Hypothetical Question
So let's say Peters plays OK. Has his good moments and his bad moments. A typical redshirt freshman. What does Harbaugh do in a couple weeks if Speight is cleared to play? Does Wilton have a chance to get back into the mix? Harbaugh has always been a meritocracy person, so what if Peters hasn't ourperformed pre-injury Speight?
October 30th, 2017 at 12:20 PM ^
October 30th, 2017 at 12:31 PM ^
He hit more than he missed, and that's more than you can say about most of our QB play this year.
October 31st, 2017 at 5:37 AM ^
I don't have a clue how the year will play out for Peters, but I think it was painfully obvious by the reactions of the players who they want QBing this team. The announcers even noticed how much the intensity picked up with Peters entering the game.
The one thing that is fact imo is that Peters has the most talent and huge upside. I personally feel if the players were polled on who gives them the best chance to win it would be Peters overwhelmingly.
October 30th, 2017 at 4:38 PM ^
You are correct that he was not Tom Brady out there (Brady threw a pick 6 in his first ever PA - I was there for the UCLA game in 96) but damn that is a harsh assessment.
He was good on a strong majority of his throws and I would hope that he can improve from his first game.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:33 PM ^
No he didn't. He played well, but Speight has far, far more command of the offense.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:42 PM ^
Way more command. Speight can read and understand signals and play calls being sent in from the sideline, as can O'Korn.
Peters was walking over to the sideline to get verbal instructions from the coaches on every single play.
The level of mastery displayed by Peters was pretty low, even for a redshirt freshman QB. His decisions making and execution were good. But Speight brings a lot to the table that will take time to develop in Peters.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:46 PM ^
He had a good game, but let's pump the brakes on the hyperbole if a core assumption is the pass protection will hold up. Rutgers is probably the worst team in the country at generating sacks and pressure on opponents' passing games. Minnesota will be WAY more illustrative of whether or not Peters can hold up efficiently.
October 30th, 2017 at 2:48 PM ^
Let's see how Peters does this week... at night... in the cold... and the rain... against a better defense.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:07 PM ^
October 30th, 2017 at 12:08 PM ^
Is this poetry?
October 30th, 2017 at 12:17 PM ^
October 30th, 2017 at 12:21 PM ^
October 30th, 2017 at 3:40 PM ^
October 30th, 2017 at 12:28 PM ^
October 30th, 2017 at 12:38 PM ^
October 30th, 2017 at 12:08 PM ^
I'm with Ricky, here. I don't think we'll ever see Speight play another down for Michigan. MAYBE if he's recovered for the bowl game he will play a few downs in garbage time as a honorary type thing.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:08 PM ^
really self destruct to get pulled for Speight. Furthermore, Speights injury was pretty serious in my opinion. He was sitting with his back to the defender when that fat-ass plowed him in the back. Dirty play from my perspective. Was screaming at the telly for a penalty; refs were blind to it.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:08 PM ^
may be that Harbaugh has been trying like hell to avoid this very question. I think that Peters would play the rest of the season, but that next year would be an open competition between Speight, Peters, and possibly McCaffrey. But I didn't think Peters would play this weekend, so I clearly am the wrong person to ask.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:17 PM ^
I think this is a very unlikely scenario. Speight may get some garbage time in a bowl game, just to wrap up his career with good vibes. But Harbaugh would be crazy to derail the youth movement at QB for the sake of underperforming seniors. Speight almost certainly transfers next year for a new college experience. He's soon be 23 years old. Does he want to sit behind a 19year old, or even go into spring camp as a back-up to a sophomore? No, he will transfer, and if he doesn't decide this by himself, Harbaugh will decide it for him. That will usher in the youth movement at QB with some promising talents.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:22 PM ^
October 30th, 2017 at 12:29 PM ^
unless Speight's injury is prohibitive, I doubt very much that Harbaugh will be "making the decision for him" and encouraging him to transfer. That sounds pretty crazy to me.
October 30th, 2017 at 1:01 PM ^
October 30th, 2017 at 1:25 PM ^
but also realizing that it would probably be OK if we had to at some point. Could be an unprecedented situation in deed.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:24 PM ^
October 30th, 2017 at 12:47 PM ^
October 30th, 2017 at 12:49 PM ^
saw Speight's ceiling, it came around the middle of last season and it was pretty damn impressive.
October 30th, 2017 at 5:45 PM ^
Which of the 3 games after PSU last year where Speight had a QBR of over even a lowly 75 did you find most impressive between the combined 12-24 (6-21) Illinois, MSU and MD?
October 30th, 2017 at 7:15 PM ^
Something other than a physical injury occurred during that IA game. Wilt was never the same after that, and I am including this year in that statement. His best game, which I give him credit for - and he did pull two boneheads in it - was OSU but back to my point of his regression after IA. There were days he looked decent during periods, the game above being one, and there were games he looked terrible the entire 4 quarters. That speaks volumes to Don Brown's defenses and their ability to keep us close enough that manufacturing points in a number of different ways - including those by the D themselves - were enough to win. I don't think Wilt's play is at a level for UM of anything higher that a backup when we have a qb who was playing at a Rudock level or Peter's level in is limited time. Harbaugh knows enough about both qbs practice performance that if Peter's play continues at this level, he will not go back to Wilt unless he sees something in him - and if anyone can, it'll be Harbaugh - that makes him think he has returned to the level of 2016 Wilt pre-IA.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:54 PM ^
The guy is 12-3 as a starter and has never really had a solid OL or run game to lean on and you want to run him out of town?
Let's hold off on judging Peters as better than Speight until he plays a game where he has to throw 30+ passes and the running game doesn't get 334 yards and 4 TDs.
October 30th, 2017 at 5:12 PM ^
and such.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:09 PM ^
With how Peters played Saturday, I don't see Speight getting another chance this year. Even if he's cleared to play, he would be extremely rusty after not playing/practicing for a couple of months, and he didn't have chemistry down with the WRs to begin with.
Assuming an OK Peters still gets us ~10 point wins against Minnesota and Maryland, I think you roll with him for Wisco and OSU. I do think people will be very angry this spring when we're hearing Speight's name still in the conversation.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:10 PM ^
Just because Speight is cleared to play doesn't mean he'd be immediately available to return. Is he even practicing right now?
If Peters can play at a level that Michigan is able to win and show improvement against Minnesota and Maryland, you probably stick with him against Wisconsin and Ohio State. Similar to not throwing Peters in against Michigan State at night or Penn State on the road, throwing Speight back in against Wisconsin or Ohio State probably would not work out well.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:26 PM ^
This was my take, as well. I doubt he's even practicing - can't practice until you're medically cleared, right? Which means he'll need time to get back into game shape, and would have to clearly - CLEARLY - be better than BP (or even JOK) before taking over the job. Harbaugh's history says you can lose your job to injury. Alex Smith would likely have some comments on that...
October 30th, 2017 at 12:38 PM ^
he would be totally fantastic for any team as a backup. By this I mean that there's no way Harbaugh gives him the handshake this year unless truly his injury is very risky for his future.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:10 PM ^
Did we win? It also matters if we won. In fact, I think it answers the question.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:12 PM ^
Coach decided to see how the seasons played out with his experaince QB. Coach thought with young talent on offense having an experiance QB would give them the best chance.
Now that we know what Speight is and the fact the goal for this year is to make a run for next year, I doubt we ever see Speight again, even next year. Speight played his last game for the maize and blue against Purdue. I would not be shocked if he grad transferred next year.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:28 PM ^
October 30th, 2017 at 12:56 PM ^
Given that Harbaugh has had his starting QB miss time due to injuries in each season so far, I doubt he is going to be pushing Speight to grad transfer and will have an open competition between Speight and Peters. Whoever starts is likely to miss time due to injury and the other will be needed.
October 30th, 2017 at 1:54 PM ^
especially with building his first great OL here too, the qbs, especially those someone reticent to get rid of the ball will be more likely to get hit than those stepping into a nice, mature offense esecialy on the line. It was nice to see that without great speed, he had the wherewithal to read and get the hell out of the pocket and still looking downfield, throw completed passes on at least two occasions i can think of.
He'll keep Speight for that reason and also loyalty. He is the qb that stepped up and gave Harbaugh what he needed. Remember he was instrumental in the recruiting battles because it's always easier getting commitments from young men when your team is winning. Jim himself was the victim of a broken arm and that was due to losing a large number of men from that unit as well that year. He's going to keep as many on board that can contribute.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:12 PM ^
Speight's health, Peters' performance in games, and the players' performances in practice will all go into Harbaugh's decision as to who plays - or so I have to believe.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:12 PM ^
I can honestly say this right now and I never thought that I would ever say this.....I can't wait for off season, these topics and discussions have been so ridiculous to me lately.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:15 PM ^
That is really odd. This is an interesting hypothetical that may actually arise this season.
You can't wait for the off-season?
October 30th, 2017 at 12:17 PM ^
They are not allowed by the mafia on this site, lol
I think it's a fun question and enjoy reading the discussion on the thread.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:41 PM ^
CANCEL THE INTERNET!!!!
October 30th, 2017 at 1:31 PM ^
Can't wait for the off-season? For the first time in weeks, Michigan has provided a sliver of hope against what seemed a foregone conclusion for the last couple of games in November. I mean, we're not going to play for the conference title and the smart money says we're still probably going to lose to Wisconsin and OSU, but that outcome no longer seems to be a surety; and that's wonderful.
I'm excited for November.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:13 PM ^
for some reason I thought he was kind of old when he started at Michigan?
He should call it a career and move on.
October 30th, 2017 at 12:13 PM ^
At this point. It's a big IF that Speight would even be available and ready to actually play. The point is moot. I'm good with Peters even with any growing pains.
GO BLUE!!
October 30th, 2017 at 12:16 PM ^
October 30th, 2017 at 12:22 PM ^
JH normally just reviews this board for who should be quarterback? No?