The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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michigan football 126 passing (59.5 percent). He also rushed for seven scores, and set a Michigan quarterback single-month record in accounting for 15 touchdowns. While Gardner has the option to return for a fifth year in 2014, he is locked in on the upcoming campaign and the very large role he is expected to play in it. "We have a season this year, and spring ball is about to start, and I'm really focused and ready to play this season first," he said in a video interview on Gardner, who played in three games in 2010 before MGoBlue.com. "We've had a suffering a season-ending back injury, has thrown for great winter. I've led, and I've 1,480 yards with 13 touchdowns and six intercep- done things that I'm not ordinarily accustomed to doing. I tions in 25 career appearances. photo by per kjeldsen feel like I'm stepping outside of passes for 85 yards and a touchdown myself and being the leader I should in a win over Bowling Green while be. rushing for 25 yards and a score in "I usually don't talk much in workthat victory. However, he missed the outs. I just try to get myself through rest of the year with a bad back. it. But I've been helping my teamGardner was U-M's No. 2 quar- mates get through it and working terback in 2011, completing 11 of 23 really hard." attempts for 176 yards and a touchMichigan could have four scholardown in seven contests. However, ship signal-callers on the roster in he moved to wide receiver in spring 2014 — Gardner, Bellomy, sophopractices last year and would open more or redshirt freshman Shane the 2012 season as a Robinson target, Morris and true freshman Wilton catching 16 balls for 266 yards and Speight, a current commitment. four touchdowns in eight games. Greg Mattison, After Robinson went down with Brady Hoke To Split a nerve injury in week eight at NeDefensive Line braska, and redshirt sophomore Russell Bellomy proved unreliable, With newly hired Roy Manning Gardner transitioned back to QB. He slated to coach outside linebackers, played each of the final five games head coach Brady Hoke was forced under center, throwing for 1,219 to reshuffle his coaching staff. Defenyards and 11 touchdowns on 75-of- sive coordinator Greg Mattison, who