Speight's High Throws

Submitted by Da Fino on

I just watched the replay and the majority of Speight's incompletions were high/long throws.  I get that some might be throw-aways, but many of them weren't even close, especially the ones along the sideline or fades in the back corner of the endzone.  The two picks were high throws, Black's drop in the first quarter was high, and every long-ish sideline toss was overthrown.

It didn't look like he was leaning back and throwing off his back foot because many of those throws he had time to step into them.  Is this a consistent thing with him?  I don't seem to remember so many overthrows in a game last year so hopefully it's an anomaly.

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Wilton Speight

M Ascending

September 3rd, 2017 at 4:00 PM ^

One reason he might have been negged is for having to ask a question the answer to which is obvious to anyone can who watches M football. Yes -- Speight has been overthrowing the ball consistently since he became the starting QB, most notoriously on overthrowing wide open receivers on long bombs, as well as too high on shorter patterns.

Joined: 09/14/2016

MGoPoints: 21265

uncle leo

September 3rd, 2017 at 2:08 PM ^

The most, was the miss to Crawford. He could have literally just thrown it 500 style and heaved it as high as possible in the middle of the field, Crawford could have caught it.

Instead, he tried this super tight, sideline throw that was beyond unncessary.

However, I am not as concerned about Wilton as others are, which may be surprising given my massive skepticism. I just think he was very, very amped up. I'm glad there are a few weeks of easier games that will give him a chance to work on his game.

Even despite his garbage pick 6s, you could tell how much better he is than O'Korn. O'Korn looked lost.

Joined: 07/29/2012

MGoPoints: 34636

DairyQueen

September 3rd, 2017 at 5:04 PM ^

Yes and no.

There's no doubt in my mind that Speight was absolutely "amped up".

After the TD-heave to Tarik Black, as he's running up to the endzone and looking back at Harbaugh screaming "Go! Go! Go! Go!" and waving his arms wildly, plenty of coaches would have no problem benching a player for that level of insubordination. Let alone grabbing their chestplate and getting in their ear on the sideline.

Professionally speaking, there really is no place nor that. Not on the 1st TD of the season. Calm down, there will be many more.

It was the first f**king quarter, and he was going nuts. 

Coming in for an injured Rudock (his first meaningful game) in 2015 at Minnesota, he calmly led the comeback and looked as cool as ice doing it. His history shows him to be incredibly steady no matter how well, or poorly he's doing.

So the question is, why?

There's no question that all the hype/attention that Harbaugh brings in, puts an insane amount of pressure on these guys. And this guy is now quarterbacking the youngest team in CFB, without his cast of proven senior skill-position players, at RB, TE, and WR in Smith (solid), Darboh, Chesson, and Butt (Top 5 TE in the country easily).

Now he's throwing to 2 guys who were at their senior prom 4 months ago.

And a ZERO-returning starter defense?

And with all the expectation of "Michigan Football" and Jim Harbaugh, and what is literally a bowl-game setting and matchup, as the SEASON OPENER???

And then playing a team that he previously demolished 43-13, and--completely foolish but regularly suggested--having this game compared to the 2015 game, as also needing a similar blowout or more, in order to display progress.

Speight might be what he is, but there's NO QUESTION that he obviously has a ton of nerves. Period.

Also, we know Speight's saving grace (similar to De'veon Smith as a rare fumbler) is the fact that he DOESN'T make risky plays, and put the football in jeopardy.

Speight was 100% forcing the football, and it showed.

Nerves were absolutely part of it.

Joined: 04/20/2014

MGoPoints: 6642

charblue.

September 3rd, 2017 at 7:17 PM ^

revved up after the TD bomb to Black but I didn't take anything negative away from his reaction other than perhaps responding to the play call. The way it was described afterward, the play was designed to take advantage of a young secondary's inability to respond to a deep route that crossed quarters coverage boundaries and confused the defender whose area Black entered after starting his route in another defender's area.

In any case, Harbaugh said after the game he took Speight out after the second pick to get him into reset mode, not that he was trying to punish or make an example of his play. At the time, I was more confident that even with the bad throws, Speight was a better candidate to lead the comeback effort on offense than O'Korn. And so did Harbaugh, obviously. Clearly, as a guy who has had bad days on the field in college and the pros, Harbaugh gets what the qb goes through and how certain guys temprement enables him to adjust to adversity.

Joined: 05/25/2010

MGoPoints: 11365

Mongo

September 3rd, 2017 at 9:26 PM ^

In Jerry World of the Dallas Cowboy's fame, with the world watching against a damn good DL pass rush that was in his grill on most every high throw. First game jitters, you bet. Has anybody on this board played on that kind of stage, especially the first game of the season with an all new OL and WRs. Folks, Speight is the best we have right now. As JH said post game, he just needs to "play within the system" ... I take that as he made some poor decisions on those over-throws. Thought he settled in for the second half to play calling that fit him much better. The offense is always behind the defense as it relates to development. We will be totally fine. We could have scored 50 points in that game with better execution. Very optimistic for our prospects come the B1G season.

Joined: 06/25/2016

MGoPoints: 9585

getsome

September 3rd, 2017 at 2:20 PM ^

that was unfortunate...and obviously speight knew it given his reaction.  thats a TD design, they got the perfect coverage, executed the rub perfectly, solid protection, etc...everything except the throw.  even blackledge commented that you just throw it right at your WR when that wide open.

good chance speight feels just as bad about that one as the INTs, he knows whats up

Joined: 09/07/2013

MGoPoints: 7385

bamf16

September 4th, 2017 at 8:52 AM ^

It's pretty accurate. Many times in a spread (going to talk more about what RR ran in Michigan and what Calvin Magee did at Pitt in 2011 as I'm much more familiar w/that than what Houston did) a QB is expected to get the ball out of his hands too quickly to really process post-snap defensive movements and coverages. There were a lot of times I remember Tate Forcier and later Tino Sunseri at Pitt seemingly throwing the ball with their fingers off the laces b/c they had to get the ball out so quickly.

Drevno's offenses don't require that as often, so it's plausible that O'Korn is struggling with passing plays that require him to read and react post-snap rather than throw a ball to a place at a certain timing interval.

Joined: 01/05/2014

MGoPoints: -100000

MIGHTYMOJO91

September 4th, 2017 at 6:22 PM ^

Doesn't bode well for this team if anything should happen to WS. It is really pretty scary to say the least. O-line was a big concern going into the year and now add QB to that and we could have a dire situation on our hands. Hopefully Harbaugh gets this straightened out and quickly!  

Joined: 11/28/2015

MGoPoints: 4532

lilpenny1316

September 3rd, 2017 at 3:02 PM ^

His pass to Black down the left sideline on his first pass was picture perfect.  He did a good job of keeping us in the game with that pass to Black and not turning the ball over when he faced those two sacks, something Florida wishes they could say.  

What I saw yesterday did not show me Speight was well ahead of O'Korn.  He just looked like someone who played more football in the past 12 months.  I think O'Korn needs to play more the next two weeks because we can't keep throwing pick 6s on the road.  We need a ready option if Speight falters when the schedule toughens up.

Joined: 11/19/2009

MGoPoints: 61782

WestSider

September 3rd, 2017 at 2:08 PM ^

will resolve itself; Speight will take it personally and improve. Harbaugh was in his ear and had him take some time off to settle down. Give Speight credit for some good throws too man; Black, Eubanks, etc. 

Joined: 02/04/2011

MGoPoints: 5979

sum1valiant

September 3rd, 2017 at 4:06 PM ^

So we're knocking him for trying to make the perfect throw when Crawford was wide open on that rub, but also knocking him for putting plenty of air under the ball and letting Black run underneath it when he was wide open? Just want to ensure I'm doing this Sunday morning quarterback thing correctly.

Joined: 09/01/2009

MGoPoints: 13025

jabberwock

September 3rd, 2017 at 9:12 PM ^

we're knocking him for late (almost too late) throwing a moon-ball to the endzone that Black had to wait on (and the defender almost got there)

we''re also knocking Sp8 because he had a WIDE OPEN Crawford and just needed a simple throw for a TD but instead tried some bizzare fade towads the sideline that went out of bounds.

At least the 1st one was catchable.

I don't hate Sp8, but he routinely throws time-sucking moon-balls and lotds of overthrows.

he also cannot throw a proper endzone fade to save his life.

I think he's mentally (reads, responding to pressure) far better than Okorn, but he'll lose a game for you as often as he'll win one for you.

Joined: 07/04/2008

MGoPoints: 51146

Mongo

September 3rd, 2017 at 9:33 PM ^

Can you throw it that accuarately 60 yards in the air with a DL in your grill? And the dime he dropped to Eubanks in the 4th quarter was dynamite. Speight has all the tools, but needs more reps with these guys under live bullets.

Joined: 06/25/2016

MGoPoints: 9585