VicTorious1

August 6th, 2017 at 3:03 PM ^

Right? We all should care about accuracy generally (into coverage and on the deep ball). Speight at times had issues with his footwork last year, especially setting his feet properly on the deep ball. I also noticed that his front foot doesn't necessarily form a straight line with his target receiver. Sometimes it would be pointing towards the sideline when he wasn't thing to a receiver on the sideline. Hopefully he'll fix those issues. I know he worked on it over the bye week last year.

SNSD

August 6th, 2017 at 12:54 PM ^

Speight being in the lead is not surprising.

It's someone downvoting that post by UMBig11 that is more surprising to me....what can anyone possibly disagree with when someone provides some legit insight on practice information? 

VicTorious1

August 6th, 2017 at 3:09 PM ^

It's not a problem with the content. It's more a problem with the delivery and the arrogance that we should just believe it without the source providing (a) his source and (b) a video with (i) his source holding two forms of government ID, (ii) a police officer to verify the whole thing, (iii) four or five of my buddies and Neal taking notes and (iv) the source's grandma to confirm his identity.

schreibee

August 6th, 2017 at 10:53 PM ^

Vic, you appear to have been on Mgoblog for 2.5 years now - surely you've seen some of umbig11's posts before?

You must know in that case that he's a person with connections to the program. They must know who he is by now, even though he uses a psuedonym. We appreciate that he shares his insights.

I can't see where you'd describe anything I've seen him post as "arrogant"? So I'm going to ascribe your opinion to envy.

Thanks big11 & Go Blue!

war-dawg69

August 6th, 2017 at 7:58 PM ^

There is only one recruit that I completely could not understand why they offered and that is Malzone. There was never a chance he would play and if we want NC's you can have zero charity with any scholarships. That kid at most was a pwo. There were a couple others but they transferred. I like all the recruits this year regardless of stars. Watch out for J.Woods who was a three star who's tape and offer sheet does not lie. He is just another example of the recruiting sites blunders. I don't blame them but I am sure they just don't have the resources to cover the country. Watch out for Issac. I still think he just needs more playing time. He would make a good run and out he went. What is up with that?. I heard Wheatley did not like him. Anyways I think he is our top back because of his size, but they all complement each other well. Higdon sure looks fast and has added muscle. Evans is a great back but it will be interesting who get's the most carries this year. If Speight can hit the long ball we win the Big. We have the number one defense in the conference IMO and we will annually with Harbaugh and D. Brown. Look for relentless pressure on QB's this year.. Sorry for the rant. Little excited this year. Go Blue.

schreibee

August 6th, 2017 at 11:55 PM ^

Malzone was a Hoke commit, recruited by Nuss. Remind me all the QB recruits Michigan turned away during that class to keep Malzone?

Now, maybe your point is Harbaugh should've "processed" him once he arrived? Maybe so, but JH takes at least 1 QB every class. He kept the QB already on board because he had no time to get another.

Malzone was 11 spots higher in the composite Pro-style QB ranks than Speight had been the year before, and over 150 spots higher overall.

Or you could look at it like he kept Malzone because he brought Perry with him, if you like?

Either way, very poor memory of the recruiting landscape of 2014-15!

Hail-Storm

August 7th, 2017 at 10:07 AM ^

Michigan Didn't have O'korn or Ruddddddok on the team when Harbaugh came in.  Malzone, Speight and Morris were the QB's on the roster. Malzone had won in HS and could easily have been backup in Harbaugh's first year. 

I met him once, as he is friends with one of my coworker's sons.  He was a really polite and well spoken kid, and represented the University well.  It sounds like he is aware that he is well down the pecking order, but is enjoying being on the team and taking advantage of his chance at an education at UofM. There is no reason to think that Harbaugh would not honor a scholarship for a kid like that.  He won't get a 5th year, but that is pretty reasonable. 

Farnn

August 6th, 2017 at 1:04 PM ^

People have an overly negative opinion of Speight because the team lost 3 of the last 4 and the offense struggled in those games.  He was also injured, had an OL that struggled against good pass rushes, and a running game that couldn't grind out yards on the ground to end the game.

His biggest shortfall was the lack of a consistent deep ball.  Other than that, he was pretty good for a first year starter.  Showed excellent pocket presence, decent TD:INT ratio, and managed the offense/huddle well.  Those are traits that Harbaugh values, and Peters will have to work really hard to overtake that.  One difference this year, is because Peters has no red shirt concerns and Speight is more established, he should get a bunch of mop up time to get game experience.

YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

August 6th, 2017 at 4:16 PM ^

conclusion. Maybe FSU was good enough. OSU was fine except for the 2 disastrous INTs. We're the problems all Speight? No, but he has been OK to bad in the last 4 public outings (3 losses and Spring Game). Iowa? Passer rating of 68 with 103 yards, 0 TDs and 1 INT. The O delivered 1 net point in the last 3 quarters for a total of 11 net points. OSU? Passer rating of 122 with 219 yards, 2 TDs and 2 INTs (1 a pick 6 and the other a gimme TD). The O was net 3 pts in regulation. FSU? Passer rating of 95 with 163 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT. The O was net 24 pts. I have no idea if Peters is a better option and O'Korn was not a better option last year, but Speight was not a "winning" QB when it mattered (November as JH likes to say) and his statistics indicate a middling QB when it mattered.

Double-D

August 6th, 2017 at 3:54 PM ^

time was able help move the chains last year. The kid has great leadership skills and an understanding of the offense. He is only going to get better. And yes he needs to hit the deep ball because this crew is going to get past people.

bamf16

August 6th, 2017 at 5:06 PM ^

You "thought?" or you "hoped?"

 

Because it seems that too many times when someone writes that they thought a certain player would have overtaken another on the depth chart, they really mean that they hoped.

WolvinLA2

August 6th, 2017 at 12:18 PM ^

Interesting that RG isn't locked down. I assumed Onwenu was a lock to start. If he doesn't - would he play on the DL? He's too big and athletic to keep off the field.

reshp1

August 6th, 2017 at 12:40 PM ^

How did he look terrible? Bush timed up some snaps and blew by him before he could get out of his stance. Otherwise he was fine. He was actually pretty impressive releasing downfield to block a LB. He positively mauled all the non-starter interior lineman too.

Mr. Yost

August 6th, 2017 at 1:21 PM ^

He looked terrible by getting consistently knocked back by our STARTING DTs and getting little to no push in the run game. It's one game. I'm not freaking out just like I don't think Keith Washington is All B1G because he surprised many in a glorified scrimmage. But it's okay to admit Onwenu was disappointing. Check the film. Read the recaps on who was up and who was down. Speight and Onwenu were consistently mentioned as not having the best game. A lot of folks were impressed with Peters, Bush and Washington.

Bodogblog

August 6th, 2017 at 2:22 PM ^

This is completely untrue.  As the poster above you mentioned, he was slow out of his stance multiple times and had some wtf moments where he seemed to blow an assignment.  

When he locked and engaged a blocker, he was very good.  Lol at getting pushed back, i don't think that happened even once.  Which is extremely rare for any OL, let alone against Michigan's starters.  

He needs to clean it up and he's a no-doubt starter. 

reshp1

August 6th, 2017 at 9:36 PM ^

"He looked terrible by getting consistently knocked back by our STARTING DTs" I just went back and rewatched the spring game focusing on him and this just didn't happen. I don't mean generally, I mean literally not even once. He gets beat by Winovich twice when he's pulling over there and then asked to protect as the de facto LT, but that was by getting run around. He also let's Bush and Wroboluski by at the snap once each. Towards the end he let's Marshall slant away from him and gets beat cleanly. That was pretty much it for minuses. Meanwhile he gets the better of both Mone and Hurst multiple times, ably picks up a couple stunts in pass pro and in the second half absolutely donkeys a few of the backup DL and LBs. Are you sure you aren't thinking of Ruiz?

Sten Carlson

August 6th, 2017 at 6:30 PM ^

You mean in the Sping Game? Meaningless! WS is going to surprise a lot of people and make a huge leap, IMO. Then, going into 2018 we're all going to be thrilled to have one more season with a veteran QB. I'm sure you've experienced the fact that failure is often times the best teacher. WS, Harbaugh and Pep are well aware of the failures, and undoubtedly have a plan for further development. All this hand wringing is sad to me.

pescadero

August 6th, 2017 at 6:42 PM ^

I think he will be improved - but I just don't see him ever being a top 10 QB. He's got great pocket presence and escability - but his arm isn't NFL caliber, and his accuracy last year was mediocre. His understanding of the offense will help a lot, but I think his ceiling isn't a lot higher than his play last year.

Sten Carlson

August 6th, 2017 at 7:20 PM ^

I don't see why you have that opinion. Obviously, you're welcome to it, but I don't see why you have it. I saw a QB going through some growing pains, but also showing flashes of brilliance. Was he totally polished? No. But, I think he's going get a lot better.

pescadero

August 7th, 2017 at 10:12 AM ^

In terms of expected points added per pass play he was #49 in the country last year.

11 of the top 20 are back this year.

 

He was #22 in adjusted QBR -

13 of the 21 players who finished ahead of him are back.

 

The majority of them are in the same class as Speight, or younger... and you'll have incoming younger players who likely pass him also. Every year there are at least a few "phenoms" (Sam Darnold and Deondre Francois were both freshman last year with better QBR than Speight) that will probably pass him.

 

I think Speight will improve - and will quite likely be a #15-20 range QB this year (and next if Peters doesn't beat him out), but I don't see him being a top 10 guy.