Chad Henne's Bowl record, and "Ohio State" -- A deeper look
I hear alot of talk about Henne's bowl record. People knock Henne for it and I don't think it's a valid knock..
What people fail to realize is Henne played damn good in these games... What people also fail to realize is Michigan's defense always gave up 32 or more points in all the 4 Bowl games with Henne.. Henne doesn't play defense. Just like Marino didn't play defense for the dolphins despite putting up alot of points himself. Yes folks, football is still a team game in college.
Also saying Henne couldn't beat Ohio State is like people saying Peyton Manning won't be a good NFL QB because he couldn't beat Florida. Remember that folks? Do you remember how the sports world was drowning us with that rhetoric everyday the year Manning got drafted?? Look what Manning has done in the NFL since.. That rhetoric looks alot more silly now doesn't it?
By the way, where was Henne's skill position players drafted this year? hmmm.. Not high. That's right, they are overrated.. When people say Henne was surrounded by this all-star skill position talent, that's Bull.. Mike Hart is slow, the receivers were overrated. Brady Quinn had more skill position players at Notre Dame drafted higher. Jeff Samardzija, who was Quinn's receiver would have been drafted in the 1st round if not for baseball. He was a finalist for the Fred Belitnikoff award and broke all kinds of Notre Dame receiving records if you remember. And the list goes on there.
And of course Quinn had John Carlson at TE (drafted high this year). And Rhema McKnight who was with the San Diego Chargers last year-- alot of you guys wanted to draft him late in the draft last year like you wanted to draft Manningham late in the draft this year.. So those are 3 NFL calibre weapons Quinn had at his disposal.
Aside from Jake Long. Michigan's line wasn't good. They have one other "okay" linemen, but the rest just aren't good. So the only star player on their offense was a tackle.
But let's get back to the games.. Let's break down the numbers shall we?
Bowl game vs Texas - Michigan ranked 13th, Texas ranked 4th
Michigan loses by a single point by a score of 38-37.. When you score 37 points you should win the game, no if's and's or but's about it.. Texas won the game in the last 2 seconds, literally.
Henne had a whopping 113.2 QB rating for that game. Definitely numbers that support a winning team and a QB playing very well. Especially when Henne had 4 TD passes and no INT's. You just can't ask for much more from a Quarterback to help his team win.. Again, a 113.2 QB rating and 4 TD's and no INT's (and 37 points) for the game. what else can you possibly ask for? I mean seriously.
Chad Henne tied a Rose Bowl record for Touchdown passes in this game.
Also try to get a hold of that gametape. The commentators mention how they got word that Henne would have won game MVP if Michigan had won.. So that's at least 2 bowl games Henne was good enough to win the MVP trophy as he was MVP of the Michigan-Florida game last January.
Bowl game vs Nebraska
Another close game.. Final score: Nebraska 32 Michigan 28. Henne had 270 yards and 3TD 1 INT
Bowl game vs USC
USC was just an awesome team. Final score: USC 32 Michigan 18..
Henne was good completing 64% of his passes for 309 yards, 2 TD 1 INT. Henne also rushed 7 times for 40 yards.. So Henne himself put up 350 yards of offense in the game against USC.
However USC got a big early lead and they just pinned their ears back and sent alot of people at Henne. Henne was sacked quite a bit in this game. This was the only lopsided matchup of the bowl games he played in. The game was in the Rose Bowl so it was like a home game for USC., almost an impossible environment to win at, especially when USC jumps out with a big lead torching the Michigan defense.
Bowl game vs Florida
Michigan Beats Florida 41-35... Again Henne completes over 64% of his passes for 373 yards and 3 TD passes.. Henne wins game MVP award.
well lookit here.. Henne did something Peyton Manning couldn't do, he beat Florida !!!!!!!! j/k :wink:
Yes. we can conclude Henne plays well in the big games. There is absolutely no doubt about it. The numbers do not lie.
Ohio State- Let's talk about this Ohio State series shall we? Saying Henne couldn't beat Ohio State is like saying Peyton Manning couldn't beat Florida.. Well so much for that huh? Peyton Manning sure got the last laugh in that one as alot of people said he wouldn't be a good NFL player all because he couldn't beat Florida.. Well guess what, Henne beat the 9th ranked Florida gators in a bowl game last year.. Something Manning couldn't do !! (j/k , just teasing there and to show how ridiculous it is to talk about Bowl wins and losses when you don't look deeper into why teams win or lose despite the QB play)
At Ohio State in 2006 Henne and Michigan put up 39 points, again on the road (but lost 42-39). Henne had a QB rating of 103.0 for the game for 270 yards, 2 TD and no int's.. The team scored enough to win, but again the defense stunk.
Against Ohio State in 2005, another close one.. Final score: Ohio State 25 Michigan 21,, Henne completed 70% of his passes for 223 yards, 1 TD no int's.
The game last year against Ohio State- it is well documented he was hurt as he left the Wisconsin game the week before because of a separated shoulder. In fact he only threw 5 passes in that game.
So, he played well in every game against Ohio State except in the last one when he was obviously hurt when he was still recovering from the separated shoulder.
In the 2004 game, Henne and Michigan were on the road at Ohio State.. Henne was a freshman this year, and it was asking alot for a young kid to go into Ohio State's stadium with that hostile envoronment. Still, he completed 50% of his passes for 330 yards, 2 TD 2 INT.... It could have been alot LOT worse for a freshman.. I know that John beck wouldn't have performed nearly that well as a freshman playing in Ohio State considering the terrible season Beck had as a freshman. He was just lost. ( Not to slam Beck, but just showing how difficult it is to play in such an environment at 18 years of age, like Henne was at the time of this game).. So I give Henne a break on this one.
Senior Bowl - Henne was the offensive MVP in the Senior Bowl game- just like Henne was MVP not long before in the Michigan-Florida Bowl Game.
In conclusion. I think it's very easy to conclude that Henne can play well in the big game and play well in high pressure situations, it's not like this guy played horrible in big games. He played very well in alot of these games.. Including Bowl games where he threw 4 TD passes and no INT's putting up 37 points but his defense still found a way to lose.
Saying Henne couldn't beat Ohio State and using that against him trying to demean his ability, is like telling Peyton Manning he couldn't beat Florida demeaning his abilities now. Or it's like saying Marino couldn't win the big game because he had a bad playoff record over the last 12 years of his career.. So you see how silly it sounds? Marino played on a TEAM, it was a TEAM GAME.. Not even Marino could win a championship in 17 years, so who cares if Henne didn't win one in only 4 years ! That doesn't mean he can't be a heck of a good Pro QB.
So now some of you can see how ridiculous that argument is. Henne definitely played well enough to win one or two of those games against Ohio State (and he definitely played well enough to win another bowl game or two).. Michigan scored 39 points on the road against them in 2006. Definitely enough to win offensively. But again, Henne doesn't play defense for the Wolverines. Much like Marino didn't play defense for the dolphins, if you know what I mean..
Let's try to keep in mind that Henne is still only 22 years old.. That's alot of big game experience, and alot of experience playing well in national televised pressure cookers at such a young age.
I hear alot of talk about Henne's bowl record. People knock Henne for it and I don't think it's a valid knock..
What people fail to realize is Henne played damn good in these games... What people also fail to realize is Michigan's defense always gave up 32 or more points in all the 4 Bowl games with Henne.. Henne doesn't play defense. Just like Marino didn't play defense for the dolphins despite putting up alot of points himself. Yes folks, football is still a team game in college.
Also saying Henne couldn't beat Ohio State is like people saying Peyton Manning won't be a good NFL QB because he couldn't beat Florida. Remember that folks? Do you remember how the sports world was drowning us with that rhetoric everyday the year Manning got drafted?? Look what Manning has done in the NFL since.. That rhetoric looks alot more silly now doesn't it?
By the way, where was Henne's skill position players drafted this year? hmmm.. Not high. That's right, they are overrated.. When people say Henne was surrounded by this all-star skill position talent, that's Bull.. Mike Hart is slow, the receivers were overrated. Brady Quinn had more skill position players at Notre Dame drafted higher. Jeff Samardzija, who was Quinn's receiver would have been drafted in the 1st round if not for baseball. He was a finalist for the Fred Belitnikoff award and broke all kinds of Notre Dame receiving records if you remember. And the list goes on there.
And of course Quinn had John Carlson at TE (drafted high this year). And Rhema McKnight who was with the San Diego Chargers last year-- alot of you guys wanted to draft him late in the draft last year like you wanted to draft Manningham late in the draft this year.. So those are 3 NFL calibre weapons Quinn had at his disposal.
Aside from Jake Long. Michigan's line wasn't good. They have one other "okay" linemen, but the rest just aren't good. So the only star player on their offense was a tackle.
But let's get back to the games.. Let's break down the numbers shall we?
Bowl game vs Texas - Michigan ranked 13th, Texas ranked 4th
Michigan loses by a single point by a score of 38-37.. When you score 37 points you should win the game, no if's and's or but's about it.. Texas won the game in the last 2 seconds, literally.
Henne had a whopping 113.2 QB rating for that game. Definitely numbers that support a winning team and a QB playing very well. Especially when Henne had 4 TD passes and no INT's. You just can't ask for much more from a Quarterback to help his team win.. Again, a 113.2 QB rating and 4 TD's and no INT's (and 37 points) for the game. what else can you possibly ask for? I mean seriously.
Chad Henne tied a Rose Bowl record for Touchdown passes in this game.
Also try to get a hold of that gametape. The commentators mention how they got word that Henne would have won game MVP if Michigan had won.. So that's at least 2 bowl games Henne was good enough to win the MVP trophy as he was MVP of the Michigan-Florida game last January.
Bowl game vs Nebraska
Another close game.. Final score: Nebraska 32 Michigan 28. Henne had 270 yards and 3TD 1 INT
Bowl game vs USC
USC was just an awesome team. Final score: USC 32 Michigan 18..
Henne was good completing 64% of his passes for 309 yards, 2 TD 1 INT. Henne also rushed 7 times for 40 yards.. So Henne himself put up 350 yards of offense in the game against USC.
However USC got a big early lead and they just pinned their ears back and sent alot of people at Henne. Henne was sacked quite a bit in this game. This was the only lopsided matchup of the bowl games he played in. The game was in the Rose Bowl so it was like a home game for USC., almost an impossible environment to win at, especially when USC jumps out with a big lead torching the Michigan defense.
Bowl game vs Florida
Michigan Beats Florida 41-35... Again Henne completes over 64% of his passes for 373 yards and 3 TD passes.. Henne wins game MVP award.
well lookit here.. Henne did something Peyton Manning couldn't do, he beat Florida !!!!!!!! j/k :wink:
Yes. we can conclude Henne plays well in the big games. There is absolutely no doubt about it. The numbers do not lie.
Ohio State- Let's talk about this Ohio State series shall we? Saying Henne couldn't beat Ohio State is like saying Peyton Manning couldn't beat Florida.. Well so much for that huh? Peyton Manning sure got the last laugh in that one as alot of people said he wouldn't be a good NFL player all because he couldn't beat Florida.. Well guess what, Henne beat the 9th ranked Florida gators in a bowl game last year.. Something Manning couldn't do !! (j/k , just teasing there and to show how ridiculous it is to talk about Bowl wins and losses when you don't look deeper into why teams win or lose despite the QB play)
At Ohio State in 2006 Henne and Michigan put up 39 points, again on the road (but lost 42-39). Henne had a QB rating of 103.0 for the game for 270 yards, 2 TD and no int's.. The team scored enough to win, but again the defense stunk.
Against Ohio State in 2005, another close one.. Final score: Ohio State 25 Michigan 21,, Henne completed 70% of his passes for 223 yards, 1 TD no int's.
The game last year against Ohio State- it is well documented he was hurt as he left the Wisconsin game the week before because of a separated shoulder. In fact he only threw 5 passes in that game.
So, he played well in every game against Ohio State except in the last one when he was obviously hurt when he was still recovering from the separated shoulder.
In the 2004 game, Henne and Michigan were on the road at Ohio State.. Henne was a freshman this year, and it was asking alot for a young kid to go into Ohio State's stadium with that hostile envoronment. Still, he completed 50% of his passes for 330 yards, 2 TD 2 INT.... It could have been alot LOT worse for a freshman.. I know that John beck wouldn't have performed nearly that well as a freshman playing in Ohio State considering the terrible season Beck had as a freshman. He was just lost. ( Not to slam Beck, but just showing how difficult it is to play in such an environment at 18 years of age, like Henne was at the time of this game).. So I give Henne a break on this one.
Senior Bowl - Henne was the offensive MVP in the Senior Bowl game- just like Henne was MVP not long before in the Michigan-Florida Bowl Game.
In conclusion. I think it's very easy to conclude that Henne can play well in the big game and play well in high pressure situations, it's not like this guy played horrible in big games. He played very well in alot of these games.. Including Bowl games where he threw 4 TD passes and no INT's putting up 37 points but his defense still found a way to lose.
Saying Henne couldn't beat Ohio State and using that against him trying to demean his ability, is like telling Peyton Manning he couldn't beat Florida demeaning his abilities now. Or it's like saying Marino couldn't win the big game because he had a bad playoff record over the last 12 years of his career.. So you see how silly it sounds? Marino played on a TEAM, it was a TEAM GAME.. Not even Marino could win a championship in 17 years, so who cares if Henne didn't win one in only 4 years ! That doesn't mean he can't be a heck of a good Pro QB.
So now some of you can see how ridiculous that argument is. Henne definitely played well enough to win one or two of those games against Ohio State (and he definitely played well enough to win another bowl game or two).. Michigan scored 39 points on the road against them in 2006. Definitely enough to win offensively. But again, Henne doesn't play defense for the Wolverines. Much like Marino didn't play defense for the dolphins, if you know what I mean..
Let's try to keep in mind that Henne is still only 22 years old.. That's alot of big game experience, and alot of experience playing well in national televised pressure cookers at such a young age.
