Fall Camp Notes: QB Battle is Real

Submitted by EastCoast Esq. on

Steve Lorenz of 247 is reporting that...

 

The quarterback battle "is real" and is "far more intense than last year".

 

He has some other fall camp tidbits, but the article is paywalled, so I won't mention them here. Needless to say, though, I'm very surprised by this development. Hopefully this means that Peters is performing above expectations, rather than that Speight is regressing or plateauing.

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Mr. Yost

August 4th, 2017 at 5:07 AM ^

Technically this is not true. Because Morris was 2nd string over Speight 2 years ago while redshirting. Speight went in versus Minnesota because he closed the gap on Morris and they felt like Rudock was going back in the game. I've been told by a ton of people that if that had been a season ending injury in practice, Morris would have burned his redshirt to start at that point in the year. Speight would eventually catch Morris by default late in the year when everyone agreed to shut Shane down (and redshirt him for good) no matter what. So then he stopped getting those 2nd team reps in practice and they all went to Wilton. It's stupid to debate a 4th string. But McCaffrey could easily get 4th string reps in practice and not see the field in mop up duty. That said a walk-on or two are ahead of him and battling with Malzone for #4.

Joined: 07/25/2011

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umjgheitma

August 2nd, 2017 at 11:08 AM ^

one big thing I believe that gives Speight the nod is pocket presence / rush avoidance. If Peters developed that or the line is better enough so that it isn't such an occurring issue then this season just got a big bump in my expectations.

......now let's get some news on secondary development......

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JonnyHintz

August 2nd, 2017 at 4:28 PM ^

Or YOU weren't at the spring game and haven't listened to a word Harbaugh has said. Peters went 1-6 with an ugly pick 6 when under pressure at the spring game. Any QB can look good when he has all day to throw. The entire spring narrative was that Peters has to learn to remain calm and poised when he gets pressured and things break down around him. Harbaugh mentioned at media days that Peters needs to learn how to take command in the huddle and at the line of scrimmage. Peters has very good arm talent. But there's more to playing QB than how you throw a ball. There's more to being a good QB. Speight checks all those boxes that Peters (according to Harbaugh) doesn't check. When Peters is able to improve in those other areas, you'll have a very good QB on your hands. But until that point, it's likely we see Speight under center because he DOES give us the best chance to win.

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ReegsShannon

August 2nd, 2017 at 11:08 AM ^

Based on Harbaugh's comments, the only thing holding Peters back is/was his "command of the team". I.E. he wasn't being loud and confidently running everyone like a QB has to. 

I think we saw that Peters is a much better football player.

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evenyoubrutus

August 2nd, 2017 at 11:13 AM ^

I don't think there's any denying that Peters' throws had more zip and seemed more accurate than Speight's. You can gauge things like that regardless of competition level. 

OTOH Spring ball seems to always result in quite a few red herrings for the upcoming season.

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APBlue

August 2nd, 2017 at 11:14 AM ^

I would appreciate the experience Speight brings to the offense this year.  I do want to clarify, though.  Speight was not the #3 passer while he had the separated shoulder.  I'll give him his due credit for toughing that out.  That had to have been extremely difficult.  His passing after he suffered that injury, though, was bad.  

Joined: 01/07/2011

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DCGrad

August 2nd, 2017 at 11:14 AM ^

But Speight's shoulder was fine for most of the season and most of the Iowa game. I have no dog in the QB fight I think whoever wins will have earned it. But I don't think saying Speight was the #3 passer in the B1G last year with a separated shoulder truly describes the situation.

Joined: 09/20/2014

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gruden

August 3rd, 2017 at 9:46 AM ^

At the same time, the first two losses (maybe all of them) could've been won if the OL/run game was able to grind out a first down to close out the game when it was needed.  Sometimes other elements of the offense need to bail out the quarterback in close games.

Over the course of the season we'll see all 3 QBs play, then we'll see for ourselves what Harbaugh is seeing now.  There were many of us who thought O'Korn would start last year.  Eventually we saw why he wasn't.

Joined: 04/29/2016

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DMill2782

August 2nd, 2017 at 11:21 AM ^

in one game. That injury did not occur until there was only 4:30 remaining in the 4th quarter of the Iowa game. 

He was garbage all night against Iowa before the injury occured. He had already blown three potential TDs, big plays at worst, to Darboh and one definite TD to Chesson. 

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YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

August 2nd, 2017 at 9:28 PM ^

Just watched the game again (#16 supposed game of last year) and Speight was awful. Not a little off - but completely missing open downfield shots. He didn't even give guys a possible shot. Iowa DBs other than King were repeatedly toast and Speight airmailed the WR. He led the O to 3 pts over 3 quarters against an average D that PSU pulverized the week prior. What early Rudock and late Speight prove is the supreme importance of a JH QB to hit those downfield shots. Otherwise the O compresses the field - the deep pass is the constraint play and must penalize the D. If Speight cannot execute the necessary downfield throws, then this O is mediocre.

Joined: 11/01/2012

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huntmich

August 2nd, 2017 at 11:30 AM ^

Peters has no experience in college football. You have no idea how he will play when up against good competition in a full stadium with the game on the line. You saw him play against our B-squad, which is akin to the competition we saw Speight light the f*** up last year, except this was in a game that had no bearing on anything.

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evenyoubrutus

August 2nd, 2017 at 11:09 AM ^

I'm ambivalent. I hope this means that Peters is the next Luck, but we already have a major lack of experience and upperclassmen on offense. It seems like what we need is a veteran at the QB position.

Joined: 11/04/2008

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mGrowOld

August 2nd, 2017 at 11:14 AM ^

But I just hope the battle isnt "real" because Speight isnt healthy yet.  Nobody will ever convince me that the guy we watched from about the 2nd half of the Iowa game on was even close to the dude we watched up to then.   He was playing hurt IMO, prolly really hurt, and I hope he's 100% recovered cause that version of Speight was pretty damn good.

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funkywolve

August 2nd, 2017 at 9:28 PM ^

Pretty sure from some of your posts in the past, you played football at UM. I played D3 basketball in college and coaches can try all they want to replicate game like situations and environments in practice, but they can't. The only way to get it is to play in games.

Joined: 10/08/2008

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huntmich

August 2nd, 2017 at 11:32 AM ^

Did you see the snapchat videos from yesterday? Speight was doing this mobility exercise with a straight bar that he took in a circle from the front of his thighs, over his head, and fully around to the back of his thighs. It didn't look like he had any pain or mobility issues. He did it in one full, smooth, arc, without any hesitation.

 

In summary, he looked fully healthy.

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mGrowOld

August 2nd, 2017 at 11:50 AM ^

Pretty sure I said he was "pretty damn good."  Which he was.  Not perfect, not a model of consistency, but pretty damn good.

FWIW I'm confident that the guy who watches them practice every day (Harbaugh) and wants to win the games more than anyone in the world (Harbaugh) will select the QB he feels gives Michigan the best chance to win the game (Harbaugh).  I learned my lesson last year when I chirped that we needed to be playing O'Korn and sit Speight which sounded real good in theroy until I actually saw the product on the field.  

Oh....and I wanted Morris over Gardner too.

 

 

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1VaBlue1

August 2nd, 2017 at 11:25 AM ^

I think Speight will win out in the end because of experience.  But if Peter's gets the nod, I'm not concerned about experience.  Harbaugh will play whoever gives him the best chance of winning any particular game.  If he were to choose raw talent over experience, then that raw talent must be pretty talented...

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Steve Lorenz

August 2nd, 2017 at 11:32 AM ^

This is a common sentiment around this time of year. 

I do what I can to not cheat readers by posting something unless it's from someone I feel like has a legit feel for things. Two days in or not, it's been a battle since the spring, so you can take what you want from it. 

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funkywolve

August 2nd, 2017 at 2:33 PM ^

How much of a battle was it last year?  O'Korn had a lot of hype based upon his numbers at Houston and I think a lot of people figured he'd win out.  But behind the scenes was it really that much of a battle between Speight and O'Korn?

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