How confident are you that QB and RT will be fixed in 2018

Submitted by Maizen on

Or does it depend on what if any changes happen to the coaching staff in the offseason. If the guys behind Ulizio and JBB can't beat them out now, why is it realistic to expect them to beat them out next year. Same question at QB, Speight hasn't had a good game since Maryland last year and Peters can't even beat out O'Korn right now. It's been a big disappointment watching guys who have been in the system for 3 years struggle so much and curious why I or anyone should expect it to get better for reasons other than "Harbaugh."

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Ahriman

October 11th, 2017 at 6:08 PM ^

were on that line, here's a snippet:

"Also back are four of five starters from an offensive line that was one of the nation's most dominant a year ago. The Cardinal allowed only seven sacks last season, the second fewest in the country, and also paved the way for Gerhart's national-best 1,871 rushing yards."

http://nationalchamps.net/2010/sub/previews/stanford.htm

Luck was handpicked by Coach Harbaugh, Wilt was a 3* he inherited. Also, Wilt did not have the luxury of having one of the best offensive lines protecting him last year or the 3.5 games he played this year. So Wilt's 2016 QB rate is actually pretty good and 2017 was a small sample size.

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Kevin13

October 11th, 2017 at 1:14 PM ^

as long as Speight does not start next year I will consider it an upgrade. We have two young guns in the system, who are learning and growing daily. I fully expect one of them to emerge next year and give us a huge upgrade at QB. 

We also have a lot of young guys vying for the starting tackle positions and just need time to get stronger and improve technique.  Give these guys a chance you basically saying we have nothing behind any starters and you don't take into account they are young and will have some growing pains before they are ready to contribute.

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mGrowOld

October 10th, 2017 at 3:55 PM ^

But just like Maizen's posts on Beilein's recruiting this will get quickly buried under an avalanche of posters who just dont like the guy and will focus on him, not the question.

I posted this in the front page post earlier today - down here in Cleveland they were discussing this morning on our local sports radio what's wrong with Michigan and it was there considered opinion that Harbaugh's inability to develop a competent QB after 3 years here was nothing short of amazing.  And they put the blame for last year's Iowa  & OSU games as well as this past Saturday's defeat by MSU squarely at his feet for not doing so.

FWIW I DO find it a bit troubling that our RT position and the line as a whole is a mess three years in.  

I DO find it a bit concerning that our QB position is not settled in the least and our very highly touted 5 star QB cant beat out a journyman transfer QB from Houston (no offense John).  

And I DO have some doubts that the same guys under Harbaugh who got us here will be able to magically "fix things" next year.  Hope I'm wrong but I see a 8-4 season staring us right in the face now and wonder, just like Brian FWIW, what we can do now (if anything) to stop that from happening.

You can now resume your regualry scheduled Maizen-basing 

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Maizen

October 10th, 2017 at 4:10 PM ^

Probably because he's stuck behind two guys who can't stop turning the ball over. And it's not exactly rare for UM to have young QB's have success. Drew Henson, Chad Henne, Denard Robinson, John Navarre, etc have all come to mind as guys who saw the field early and did well.

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chomz14

October 10th, 2017 at 4:14 PM ^

All had much better offensive lines and weapons around. You really want to put them behind that Oline, with nobody getting open down field? Denard maybe, because of his running ability. But I dont see no Braylon on this team just yet.

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Naked Bootlegger

October 10th, 2017 at 4:23 PM ^

I admire the hell out of John Navarre for playing through tremendous fanbase criticism and pressure as a youngster to eventually thrive as a Michigan QB.  He matured to become an effective B1G QB as an upperclassman.  But the words "John Navarre" and "saw the field early and did well" will probably ruffle a lot of feathers around here.   

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True Blue Grit

October 10th, 2017 at 4:35 PM ^

He was awful much of the time his first year.  Carr had to yank him out of the OSU game he was so bad and put Gonzalez in (I think that was his name).  After Henson bolted for MLB, Michigan's cupboard at QB was pretty bare.  Harbaugh had more to work with when he came in here, but his bringing in Rudock and going after O'Korn was pretty telling about what he thought about the guys already here.  I'm also frustrated that neither Speight nor O'Korn have turned into top-notch QB's (yet).  But maybe Harbaugh isn't a miracle worker and we'll have to wait until Peters is ready.  

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BursleyBaitsBus

October 10th, 2017 at 5:05 PM ^

People should have more respect for Navarre. He was the last UM QB to beat a good OSU team. Denard being the other, but idk if the Fighting Fickells count. 

Navarre beat a #3 ranked OSU on the way to UM's last B1G Championship. 

 

It's been 14 years. 

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DowntownLJB

October 10th, 2017 at 6:07 PM ^

I have to say, I never once thought during the MSU game "boy I hope he pulls O'Korn for Peters now" even after the 3rd interception, in those weather conditions in a game we just needed a break or two to go our way and we could've won.  So, IMO, "stuck behind guys who can't stop turning the ball over" isn't a fair assessment.

I'd hope that if we're a quarter or two into the game at IU on Saturday, and find that O'Korn is again an INT machine, that we'll see someone else get a chance to lead the offense.  I really, really hope that isn't the case, however.

I'm also hopeful that by this time next fall, one of Peters, McCaffrey or Good-Speight is leading this team successfully.

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TrueBlue2003

October 11th, 2017 at 1:25 AM ^

It's not very fair everyone is piling on him for throwing some INTs in that sh*tstorm when he had to take some risks to make plays.

Until that point, he had basically played 5 quarters with only one INT (one that wasn't even bad). 

He was victimized by his players fumbling (terrible, terrible, inexcusable fumbles) on two promising drives in the first half.  He kept a play alive to throw a deep TD that was only nullified by an unnecesary hold by Higdon.

He took a couple sacks that he probably could have avoided but I thought he played pretty well before the rain came.

I'm not sure there's a QB in football that could look really good behind this line throwing to those receivers.  Have to remember that QB play depends on the blocking providing time and the WRs getting open.

He's doing pretty well, all things considered.

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TrueBlue2003

October 11th, 2017 at 5:15 PM ^

his first two years of playing.

Freshman: 42% completions, 5.5 YPA, 103.3 Rating

Soph: 51% completions, 5.8 TPA, 109.8 Rating

Tom Brady was so much better that it was excruciating to watch him play Henson for whatever reason (recruiting promises or something).

Henson wasn't good until his third year playing.

Denard literally could not be trusted to throw the ball his first year and he's still tough to compare because he was running an offense that got guys wide open (thanks largely to the threat of his legs), and was overall very productive, but prone to INTs and not really that good at actually throwing the ball when he needed to (and never was in his career).

Navarre was also pretty bad his first year starting as a Soph (54%, 6.3 YPA, 12 INTs, 116.3 Rating) and wasn't much more productive but did cut down on the TOs his junior year (55%, 6.7 YPA, 7 INTs, 122 Rating).  He could only be described as having done "well" in comparison to Speight and JOK his senior year.

Chad Henne was the first true frosh to start at Michigan since Leach and he's the only you listed that really came in and played better than terrible in his first two years (aside from Denard's unique soph year).

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NYC Fan

October 10th, 2017 at 5:03 PM ^

A walk on at Iowa State just beat Oklahoma.  The fact we can't field an average offense to pair with our elite defense is frustrating to say the least.  Harbaugh should have enough talent on this roster to be average, not 10 points at home vs a team that ND crushed on the road.

 

 

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CLion

October 10th, 2017 at 5:10 PM ^

This isn't 1995. RS freshmen are starting all over the place. And unlike McCaffrey, who doesn't look physically ready to play this year, Peters is. It's not a deathnail but it certainly isn't a good sign that he's very clearly #3 when options #1 and #2 don't look like they'll even sniff the NFL. If I have one single hope for 2018, it's that McCaffrey wins the starting position convincingly.

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Benoit Balls

October 10th, 2017 at 10:05 PM ^

all of the sudden I'm concerned Harbaughs inability to put Michigan (in year three) on par with Sabans Alabama program (in year 9) might be a death nail. For all intensive purposes, he should of known the offensive line depth was going to be an issue. Case and point: Newsome. Hopefully Harbaugh can nip this in the butt so we won't have to suffer through this for many years to come. I could care less if he's literally turned every program he's ever coached for into champions, he shouldn't get off scotch free due to his reputation. Irregardless, this could end up being a long season.

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Benoit Balls

October 12th, 2017 at 3:05 PM ^

said Harbaugh "literally" did something Harbaugh did not do

 

still though. Amazed that the "/s" tag was necessary for some folks. For those it wasn't , thank you for maintaining my faith in the human race

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George Pickett

October 10th, 2017 at 3:46 PM ^

"If the guys behind Ulizio and JBB can't beat them out now, why is it realistic to expect them to beat them out next year."

Because people have different ceilings and improve at different rates.

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Everyone Murders

October 10th, 2017 at 3:47 PM ^

Get a crystal ball.  Ask the crystal ball whether Grant Newsome recovers and is available for the season.  If Grant Newsome is available and near full-strength, we'll be just fine on the OL.

With respect to QB, I expect we'll be just fine.  I think Speight remains a competent game manager and is not a turnover machine.  Peters will have had some experience and time to grow into the row.  With luck, McCaffrey will be nipping at his heels.

Needless to say, these two issues are interrelated.  A very good to great QB can make up for weaknesses on the OL, and vice versa.

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Fezzik

October 10th, 2017 at 4:41 PM ^

Grant was above average before injury. It would be incredible if he returned to that status but it's nothing I'd bet on after such a terrible injury. The board is talking about him like we might get Taylor Lewan back. That being said above average would be a major upgrade at RT.

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BornInA2

October 10th, 2017 at 3:46 PM ^

0. Zero confident. QB didn’t get fixed this year with a 2nd year starter with three years under Harbaugh. RT is a clown show and we lose Cole at LT. I see no evidence of an impending miracle.

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