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f r o m M e d i t o r b r i a n n e u b e r2013 t Michigan Wolverines PREVIEW • Not on Purdue's schedule Who's in Charge? COACH BRADY HOKE ichigan's resurgence ly matured as a leader. You the past two seawere never sure if he'd rise sons will forever be linked, to the occasion because he's at least in some part, to a jokester and never took the dynamic quarterback Denard job all that seriously because Robinson. he knew Denard Robinson So now that Robinson is was No. 1. Now people are off to play wide receiver in looking up to him and he's the NFL, what happens? really taking his responsibiliMaybe even more. ties seriously." Much is expected now of Michigan got a glimpse of Robinson's successor, Devin its future under center last Gardner, a similarly athletic season when Gardner played Michigan quarterback who might be Devin Gardner should in 13 games, mostly in the able to bring more balance to help bring a balance to final five, completing 60 perthe Wolverine offense, or so Michigan's offense. cent of his passes and throwit's hoped. ing for 11 touchdowns, with "He's a guy who can really be that dual five interceptions, after moving over from threat that Denard Robinson was sup- playing receiver earlier in the year. Under posed to be but never was the passer to his direction, the Wolverine offense rebe," said Chris Balas, who covers Michi- ceived a bump from his superior passing gan for TheWolverine.com. "He won't be skills, including a well-refined downfield the runner Denard passing threat. TOM'S TAKE Robinson was, but "I think Devin's he has a more innate "The offense finally will look intelligence level and like a traditional Michigan sense of when to pull ability level are at a attack, for the first time since very high rate," Coach it down and go and can Lloyd Carr's final season in make people miss. And Brady Hoke said in he's a big kid who's 2007. And QB Devin Gardner the spring. "He loves tough to tackle. I heard looks like a star for an offense to study the game and someone say he could that needs better production look at film and really be one of the best at running back. But defense be competitive." third-and-seven quar- is the key. Are there any pass Gardner might rushers in the house? Brady empower a Michigan terbacks in the country and you can see Hoke's program is full of mojo passing game that was and momentum." that. He keeps his eyes always stunted under — Tom Dienhart, Big Ten downfield when he's Robinson's direction, Network scrambling, but also good news for returnhas the ability to get a ing standout receiver few extra yards and make people miss. Jeremy Gallon (49 catches, 829 yards last "He's shown incredible poise and real- season) and emerging tight end Devin GBIprint.com GoldandBlack.com Record at Michigan: 19-7 (two seasons) Record vs. Purdue: 2-2 (Ball State and Michigan) Bottom Line: Michigan's back where Michigan's supposed to be in the Big Ten, a credit to the dramatic turnaround Hoke has engineered in a short period of time in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines are recruiting at an elite level and playing solid, physical football again. That isn't good news for the rest of the conference, which undoubtedly enjoyed the failed Rich Rodriguez Era. Fortunate Season? Since 1970, here is, by school, Purdue's conference record in years it didn't play each of the three league teams it doesn't face in 2013: michigan 26-22.541 minnesota 29-25.541 northwestern 10-20-2.344 Gold and Black IllustrateD • volume 23, issue 6 • 111