ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Dusty Rutledge was a one-man pep rally this spring.
Michigan football's jovial administrative assistant could be seen during scrimmages this spring perched in a golf cart, microphone in hand, doing play-by-play. After touchdowns, "DJ Dusty" would play Hail to the Victors through a giant speaker perched atop his "Disco Sled."
Hey, anything to perk up an ailing offense. And by ailing we mean the O was in intensive care, hooked up to tubes. That's how bad the Michigan offense was in Rich Rodriguez's first season. If you missed the highlights from 2008, you were better off for it. Only seven other BCS conference programs were worse in total offense.
"It was real hard," said Brandon Minor, who led Michigan in rushing last season. "Most of the people who have played for Michigan never experienced a season like that."
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| Instead of de-committing, Tate Forcier reasoned, 'Maybe I can be someone who can change this program.' (Wolverine Photo) |
Dusty's carnival barking on the practice field is a small start back to respectability. Now comes the real deal as Michigan plays its second spring game under Rodriguez on Saturday. Forty-thousand are expected to show for what they hope is a show.
It should be one of the more significant spring games in the country. The worst thing that can happen is a repeat of last year's punchless spring game at Saline High School. The Big House was unavailable because of renovations. The offense was unwatchable and it got worse from there.
The best thing that can happen is Michigan freshman quarterback Tate Forcier throwing for 400 yards. The numbers themselves might be meaningless. The afterglow could be priceless. There needs to be a sign that the Wolverines are digging out of the offensive muck.
Forcier enrolled early to get a head start on Rodriguez's playbook. His big break, literally, came when redshirt junior Nick Sheridan broke his right leg in practice last month. Sheridan is the only quarterback on the roster who has thrown a Division I pass. When he was injured, the thought running through Michigan fans' minds had to be "Stay down, kid."
Nothing mean, just human nature. Sheridan was part of the agonizing fingernails-on-chalkboard offense, starting four games. Forcier is the future, the hope. He comes from a family of quarterbacks. Brother Jason was behind Chad Henne at Michigan before transferring to Stanford. Another brother, Chris, is at UCLA. Since the third grade Tate has been tutored by Marv Marinovich. Yes, that's the (in)famous father of Todd Marinovich.
Tate didn't turn out to be a Toddy M. The most important thing is that the San Diego native didn't waver in his commitment to Michigan.
"As bad as the season was last year, a lot of people thought I was de-committing," Forcier said. "I took that as a positive. I thought, 'Maybe I can be someone who can change this program around.' I knew regardless that if the offense didn't look as good as they wanted it to, I was still going to have to come in and compete with the guys."
That was something Shavodrick Beaver didn't do. The dual threat blue-chipper de-committed and went to Tulsa. There were whispers around the Michigan camp that Beaver didn't want to compete at quarterback. Michigan also gets four-star freshman Denard Robinson in the fall.
Forcier is ready to make his stand. When asked if fans now think he is the starter because of his lucky "break", he said: "I think they do, but they shouldn't."
Let's put it this way: The only way Forcier doesn't start the season opener against Western Michigan is if Sheridan suddenly starts taking Dan Marino pills or Robinson wins the job in August. That, or Forcier himself breaks some appendage.
It is still a fragile Michigan program trying to regain its brand name. Forcier was a big-time recruit but doesn't have the luxury of being eased into the lineup. He has better wheels than any quarterback on the current roster.
In getting himself ready to enroll in January, he crammed some of his home-school classes into a two-week window. There also were water aerobics, weightlifting and a visit to a mixed martial arts gym near his San Diego home.
The goal, as father Mike put it: "I need to deliver Michigan a five-star prospect."
"They're not just going to just hand me the job," Forcier said. "If [Rodriguez] did that, he'd be hated."
Uh, Tate. That's not the way it's going to work. It's all politics now as Rodriguez finds a comfortable way to get you behind center. This program can't afford another 3-9 season.
"I wouldn't say the [Michigan] brand was damaged," Minor said. "That was a transition period for us."
After a 33-year bowl streak ended, the transition period is over. Forcier can do something no other quarterback on the roster can -- run. If Rodriguez's spread zone read offense is going to take off in the Midwest, he must have a quarterback who can make plays with his feet.
One of the biggest problems last season was an inexperienced offensive line. For the first time since 1998 the Wolverines didn't have All-Big Ten offensive linemen. Center David Molk and right guard David Moosman had to play every offensive snap. Now all the starters are back.
Rodriguez was most concerned with a staggering 30 turnovers. Only Washington State and South Carolina were worse among BCS schools.
"Just because you play doesn't mean you're getting better," Rodriguez said of the depth chart.
That wasn't necessarily aimed at Sheridan, but could be considered a warning shot. Both quarterbacks were immobile last season. Steven Threet, the other starter last season, has transferred.
"I like how Tate is getting comfortable with the system," Minor said. "You can tell there was a big difference between his first practice and now. At first he was scared to make a play."
Forcier doesn't dispute the assessment. But life with Rodriguez and quarterbacks coach Rod Smith has become another cram session.
"Coach Smith tends to throw everything at me early in the week almost as if he knows I'm going to mess up," Forcier said. "We go back and watch film the next day and it's almost like I know everything all the sudden. I don't know how he does it. He knows how to teach it so well."
Just in case, DJ Dusty better have soothing background music ready for the fall.
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