Who's Michigan's QB? Good Question

When it comes time to select a quarterback to be "it" for Michigan, Wolverines head coach Rich Rodriguez might have to go "eeny, meeny, miny, moe."

Actually, there isn't a moe.

Although Rodriguez isn't ready to name a starter at quarterback quite yet, he said Sunday at media day that all three of his quarterbacks -- junior Nick Sheridan and freshmen Tate Forcier and Denard Robinson -- will probably take snaps in the Wolverines' opener against Western Michigan.

Of course, in what order and how many snaps still remains to be seen.

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"Again, it's two weeks out. There is a lot going to happen in the next two weeks," Rodriguez said Sunday.

Actually, a lot has already happened in preseason practice. Rodriguez has mentioned there have been more big plays generated by the offense in practice this camp compared to last year, and the quarterbacks have been part of that success.

For instance, a recent post on the Michigan athletic department's Web site said Robinson scored four touchdowns during one practice. Last Monday, Forcier tossed a 58-yard touchdown to James Rogers. Keep in mind that Sheridan started four games last year.

"The quarterback position is still wide open and probably will remain so ... it may be an ongoing battle until we play a game and see how they perform under game conditions," Rodriguez said. "We won't know for sure if anybody solidifies the starting role.

"Again, it's personal philosophies. Some guys want it [the quarterback position] to be established, the team to rally behind them, whatever. I just want them all to get better. That's the same at every position. I just want them to improve. Regardless of who is out there, everyone is expected to perform and execute. We've not told the team and we're not going to tell the team [that] you rally behind this guy or that guy. They rally behind whoever is taking the snaps."

This much is certain about taking snaps: Rodriguez isn't babying the quarterbacks, specifically the two freshman, Forcier and Robinson. They are taking snaps with the first-team offense and getting ready to start the opener. The uncertainty at quarterback might be unsettling to fans and Rodriguez -- who admits he is as much Joe Fan as the next fella -- gets it.

"Every year you are in the system, your quarterbacks will continue to grow and that's the exciting part," Rodriguez said. "But it's hard to have patience. I have an extreme lack of patience, too, as most people do, wanting it all right now. We are trying to teach them all the offense. We are not going to do one thing with one quarterback, one thing with another quarterback. We are teaching them all as we would normally."

Michigan's three-headed quarterback is versatile -- in different ways.

Forcier, of course, was recruited by Rodriguez to be the main man in the Wolverines' spread-option offense. Forcier was able to throw the ball equally well on the move and in the pocket in high school in San Diego, passing for 7,448 yards and 61 touchdowns in his prep career. But he could scoot, too, rushing for 2,049 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Forcier enrolled early and participated in spring drills and many fans believe Michigan's season revolves around his development.



"I wouldn't exactly say I am the guy yet -- I still have got a lot of work to do, and camp's only halfway done," Forcier said Sunday. "We've still got two weeks to go before the first game. Mentally, as far as spring ball, I'm so much farther ahead than I was in spring ball, so much more comfortable with the offense."

Robinson, meanwhile, could have went to defending national champion Florida as an athlete, but Michigan promised him an opportunity at quarterback. Robinson might not have the arm strength of Forcier, but he's freakishly strong and freakishly fast -- and could be the home-run hitter that Pat White was for Rodriguez at West Virginia. Want to know a secret? Robinson's nicknamed "Shoelace" because he doesn't tie the laces of his cleats during practice or games. That's right. Robinson says he only ties the laces of dress shoes when he's going to church.

Michigan running backs coach Fred Jackson, in an interview with the Detroit media, had this to say about Robinson: "I know one thing -- I promise you this, there's nobody in the country who is ever going to catch him [from behind]. In my 18 years here, I've never seen a kid that fast. Nowhere. And I've seen some fast kids on other teams. I've never seen anybody that fast. It's scary."

Sheridan might not have the athletic ability of his two younger teammates, but he does have experience on his side. He was fantastic in the win over Minnesota with 203 passing yards and a touchdown. Rodriguez has pointed out that Sheridan, who took took the first reps with the first-team offense in Saturday's scrimmage, is "seeing things a whole lot quicker. You can tell Nick has been in the system for a year and he's an older guy."

But who is going to be the "guy" for Michigan?

Rodriguez has been able to install his offensive schemes at a swifter pace this year because most of his players now have more familiarity with the spread. He's also reviewing his quarterbacks' progress and trying to decide how much of the offense they can handle. Rodriguez insisted the player who takes the first snaps will not necessarily be the No. 1 quarterback for the rest of the season.

"As we get more into game preparations, we may specifically have some plays for [specific] quarterbacks," Rodriguez said. "I think you have to do that. You try not to ask them to do something they can't. At the same time you try to let them feature or show some of the things they can do well. We kind of have a plan for that -- we've talked about it the last several days."

And it appears the talk will continue leading up to the Western Michigan opener in less than two weeks.