Gardner was hard to miss, wearing an Oregon State University no-contact jersey that is almost as unnaturally bright as Michigan's "maize." The quarterback Jim Tressel declined to offer a scholarship to in favor of Braxton Miller had a solid afternoon playing against his teammates before ~18,000 Wolverine faithful.
The Wolverines unleashed their new offense during the intrasquad scrimmage at Michigan Stadium, and Gardner was clearly one of the best players on the field. He completed 11-of-16 passes for 145 yards and one touchdown during five series with the first-team offense.
He hooked up with true freshman tight end Jake Butt for a 12-yard score on his only TD of the day.
Beyond hooking up with Tight End Butt, Gardner looked even better once his backup took the field.
Walk-on quarterback Brian Cleary struggled as Gardner's replacement. His arm strength was an issue throughout the game, and could become a concern if he's pressed into action next year. He unofficially was 2-of-9 passing for 24 yards with one touchdown to Joe Reynolds.
He also fumbled a snap.
Uh oh. Better keep that arm warm, Shane Morris.
[love you so much, Kenny G]
