Michigan junior quarterback Devin Gardner has made seven starts in his career. In those seven games, he has thrown 17 TD passes and rushed for another 10 scores. He also has tossed 10 interceptions and lost three fumbles.
"He's a little reckless," Akron coach Terry Bowden told reporters of Gardner after Michigan held off the Zips on Saturday. "He's an unbelievable talent. He can't be touched when he's out there on the outside, but he does get a little loose; he can be a poor decision maker at times and throw the ball around where he shouldn't throw it."
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Gardner threw three interceptions and lost a fumble against Akron and was critical of his performance.
"I probably played my worst game ever," he told reporters. "It won't happen again."
One of his interceptions Saturday was returned for a touchdown; it's the second week in a row Gardner has thrown a pick-six. Both have come at bad times, with each letting the opponent either stay in the game or get back into it.
There have been positives. In Michigan's three games this season, Gardner has thrown for an average of 234.7 yards per game, with seven TD passes. He is averaging 79.0 rushing yards per game, with four TDs. But he also has thrown six interceptions, and after a season-opening win over Central Michigan, offensive coordinator Al Borges told reporters that turnovers eventually were going to catch up with the Wolverines.
There don't appear to be any losable games on the schedule until November. Then again, the Wolverines almost lost to a woebegone Akron team, which has won just four games since the beginning of the 2010 season, with just one of those victories over a FBS squad.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
