Thoughts on Greg Paulus and football

Perhaps the biggest college basketball story of the last week is actually a college football story. Duke point guard Greg Paulus is thinking about going to the University of Michigan to play football next fall as a QB for Michigan's football team. Now, anybody who paid even slight attention to college football last year knows that Nick Sheridan and Steven Threet didn't really get the job done at the QB position as Michigan finished 3-9. Still, is it at all realistic to think a basketball player could step in and save Rich Rod's program. Well, the Green Bay Packers thought enough about Paulus to work him out, but to be honest if I were him I'd consider going to college for a year to play in order work on skills I hand't used in 4 years. That said, although Paulus was a top rated QB in high school I'm not so sure he could help Michigan. I mean he hasn't played football in four years and well I think there are certain football positions where a great basketball athlete could step right in, I don't think QB is one of them. You can't just be an athletic guy and play QB, you have to be a skilled football player. I mean while there might be some similar skills in reading a defense and setting up a play in basketball and reading a defense in football I don't think the two tasks are that similar. If Michigan has to go with Paulus as QB I think it probably isn't a good sign.

As I read about Paulus I did also wonder if any NU players could play a role on the football field. Now, don't get more wrong, NU football is in a lot better shape than Michigan (that's a pretty nice fact), but I do think there is one spot where a couple basketball players could help. NU lost three starters at WR and Jeremy Nash was a great WR in high school. With his 6-3 size he would be NU's biggest target and anybody who saw Nash play this year knows he has athletic skills which are hard to match. Jeff Ryan might be another player who could line up at WR, but with his many injuries I'd wonder if he could hold up over a full year of football. Now, this obviously isn't going to happen, Coach Fitz has a good group of young WRs and Coach Carmody needs his guys in the fall to prepare for a very important year, but it is interesting to think about.