Backup QB
Harbaugh has made clear that he would like to keep Joe Milton’s red shirt this year. If I understand correctly he’s only played in one game. I’d like to see him play this week assuming we have the opportunity to use the backup. That would give him the ability to play next week as well and then have some experience for OSU assuming we need a backup (hopefully not). If he isn’t needed at OSU (or maybe Indiana) then he can still play in the Bowl game(s). One thing to consider is the possibility of two playoff games. I don’t think we ca beat OSU or compete in the Playoffs with Peters, unless the defense completely carries the team.
Any thoughts on how we should manage the issue of the backup now with Dylan out for the season?
November 5th, 2018 at 6:49 PM ^
I doubt Peters has gotten many reps in practice and the only pass he threw this year was picked in the end zone.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:46 PM ^
After the South Carolina game, it’s do or die with Shea.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:18 PM ^
#1 - Don't run a single passing play against Rutgers. The defense will outscore them anyway.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:28 PM ^
In fact, kick field goals every drive. Nordin needs to get his mojo before the home stretch. I'd like to see him hit 12 field goals and win 40-0 (2 safeties).
November 5th, 2018 at 12:34 PM ^
Two safeties? What do we look like, Iowa?
November 5th, 2018 at 12:44 PM ^
I think Rutgers will say it looked like a Maize and Blue Tsunami.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:18 PM ^
Darn.
I read this fast and thought it said Buckle UP
November 5th, 2018 at 2:00 PM ^
Well, if you check out 247 you'll see that Crystal Balls have been pouring in for Zach Harrison to UM recently.
Giggity!
November 5th, 2018 at 12:19 PM ^
Depends on if Peters is healthy yet. We saw him take a snap (maybe 2??) at the end of the PSU game.
To me, that means he's now the #2. I anticipate that Milton will have a specific play package, but that he remains behind Peters on the depth chart.
Whoever the backup is, we'll see them early next Saturday lol. Wouldn't be surprised to see the whole QB depth chart, in order, during this game.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:24 PM ^
I agree that Peters is probably the backup but if Milton was the actual #2 they wouldn't risk wasting his redshirt so he could hand the ball off in a blowout.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:26 PM ^
If Milton is the #2 guy, he'll play. You don't worry about redshirts by that point.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:35 PM ^
I think he was just talking about the PSU game, when Peters literally came in for a snap or two. You don't blow one of Milton's four games to do that; you use those games either against a team like Rutgers where he can get extended play, or against OSU or in the playoffs if you desperately need it.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:24 PM ^
If Harbaugh is really trying to preserve Milton's redshirt, Peters coming into the PSU game means NOTHING. The QB that gets significant time at Rutgers will let you know which is the real backup.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:19 PM ^
A year ago at this time people thought Peters was the future. Then he had a bad bowl game and was written off forever, apparently. The recency effect is strong here. This is a Harbaugh-recruited QB in his third year in the program, with several games' experience under his belt. For a #2 QB that's not too bad.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:28 PM ^
The stadium went nuts when Peters first completed a pass for like 8 yards. When Patterson does that, we cry in anguish because the 40 yard pass might have been open. I don't think this is just recency bias, it's more that the expectations for the offense is in a very very different place. Peters shouldn't be written off because he hasn't proven one way or the other.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:37 PM ^
There is a subset of this fanbase that seemed morally offended by him playing poorly against USC. He's may never going to be a top-tier starter on a championship team, but you can absolutely win football games with him.
November 5th, 2018 at 1:05 PM ^
Yeah, people don't understand what experience and the new & improved o-line has meant to this team.
I mean, look at Higdon. always one of my favorites, always has run hard . . . always misses the occasional hole. He is much improved, and while i know much of the credit goes to his hard work, most of the credit should go to the 0-line (& some to the Qb/play design, etc.)
The receivers always had talent, but are now older, better blockers, perfecting routes, maybe even McElwain is contributing?
Is Shae better? Of course, but a heathier Brandon Peters with matured receivers, behind this O-line and a strong run game is a luxury he NEVER had last year.
Give the guy a chance before doom predictions.
November 5th, 2018 at 9:06 PM ^
People are just un-thoughtful in general. Just look for dramatic ways to support their own preconceived belief. This board as a whole has become a lot more hive-minded than it used to be. That's... not great.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:54 PM ^
It was the slide.
November 5th, 2018 at 1:06 PM ^
I think it was the fact that he admitted he checked out when he didn't beat Speight out to be the starter last year. He didn't start putting in the proper effort until Wilton went down and he was the clear #2. Had he put his nose to the grindstone he might have been the #2 already, saving us from playing O'Korn.
Still, I don't judge him on last season. The line sucked.
November 5th, 2018 at 2:33 PM ^
It’s not the one bad game. It’s the lack of a good game.
I don’t think we’d be hopeless if he had to play, but that’s admittedly more of a feelings thing than anything based on evidence.
November 5th, 2018 at 4:48 PM ^
To be fair, the limited amount of times that’s Peters has played in garbage time so far this season he hasn’t looked too great.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:19 PM ^
From what I understand, McCaffery's injury takes 4-8 weeks to heal. So he MAY be available for the playoffs. Probably shouldn't count on it, though. The BCS title game is 9 weeks from today.
I would hope we are able to build up a good enough lead to make sure Patterson doesn't see a minute of second half action over the next two weeks. If not, I will be stressed every time he takes a hit. It's probably best to run the ball like crazy, and probably avoid overusing Higdon as well.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:26 PM ^
Oh wow. They went back to the BCS? How did everyone else miss that announcement?
November 5th, 2018 at 12:36 PM ^
Being "available" (injury healed) and being "ready" (comfortable and has timing down after layoff) are two different things.
November 5th, 2018 at 1:49 PM ^
It's also his throwing shoulder. There's going to be a period of re-learning how to throw again to an extent. I would be kinda shocked to see him play this season again.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:20 PM ^
worst case you throw gentry in there and see what happens.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:23 PM ^
you know, funkadelic could be on to something here. and JH is absolutely crazy enough to do it.
a TE has to generally know the entire offensive scheme for pass pro and of course run blocking, so reads at the LOS would be pretty normal for him, especially given his background.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:36 PM ^
Gentry got moved to TE pretty much immediately after arriving on campus. There's no way we're playing him at QB with only a couple weeks of practice.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:38 PM ^
Love Gentry as a TE and it was the right move, but I feel robbed that we never got to see him run some RPO. His HS highlights were ridiculous. (level of competition, blah blah blah.)
November 5th, 2018 at 12:50 PM ^
That sports writer from NM just got a huge boner with you saying that.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:59 PM ^
Michael Barrett was a QB last season. Obviously if we're getting down to last resorts, it's going to be a conservative offense. Barrett would be good running zone reads and maybe RPOs.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:22 PM ^
The issue with Peters is can he run this offense the way it is? I felt extremely confident that McCaffrey could, I don't know if Milton can but this offense is completely different then it was the last time he took meaningful snaps, last year.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:33 PM ^
If Josh Rosen can gain a ton of yards on a couple of carefully selected zone reads while he was at UCLA I have every reason to believe Peters could do the same.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:22 PM ^
From what I remember, Peters had one bad game last year. That was the bowl game. He looked decent behind a bad offensive line and true freshman receivers last year before he was injured. I'm not ready to write him off yet.
November 5th, 2018 at 1:00 PM ^
His “best” game was completing 50% of his passes for 140 yards against Maryland.
Had 120 yards and 1 TD against Rutger.
November 5th, 2018 at 1:52 PM ^
He was asked to be a game manager and to protect the ball. Shea hasn't put up eye popping passing numbers, but he manages the game well. Peters was playing well on the road at Wisconsin and had the lead until his injury.
November 5th, 2018 at 2:15 PM ^
Shea hasn’t lit the world on fire. It’s harbaughs gameplan. Unless you have Rodgers, Brees, Brady back there, it’s rare that the qb will put up big numbers while the running game is going. He played basically half a game vs Wisconsin that should have included a TD to DPJ that we all remember incorrectly getting called incomplete. Against Minnesota, Rutgers, Maryland the game was in hand and the run game was doing well. So his only other games were Wisconsin and South Carolina. Played well against Wisconsin, was playing ok in the bowl until the higdon fumble. The whole team imploded. Peters is the best passer on the team, if they allow him to open it up and not be so strict about turnovers against a team like Rutgers or Indiana, you’d see how talented he is. At the elite 11 camps everyone said he had the total package of athleticism and arm talent. Said the only difference between him and Shea was getting the ball out a step quicker.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:25 PM ^
I'm going to threadjack here because it's regarding redshirts. If I'm seeing this correctly, Aubrey Solomon has only played in one game so far this year. LINK Is he a candidate for the 4 game RS rule this year?
November 5th, 2018 at 12:30 PM ^
He's been in the last three and some snaps against ND. Redshirt is done when he plays against Rutgers.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:33 PM ^
I thought I saw him play in more than just one game, but I also drink a lot during Michigan football games so was basing it off what that link said.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:38 PM ^
It probably doesn't even matter. If Solomon does what he appears to be capable of doing, we'll be lucky to have him on campus for a full four years, let alone a fifth.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:31 PM ^
Solomon has definitely played in multiple games.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:32 PM ^
Aubrey has definitely played in several games this year. Any information suggesting he only played in one is wrong.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:34 PM ^
That’s not correct. He has played vs Wisconsin, MSU and Penn St.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:36 PM ^
Lol Solomon has played a lot this year.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:26 PM ^
I think if McCaffrey was healthy, I might favor getting third-string reps for Milton since there is a good chance Peters will transfer and could even be behind MIlton next season if he stays.
But McCaffrey is out for at least the rest of the regular season and BTCG possibly the bowl game/CFP as well. Peters is presumably ahead of Milton right now. Since we would need Peters to come in for Patterson in case of injury, I'd prefer to see him get garbage time reps against Rutgers and IU to best prepare him for the possibility of having to play against OSU or afterward.
If Milton is actually ahead of Peters (which is possible if the reason Peters played against Penn State was to preserve Milton's redshirt), then I think it's a closer call. Worst case scenario would be an injury to Patterson against OSU that keeps him out the rest of the way. In that situation you'd need Milton to play at least two more games (OSU and bowl), possibly three or four (BTCG and championship game). Obviously if it's four games then he'd have to burn his redshirt, but I think we'd take that. Otherwise we could preserve his redshirt by not playing him in garbage time against Rutgers and IU.
Of course, if we don't play Milton in those garbage time situations and then Patterson remains healthy, we'll have foregone an opportunity for Milton to get game experience while preserving his redshirt.
So, the obvious solution is for M to blow out OSU and the BTCG opponent so that Milton can get garbage time in those games.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:38 PM ^
Even if the collar bone heals in 4-8 weeks, doesn't it take some time to build up strength in the upper body/throwing arm? I don't know how those injuries work. Maybe it's 4-6 to heal and another couple to get strength back.
November 5th, 2018 at 1:04 PM ^
Not worth risking Dylan's long term health just to get him back for a post season game. He is likely the QB for the next year or two at least - get him ready for it.
November 5th, 2018 at 12:26 PM ^
I don't understand why we are so concerned who takes the snap for our victory formation in Columbus?