Michigan QB Denard Robinson learns from reflection

Denard Robinson's evolution at Michigan took time.

By Andrew Weber, US Presswire

Quarterback Denard Robinson says this season's Michigan team is "like night and day. "It's sunny over here. Last year was dark. It was nighttime. This year, I feel comfortable with the offense."

By Andrew Weber, US Presswire

Quarterback Denard Robinson says this season's Michigan team is "like night and day. "It's sunny over here. Last year was dark. It was nighttime. This year, I feel comfortable with the offense."

The star senior quarterback came to Michigan naive and prepared to rely on his athleticism, enough for flashes but not consistency.

Three years later, he has spent his summer poring over scouting tape, breaking down enough tendencies to sound like a coach, not the neophyte who quietly sat by.

As Robinson evolves in his second year in offensive coordinator Al Borges' hybrid offense, the summer has offered time to look at others and especially himself.

"Us not having timing, that was a key issue," Robinson says. "My footwork, I was thinking so much that my footwork was everywhere. Now we're not thinking about the offense, because we know the offense and we have confidence in ourselves. We know the offense, and now we have the opportunity to have success in the offense."

A year after throwing 15 interceptions and completing 55% of his passes, Robinson has spent time self-scouting as well, analyzing a few problem games from 2011.

Adapting from Rich Rodriguez's spread option to Borges' more traditional version took time. Robinson said he felt like a freshman, starting over again, learning mostly from scratch.

A snapshot of the season came at Northwestern, where Michigan trailed 24-14 at halftime, mostly because Robinson threw three interceptions. After a few halftime reminders, Robinson settled down and led the team to 28 unanswered second-half points to win the game going away.

"That's the things that I need to work on, throwing off my back foot, letting the ball float, not setting my feet," Robinson says. "So when we came back in the second half, I set my feet and stepped into the throws and made the plays I needed to make. … When I go back and watch that game, there's so many balls I wish I could have took back. But everything happens for a reason. I made those mistakes for a reason. I've watched it a lot this offseason."

Last season's two losses — at Michigan State and at Iowa — played out with similar results for Robinson. Now, with a spring of work and an offseason of study, he says, "It's like night and day."

"It's sunny over here," he says. "Last year was dark. It was nighttime. This year, I feel comfortable with the offense."

Robinson threw for 2,173 yards on 55% passing and rushed for 1,176 yards on 221 carries last season. Michigan's offense averaged 404.7 yards and 33.3 points a game.

"He opens up things because he's very, very fast," says Alabama defensive end Damion Square, whose team kicks off the season with Michigan on Saturday in Arlington, Texas. "As a defense, we've got to first and foremost come in the game and stop what they want to do. They want to give him the ball first, and that's what we're coming to stop."

Robinson also has made strides off the field. In July, he opened up to hundreds of Big Ten fans, bringing public the private parts of his life, the series of cuts and dips that have taken him from humble beginnings to the bright lights on the big stage.

"What you may not know is I grew up in Deerfield Beach, Fla., with six brothers, one sister," he said, speaking for the assembled Big Ten players.

"What you may not know is I lost my brother when I was 10 years old, and I pray to him before every game to give me strength. No matter how hot it is outside, I always seem to get a cool breeze. I like to think it comes from him.

"What you may not know is I was so self-conscious of the area I grew up in I used to hold recruiting visits at my grandparents' house.

"What you may not know is I wasn't even the best athlete in my neighborhood, but I happened to be one of the ones who made it out. Why? Choices."

He chose to avoid drugs and the street life while staying in school. He chose to embrace his parents — "who had nothing and gave everything." And he chose to appreciate what the leaders in his life, including coaches and teachers, offered him.

He spoke about being academically ineligible for high school spring football as a freshman, about choosing to stay with the Wolverines after Rodriguez's firing because he loved Michigan, the school, the program and his teammates.

He explained about having a platform, choosing to be a role model and "using the platform to make a difference," but said he was not perfect, nodding to coach Brady Hoke, who was sitting behind him.

"His manner, how he's grown and matured from a mental standpoint, and then the manner in how he really (improved), you look at the way his mechanics and understanding our offense," Hoke says. "I think all of those things have been real positive."

The most difficult part of football, and perhaps life, is patience.

"It takes time," Robinson says. "Look at Michael Jordan, look at LeBron James, look at anybody who was a great person. It took time, and it didn't just happen overnight. I knew it was going to take work last year, and now I feel more comfortable."

Snyder writes for the DetroitFree Press Contributing: Brian Manzullo, Detroit Free Press

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