his five starts.
He won over teammates by moving to receiver 18 months ago,
putting his quarterback dreams on hold. But Gardner's greatest
strength might be his expanded maturity, seeing the wider game.
That was his takeaway from the Manning camp.
"It's not even football-related, but Peyton and Eli are such different
people and they lead in such different ways and they're both
successful," Gardner said. "That was refreshing for me, to see you
don't have to be a certain type of person to lead or be successful at
the next level or below."
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If he didn't know before, Davis said Gardner realizes it now: All
eyes are on him.
Mark Snyder also writes for the Detroit Free Press, a Gannett
company.
***
Copyright 2013 USATODAY.com
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