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We have our (only?) 2014 QB, first reported by TomVH ($).
Michigan Football class of 2018
— Wilton Speight (@WiltonSpeight) February 6, 2013
We won't have to wait long to see the coaches' plan for QB recruiting: Michael O'Connor and David Cornwell are supposedly getting phone calls from the coaches this afternoon.
6'6" 217
That's just awesome.
over cornwell? must have really impressed borges i guess. thought cornwell and oconnor would get the 1st offers with one for speight coming later in process
In Borges we trust?
He hasn't earned it yet at the QB position. Denard regressed as a passer under him. He brought in Bellomy who clearly isn't good enough. Then he said Bellomy was prepared to go in the Nebraska game when clearly he wasn't.
Denard regressed as a passer? Denard was never a great passer. RR did a better job of getting guys laughably wide open. That was the biggest difference. Bellomy was a late offer in a partial class that you're throwing under the bus after one bad (admittedly very bad) outing. I don't think there's reason not to trust the coaches.
I don't think there's reason not to trust the coaches
There sure as Hell is. They haven't proven anything with the QB position. I guess you can blindly trust them but that seems doltish.
Yeah, Devin Gardner was awful. And Borges has never developed good QBs in the past.
So, are you saying that anyone who disagrees with you is a dolt? Or just that any position that disagrees with yours is "doltish?" Or that trust in someone hired to do the job is "blind?"
I am going to trust that the coaches know what they're looking for. Would I rather have dual-threat QB's and a spread option? Of course. But that's not how it's going to be under the MANBALL mandate handed down by DB.
Part of me thinks Michigan will regress to their 21st century mean of 4.1, their median of 4 losses per year during the same time, or what I feel is a more reasonable 3.5, which I got by taking their historic 9-3 ratio and adding a projected .500 record in future bowls, for a rough13-game estimate.
Nonetheless, I want to see how well this staff makes their offense work with their own fifth-year seniors before I stop trusting them.
It isn't "blindly trusting them". It is simply a matter of a lay fan showing deference to experts that have been evaluating talent for a very long time at an elite level and who get paid really good money to do this, and have had much closer access to these kids than you (or the recruiting sites for that matter at this state in the evaluation process).
The possibility exists that Denard never was and never would be a good passer. The possibility also exists that Bellomy was brought in as a late addition to a class they had about a month to cobble together. Furthermore, the backup QB debacle was precipitated by a certain receiver who left the team hanging out to dry due to his poor decision making. There weren't really a lot of good options, and I'm sure the decisions were not made solely by Al.
I'm not on the Borges bandwagon by any stretch of the imagination. The playcalling was unimaginative, and whatever happened in Columbus was nearly deriliction of duty.
But to try and heap the QB problems all on him is not at all accurate, imho. If Devin comes out this year and struggles, then we can talk,
So Gardner was a better passer under Rodriguez?
This isn't a knock on our receivers at all, but our best receiver is like 5'8. I don't think anyone will disagree when I say we clearly don't have the best receiving group out there. It's not easy to develop a quarterback that is throwing to small receivers.
He doesn't seem to have a ton of zip on the ball, but he's got top-notch accuracy and vision from what I saw in his video. We can definitely with with him.
I love withing with people
He meant to say: "We can definitely withe with him."
Which makes sense if he has a lot of accuracy but not a lot of zip. You really don't need much zip with a withe.
I still don't know why you would enjoy withing with people...
Actually, he meant to say "We can definitely writhe with him". Personally, I'd rather not, but I guess the decision to writhe or not to writhe is best left to individuals.
I thought the same thing. Nothing like Shane's velocity. But he sure is hitting receivers in stride and dropping the ball right into their hands. And it's not like he was throwing ducks -- they just didn't have that great velocity. You have to think, as well, that the coaches are valuing intangibles. This is a pretty exciting pick-up. It should help with the vitally important receiver recruiting.
I think that the slow lofty passes are just his style. When he needed to he zipped the ball right into the receivers' chest. Also, you can easily tell from the long bombs he threw that he has the arm strength. He is a very impressive young quarterback, great fundamentals and instincts.
I was impressed with a couple of his passes while rolling out. He put a little zip on them while his feet were still moving. That's not easy. Overall though, I agree that he looks like a touch passer based on what I saw of the video.
Actually, the criticisms I have found is that he has a big arm but needs footwork.
6'6" means nothing if you suffer from John Navarre Syndrome.
Yeah, it's going to suck if Speight only throws for 9000 yards in his career.
the same John Navarre that won a BIG championship and went to the Rose Bowl? who wants that?
in fairness UM struggled as navarre had two mediocre seasons. but to his credit he kept his head up, worked hard and had a great senior season. it wasn't his fault henson left a year early. i have nothing but respect for navarre, though i would have liked to see other guys get some reps while he struggled early on.
What a fucking idiot.
I hope Hoke contemplates take 2 in this class. Need to build depth. This kid looks good! That makes 2 commitments for 2014! Go blue!
In 2014 we should have Gardner, Bellomy, Morris and Speight. As long as we take one QB a year, depth should be fine.
Of course, if Gardner leaves for the NFL, or there's an injury or a transfer, before next year's signing day, we should consider taking two. The depth chart will be a concern this year, but not any other.
Gardner could also not get his medical redshirt.
Also, I seem to remember the coaches mentioning at some point that they'd like to take a mobile quarterback every couple years as a project to see what they can get. I like that idea and hope they take one next year.
Welcome home!
Interensting, don't think we've ever gotten a 2014 commit on signing day. Was he trying to slip under the radar?
You're correct, this is the first time we've ever gotten a 2014 commit on signing day. We only have two 2014 commits though and Ferns was already committed.
I'm positive it's the first time a 2014 kid has committed on signing day. It's never happened in the history of the program.
But seriously, the timing is interesting. Perhaps the coaches were waiting to see what else developed before today with the 2013 scholarships before deciding who and how many 2014 QBs to offer?
were his only offer. Ive heard his arm isn't the strongest but everything else is really good, so lets hope he strengthens the arm.
Just trust the staff, they've earned it.
When it comes to QB evaluation? Not so sure they have yet...
If they've offered him this early, I have to assume the staff really wants him. This isn't a 2013 signing day flyer, this a whole year before signing day. Have to assume the staff is happy to have him if they accepted his commitment this early
The other thing is that he reclassed after he got hurt his first junior year (he played every game this year without injury) He also was on varsity his freshman year and started his sophmore year. So he's been starting for three years and he gets one more. Geuss who gets to protect his blind side this year.
I believe he had 24 touchdowns and 17 interceptions this past season, so I wouldn't say everything else is good... That's a lot of picks.
EDIT: By comparison, Cornwell completed 57% of his passes for 27 touchdowns and 8 interceptions.
I don't know anything about Speight's level of competition but Cornwell played against some pretty weak teams. He'll be tested this year with the move to Norman North (Oklahoma 6A).
Speight's level of competition is as weak or weaker.
FYI: His high school has 498 students, according to Wikipedia.
Will never be confused with an elite district in Texas, but it does include FUMA's high school team (not to be confused with their post-grads, but very strong) and Woodberry Forest (Doug Randolph, CJ Prosise, Ed Reynolds, Aramde Olaniyan).
Heard from who? Just where in the video highlights do you see any evidence whatsoever that he's got problems in arm strength?
Wilton Speight - QB - Richmond (VA) Collegiate: The 6'6", 217-pounder has no offers at this time. Speight might be the sleeper of the group. I like the way he throws the ball under pressure. Sometimes it's unbelievable how accurate he is with guys in his face, but to be honest, it seems like he's in a habit of throwing off his back foot because of a porous offensive line. He barely has a chance to breathe before two or three defenders are in his face. He's a little too stiff in the pocket for my liking and will struggle to avoid college rushers; he lacks great arm strength and has a little bit of a hitch in his delivery. He just looks very unpolished. I could see him going somewhere like Texas Tech or Washington State and lighting it up a few years down the road, but I don't think he's a good fit for Michigan.
http://touchthebanner.blogspot.com/2013/02/scouting-report-2014-quarterb...
EDIT: not trying to call out TTB or Magnus, just saying that's where I'd seen a similar player evaluation. additionally, Magnus does offer some explanation as to why his tosses might be off the mark, or not as impressive (the poor O-Line.)
Lofton18, I owe you an apology for questioning your comment, as per WillyWill's info.
that he can handle pressure and throw accurately with people in his face (and at his feet, ostensibly). Anyone can sit there with a clean pocket and look good, like its a 7 on 7 drill. Unfortunately, opposing teams have plans of their own and they involve rushing, hitting and otherwaise maiming opposing QB's (especially the upper echelon teams. The ones we REALLY want to beat). As a result, I'd rather have the guy who can handle the rush who may not have all of the measurables over the guy with a million dollar arm and a ten cent head.
Eh. I take most of those evals with a grain of salt. At least with the other services we can look into the evaluators past and figure out if they have a leg to stand on. Not so much with TTB.
Wasn't he just saying that cornwall was getting the offer and he was hoping for one? Very strange twist.
Yes, you should be shaking your head. Especially since you know better than the coaches and all.
smh
To O'Conner and Cornwell?
Hope everyone is similarly prepared for NSD
Endless loops are a good thing... wait. Where did the last three hours go?
Wilt the Stilt!
This.
Looks good, but one thing seems clear - he better have good pocket presence because we're not getting too many yards with his feet!!!
Good get!!
What's his arm strength look like? We need QBs in this O to be able to unleash the dragon. No more moon-balls please.
Welcome to Michigan!
May you have a long and successful career Wilton. This day is getting more and more exciting by the minute!
Go Blue!
Good news! My theory is The coaches wants one of the in state kids as a second option. Of course you wound not put it to the kid that way.Either Travis Smith or Tyler Wiegers Would be a nice safty blanket .
He was number 8 on Magnus' list of players that fit Michigan's style, so I don't exactly know how to respond. Yeah?! I have to say I was on the Cornwell band wagon...
obviously Magnus>Coaches. What else can you possibly conclude
I'm not saying I know more than the coaches, but Cornwell has more offers and is rated higher by all the recruiting sites who have done ratings. So far Michigan is the only school or recruiting service to value Speight over Cornwell. Of course, they could be right...but they're in the minority.
Or they thought a speight in the hand was better than a cronwell in the bush. Or he Borges just gets along with speight better. The coaches don't have to disagree with the recruiting sites to have made the offer they did.
That was funny...although I'm not sure what to think of a "Cornwell in the bush."
It's funny how everybody called for Borges' head just a few months ago and now it seems as if everyone's quick to defend him.
About offering kids early whom everybody else is not in love with.
Also, all of the sites rankings are not final and will change 3-4 more times on the next 12 months. Wait until then to see where kids end up
Ugh. You're right. John Beilein has found success with under-the-radar guys, so Speight will clearly turn into the football version of Trey Burke.
On one hand everyone claps when they offer a kid because "Alabama did!" and then on the other hand everyone claps because they go the Beilein rout. So apparently they can do no wrong. Very maize colored glasses.
Maybe this kid indicated to Borgess he was a firm yes, and Cornwell was one of those kids who would wait 6 more months and they want certainty? Who knows. But that's the point - we don't know. Didnt they just say last week (and then rescinded) they wanted an answer immediately when they offered? Everyone assumed Cornwell would say yes - he has a top 5, and a lot of players have a top 5.
As someone else said they have one in the bush, maybe the other one would never have committed.
Nobody big has offered Cornwell, either. No Bama, no USC, no Texas, no Oklahoma.
It's not like everyone is offering Cornwell and not Speight. The only people that seriously value Cornwell over Speight is 247 and they're the only one to have detailed 2014 position rankings out right now. Scout doesn't even think their own 2014 rankings are good yet - Allen Trieu has said as much.
Seems like a lot of star watching on this one, at least to me.
Rivals also does.
So do Auburn, Virginia Tech, Tulsa, Indiana (where Kevin Wilson knows a little something about quarterbacks), etc. Again, I'm not saying I'm right, but I'm not "star watching," either. I'm fully capable of making my own evaluations, and Speight is behind in almost every category - mine, the recruiting sites', and schools except Michigan.
All this being said at the risk of sounding like I'm bashing Speight, I did identify him as a potential sleeper who throws very well under pressure. I don't necessarily think he'll be a total failure at Michigan. He has a lot of good qualities. I just don't think he's as good as some other guys who are/were viable options.
and I guess we disagree as to how much of a concensus there is about Cornwell vs. Speight. Speight was getting as much major program interest as Cornwell (Loeffler was recruiting Cornwell at Auburn and now VT as he was talking with Speight's coach).
My comment was directed at the general reaction of our fanbase, not you specifically.
Sweetness!!!!
Welcome!! Glad to get a QB commit this early in the 2014 process
Wilton Speight will be 19 years old when he enrolls. He was granted an extra year of eiligibility in HS because be broke his collarbone in September of his true junior year.
He is the same age as Shane Morris and would be been in the 2013 recruiting class without the extra year of eligibility. In Wilton Speight, we will be getting a 2014 recruiting class QB that is a year more mature physically than most other QB's in the 2014 class. In effect, we will be getting two 2013 QB's in Morris and Speight, but Speight will have one more year eligibility than Morris.
http://www.timesdispatch.com/sports/notes-speight-reclassifies-jumpstart...
Cornwell turns 19 this fall and might not play this year due to eligibility issues.
You don't need a cannon in the West Coast offense. Joe Montana (who, granted, was Neo from the Matrix) had a weak arm at the end of his career in KC, but he was still very good.
"You don't need a cannon in the West Coast offense."
Here's something I've been wondering about since watching the NFL playoffs and Superbowl.
Question -- is the game evolving to a point where having the ability to rifle the ball into tight coverage is becoming more and more the norm? Maybe due to defensive zone coverages getting better at closing on the ball?
Colin Kaepernick definitely has this ability. He was drilling balls into coverage throughout the playoffs and the Superbowl. If memory serves, RGIII has a bit of this as well ... and ditto Johnny Manziel.
I'm not questioning Speight or anyone else ... but within the context of QB selection for Michigan I was wondering about the evolution of the game with respect to ability to muscle the ball to where it needs to be.
Arm strength is a little less important in college. You see guys succeed all the time who don't have great arms.
But the most successful quarterbacks in the NFL have strong arms - Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers, Colin Kaepernick, Joe Flacco, Matt Stafford (who's successful in terms of yardage/touchdowns but not wins), Ben Roethlisberger, etc. You don't see many soft-tossing guys succeed in the NFL anymore.
Follow-up question, if I may ... with respect to "arm strength" it seems it comes in two flavors:
The two are not mutually exclusive, of course. The ideal QB would possess both.
But I would imagine the two are not necessarily always combined. I would imagine there are some that can rifle short than boom long with any effectiveness. And there are some who can boom long relatively well who don't seem to have the ability to thread the ball in tight coverage.
So question -- in the college game, if you had to choose one or the other, which would you choose? (Let's assume "both" is off the table for this discussion.)
My sense is I'd rather have someone really good at drilling the ball into tight coverage. The long bomb makes for nice highlight reels, but it requires WRs that can separate and a good O-line to let the route develop.
Well, usually those two qualities aren't mutually excusive (like you said).
Given an either/or option, I would take a guy who can rifle the ball in at ~20 yards. There are going to be a lot more opportunities for those kinds of plays than 60-yard bombs.
Thanks! I always enjoy your insights.
Re: mutual exclusivity ... I can see a kid with a cannon of an arm having an issue with decision making in the short / tight-coverage passes. So while the muscles might be present, the mind is not yet there.
The downside risk of a long bomb is usually just an incompletion. The downside risk of a poorly thrown rifle into coverage is a Pick-6.
The first thought that came to my mind reading this post, is that, will Borges even be with us that long to see through Speight's career? ie I guess its moot if Borges doesnt stay another six years, because a different OC would likely use a different offense than the west coast.
Well, Borges would either go under his own steam or get terminated.
I've detected nothing from him to suggest the former any time soon. And nothing from Hoke to suggest the latter.
Still, six years is a long time ... anything can happen.
At any rate ... Hoke's style of football is pro/power ... so I would imagine any OC he would select post-Borges would be of the same general mold. He's not likely to suddenly yearn for a Mike Leach or a Dana Holgorsen.
Final point -- I'm not convinced Borges is completely stuck in pure West Coast. Yes, that's his heritage. And yes, the read-option spread was a bit of a departure for him. I agree he stuck to the "Robinson as drop-back QB" a bit too long. But I'm not myself convinced he is an inflexible OC with nothing but WC in his head.
(That said, the second half of the OSU game is still "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma." -- hat tip Winston Churchill.)
But the Borges version of the WCO does require a strong arm.
I am not an expert but have coached QB's in Class A high schools. I watched tape on both Cornwell and Speight and thought Cornwell had better mechanics, speed, and arm. Cornwell throws a very strong ball and throws on the run with good velocity and accuracy. He throws the ball on a rope and it appears from tape the ball gets to receivers in a hurry. He has pocket presence and looks like he goes through his progressions without happy feet. Cornwell steps into the throw and seems like he has a quick release.
Speight is as big or bigger than Cornwell and has good accuracy. Watching the tape it appears he doesn't throw with the velocity that Cornwell does. The video I saw looked like Speight threw a lot of passes that kind of floated to the receiver but they were very accurate. This could be an issue in college because the DB's are faster. Because of his size he can handle traffic and can brush off contact in the pocket. I would like to see more tape to really see his velocity.
I'm sure the coaches watched many of the 2014 QB's throw and I didn't see any tape on Henderson or other QB targets but from these two targets I thought Cornwell was a better passer and a little more athletic. Maybe we take two QB's in this class but with Speight's commitment I don't think we will get two high profile guys like Speight and Cornwell. We may get another one but likely a project.
I was hoping we would have waited before accepting a commit but I'll trust the coaches on this one.
Magnus and you have similar observations.
My only 2 adds:
- As coaches are fond of saying, he "throws guys open". Critical skill in QBs to understand the position of the DBs and lead the WR away.
- Really need to see his interceptions to understand if the vision/progression/arm is his weak point.
Enough raw ability for Borges and a private QB coach to make him a top QB. Good to have him.
I think Speight has some great potential and is very accurate. Film is great to get an initial read on a recruit, but it can only tell you so much..let us not forget the Sam Mcguffie highlight reel...that worked out. Would Cornwell be ideal? Maybe... But i'm happy with Speight, we'll see what he can do when he wears the maize and blue. Go Blue and Happy NSD!
Maybe I'm alone here but I actually like him just as much as Cornwell. Rivals ranked Speight higher than Christian Hackenberg at one point last year in the state of Virginia (Green being #4 at that time). He also has camped at Alabama (like Cornwell) and has had interest from basically every major school in the country up to the verbal to Michigan. I'm not sure why everyone is so enamored with Cornwell over Speight. Arm strength may be a question, sure but I find it hard to believe this coaching staff botched this offer after all of their due diligence throughout the QB offer process.
Speight is from VA. Da'shawn Hand is from VA. Speight becomes friends with Da'shawn. Speight actively recruits Da'shawn. Speight and Dashawn car pool together when they visit Michigan several times. Dashawn and Speight become bffs. Dashawn commits to Michigan!
He'll be one hell of a submariner one day
TVH on ESPN's national signing day chat about Speight:
@James - First of all, what a good kid. He is really polite, well spoken and comes off very personable. He's around 6-5, 6-6 and Michigan watched him throw recently. He's had interest from big schools like USC recently, I think this is a great pickup for Michigan this early.
Congrats to the kid but I can't lie I'm not thrilled by this offer. Oh well
Sam Webb interviewing Speight on WTKA right now.
Fact: Borges showed up and watched him throw. Not a Known Fact but Highly Likely: Speight threw a 20 yard out for Coach Borges. Fact: Coach Borges offered. I am going to deduce his arm strength is not an issue. Throwing under pressure and mechanical issues with delivery can affect the velocity of throws, and coaching can fix those problems. I am going with the judgment of the coaches on this one.
Fact: Al Borges did NOT show up to see him throw. Jeff Hecklinski did.
You're a dick sometimes.
So...someone states a fact, I correct the false statement, and I'm a dick? I guess we should just let false statements bleed into being the truth then...
Never mind. Al Borges was definitely, 100%, for sure at Richmond Collegiate last Friday morning. And Jeff Hecklinski was not.
Carry on, people.
How about: "Actually, it was Hecklinski who saw him throw."?
NOT (how it was read): YOU DUMBASS! IT WAS HECKLINSKI! HAHAHA! SUCH AN IDIOT MAN! I AM THE KING OF RECRUITING.
I used the same format that the OP did (Fact: Blah blah blah.). If you're going to bash me for stating facts as facts, then perhaps you should also bash him for stating falsities as facts.
I am hoping that Borges has seen Speight's tape... or at least knows who he is.... :)
FACT: You're always a dick.
You are really not a fan of Magnus.
When more than one other person points out a character flaw, there's a legitimate reason. You'd do well to work on that part of your personality. Maybe it's just your online schtick, or whatever, but you do come off as a jackass much of the time. Very condescending.
You're pretty knowledgable, I'll give you that, but it doesn't mean you can act as you do and people will just accept it.
If saying "Fact: Borges did NOT watch Speight in person" makes me condescending and a jackass when it's the exact same format that the previous person used, then so be it. I'm okay with it. I've been commenting on this blog for about 6 years, probably. I doubt things will change anytime soon. Some people don't like me, and that's just the way it goes.
Keep doing what you are doing. Many of us appreciate you on here and don't have an issue with your "real world" tactics.
Don (just below) is correct that (most) everyone is a dick sometime. Some people here just get their shorts in a wad too much.
but simply correcting a factual inaccuracy is not being a dick.
Thx Magnus I stand corrected. But my point stands - Coach saw him throw a 20 yard out and offered. If he can't make that throw in person with velocity he no gets a UM offer.
Welcome aboard Wilton! Listening to his interview on WTKA right now and he's well spoken and doing a great job, of he's doing this in high school he'll be a great face of the program in the future. Also, I can't lie, I like having a QB commit early to help center the class and recruit other players.
As far as throwing motion goes look at Phillip Rivers or Joe Flacco. Cody Hodges had a great college career and he had a really weird throwing motion.
I may like video of another QB but this kid is classy. He is very well versed and real smart. He wants to be a Michigan Man and that's good enough for me. One of the best interviews I've ever heard from a kid. GoBlue Wilton.
Welcome to the Michigan family, Wilton!
I've got the WTKA interview up as well - he sounds like a great kid. I believe the film was posted last week, and he looks like a solid get, and it is always nice to get QBs early on in the process rather than scramble to find one later potentially. Further, at 6'6", there has to be some advantage to having a QB that can see over the top of virtually everyone and everything on the field.
#Michigan commit @wiltonspeight promises to recruit for his class like Shane Morris did for his
— Sam Webb (@SamWebb77) February 6, 2013
I'm no friend of Speight's Collegiate Cougars. But I'm so old I can remember when they produced a two-star QB whose only offers were NCSU and Duke, even though he was a two-time Metro POY.
Russell Wilson turned out okay.
I don't see this commitment meaning if we take 2 the 2nd would have to be a lower rated guy. Wilton said the coaches were high on Cornwell and he just wanted the opportunity. Wilton has his chance. Now UM has their guy that loves Michigan. And they don't need two but they could take two. So continue going after top guys knowing you're good whether you get them or not. If another top guy is afraid of competition do we really want that guy? If we do get them it's gravy. Cornwell isn't going to decide soon so being sure to have a guy is great.
Wilton seems like a great kid. Hello, and Go Blue!
A kid that will likely (or would have been likely to) end up with some very good offers committed to Michigan basically upon receiving his offer, and all that half of you can do is complain that he might not have the arm strength that some other kid does. Unreal.
1) While it appears that Cornwell may be the better overall athlete in terms of physical tools, in my observation the mental skills are much more important at the QB position. Speight may offer advantages over Cornwell in terms of leadership, ability to understand the offense/read opposing defenses, etc. This is particularly important in a west coast offense, which has a reputation of being a hideously complicated scheme. So if he is more gifted mentally than Speight, I think that can more than make up for the difference in arm strength.
2) It seems the coaches are pretty confident that DG will get his medical redshirt, and we have Morris coming in. Perhaps the coaches feel like the player we are recruiting for the 2014 class is probably going to be a backup for most or all of his career, and they want to make sure the player is someone who isn't likely to get frustrated and transfer out if he doesn't win the starting job and then sees M bring in another top-flight QB for 2015?
I think your second option is closer to reality. I think they want a guy who really wants to be at Michigan so he'll be content taking a redshirt year and not seeing "quality" playing time (barring injuries) until 2017 or 2018 (depending on Morris's redshirt). By then any issues that he needs worked out should be pretty much a nullified by strength and conditioning, coaching, practice time and "garbage-time" play.
Most elite players care more about seeing field now than they care about what field that is (as long as it's an AQ D-1 school, obvs). Mr. Speight has "play for Michigan" at the top of his priority list, and though flawed he's an elite prospect. There's no reason he shouldn't be our man.
I do agree that we should go after a mobile QB / Athlete as a "project"/"change of pace" guy. If he's more of the big-body power-runner we might be able to install a goal-line / short yardage package similar to what Oklahoma ran with Blake Bell the last couple of years. If he's more of a speedster we might be able to use them as a RB or WR and occasionally shift into a Wildcat with a few pass plays for when guys are laughably wide-open.
Speight is a good pickup, but if the coaches really had a top 3 list, why push for a commitment from someone who they might not have liked as much as Cornwell, just because he could announce a couple months earlier than Cornwell (who wanted to make a spring decision)?
Why? Because mutual interest is just as important... otherwise we could be holding an empty bag at the end. If Cornwell appeared to the coaches as a real risk going to the SEC or wherever, combined with them liking Speight almost as much, then they'd go with Speight, losing little, but securing the spot. And in the end, the odds then favor us. Granted, Cornwell's tape is super impressive... but if he, say, has a little Jeff George in his head, then that becomes self-explanatory.
The dude seems to be all in for Michigan and I'm all for that.
Welcome to Michigan. Practice hard, study hard and stay focused on your goals.
Wow, some of these responses are sickening. This kid has done nothing but speak positively about how badly he wants to be here, rivals has a lot of top schools very interested in him. This reminds me a lot like when Hoke got hired. More than a few people were so mad, he wasn't the "sexy" pick, his record was "mediocre", he wasn't "proven". But guess what, no one wanted to be here more than he did and sometimes that makes you work even harder to reach your dream. In Hoke & staff I trust, welcome home Wilton.
I agree. You have to support the guys who want to be here. I don't mind that the coaches practice a somewhat "first come, first serve" recruiting practice. They must have seen something in him they liked and were obviously ok with him jumping on board otherwise it wouldn't have happened.
Most people here are being reasonable, and the group that really thinks we've dropped the ball on this one is hilarious. Based on what? I like reading Magnus's stuff and everything, but some people here take him way too seriously. He's a guy who's not trained in doing this, doesn't attend camps, doesn't have a staff of people working on this, hasn't seen any of these kids play live, didn't just go for a private workout with Speight, and might or might not have any idea what he's talking about. He's a guy with a website who coaches low-level football.
It's a year before Signing Day. Very few QBs are sitting on a lot of offers, since QB recruiting is just getting started. Did Morris have any other power conference offers aside from MSU when he committed to us? Maybe we shouldn't have accepted his commitment because of that?
The thing is, even *I* haven't said anything bad about him. I simply said that there are other guys who I think are more talented. If you look at my evaluation, there's really not much to attack other than the part about him not having the strongest arm.
If the coaches offered him, he's got to be a good fit. Welcome aboard.
isn't 'not a ton of zip on the ball but accurate and moves around well' what was said about Bellomy?
The kid is 16/17 years old so who knows what may become of this, however, arm strength does indeed matter and can be too easily dismissed at times.
It's easier to teach decision making and reading defenses(what Morris apparently needs) than acquiring needed Division 1 arm strength for a pro style offense. (what Bellomy apparently needs along with some other things perhaps)
Again, it may not be an issue and Speight may have a cannon. If it is an issue though, it's not trivial. We trust you Al! (I think)
19? Wow, he is the Danny Almonte of HS football or perhaps went on a LDS mission.-haha
I remember we had Spencer Brinton who was 26 or 27 if I'm not mistaken
I think he is a great kid with a good head on his shoulders. He also LOVES michigan! My only knock on him is that he isn't very mobile. Man I just want our quarterback to be able to avoid the rush
1. We don't know Borges "took" him.
2. We don't know he was "taken" "before" anyone. Do we know we're taking 1 QB?
3. We don't know anyone else was ours to "take".
You all suck.
Now that he's committed, I actually have to figure out how to say his name. Is it like Sp-8 or like Sp-ite (sprite without the r)?
Rhymes with "eight" if the way Sam Webb was pronouncing it is correct.
These coaches have an eye for talent, so if they like this kid more than the other recruits...I can't wait to see him compete for Michigan!
Hmmm a guy that absolutely loves Michigan, is a classy guy, but most people would rather someone else was chosen...reminds me of Hoke.
Welcome, Sp8!
I loved this kid's tape. Yes, I think Cornwell looks like an almost ideal QB, but that's just from watching some highlights and reading Magnus' write-up. Speight has the tools you want: great accuracy and touch, solid arm strength, decent athleticism, good pocket awareness, throws a great deep ball, and throws well on the run. He also has room to grow.
For those of you questioning his arm strength, I'm wondering if you watched the entire reel. At 4:51, 5:41, 5:53, 6:05 he makes some pretty hard throws. It's not a frozen rope, but he has plenty of arm strength.
Honestly, he does remind me of Navarre in a lot of ways. He looks more polished and less clumsy, but the slight hitch in the throwing motion and his height do remind me of Big John.
FWIW, I believe college QBs need accuracy and touch more than arm strength. I'm very excited about this kid.
Welcome to the family, Wilton Speight.
GO BLUE
Best post of the thread so far. His touch pass on the run is a thing of beauty. I also like his ability to thread the needle in double coverage situations on that tape. His deep ball is nowhere near as bad as some are making it out to be. Also, look at how fast he had to make decisions, the front four are through his oline off the snap on way too many clips. I'm pumped to watch his senior season.
Everything about this kid looked very polished and poised for a Junior in High School. I remember watching Bellomy's HL tape when we snake oiled him and being fairly impressed. This kid looks leaps and bounds better than that. I know Bellomy was only a 3*, but I guess my point is, while Bellomy will likely never take another snap for us (fingers crossed), this kid looks like he has the potential to do so. He's not fast, but he's not slow and plodding ala Navarre. He can make all of the throws, EVEN the deep ball. And he has pinpoint accuracy. I was sold when he rolled out and threw it on a line 30 yards down the field, hitting the WR in stride, AGAINST his body. He can throw it 50 yards in the air and he's a 17 year old kid. How often do QBs have to throw the ball over 50 yards other in desperation mode? Most WRs run the 40 in about 4.5 seconds... You want the QB to get rid of the ball in under 5. He'll get stronger, I think arm strength is the least of his worries.
According to sources he will be offered also
I wouldn't be concerned about the kid's arm strength as much as his lack of offers from other programs. With no blue chippers in either 2011 or 2012, I would have expected the staff to try and roll their dice with a more elite prospect, since there are a lot of eggs in the Morris basket right now. Unless they are taking two QBs, which seems highly unlikely, since QBs in a recruiting class have about as much affinity for each other as queen bees.
Hi guys, VERY new to this blog and just registered a few minutes ago after reading all of these posts about Wilton Speight (pron: Sp8). He broke his collar bone his junior year and his school allowed him to reclassify for another year of eligibility. Not too common, but not unheard of either. He had and still has plenty of the top programs in the country interested in him, but due to the reclassification issue; most programs IMHO believed that they had more time to land him. I'm sure we'll being seeing more about that in the coming weeks and months. He's a very high character kid and does have an absolute rifle for an arm. No need to worry there. A lot of schools are not happy today after he chose U of M, I'm sure. All of this is coming from personal knowledge of him. I'm going to be rooting hard now for Big Blue nation!
Hi Mrs. Speight, congrats on your son coming to Michigan! Go Blue!
This kid has a good head on his shoulders. In the Webb interview this Am he spoke about how Speight goes to Arizona once a month to work out with a Qb guru. Also common opponent coaches like Speight's and his upside even compared to top rated QB 2013 Meckenberg (PSU commit). He also seems to be freinds with Tebow and Russell Wilson who he is getting preparation advice from. At 6'6" and filling out he could be a very interesting player come 2015.
Yes, Wilton and Russell Wilson are from the same city and high school and are good friends. Their families too. Tebow started working out with the same QB guru very recently. He needs it.
Isn't he 19? Not sure how much more filling out he can do at that age. He's gonna be like 28 and pretty much the second coming of the Ok. St. QB by the time he actually gets here.
Born in Detroit but played my high school football in Virginia. There is a nice pool of talent there in the Richmond-Newport New-DC triangle area. I've been wanting Michigan to develop more ties in that area for years. Green and, now S8, hopefully help us build permanent relationships with some of those talent areas.
Great story. Sounds like he wants to be here, and having your QB help recruit that class for a full year rather than waiting for 2, 4, 6, 10+ months for another QB to commit is a positive. Sounds like he wanted to be here very badly and has a passion for the school. Good luck to him.
He reminds me of Phillip Rivers. He kind of slings it.
Accurate for hs kid. Will only improve.
Big. Looks like he will be hard to get down with an arm tackle. Brushed aside some lil hs guys in video.
A bit lumbering. Footwork could probably improve but that can be taught. Being light on your feet, not so much...but look at rothlisberger.
Funny ball. Look like it tails up a bit. I wouldn't say he sprang have adequate d1 arm strength, just a funny ball. His accuracy though seems to indicate its a catchable funny ball. WrS never break stride in the vid I watched.
Like the addition. Traditional looking UofM qb.
Love he is all I'm too. Hope he camps well so his recruiting value/efforts are maxed out for us.
Meant nose down not rail up. Ball looks like it is "braking" in the air or something. Unique.
...do you still think he's not a good fit for the offense? (Better for WSU and Texas Tech)
Nothing has changed in the last few days.
He does not, in fact, have great arm strength in relation to velocity. I will observe, though, that Kellon Moore and Case Keenum didn't have elite arm strength either, and they did well for themselves at college. That's all that should matter to us.
All of what you said is factual, but they played at Boise State and Houston, respectively. The level of competition on a weekly basis is very different. Neither one of those guys has shown the ability to play at the next level.
Well, as to the latter point, that's why I observed they diod well for themselves "at college." In as much as this is a UofM board and not a Detroit Lions fansite, I would think that;s the primary concern. As it is, when Keenum and Moore needed to rise to the occasion, they usually did, so while their success was predicated on weaker opposition, it's not as if it was a boondoggle at the NCAA level. And while the defenses will be better than they were accustomed to facing, the offensive line and supporting cast Speight will have around him will be improved as well.
As to the level of competition, I see that. My big fear was what would happen when he meets up with the CBs Ohio has been hauling in. It won't matter how on target the ball is, if it takes a week to get there, those guys will hawk it. On the other hand, having a big arm and no questionable accuracy would be just as much of a problem. I think the truth is, anybody is going to have a tough time with that kind of an elite secondary.
Everybody on here that is complaining about this committment is purely a star gazer. Just because David Cornwell is an early 4 star on rivals does not mean he is a better quarterback and also doesnt mean that Speight isnt going to end up being a top 100 player nationally when the recruiting services reavaluate. This is Michigan and we are evolving back to a pro style offense. Do you really think that the coaches would take a commitment from a kid at a super important position if they did not think he was a big time player?
