Behind Robinson, UM dashes past UConn

ANN ARBOR — Just like he shoved away defenders so regularly earlier in the day, Denard Robinson brushed back his University of Michigan skull cap to reveal his thick dreadlocks before addressing the assembled media.

Moments earlier Tate Forcier's head was covered by a white towel, as he sat alone on a bench on the Wolverine sideline, seemingly gutted that the job he earned a year ago had been ripped away in one of the most impressive statistical performances ever by a UM quarterback.

Prior to Saturday's 30-10 win over Connecticut, the primary question related to UM's offense was who would start at quarterback. Folks were also wondering who might start at running back. To both, the answer was — sort of — Robinson. He ran like a running back, passed like the quarterback he never was a year ago, and potentially proved to be the type of diverse playmaker coach Rich Rodriguez most desires at the position.

PHOTO GALLERY: MICHIGAN FOOTBALL: University of Connecticut vs. University of Michigan Sept. 4, 2010

Before the largest crowd to ever watch a football game — college or NFL — Robinson dazzled, setting a UM record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 197, while completing all but three of his 22 pass attempts and totaling 186 yards through the air.

“I knew what he could do,” running back Vincent Smith said. “He just needed to be put in the right position.”

By the end of the first quarter, UM was ahead 14-0 and Robinson had rolled up 102 yards, including a 32-yard TD jaunt, on 10 attempts. For the game, he rushed 29 times. Known as “Shoelace” because he refuses to lace up his cleats, Robinson said UConn defenders were pleading to each other to “Take his shoes, take his shoes.”

“I knew I had to play well [otherwise] someone else could take the snaps,” Robinson said.

On the final two plays of the third quarter, Robinson was on the sideline, his hip hurting a bit. Replacing him was not Forcier, who threw for three TDs in last year's opener against Western Michigan, but true freshman Devin Gardner. “It was a coach's decision,” Rodriguez said, not elaborating on the depth chart slide for a 12-game starter in 2009.

Rodriguez informed the three quarterbacks Friday evening that Robinson would start. That arrangement will likely be in place this Saturday when UM travels to play Notre Dame.

What was supposed to be a difficult test against a defending bowl champion came without much drama. Although there were some moments of weakness later in the game, the first quarter was positively clean. The bar for this year was set high on the first drive, as UM covered 96 yards on 14 plays — six Robinson runs — in 5:57. Smith, who did not start but carried 14 times, closed the drive with a 12-yard dash and silenced any concerns of his surgically-repaired knee by bouncing off a host of defenders to reach the end zone.

“I wasn't expecting to break that many tackles,” Smith said.

Smith, who was the recipient of an 11-yard TD pass from Robinson in the fourth quarter, had 51 yards on the ground. Michael Shaw, the starter, carried 15 times for 48 yards and a 3-yard score to put UM ahead 21-0 early in the second quarter. UConn cut the lead to 21-10 by halftime.

A year ago, when it won its first four games but finished 5-7, UM had the worst turnover margin in the Big Ten. Saturday was a good development in that area, because although the Wolverines fumbled three times, they recovered all of them. They forced one too, and it came at a critical juncture as UConn had reached the Wolverines' 7 looking to cut the lead to 24-17 in the third quarter. On the play — fourth and 1 — D.J. Shoemate crossed the first down barrier but was stripped of the ball by J.T. Floyd. Obi Ezeh recovered.

“Some of these stats, I don't want to say are surprising, but are pretty pleasing,” Rodriguez said.

The Huskies (8-5 in 2009) didn't get much help from their special teams in the first half. UM's Cam Gordon got his hands on a 40-yard field goal attempt by Dave Teggart, which laid the groundwork for a 77-yard touchdown drive. In the second quarter, punter Cole Wagner nearly whiffed at a ball, sending it five yards and allowing UM to put together a 38-yard TD drive.

“It was a game where we really didn't help ourselves in certain situations,” UConn coach Randy Edsall said. “We left way too many opportunities on the field offensively, defensively, and a few special teams.”

Contact Ryan Autullo at:rautullo@theblade.com or 419-724-6160.