Michigan Daily on the QB situation
Two short articles from the Daily, one each on O'Korn and Speight.
O'Korn learned a lot having Rudock as his roommate and Speight thinks he has a good shot at being the starter this year.
March 30th, 2016 at 10:36 AM ^
I love that it's a legit QB competition and not just a who falls apart less competition.
This is the first time since 1998 that UM has a solid three deep with every one of the QBs having some quality college football playing time. In fact, better than 1998 when UM had only one QB with quality college football experience: Scott Dreisbach was a known gutsy quantity though prone to injury; Tom Brady had exactly 20 passing attempts prior to 1998 (0TD, 1 INT); and Drew Henson, the pimply faced early enrollee freshman.
I hope in 2016 Harbaugh can do what Lloyd Carr couldn't do in 1998, avoid a season long QB controversy by naming his starter and backing him like he backed Rudock last season.
In '98 we also had Jason Kapsner, who has been forgotten now, but was a big-time recruit a couple years earlier.
Incidentally, there wasn't much of a QB controversy in '98; it was in '99 that Henson pushed Brady.
March 30th, 2016 at 10:42 AM ^
Whoever wins this competition is going to be ready to go and should be a very solid quarterback. If I had to guess it'd be O'Korn starting the first game but I wouldn't be surprised if someone else gets the nod.
Don't count out Brandon Peters. He already has the physical tools, the football mind and the reflexes. When he has had a few more months to learn the offense and work out informally in the offseason with a few receivers, he could end up surprising everyone in August.
Is if Speight, O'Korn, and Morris are all injured in a car accident. I don't care how good he is, he's a freshman. He'll be eaten alive out there against OSU, no matter how good the line is.
UCLA started a true freshman last year. He did pretty good, but he looked like he was 12 and he panicked under pressure a bunch of times, especially early in the season.
Why does it have to be a car accident? What if O'Korn catches Morris with his girlfriend, and beats him to death. While doing so, Speight walks in with a gun to stop O'Korn. They wrestle for the gun, it goes off, and both Speight and O'Korn are hit with a single magic bullet through the Achilles. Also, a second shot gets off and hits Malzone in the testes. BOOM, Peters starts.
March 30th, 2016 at 11:09 PM ^
March 30th, 2016 at 10:51 AM ^
Love this Speight quote:
“Because you’re replaceable at anything you do in life. That’s all it really means — I’m getting the job done, but someone else is trying to do it better.”
A true meritocracy.
March 30th, 2016 at 12:17 PM ^
March 30th, 2016 at 12:41 PM ^
to win the starting job. I'm a sucker for a good underdog story. Everyone, and I mean everyone, had written him off as just another Borges QB that would never amount to anything at Michigan. I would love to see Harbaugh turn him into an NFL bound gunslinger that leads us to some NC's.
But I also like O'Korn, mainly because I think he might be just a little insane (looks in mirror).
That said, may the best man win. Even if that guy is a walk-on.
So, you're pulling for both O'Korn and Speight, ay? Pick a side, Switzerland.
Naw, I am just not seeing it.
March 30th, 2016 at 12:59 PM ^
Wait a minute, you're saying everyone is replaceable in life, even ME? But that would mean that I am not a truly unique and sparkly snowflake drifting above the rabble down below??? Does anyone have Jack Kevorkian's phone number??????
That's just a hunch, though.
And if you do, I want to know what company you use, because damn! - that's a great coverage area!
Even more interesting would be to see if his number has an area code in heaven, or in hell???
March 30th, 2016 at 10:52 AM ^
March 30th, 2016 at 10:57 AM ^
Or is it SpEAT?
March 30th, 2016 at 10:58 AM ^
It's actually "spEET*"
*I don't actually have any idea, I'm just being a smartass. But seriously, I would also love some clarification on this issue.
March 30th, 2016 at 11:04 AM ^
"spiggit"
Think of the French Knight who taunts Arthur, King (so called) of the Britains and the Frenchman's pronounciation of knight.
For those Philistines out there wondering about Arthur being taunted by a French knight, please refer to Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
March 30th, 2016 at 11:28 AM ^
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March 30th, 2016 at 11:38 AM ^
now we see the violence inherent in the system!
Arthur: You there, old woman!
Old Woman: I'm a man.
Arthur: OK, old man!
Old Woman: I'm only 37...
I can't just call you Man
March 30th, 2016 at 12:04 PM ^
"ShhPaet"
Sounds German. Therefore, more efficient.
I thought things that sound German are going to return next season with more muscle and play under more control so that they don't get into foul trouble?
This is a given.
In the name of the Father, the Son and the holy spiggot...
March 30th, 2016 at 11:02 AM ^
March 30th, 2016 at 11:12 AM ^
I've heard have always said spate.
March 30th, 2016 at 11:29 AM ^
"Speight" rhymes with "weight." Not that I'm trying to body shame him or anything.
March 30th, 2016 at 12:58 PM ^
This disrespekt will only fuel his fire more.
March 30th, 2016 at 12:17 PM ^
pronounced 'rocket-arm.'
March 30th, 2016 at 11:08 AM ^
It's refreshing to know that the non-starter will also be ready when called upon.
March 30th, 2016 at 11:10 AM ^
It is kind of comforting knowing that we have a competent backup ready to go if O'Korn - I'm presuming the starter's going to be O'Korn - goes down. Last year, Rudock was really all that we had, this year it seems like O'Korn and Speight are 1A and 1B.
March 30th, 2016 at 11:33 AM ^
March 30th, 2016 at 11:45 AM ^
Actually, I recall one of these two guys - let's call him 1B - coming in and winning us a game that was very much in doubt last year.
And since he did it in really his only chance to do anything outside of garbage time, I'd then have to say we had something outside of Rudock last year.
It's called "Harbaugh!"
March 30th, 2016 at 11:14 AM ^
and that we may have mulitple QBs starting during this season. I like that Speight, who wasn't even being given a thought a year ago, is truly in the hunt to be the starter. You get what you earn!
March 30th, 2016 at 11:21 AM ^
The best guy gets the job done next year and we beat all of our rivals (sans Illinois since they're not on the schedule). None of our QBs transfer, yet all of them land on NFL rosters, including Gentry.
I want Harbaugh to be able to sell recruits on the results of 4 years of NFL level coaching preparing them for successful NFL careers even if they weren't starters here.
March 30th, 2016 at 11:35 AM ^
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March 30th, 2016 at 11:47 AM ^
March 30th, 2016 at 11:47 AM ^
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March 30th, 2016 at 11:54 AM ^
Since Illinois decided so.
March 30th, 2016 at 12:44 PM ^
When he was alive father in law was a huge Illini fan and kept calling the Michigan-Illinois game a "rivalry" game. It kept falling on deaf ears when I would tell him that it certainly wasn't a rivalry in the eyes of Michigan fans.
I could see it maybe being a basketball rivalry in the late 80's when the Flyin' Illini and Michigan were atop the Big 10 and making deep tournament runs.
But football? No way.