A new article from the Detroit Free Press outlines why Justin Feagin was booted from the Michigan football team recently. Not only was Feagin a troubled kid in high school, but he apparently continued to make shady dealings during his freshman year of college.
I commend Rodriguez for booting Feagin from the team, although any coach would probably do the same. But I remain skeptical of Rodriguez's desire for a clean program. I was not a fan of his program when he was at West Virginia, and I can't say that I'm happy with the current direction of Michigan's program. I think the Wolverines will do well on the field during Rodriguez's tenure, but I don't want Ann Arbor to be the Coral Gables of the North.
I'm willing to give Rodriguez a bit of a reprieve for Feagin. Rodriguez needed a mobile quarterback and only had one and a half months to find one. His choices were seemingly limited to Feagin and a kid named B.J. Daniels, who also has troubling circumstances. Without much time to find his ideal quarterback, perhaps Rodriguez and his coaches didn't do a thorough background check on Feagin. Still, anything that happens within this program deserves to be credited to or blamed on Rodriguez. This is no longer "Lloyd Carr's leftovers." This is Rodriguez's team. Hopefully, he won't make that mistake again.
Showing posts with label justin feagin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label justin feagin. Show all posts
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Justin Feagin, ex-Wolverine
Michigan quarterback/slot receiver Justin Feagin has been dismissed from the program, according to a statement released by Rich Rodriguez. The statement gave no indication of the reason for the dismissal, merely stating that it was a "violation of team rules." Rumors are circulating that it's a particular action, not a "he kept falling asleep in team meetings" sort of thing. I won't speculate any further until those rumors turn into actual reports.
Anyway, Feagin was a late addition to the 2008 recruiting class, jumping on board only after Rodriguez took the helm. He needed a dual-threat quarterback, and Feagin wanted a shot to play quarterback instead of playing defensive back at a place like Miami. During the disastrous 2008 season, Feagin played sparingly at quarterback in relief of Nick Sheridan and Steve Threet, never being allowed to throw a pass. It boggled my mind that Rodriguez wouldn't allow Feagin to throw the ball even once when Michigan was down against Ohio State, but it happened. Feagin made a seemingly permanent move to slot receiver once Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson hopped on board in the 2009 class, but he was almost surely destined for riding the bench behind Martavious Odoms, Terrence Robinson, and perhaps others.
Moving forward, Feagin is at least the twelfth player to be dismissed or transfer since Rodriguez's arrival. Mallett, Boren, Hill, Babb, Chambers, McGuffie, Horn, Clemons, O'Neill, Wermers, and Threet are the others; Marcus Witherspoon enrolled at Rutgers, but technically, I don't know that he was ever admitted to Michigan. Ten of those departures have occurred since the beginning of the 2008 season. I'm sure that frequency will dwindle, but as I'm sure we all know, a team can't survive with 10 players leaving every year and a maximum of 25 incoming players per year. Something has to give.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Rich Rodriguez is a drama queen
Tate Forcier broke Nick Sheridan's leg.
Mark Snyder's blog says that Nick Sheridan was seen with crutches and a walking boot, which means my official diagnosis is that Nick Sheridan did not:
1. break his femur.
2. improve his chances of winning the starting QB job.
2. improve his chances of winning the starting QB job.
3. contract AIDS.
Broken femurs usually involve loud cracking noises, lots of screaming, and a wheelchair with a mattress on it.
Starting quarterbacks usually are medically cleared to play football.
And #3 is just a guess, really.
It's unclear how serious Sheridan's injury is. A sprain or a break will likely not affect his medical clearance for football season. It will probably prevent him from participating in much of spring practice, perhaps even the duration of the spring session.
I wouldn't venture as far as to say that Tate Forcier is happy about this turn of events, but certainly things couldn't have gone any better for him earning the starting QB nod for the fall. He enrolled early. Last year's starter, Steven Threet, is transferring. Last year's other starter, Sheridan, is now hobbled. And his fellow Class of 2009 quarterback is finishing up high school in Florida.
Rich Rodriguez clearly shies away from quarterback stability, as every Michigan quarterback now seems to run away or suffer from Bill Blass disease.
Meanwhile, Justin Feagin keeps getting sucked into the black hole that is the Michigan quarterback position. The coaches keep telling him to play slot and he keeps practicing at slot, but he keeps looking closer and closer to playing quarterback.
Meanwhile, our quarterback depth chart as of this moment looks like this:
1. Tate Forcier
2. Justin Feagin
3. Carlos Brown
4. Terrence Robinson
5. Mary Sue Coleman
6. David Cone
Saturday, August 16, 2008
2008 position preview: quarterbacks
The biggest question in the Big Ten this offseason has been, "How will Rich Rodriguez's offense perform without Pat White?" Nobody knows. The presumptive starter hasn't thrown a pass in college, the challenger for the position is a walk-on, and then there are two scholarship afterthoughts. Luckily, Michigan has a stable of running backs and slot receivers who should be able to take a lot of pressure off the quarterback position.
PLAYERS LISTED IN ORDER OF PROJECTED DEPTH CHART
Steve Threet (#10 - RS freshman - Adrian, MI)
Threet was a four-star quarterback and the #8 passer coming out of high school in 2007. An early enrollee at Georgia Tech, he spent spring ball fighting for the backup quarterback position for the Yellowjackets. For reasons unbeknownst to the general public, he decided to transfer during the summer of 2007 back to his home state of Michigan. There were rumors that the transfer was due to his fear of competition, but he transferred to the University of Michigan when all-everything quarterback Ryan Mallett was still presumed to be the next great Michigan QB, so that can't be the case. Fortunately for Threet, Mallett was afraid of Rich Rodriguez's spread offense and hightailed it for Arkansas. Threet spent the spring of 2008 as the front-runner for the starting QB position and has a tenuous grip on that spot still. Rodriguez has said repeatedly that Threet needs to be more decisive. At 6'6" and 230 pounds, Threet has some mobility but needs to be able to throw the ball downfield with strength and accuracy to be effective. If he can't be an effective passer, Rodriguez will turn to a more mobile quarterback to run the read option
Nick Sheridan (#8 - Junior - Saline, MI)
At 6'1" and 212 lbs., Sheridan is considerably shorter and lighter than Threet. The word out of Michigan practices is that he's more mobile and runs the read option better than Threet. As a walk-on, it's very surprising to see Sheridan pushing Threet for the starting job in such a prestigious program as Michigan. However, Sheridan was a bit if an unknown quantity when he graduated from Saline High School and walked onto the Wolverines as a freshman. He spent most of his senior year watching from the sideline due to injury. Even if he had played, some observers thought he would only be Division II or Division III material. There was some talk of Sheridan during the 2007 season, especially after Chad Henne got injured during the Oregon game. Mallett stepped in and played pretty well, but against Minnesota, Sheridan was the first quarterback off the bench - not David Cone, the only other scholarship QB on 2007's roster. The rumor at the time was that Sheridan was allowed to play because it was a home game and Saline neighbors Ann Arbor, meaning it might have been the only chance for his family to see him play at Michigan Stadium; this rumor can now be debunked, since it has become more and more clear that Sheridan has outperformed David Cone in practices. It would not be a complete surprise to see Sheridan start at quarterback against Utah on August 30, but if you told Michigan fans that in August 2007, they would have said, "Who?"
Justin Feagin (#3 - Freshman - Delray Beach, FL)
Feagin is a complete and utter wild card for the 2008 season. He chose to compete for the QB position at Michigan instead of play wide receiver in the SEC. When Michigan was in the thick of recruiting Terrelle Pryor, Michigan commit Feagin had stated that he would welcome competing against the #1 recruit in the nation to play quarterback. Many schools saw him as a likely position switcher, either to WR or defensive back. Comparisons to Pat White, who was also recruited to play WR at SEC schools, at WVU are inevitable. Feagin ran the read option against weak competition in Florida. Still, he was named the Player of the Year in his division after rushing for 1,100+ yards and 25 TD's while completing 60% of his passes and another 19 TD's. Watching his highlight film immediately explains the accolades. His talent far exceeds that of the opponents. With the amount of hype fellow freshman Terrence Robinson has garnered for a single play (dubbed the "Dream Shake"), one would think Michigan fans would be gushing over the 6'1", 205 lb. Feagin. He consistently outmaneuvers defenders, and even though he doesn't throw the ball much, he's capable of throwing on the run with some zip. He has been hampered by a sore shoulder during fall camp, causing some fans to vocalize hopes for a position switch. When healthy, Feagin could provide a much different look in the backfield than Threet or Sheridan can. Rodriguez has already stated that Feagin is having difficulty with the mental aspect of the college game so far, but if he catches on quickly or if the coaches can put together a package for him to take some snaps each game, run the option, and roll out, he could be very dangerous. He will not be the full-time starter in 2008, but the coaches should see what he can do. If they hold him out and don't see how he can develop, they'll be starting all over again with 2009 commitments Kevin Newsome and Shavodrick Beaver (and/or Tate Forcier and/or Eugene Smith). At least for 2008, Feagin is a quarterback. After that it's up in the air.
David Cone (RS sophomore - Greenville, GA)
A class of 2006 recruit, Cone exited high school as a Wing-T passer. And he remains on that level. The Wing-T is primarily a running offense, and the passes from that offense usually come from rollouts or three-step drops. Many coaches alter their offense when they have good talent at quarterback, but apparently Cone's coach stuck with the system. He averaged 9 pass attempts per game as a senior. The 6'7", 214 lb. Cone suits the spread option even less than Threet and Sheridan, and he had a chance to transfer after Rodriguez was hired. However, he's choosing to stick it out at Michigan. Cone is not a legitimate option at quarterback and likely won't see the field unless Michigan is blowing out an opponent. He'll find himself even more buried on the depth chart when Newsome and Beaver arrive in 2009. At least he's getting a good education.
PLAYERS LISTED IN ORDER OF PROJECTED DEPTH CHART
Steve Threet (#10 - RS freshman - Adrian, MI)
Threet was a four-star quarterback and the #8 passer coming out of high school in 2007. An early enrollee at Georgia Tech, he spent spring ball fighting for the backup quarterback position for the Yellowjackets. For reasons unbeknownst to the general public, he decided to transfer during the summer of 2007 back to his home state of Michigan. There were rumors that the transfer was due to his fear of competition, but he transferred to the University of Michigan when all-everything quarterback Ryan Mallett was still presumed to be the next great Michigan QB, so that can't be the case. Fortunately for Threet, Mallett was afraid of Rich Rodriguez's spread offense and hightailed it for Arkansas. Threet spent the spring of 2008 as the front-runner for the starting QB position and has a tenuous grip on that spot still. Rodriguez has said repeatedly that Threet needs to be more decisive. At 6'6" and 230 pounds, Threet has some mobility but needs to be able to throw the ball downfield with strength and accuracy to be effective. If he can't be an effective passer, Rodriguez will turn to a more mobile quarterback to run the read option
Nick Sheridan (#8 - Junior - Saline, MI)
At 6'1" and 212 lbs., Sheridan is considerably shorter and lighter than Threet. The word out of Michigan practices is that he's more mobile and runs the read option better than Threet. As a walk-on, it's very surprising to see Sheridan pushing Threet for the starting job in such a prestigious program as Michigan. However, Sheridan was a bit if an unknown quantity when he graduated from Saline High School and walked onto the Wolverines as a freshman. He spent most of his senior year watching from the sideline due to injury. Even if he had played, some observers thought he would only be Division II or Division III material. There was some talk of Sheridan during the 2007 season, especially after Chad Henne got injured during the Oregon game. Mallett stepped in and played pretty well, but against Minnesota, Sheridan was the first quarterback off the bench - not David Cone, the only other scholarship QB on 2007's roster. The rumor at the time was that Sheridan was allowed to play because it was a home game and Saline neighbors Ann Arbor, meaning it might have been the only chance for his family to see him play at Michigan Stadium; this rumor can now be debunked, since it has become more and more clear that Sheridan has outperformed David Cone in practices. It would not be a complete surprise to see Sheridan start at quarterback against Utah on August 30, but if you told Michigan fans that in August 2007, they would have said, "Who?"
Justin Feagin (#3 - Freshman - Delray Beach, FL)
Feagin is a complete and utter wild card for the 2008 season. He chose to compete for the QB position at Michigan instead of play wide receiver in the SEC. When Michigan was in the thick of recruiting Terrelle Pryor, Michigan commit Feagin had stated that he would welcome competing against the #1 recruit in the nation to play quarterback. Many schools saw him as a likely position switcher, either to WR or defensive back. Comparisons to Pat White, who was also recruited to play WR at SEC schools, at WVU are inevitable. Feagin ran the read option against weak competition in Florida. Still, he was named the Player of the Year in his division after rushing for 1,100+ yards and 25 TD's while completing 60% of his passes and another 19 TD's. Watching his highlight film immediately explains the accolades. His talent far exceeds that of the opponents. With the amount of hype fellow freshman Terrence Robinson has garnered for a single play (dubbed the "Dream Shake"), one would think Michigan fans would be gushing over the 6'1", 205 lb. Feagin. He consistently outmaneuvers defenders, and even though he doesn't throw the ball much, he's capable of throwing on the run with some zip. He has been hampered by a sore shoulder during fall camp, causing some fans to vocalize hopes for a position switch. When healthy, Feagin could provide a much different look in the backfield than Threet or Sheridan can. Rodriguez has already stated that Feagin is having difficulty with the mental aspect of the college game so far, but if he catches on quickly or if the coaches can put together a package for him to take some snaps each game, run the option, and roll out, he could be very dangerous. He will not be the full-time starter in 2008, but the coaches should see what he can do. If they hold him out and don't see how he can develop, they'll be starting all over again with 2009 commitments Kevin Newsome and Shavodrick Beaver (and/or Tate Forcier and/or Eugene Smith). At least for 2008, Feagin is a quarterback. After that it's up in the air.
David Cone (RS sophomore - Greenville, GA)
A class of 2006 recruit, Cone exited high school as a Wing-T passer. And he remains on that level. The Wing-T is primarily a running offense, and the passes from that offense usually come from rollouts or three-step drops. Many coaches alter their offense when they have good talent at quarterback, but apparently Cone's coach stuck with the system. He averaged 9 pass attempts per game as a senior. The 6'7", 214 lb. Cone suits the spread option even less than Threet and Sheridan, and he had a chance to transfer after Rodriguez was hired. However, he's choosing to stick it out at Michigan. Cone is not a legitimate option at quarterback and likely won't see the field unless Michigan is blowing out an opponent. He'll find himself even more buried on the depth chart when Newsome and Beaver arrive in 2009. At least he's getting a good education.
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