Brian's 26 tix thoughts...
With Jabrill off to the pros (thanks for the effort Jabrill), I'm especially eager to see the post bowl edition of Brian's 26 (27?) tickets. Two thoughts I have.... 1) Speight is a ways down the list. I have to believe the qb competition will be wide open next year. 2) where does Ian Bunting land? Does he really have a position?
January 10th, 2017 at 3:18 PM ^
I think we should worry more about having an OL we can rely on. QB will be fine under Harbaugh, but until the OL takes a big step forward this won't be a championship team. Regardless of who is under center.
January 10th, 2017 at 3:21 PM ^
With no established WRs or RBs, and an iffy OL, I think the Michigan offense should/will be expecting blitz city next season. They give you no reason to not stack the box and bring all the pressure you can afford to.
January 10th, 2017 at 3:26 PM ^
I think this is accurate. Our pass protection is going to have to be surprisingly good for us to sustain drives. Have to hope DPJ, Walker, or Evans, etc. become game breaking play makers.
January 10th, 2017 at 4:18 PM ^
I think most people forget that Chris Evans is a true freshman. He averaged 7.1 YPC on 80 carries, so a much smaller sample size than you would like, but still pretty damn good. Give him the rock 200 times next year and I'd be content with a 5 YPC average. I'm very much looking forward to watching him as a sophomore. Sure our offensive line will be greener next year, but it wasn't like they were really good this year either. I think he will be that game changer we need on offense.
McDoom and Crawford also got significant playtime this year. Both of those guys were true freshman. McDoom has gotten pretty good at getting behind the linebackers on slant routes and Crawford played a pretty big role in run game blocking. I expect that with the loss of Darboh and Chesson these guys will get more looks.
TE will be a rotation. Ian Bunting was playing behind one of the best tight ends to wear the Maize and Blue. When called upon in the Orange Bowl, he performed well. Bunting is a different breed of TE than Asiasi or Wheatley. When we went large packages - Asiasi and Wheatley saw the field a ton. Bunting is about 25-30 lbs lighter than Asiasi and Wheatley, but is the exact same frame as Butt. I think TE is a position I'm the least worried about in 2017.
As per the QB - I think Speight will have the job as his to lose. Most thought before the season that O'Korn was the frontrunner, but Speight showed something that earned him the job. He's not mobile on open field runs, but I remember him ducking traffic in the pocket many times. This pocket awareness started in about the fourth game this year and I found myself comfortable when he was back there. O'Korn looked like a deer in the headlights against Indiana. I truly believe that Speight began having injury issues in the Iowa game and it carried forward. I also think most people overlook the pocket awareness of a QB and it is unwise to do so. Our OL is going to be pretty green. We need a guy who can make the right decision in the pocket and I'm just guessing that isn't a RS freshman with no college experience. If it is, then 'In Harbaugh We Trust' and all, but I have my doubts that Peters will overtake Speight for the reasons I listed above.
We can also expect a lot of incoming freshman to get significant playtime. Harbaugh has shown that he isn't scared of burning redshirts. Somebody in the mix of the 2017 class (maybe two or three) is going to perform and will have us collectively high-fiving ourselves in the stands saying 'Harbaugh.'
I'm actually looking forward to next year to see how Michigan will perform under the same offensive coordinator for the third year in a row. It's been a while since we could say that. Pep Hamilton is at least equal to Jedd Fisch if not an upgrade. Don Brown is >>>> DJ Durkin. Go Blue!
January 10th, 2017 at 3:17 PM ^
1. Your dreaming. It's possible Speight loses his job. Very unlikely.
2. Ian Bunting is a pretty good TE. He will be a TE. He will catch many passes next year.
If you need anything else let me know.
Now back to worrying about Solomon.
January 10th, 2017 at 3:18 PM ^
Are you asking if Ian Bunting has a position? or a spot on the team? or...
I mean I see the words but I don't understand how that could be interpreted as a rational question. Did you watch the Orange Bowl? He played well in Butt's stead, against a top 10 team, without having much PT to this point. Yes, Ian Bunting has a fucking spot on the team, he will be the starting (flex) TE.
January 10th, 2017 at 3:30 PM ^
The only rational interpretation I could come up with is that he meant "does he have A position?" as in only one position. The answer is no he'll have multiple positions as he'll be an in-line tight end, but could occasionally split out wide or motion into the back field.
/s
January 10th, 2017 at 3:43 PM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 7:43 PM ^
Does he have a starting roll with Assisi and wheatley available?
January 10th, 2017 at 3:28 PM ^
Harbaugh already said he expects Speight to be one of the best QB's in the country next year. That doesn't sound like someone who has gone "way down the list".
January 10th, 2017 at 3:33 PM ^
where exactly did you read that (link)? I must have missed it. Doesn't seem like JH to end the QB competition this early so I'd like to hope you dreamt this.
Personally I like SP8 but I'd like to see a more mobile and less inury prone QB start at Michigan ASAP.
January 10th, 2017 at 3:47 PM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 4:13 PM ^
there was this year. Speight was also injured a lot in HS (collar bone and/or shoulder can't recall). Schools cooled him and he had to reclassify from a 2013 to a 2014 or something like that.
January 10th, 2017 at 3:58 PM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 4:30 PM ^
That said, I'd just be amazed if Speight was "one of the best QBs in the country" (top 10?) in 2017. That given his performance this year, plus a substantially worse O-line, plus the likelihood our running game is inferior to this year (mostly due to losses on the O-line).
FWIW, not a Speight slam - I'd also be amazed if Peters was top 10 in the country, since if he wins the job, he'll have the same situation to deal with.
Rob
January 10th, 2017 at 3:44 PM ^
wants to go full blown rebuild, Speight will be the qb. The line needs Speight leadership and experience. Unless our line play gets better, not sure Speight will be able to stay healthy a full season.
I am excited to see Peters in the Spring Game, hope he lights it up! Also, expecting big things out of Eubanks, Walker, and McDoom this Spring.
January 10th, 2017 at 4:05 PM ^
Did you mean Gentry instead of Bunting? As said above, Bunting is the clear cut Flex TE ala Butt. There is a little more ambiguity with Gentry who seems to be more of a big WR now with the flexibility to play some TE down the line too. Buting and Gentry are realtively somewhat similar players but Bunting has more of a defined role at this point.
January 10th, 2017 at 4:10 PM ^
It will take a 95th percentile level performance by Peters or a 99th percentile performance by Mccafferey in camp to unseat Speight. If there is real competition, that says something very encouraging about our young guys, not anything about Wilton.
I think Wilton's work was only ok this year. He missed a lot of passes and was very inconsistent deep. But he also managed the offense exceptionally well, made plays with his pocket movement, and took care of the football. He did this all with a mediocre offensive line and a receiver lineup that was only ok and offered him no help on difficult passes. He didn't use his All-American tight end as a crutch. He made plays within the offense.
Another year of film and development and technique is going to be visible next year. Eliminate 50% of those inaccurate passes, get precise on those deep passes, maybe get a guy out there (Crawford or Black or DPJ) who can make something happen on a throw that is only "meh," and things will happen.
I expect our passing game to be at least as good next year as this year, despite the departures. I think our RBs will be very good, despite you-know-who going to Tuscaloosa. The OL is the major question.
January 11th, 2017 at 2:41 AM ^
Like the guy and the accuracy he showed in the Army AA-game, but I believe he needs more strength. Its not a rap against his talent but I think he needs a redshirt year.
January 11th, 2017 at 6:33 AM ^
Ideally, all qbs and OL should receive a RS year unless in the case of a small number of qbs, are such athletically blessed failure to play them immediately would be a disservice to the young man.
I am looking forward to when we are able to RS almost our entire recruiting classes, except for those that are obvious 3 and gone, i.e., Peppers, Gary, et. al.
January 10th, 2017 at 4:15 PM ^
Seeing the progress Speight made from 2015, albeit, with limited snaps but seeing valuable time in the Minnesota game where looked horrible despite leading a comeback, to a complete year in 2016, I can't believe anyone would think he's reached his ceiling. I think the best is yet to come and a real leader on this team.
January 10th, 2017 at 4:57 PM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 8:43 PM ^
was above average at best last year; BUT his presence in the pocket and his ability to move forward to evade pressure was his single best attribute as far as I'm concerened (& I'm thankful for it)
Everytime he let himself get pushed back it was a sack, incomplete heave off the back foot, or pick (thankfully rare).
Almost every time he moved forward he scrambled for some yards, completed a pass or at least made a catchable throw.
Under-rated skill.
January 10th, 2017 at 5:45 PM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 6:04 PM ^
Were Speight's issues at the end of the season due entirely to injury? If so, then it's reasonable to guess that good health will enable Speight to improve markedly, making it more difficult for Peters to unseat him.
If Speight's issues were not injury-related, then his improvement may be incremental, and Peters would have a greater chance of supplanting him as the starter.
January 10th, 2017 at 6:09 PM ^
Speight will be the starter next season. When you have question marks at other positions, you don't make the problem worse by pulling experience out. Not gonna happen. The same guys calling for JOK earlier in the year are many of the ones who kept saying they thought Jabril would stay. There is hope and there is reality. Peters and McCaffrey will get their shot, after next year.
And no, the other two won't be transferring. They would sit out the same year that they would be waiting and then going into a new system. Nonsense.
January 10th, 2017 at 6:46 PM ^
I'm not quite sure I follow what you're saying. Let's say Speight becomes our QB and stays for two more seasons, then Peters wins the job and QBs for two seasons.
McCafferey would be left with only one season to start at the QB position.
Why would it be nonsense for him to possibly want to start for more than one season and decide to transfer?
I don't think that would be nonsense. The same could be said if McCafferey wins the starting spot over Peters and Speight leaves after staying two more years.
I think one of them could seriously think about transferring.
January 10th, 2017 at 7:09 PM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 11:01 PM ^
I never said anything about him staying two more years. He might start only next year and then get a gentle push to the pros if he has an outstanding year or he may pass the torch to Peters at that point if he is not at that level. I trust Harbaugh when it comes to that position so we will see. The best coaches in college football don't worry about trying to manage quarterbacks as a 3 to 5 year plan for each. They play who is best for each season and that in my opinion will be Speight.
That being said, why are you worried about someone transferring? The best will rise to the top and the others can transfer elsewhere if they are not on board. Didn't seem to bother Saban too much when his 5 star Barnett left. Either Peters will start one day or McCaffrey will start. If it is both, only one will have multiple years most likely. That is how competition works as you know.
January 10th, 2017 at 6:48 PM ^
point on taking care of other (perhaps bigger) question marks first...but are you saying that Speight starts as a junior, then might lose the job heading into his senior year, to Peters or McCaffrey? I just don't see that happening.
If Speight starts next year, and is anything but terrible, he makes his way to a 3 year starter as a senior. If he is bad, the other guys get a shot next year, unless Harbaugh feels they clearly are not ready.
January 10th, 2017 at 6:43 PM ^
Oh dear god, its the start of OT season, feelingsball and luke warm takes posts for everyone
January 10th, 2017 at 7:04 PM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 7:12 PM ^
from Speight. I liked how he showed emotion on the sideline after a tough series, appeared to be shouting in conversation to the press box. At least it proves he's got some fire in him.
I do know this though....your pro style QB sure as hell better give you an accuracy advantage over your opponent's spread QB. Very frustrating to see so many accurate deep balls thrown by spread QB's this year while our guy is five yards too long. If Speight wins the job next year, he'll need to be much more consistant to hold on to that starting role. Harbaugh won't want any doubts heading into 2018, when we should be primed to compete for a playoff spot.