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john o'korn

Hello: John O'Korn, Transfer QB Comment Count

Brian

John-O-Korn-POW[1]

Michigan's acquired another quarterback option:

O'Korn is a transfer who was released from his Houston scholarship. A three-star recruit out of St. Thomas Acquinas in Florida, O'Korn was thrust into the starting job at a true freshman when Houston's QB suddenly retired due to concussion symptoms.

His freshman year was a quality one…

…but O'Korn started his sophomore year with a blizzard of interceptions and was benched about halfway through the season:

After losing the starting job, O'Korn announced a transfer and was given permission to talk to a number of impressive programs. Wisconsin, Miami, Syracuse, Florida, and Texas were interested. Jameis Winston hinted that he would end up with the Longhorns (while meeting flaccid motivational speech purveyor and megapastor Joel Osteen, bizarrely), but reporters around the program think that Texas wasn't in pursuit.

O'Korn was a prolific high school passer…

O’Korn’s commitment to Houston was consider a coup as the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native set single-season records at nationally renowned powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas as a senior and was named MVP of the Florida Class 7A state title game. O’Korn only started at Aquinas his senior year, by which time then-Houston coach Tony Levine had already offered him a scholarship. Although offers from SEC and ACC schools came in as O’Korn’s star rose, he stayed loyal to Houston.

…but isn't much of a runner and didn't fit with what Tom Herman wants to do. 

He'll have to redshirt this year, after which he'll have two years of eligibility. Michigan is now at their full 85 allotment of scholarships for fall (assuming that the Glasgows and Kerridge are on scholarship), pending any future departures or additions.

UPDATE: Chris Brown has an excellent point about Houston and O'Korn's dropoff last year:

Comments

Giff4484

February 5th, 2015 at 12:40 PM ^

Jim met with him when he was in Texas a few weeks back and sealed the deal and he is signing his transfer papers on the 20th in A2.

My wife is friends with his older sister and she told my wife this to tell me last week. My wife also worked with a family member of Richard Ash down here is South Florida too.

Joined: 08/16/2009

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BursleysFinest

February 5th, 2015 at 12:40 PM ^

Makes sense to always have a lot of options at the most important spot on the field. Think it says more about Harbaugh's ideal roster makeup than any feelings he has on our current QBs.

Joined: 08/24/2011

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Alumnus93

February 5th, 2015 at 12:43 PM ^

wow. If you read the dallas news article link above it implies this kid might be elite. This is a coup. He was about to transfer to Texas.



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Joined: 09/10/2009

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BornInA2

February 5th, 2015 at 12:44 PM ^

Am I off-base in thinking that we seem to have a lot of QBs in the stable now? Seems like more than just a starter, solid backup, and a couple clipoard guys.

Morris
Malzone
Gentry
Speight
O'Korn
(am I missing someone?)

Looking at that list, considering that O'Korn is transferring here for playing time, which two will be okay rarely, if ever, seeing the field?

Joined: 02/15/2014

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Wolverine 73

February 5th, 2015 at 12:56 PM ^

No one "will be okay rarely, if ever, seeing the field."  But the best guys will play, the same as it is for every other position.  The question is: Who will surface in this competition?  What a difference a coach makes, as we move from anointed successors at QB to full-fledged competition for playing time.

Joined: 08/03/2009

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Real Tackles Wear 77

February 5th, 2015 at 12:49 PM ^

I like this as a depth move IF we still have room for transfers in and a big class next year but I really don't see this kid ever starting at Michigan. After he has sat out this upcoming season, there will already be an entrenched starter coming back for 2016. Assuming that guy holds onto the job, O'Korn will be a 4th year junior and likely no higher than 4th on the depth chart.

Joined: 07/05/2008

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Glennsta

February 5th, 2015 at 1:01 PM ^

You'd expect that, come the start of the 2016 season, we will havean incumbent at the QB position with 2015 game experience, and with several remaining years of eligibility.  I can't see this being anything other than depth.

I wonder what the kid is thinking, given the choices of other schools that he could have transferred to and where presumably had a lot better chance of getting to play.

Joined: 01/28/2011

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Glennsta

February 5th, 2015 at 4:12 PM ^

QB isn't like other positions like WR or DB or OL or DL where you routinely take guys out and send guys in depending on the situation or whether someone needs a blow.  A starting QB tends to play the entire game, provided the game isn't a blowout. 

I expect that UM will have an established starting QB at the end of the 2015 season and that guy will be the starter going into 2016. 

Either that, or you take JH seriously when he says that the best guy plays.  That might be true going into a new season and/or when a guy stinks up the place in a few games. 

But for OK to play in 2016, you'd have to assume that, after the 2015 season, UM has no established QB or UM HAS an established QB who JH is willing to bench in favor of OK.

I just think the odds of a college coach benching a starting QB that he has invested a year in is slim.  Hey, it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong.

Joined: 01/28/2011

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OldDad67

February 5th, 2015 at 2:45 PM ^

Even though he can't play in 2015, he can still reap the benefit of practing under the new staff. Then come 2016 he will compete against the 2015 starter (whoever that is) who will have one year of game experience while he has 2. All the quarterbacks will have the same amount of time with the new staff. Who's to say he won't be the best quarterback come 2016?

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BlueSwave34

February 6th, 2015 at 10:23 AM ^

To me he has just as much a chance as any of our Qb's on the roster. He threw 26 TD passes his Freshman year. That's more than all 4 Qb's combined on the roster combined..and yes I get that 3 of them have never took a snap in a college football game yet but he impresses me more than Morris at this point. I think he will compete and it's another good move by the new staff. Go Blue!

Joined: 10/15/2008

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samsoccer7

February 5th, 2015 at 12:57 PM ^

I can't imagine this kid completely forgot how to play football from one year to the next.  He was also on a bad team this year which led to the coach getting fired.  I bet with good coaching and good players around him he'll be good to great.  I love it.

Joined: 07/08/2008

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LSA91

February 5th, 2015 at 1:01 PM ^

. . . Harbaugh has his eyes on a trick play where he puts 11 quarterbacks on the field and they run around doing stuff while the band plays yakety-sax?   

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ChicagoGangViolins

February 5th, 2015 at 4:08 PM ^

 

Entire quarters filled with Harlem Globetrotters-style play. Curly rolls the ball along the back of his arms as the DTs converge and then flicks the ball to Meadowlark, who performs a razzle dazzle between his legs as the safety closes and then the ball goes to ... zoinks!

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