BTN: Fun Takes from UM practice

Submitted by Wee-Bey Brice on
On the rise: Wilton Speight. The 6-6, 243 pound junior QB looked good for most of practice, showing just enough niftiness with his feet along with a strong arm.
Best drill: Wideouts were forced to sprint five yards, pickup a tennis ball, cut to the right and catch a ball. The ultimate test of dexterity and focus.
All eyes are on the QB spot, just like last season. There isn’t a lot of experience on the depth chart. But Houston transfer John O’Korn has starting experience. He is battling Wilton Speight and Shane Morris with O’Korn and Speight leading the way. In the end, I wouldn’t be shocked if Speight lands the job.

I also have a sneaky suspicion that Speight wins the job. I like O'Korn because he raises the ceiling of the offense but I just get a feeling Speight is the steady hand that'll win Harbaugh over.

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Blueblood2991

August 16th, 2016 at 4:29 PM ^

Anyone have any more information on these new giant video boards they mention in the article?

I often wondered how they managed to have these 4 hour practices, without leaving much time for film study.

Absolutely genius as usual. Play the game tape on the video board, then correct the mistake in live action practice instead of writing it in a notebook.

 

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Qmatic

August 16th, 2016 at 4:36 PM ^

If Speight wins the job he has earned it. I have never once been overly impressed by him. His ceiling isn't even end of the year Rudock. Still, we can win 10-11 games with him.



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WorldwideTJRob

August 16th, 2016 at 6:03 PM ^

Agreed! We all would love to have a Deshaun Watson type playing QB for us but if we have a QB who moves around in the pocket and can pick up a few first downs with his legs we'll be fine. Honestly, how can anybody say what Speight's ceiling will be based on such a small sample size?



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stephenrjking

August 16th, 2016 at 4:39 PM ^

My position in the spring was that O'Korn has the higher ceiling and that if Speight won the job it said more about O'Korn's development and likely put a hard cap on what Michigan could achieve this season.

I may need to reconsider. It sounds like both have taken the competition seriously all summer, and the murmurs suggest that Speight is showing well in a positive way, rather than just a "Runs the offense without messing up and checks down to avoid INTs" way. If so, it could be that Speight is really growing here...

(Trigger warning: Gratuitous 1997 analogy)

...Which reminds me of how so-so Brian Griese surprisingly emerged as a starter in 1997 and was quite good, after several years of decided second-string mediocrity.

Speight will have to be better than Griese was to win us a national title. Recall that 1997 Michigan's offense was one of the dullest Lloyd Carr ever featured. But if he is impressing with positive decisions and throws, that is a very good sign if he wins the position.

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funkywolve

August 16th, 2016 at 5:44 PM ^

I'm guessing part of that was due to the defense and part of that was due to the make up of the offense.  When it comes to the skill position players for the 1997 offense (taking Woodson out of the equation), there weren't any game changers or big play threats.  With all due respect to those players, it's one of the dullest set of skill players UM has had.

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Mr Miggle

August 16th, 2016 at 6:30 PM ^

1997 offense. A strong OL with 3 very good NFL talents. A Train, Howard and Williams at RB, Floyd at RB, 2 Sr TEs headed to the NFL + Aaron Shea. WR wasn't completely bare with Streets, Shaw and Knight + Woodson. QB play was fine, might have been much better with a coach like Harbaugh. Maybe Brady even comes along faster.

That's a lot for a creative coach to work with. Harbaugh with that collection of talent would not have been dull. That being said, Carr played to the strengths of his team and that worked well. I'll never complain about that offense being dull. It just didn't need to be.

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BuckNekked

August 16th, 2016 at 6:25 PM ^

I remember how Griese threw the ball perfectly to Tumans right hip throughout the season on that play action bootleg play that was thier brea dand butter, allowing him to catch and turn without ever breaking stride. May have been boring but executing the mundane over and over has a beauty all its own.

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ND Sux

August 17th, 2016 at 8:06 AM ^

for hitting Chris Howard IN STRIDE out of the backfield, allowing screens and dumps to go for big yards sometimes.  His accuracy had really improved by '97, a big reason for our success.  He also had a sixth sense on knowing when to scramble, and picked up a lot of big first downs for us. 

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JFW

August 16th, 2016 at 4:40 PM ^

"Both lines r in conversation of being best in conference & country have 2 finalize QB & outstanding TB play needed"

 

The O line is in the conversation of being the best in the country? Ummmm. No. I'll be happyif they are solid. Brand new center, young LT, other talent that has been solidly OK...

 

The experience will help. And I trust Drevno. But this isn't the Washington Hawgs reincarnated. 

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The Mad Hatter

August 16th, 2016 at 4:55 PM ^

There would be something poetic about JH helping a Borges QB win a NC and become a Michigan legend. I do like O'Korn too though. Mainly because I think he has a touch of the crazy.

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jabberwock

August 16th, 2016 at 4:57 PM ^

a QB that can scramble well, extend the drive, get the 1st down, etc.

The only issue is whether that QB has accurately assesd that all pass options have been explored, and that it's now the proper time to make a play with his feet.

 

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gord

August 16th, 2016 at 4:58 PM ^

Don't know why anyone is talking about the Spring Game when a lot of receivers weren't playing and Speight had an All-American tight end on his side.  It's pretty much meaningless at this point.

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ak47

August 16th, 2016 at 4:59 PM ^

O'Korn had a habit of making terrible decisions that got him benched at Houston.  Maybe he's lost that but until he does Speight is going to be the guy.  Everyone just assumed O'Korn would show up and we would get all the positives with none of the negatives that led to his benching and transfer, I'm not sure that is the case.  If Harbaugh could just magically make every QB reach their full potential in two years of coaching Shane would be the heighest ceiling guy on the team.  But sometimes that isn't how it works and we shouldn't just be assuming it will with O'Korn.

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reshp1

August 16th, 2016 at 5:12 PM ^

I wouldn't be surprised if Speight gets the nod early to give us a solid floor on QB play with O'Korn getting his decision making under control mid season finally and taking the job. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if they go back and forth a couple times.  

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