For Michigan Fans - Tom Brady

[monosylab1k]

I'm just curious what most of you guys opinions of Brady was back when he was Michigan's QB. I've heard that the majority of Michigan fans were more supportive of Drew Henson, but I'm just wondering what you guys thought of him back then. Did you ever think he had the ability to be as great a pro QB as he is?

[JamStone]

I graduated two years before Brady earned the starting job. I was actually a Resident Adviser at the Residence Hall (West Quad) Brady was at when he was a sophomore. He had the long hair, California surfer look. Still somewhat of a rockstar. Brian Greise seemed to be a pretty popular guy on campus and with his teammates. Plus he won, and won it all in 1998 with that split national championship. So, anyone who followed had big shoes to fill. But, for me, at least he wasn't Scott Dreisbach. I think a lot of people would have been content with Brady if Drew Henson wasn't considered the next greatest college football QB in the history of the world. While they split time I think one season, I'm pretty sure Brady held Henson off to keep most of the snaps those couple of seasons, from what I remember. But, I believe even Lloyd Carr favored Drew Henson because he was such a prized recruit.

I think because of the history of Michigan QBs in the NFL, especially back then, Michigan fans believed any Michigan QB had a chance to make it in the NFL. We saw it with average QBs like Todd Collins and Elvis Grbac. As far As Brady, for those who actually followed that kind of stuff, he appeared to be more of a back-up NFL QB in college. He was super slow, I mean no mobility or agility at all. He had the arm, but he didn't have the look of someone that could make it in the league as a starting QB. Guess he fooled a lot of us... or he really worked his ass off like no other to perfect all his mechanics and improve his athleticism and quickness to be at least adequate.

I think most fans were infatuated with Henson because he was a native son and considered the greatest thing since masturbation. But, I believe it was more so people having great expectations of Henson rather than actually not liking Brady.