Michigan Football, Team 138, 2017 Season.

[WingsFan]

Last year we lost to Iowa, and blew a spot in the playoff, because we didn't have a 2nd string QB ready to step in when Speight got injured.

Ugh Dan the man - how many times to I need to point out Sp8 didn't get hurt till the last pass attempt of the game when he was driven to the ground right on his shoulder. (He was nicked on the run 3 plays before)

No excuse for not giving 2nd string O'Korn more opportunity at this time in the season.

JOK is not really even a good backup, though he might be the second best on the team.

Harbaugh is screwing up by putting all his eggs in the Speight basket. I want to see other QBs play more, to get them ready in case of injury if for no other reason.

Agree with this, though really want to see how Peters looks in 'real time' game. While I have been tough on Sp8, he is the best qb on the team.

[Jeff Buchanan]

I'd observe that, rarely, at the collegiate level, does a CFB team have two QBs that are both good enough to start. On balance, although there are may be a few exceptions, teams have one guy.

There are some things that are at play in Speight's performance - the why of certain play calls and the wherefore of his accuracy issues. Here's a take from a mgoboard poster who regularly watches practices and uniformly provides good insight on the football team. This post was made in response to another poster who asked, "why doesn't the OC call more quick out passes for Speight":

The obvious reason we won't go to this is that we haven't worked on it enough to implement it mid-season.

The reason we haven't worked on it enough is basically two-fold. First, it isn't the offense our coaches specialize in or prefer. Second, it isn't the best fit for our offense, even if it looks like the best fit for our passing game. Our running game is our strength, and it's built on opposite principles -- loaded boxes, multiple TEs and FBs.

Also, the type of 3-step drop passing spread you are advocating must necessarily rely on pre-snap reads to a huge degree, and while I do think it is a strength of Speights, it minimizes his greatest strength, which is post-snap reads. It also limits downfield throws. It limits the offense to a huge degree, as there are only so many concepts you can run with a short drop.

The best thing for the offense is just to continue coaching Speight, cleaning up his mechanics, keeping the rush off of him, and letting him develop into the type of QB that doesn't have to be limited in any way.

[froot loops]

The working on practice aspect is highly underrated. Game plans are a prediction of what the other team is going to do against your offense and you practice plays accordingly. If you are seeing defensive fronts and stunts that you weren't prepared for, it is a problem. You may have plays in the playbook that can counter these new wrinkles but you may have not run those plays in weeks in practice.

[Jeff Buchanan]

The working on practice aspect is highly underrated........

...... and misunderstood by average fan.

Something that is underrated is practice limits. Typical fans seem to think college athletes have time equivalency for practice to that of NFL athletes. Not even close. So, CFB coaches are constantly constrained by that with regard to what they can do with both plays and player development.

[Mainevent]

Froot,

It so reminds me of the Harrington McMahon debates.

Ha, that is so perfect. O'Korn is not the answer. Speight is your QB most likely through next year. unless one of the youngsters jumps up and takes it.

[Detroit Dan]

Ugh Dan the man - how many times to I need to point out Sp8 didn't get hurt till the last pass attempt of the game when he was driven to the ground right on his shoulder. (He was nicked on the run 3 plays before)

JOK is not really even a good backup, though he might be the second best on the team.

Fair enough on the first point, but it seems that the Michigan coaches had clearly lost confidence in Speight by the 4th quarter. http://www.espn.com/college-football...meId=400869690

In M's last 8 offensive possessions (from mid-2nd quarter), they scored 3 points to Iowa's 2. During this span, Speight completed 4 out of 12 for 34 yards and 1 interception.

And to be fair to O'Korn, the coaches have made him play with one arm tied behind his back, which is a significant handicap. He did well in the spring game when he had a chance to throw a few passes and get in rhythm. If he's no good, that doesn't speak well to the rest of our QBs or our QB coaches.

[Detroit Dan]

Our running game is our strength, and it's built on opposite principles -- loaded boxes, multiple TEs and FBs.

I guess I have to agree with Hannibal that this is the problem. I don't think we can beat OSU based on the strength of our running game. Nobody wins championships, in my experience, based upon the strength of their running game, although with a good running QB it is possible. I suppose we could be as good as Wisconsin.

I was hoping talk of spread with Pep Hamilton wasn't BS.

Wojo nailed it when he said:

I’m a big boy (literally), and I can handle snippy responses. In a situation like this, just two games into a promising season, it’s not a surprise Harbaugh is sensitive to premature judgment. But mainly, I think he isn’t welcoming the question because there’s no easy answer and no quick fix.

How'd this Harbaugh guy ever get to the SuperBowl anyway?

[froot loops]

Never forget the ineptitude of Dom Capers in preparing his team for a simple read option play.

[Hannibal]

http://michigansuperfan.com/

When the Domers fall on the same night as the Buckeyes, you’re gonna have a lot of happy football fans in ‘Merica.

Well we sure got a lot of those questions answered on Saturday about the Wolverines huh? Sheeeeeeeeeeeeesh.

The game isn’t as interesting as the fallout since the game, the booing heard at the stadium, and the general angst heard around Wolverine nation even with a 2-0 start with one of those wins being a big one against a big time program in name at least.

I’m not here to defend anybody...and I’m not one to crucify anybody either...unless they’re really dopes. The older I get, the more I can appreciate and understand both sides of an argument. Maybe it's just my way to protest and stand up against the current state of politics in this country.

When it comes to the Wolverines and the Michigan Football we all love, I can sum up the way we all feel and the reason we’re having all of these conflicting feelings and arguments in a couple of simple statements:

• We all love Michigan Football. We all want what is best for Michigan Football. We all want a winner...although most of us would not sell our souls for a winner.
• It’s been way, way, way too long since we’ve sniffed a Big Ten Title. Just a fact. When we were winning one at the clip of one every other year for those born since Bo started coaching, we never thought in a million years that we’d go 12 years without the Leaders and Best winning one. Rarely in history have we had a drought like that. Just as many of us thought we’d never see the day where Sparty won two years in a row.
• When it comes right down to it, no matter how you feel about Ohio State and their coaches past and present, we are pissed and embarrassed...and yes embarrassed is the right word...at their success against us since 2001. This is 2017. John Cooper was a long, long time ago.

With those three simple statements, I can understand why people are freaking out...and I understand why people are preaching patience.
No, I will never agree with booing the kids at the stadium. Never. Do I understand in the past when people were booing obvious coaching decisions like running out the clock before a half? Yes I get it. I don’t like it. I don’t do it. But I do get it.

Do I understand folks freaking out about the offense? Hell yes I do. Just don’t draw any conclusions yet. Don’t assume anything yet. Florida might have a hell of a defense. Cincy might have been a let down game coming off of that big win in Big D.

And again...look at statements 2 and 3. At a time when OSU looks very vulnerable...and they have before...it doesn’t look like we are in a place to knock them off the pedestal. Christ is seems like every year since 2004 I’ve said, “Those Buckeyes look beatable this year.”

Do I understand the concern over Speight? Hell yes. Is the story written? Nope. Not by a long shot. Do I understand the questions two games in....how can you not? With Harbaugh at the helm, how has Wilton regressed. I’m shocked there appears to be little improvement from last year to this year in his game. How is he still the best option in Year 3? O’Korn can’t be that much worse can he? Was Peters a miss for Harbs? I get it all. Yeah, just like Bo said about Steve Smith, there's only one guy Speight needs to make happy.

I also understand to have patience. I certainly understand In Harbs We Trust. I preach In Harbs We Trust. He is our last best hope for championships and a return to glory. Do I pray it doesn’t take until Year 5? God yes I do. Would I be surprised? Nope.
I get it folks. I get it all.

Do I understand some people acting like entitled consumers as I’ve seen it stated. Oh yes. The greed of the NCAA and the price of Michigan Football has taken ‘family’ out of college football. Not everybody is a superfan. Not everybody is SuperFan. Because of the cost, people will scalp tickets to pay for their season tickets. I get it. People get pissed when they can’t even give away tickets they paid $100 for... I get it. Look at ND against Georgia last weekend. I know we were all giggling because of ND losing at home...but I was stunned...and I can only assume the ND Athletic Dept is besides itself...at the number of Georgia fans in that stadium. It looked split. It looks like a bowl game...not an ND home game. Those fans...and they’re no different from any other school...went from being family to being consumers. If an ND fan can drop a ticket and pay for the rest, you get a home game that’s no longer a home game.

Go back to statement #1. This is Wolverines Nation. I can see all sides. You can see all sides. However, all roads lead to the same thing. We want success...we need success... and patience all around is justifiably shot.

Go Blue and God Bless Ya!

[froot loops]

I didn't know you had a website, good article.

[Hannibal]

I didn't know you had a website, good article.

It isn't mine. Superfan is a character who dates back a ways.

[Jeff Buchanan]

I actually think we're on version two of this guy.

[WingsFan]

Did anyone but me notice the helmet change? No more Riddell all Schutt, custom helmets made.

[Rocky Bleier]

Why does M stand for mediocre? Here's an example:

Clemson's last three quarterback are Tajh Boyd, Deshaun Watson, and Kelly Bryant.

Michigan last three quarterbacks are Denard Robinson, Devin Gardner, and Wilton Speight.

[*JD*]

Why does M stand for mediocre? Here's an example:

Clemson's last three quarterback are Tajh Boyd, Deshaun Watson, and Kelly Bryant.

Michigan last three quarterbacks are Denard Robinson, Devin Gardner, and Wilton Speight.

Oh?