Interviews with Speight & O'korn
Watching both of these interviews have kind of change my perception of the QB battle. I've been in the club that has thought it would be Speight starting ever since the QB battle talk started. I think he is a much better player than most people on the board give him credit for.
Having said that, O'Korn seems to be very confident with himself right now. Based on these interviews alone, I would say O'Korn has the edge. Obviously basing everything off an interview isn't the most solid strategy, but watch for yourself. I have a strange feeling we might actually have a starting QB not named Speight or Peters.
Links:
EDIT: I shared this because these are good interviews on a slow day. I'm not predicting O'Korn starts because of this interview. I was just elaborating on a hunch I got after watching. O'Korn did OK during the Indiana game in his first start in gusting winds and snow. After watching the spring game, he looked good in the few reps he got. So the hunch is coming from a variety of things. Some guys on here need to live by the wise words of my late grandmother: "Stop being a f*cking dick!"
August 17th, 2017 at 4:42 AM ^
Don is right. You can't determine who the starter will be based on interviews. Speight and O'Korn need to debate each other, head to head. The winner of the debate will be the starter.
August 17th, 2017 at 10:34 AM ^
Speaking well is the new touchdown pass. Fact.
August 16th, 2017 at 10:05 PM ^
August 16th, 2017 at 10:05 PM ^
I thought the games were going to be decided by trying to advance footballs into endzones. You're telling me that the refs will just decide who is the better talker? Not sure I'm going to watch that.
August 16th, 2017 at 10:05 PM ^
if you don't think about it too hard
August 16th, 2017 at 10:06 PM ^
August 16th, 2017 at 10:38 PM ^
August 16th, 2017 at 10:50 PM ^
August 16th, 2017 at 11:16 PM ^
Forget the throws, which were friggen awful. How about the running around in the backfield, going deeper and deeper, until he has to heave it 30 yards just to get back to the LoS? He did that quite a bit... He had one (1) good play against IU - that 36 yard scramble. Otherwise, he sucked that game. And it wasn't because of the weather.
August 16th, 2017 at 11:52 PM ^
We saw it in both spring games too.
August 17th, 2017 at 8:46 AM ^
August 17th, 2017 at 9:46 AM ^
I commented on what I saw in the game last year. Nothing to do with the interview...
August 17th, 2017 at 12:46 AM ^
That's something he addressed in the interview.
August 16th, 2017 at 11:50 PM ^
what does that tell you?
August 16th, 2017 at 10:51 PM ^
August 16th, 2017 at 11:06 PM ^
Speight was a RS freshmen in his first year with Harbaugh when he was a backup in 2015. JOK was a fourth year junior in his second season with Harbaugh, so not sure I'd say it's quite the same.
But certainly JOK could have made a leap. It's not like he played in the best of conditions against IU.
August 16th, 2017 at 11:57 PM ^
okorn had an entire year as a starter before coming here dont forget
August 17th, 2017 at 1:32 AM ^
"The offense appears to be shifting toward his strengths, and it sounds like Pep has rehabilitated his confidence. That being said, I still expect Wilton to be under center come 9/2."
With no intention of being a smart ass, I just don't know what John's strengths are relative to Wilton's. It was mentioned soon after his arrival that he was more mobile and faster than Wilton. I've not seen this. IMO, Harbaugh is recruiting the type of player he wants so I see neither the proof or even the desire from him to alter his offensive approach. I imagine you are assuming we will use more 3 and 4 wideout formations and even though this is what was used at Houston, I am not certain Wilton could not work out of this formation as well or better than John. I am glad his confidence has returned because, of course, minus that an athlete - any athlete- is useless.
Major problem, imo, as to Wilton in '16 was lack of flash. He still is a hard man to bring down and should be stronger. His accuracy was good and should improve as well. His entire game should continue to progess, as too will John's. However, Wilton did win out and with normal progression and the fact that John has lost two battles now, I am of the belief Wilton is simply the better qb and will remain such while at UM.
August 18th, 2017 at 12:46 AM ^
are arm strength and mobility/speed, right? At least, that's what we hear.
Not really sure how the offense is shifting towards those unless we're running more zone read/plays in which the QB runs? Seems like the only thing that might favor him.
It doesn't seem to matter much how strong a guys arm is if he can't make the right decisions or throw with accuracy and Wilton seemed way ahead in those regards (at least on short and medium throws, he was also pretty inaccurate on long throws).
So again, unless they're moving more towards using the QBs legs as a threat to get receivers more open downfield such that the windows to hit are larger, I'm not sure how to change it more for JOK.
August 16th, 2017 at 10:08 PM ^
Two really great guys -- hope they both get to play a lot.
August 16th, 2017 at 10:17 PM ^
Unless you mean because we're up 63-0 at halftime of every game...this still is football. You don't want to play 2 QBs a ton. Even if they're both nice guys.
August 16th, 2017 at 10:09 PM ^
August 16th, 2017 at 10:13 PM ^
Well, now that's settled.
August 16th, 2017 at 10:16 PM ^
I don't care if he throws a pass this season. I'm a John O'Korn fan.
May the best man win...both of these are great guys. But I know I'll be just as big of a fan of the guy who doesn't win as I will be of the guys who is named the starter.
August 16th, 2017 at 10:22 PM ^
Either way, I'll be dissapointed for one of them. Maybe John can play this year, go to the NFL, and 2018 will be Wilt's year to shine. Hashtag in a perfect world.
August 16th, 2017 at 11:45 PM ^
I'm hoping in 2018 Speight's not even in the picture anymore. Be it either getting drafted (which I don't think he's good enough to do) or getting butthurt and transferring.
August 17th, 2017 at 12:25 AM ^
August 17th, 2017 at 1:38 AM ^
I've already gone over this with the other dweebs. I'm not going to do it again. Next!
August 18th, 2017 at 2:29 AM ^
August 17th, 2017 at 12:51 AM ^
Have you set the record for the most negative mgopoints?
August 17th, 2017 at 1:39 AM ^
Don't know, don't care.
August 17th, 2017 at 7:43 AM ^
Wilton moves north and is Shane Morris replacement at CMU? 2018 is going to one of the younger guys, Peters or McCafferty.
August 16th, 2017 at 10:50 PM ^
August 16th, 2017 at 10:36 PM ^
August 16th, 2017 at 10:45 PM ^
August 16th, 2017 at 11:07 PM ^
another qb expert. why are we leaving such an important decision up to that idiot harbaugh?
August 16th, 2017 at 11:59 PM ^
August 17th, 2017 at 2:28 AM ^
August 17th, 2017 at 8:34 AM ^
moron do you s'pose you are? Inquiring minds wanna know!
August 17th, 2017 at 12:10 AM ^
I'm not convinced O'Korn has the better arm.
Honestly, if I were to be tasked with finding a way that O'Korn starts over Speight, the only plausible explanation I can come up with is this...
The offense moves more towards 3 and 4 WR sets and tries to control the ball with short passes (a 21st Century "West Coast Offense" if you will) and runs from passing formations. I think O'Korn has a quicker release than Speight.
Other than that, I got nothing.
August 17th, 2017 at 8:37 AM ^
and would dispute that JOK has the better arm. Speight threw a couple of bombs (to McKeon and McDoom) that were spot on. JOK didn't stand out to me (though Peters was better).
Watch out for McKeon -- he's a beast now and can really run!
August 17th, 2017 at 9:12 AM ^
August 16th, 2017 at 10:58 PM ^
August 16th, 2017 at 11:11 PM ^
of coarse you always want improvement from every position. but get serious, a missed field goal by iowa and a tackle made 1 ft shorter against osu and michigan is undefeated. you are blaming last season on speight?
August 16th, 2017 at 11:23 PM ^
Buddy......
August 17th, 2017 at 1:45 AM ^
I flat out blame last years fails on the entire offense period. We had the number one defense in the country. Thirteen points against Iowa is flat out terrible and Michigan's offense under Harbaugh should own most defenses. I really hope we develop some all-americans on the o-line like we used too. If Michigan can put togehter a top ten offense the NC"s will start heading to AA because the Defenses under Don Brown are always going to be there. You can see it in recruiting as guys are starting to line up to play at Michigan.
August 17th, 2017 at 8:39 AM ^
Had we been able to grind out a few yards on the ground here and there we would have been undefeated.
August 17th, 2017 at 9:17 AM ^