Decent Article (AA News, Baumgardner) on UM QBs in 2017

Secretly having passing sessions with the WRs. That's like ripping out pages of books that have important information keeping it from other students.

Too many terrible throws to wide open receivers. I hope he greatly improves his consistency or someone else steps up

Speight can't throw a long ball well, which was unfortunate this year, having Chesson and Darboe to run under/go up and get them. The only good long ball that comes to mind was the one against Wisconsin.

I think Speight has the basis to be a solid player. One we can rely on. His movement was surprisingly good. And by midseason, he became brave enough to launch throws with defenders in his face. 

He needs to get better anticpating where his receivers will be. The deep ball was not there early in the season, before he got brave, nor late in the season when he was clearly injured. 

I hope OKorn, and Peters give him a fierce challenge, but if he can throw to the spot instead of the man, he will win the job. 

we'll finally have a competent 2-deep at QB. In both Harbaugh years we've had a situation where the starter was the only viable option at QB. In either year we had to turn to a SO VERY NOT READY Speight and this year a guy in O'Korn that didn't seem to have any self-confidence in what he was doing. Peters will still be a young QB but every non-homer account I've heard about the guy is saying he's capable. I think he's definitely our #2 next year and we won't have to pray the starter never has to take a breather or miss a single game. We should soon be back to having a very capable backup QB.

I sure hope Peters can win the job next season

is between years one and two. Sure he made mistakes that almost all first year starters make. However, I can recall a ball that would have secured the game being simply plucked out of the hands or our receiver, into the hands of the db who wanted it more. 

It was also so easy to see the separation that was a noted improvement between 2014 and 2015 all but disappeared over the course of last season. Our receivers regressed and this was obvious in not only lack of separation but untimely drops as well. For almost every truly bad pass Wilton made, it's almost as easy to point out a drop or catches that should have been made. The combination of both adds up to too many gifts. For lack of a better understanding, I attribute a lot of Chesson's periods of absence were the result of a season long injury. 

The expected improvement in the rushing game failed to materialize as well, although Evans did supply a reason for the same expectations but when all is said and done, until we receive consistent run blocking, our qbs will be forced into second and third and long situations, making it far easier on the defense. Many fans are equally quick to point out the lack of Isaccs running the ball was bad coaching. These same fans are completely aware these touches are earned during the week, and I haven't seen too many players of his size fail to utilize the natural advantages they've been given. 

I think we will all witness a continuous improvement of our team and it will come from improvement in all areas. Our roster is becoming stocked with players who, simply put, are superior to their predecessors. Ultimately in a season where 3 games are decided by a total of 5 games, had the bounces necessary occurred that would have given us 2 of those, the conversation would be focused on the great season and great play, even though there would really have been no difference. It's difficult when coming that close, but I'll patiently wait for what I'm pretty sure will occur. 

However, it will be wide open in the fall.

Speight will be the starter. A QB in his first year starting who ends up a couple plays away from being undefeated in the regular season, who ends up 3rd in the league in QBR, and helps get his team to the Orange Bowl is not losing his job unless something absolutely spectacular happens in practice. 

My brain is hurting.

Spreight is 22 already. Time to retire.

I'm just glad there's actually some depth and likely multiple guys who are capable of leading the team to 10+ wins.  I'm pulling for Peters because I think his ceiling is higher and if Speight starts this year, I really can't see anyone taking the job from him when he's a senior with 2 years starting experience.  To be clear I think Speight is solid and definitely showed poise, made good reads, etc. this year but I think his ceiling is a bit limited because he's not a great athlete and would like someone with more upside to get experience right away.  Good news is we'll be fine no matter who wins the job.

Just read your signature for the first time...  Is that true?

Pretty awesome either way.

I just don't put JH in the safe bucket. He rebuilt Alex Smith and then switched in the middle of the season to the guy he picked/drafted apparently because his athleticism gabe the 49ers a better chance to win it all. i think Speight better improve in a lot of ways if he wants to assure himself of the job. Peters is more athletic and higher upside if he gets comfortable in the O.

Speight, Peters, O'Korn and McCaffrey.  It's been a while since we've been this loaded at QB.  It's a dilemma choosing the best one and a nice problem to have.

I think Peters has the potential to be elite. Being enrolled early means that by the time we play Florida, Peters will have been on campus for a year and a half! I think that really helps Peters going forward in his competition against Speight. Personally I am rooting for Wilton Speight to blow up into a top notch QB. However, I have no shame in admitting that I am dying to see what Peters can do with the first team. May the best man win the job. If Speight keeps the reigns, I think many of us would be somewhat surprised if it's not an extremely close competition.

Decent article?  It's about as empty as most of Baumgardner's stuff.  Here it is, in a nutshell:  Speight will be the starting QB.  Unless he isn't.  There will be competition for the position.  That is all.

Wish Harbaugh would change his strategy and play his #2 QB a lot more - say a third of the snaps.  That way, you have a more experienced and prepared backup in case of injury and/or for 2018.

He didn't do that in 2016 and UofM paid the price when Speight went down.  O'Korn was inexperienced (at UofM) and not really prepared to step in for Speight.  I didn't agree with Harbaugh's strategy of playing Speight almost exclusively, especially since there was apparently such little separation between the 1st two QBs at the start of the 2016 season.

Also, if #2 never gets a real opportunity to play, it's hard to keep them motivated.

Finally, as an example, Wisconsin successfully split the QB duties in 2016 and that turned out pretty well for them.

So, I don't really have a preference for who is #1 or #2, but I do want a #2 that is ready, willing, and able.