Michigan Football, Team 138, 2017 Season.

[froot loops]

I understand that, but I'm under the impression Harbaugh! does know what he's doing. He is the QB whisoerer.

[froot loops]

Yea you try living threw Wilt Speight as YOUR starter for 15 games then talk to me!

Andrew Maxwell and Tyler O'Connor. TOC was responsible for one of the greatest wins in Spartan history.

[iam416]

GFY

[Detroit Dan]

(c:

[Wellington_beefhouser]

No Peters love?

[Detroit Dan]

Harbaugh has done a great job in:

-recruiting
-hiring assistant coaches
-more gutsy (intelligent) play calling

However, it's time to do away with the fantasy that he's all about continual competition. In fact, he'll go out of his way to squelch a quarterback controversy/competition. This is his biggest weakness to date, IMO. It worked out the first year with Rudock, but backfired last year and was a problem this year that was only saved by the Speight injury.

He also gives a significant advantage to upperclassmen, IMO. That's fine. I think it gives everybody incentive to keep playing hard throughout their college careers, and can really help some of the young men like O'Korn, Kugler, and Furbush. (See also Kalis, Bolden, Godin, Gedeon, Houma, Ojemudia, Dymonte Thomas, and Desmond Morgan.)

[The Oracle]

What's the significant advantage to upperclassmen???

[Detroit Dan]

He will play upperclassmen instead of underclassmen with equal or superior skills. Bolden and Morgan in 2015 are the classic examples. And of course Godin was not in the same league as Hurst last year. I'm guessing Devin Bush was better than Gedeon last year (but I'm glad Gedeon got the chance to show his stuff).

[The Oracle]

Meh, lotta assuming in there.

[Detroit Dan]

As opposed to assuming that Bush all of a sudden became great once Gedeon graduated? Or that Gedeon was lousy until Morgan and Bolden graduated?

Again, I'm in favor of erring on the side of upperclassmen. They deserve credit for sticking with the program and giving their all over a period of years. The youngsters will get theirs eventually if they follow the model of their elders.

But Harbaugh goes too far with regard to his precious QBs. Competition is good, even after August.

[Jeff Buchanan]

This is a good read/watch on JOK. First comment is interesting as well.

http://mgoblog.com/diaries/analysis-can-john-okorn-execute-multiple-reads

[Hannibal]

As opposed to assuming that Bush all of a sudden became great once Gedeon graduated? Or that Gedeon was lousy until Morgan and Bolden graduated?

Again, I'm in favor of erring on the side of upperclassmen. They deserve credit for sticking with the program and giving their all over a period of years. The youngsters will get theirs eventually if they follow the model of their elders.

But Harbaugh goes too far with regard to his precious QBs. Competition is good, even after August.

Don't forget about Deveon Smith over Chris Evans.

[paul daugherity]

Wasn't Smith better at pass protection? I seem to remember someone writing that, maybe Brian at MGoBlog.

[The Oracle]

I think we really miss Smith this year.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Most of you have probably already read JH's Monday Presser comments on Speight. If not, I'll summarize & read in between the lines a bit:

Speight suffered a muscle strain. There are three degrees of these. The most serious is when some of the muscle fibers pull off their origin or insertion points. I don't think Speight has one of those. Probably 2nd degree. Here's a good piece on what the strains are, how they are rehabbed and how long recovery takes (surprisingly short)

https://www.acsm.org/docs/brochures/sprains-strains-and-tears.pdf

The JH comment that Speight wouldn't play if the game was this coming Saturday is pretty informative. That's telling me the degree of injury is known and he's going to be rehabbing it over the next 7d. If the rehab moves along like it should, he'll probably practice next week. I doubt he'll be doing much but getting Physical Therapy, sitting in a whirlpool and doing light weights and aerobic work this week. That's not going to hurt his chances to start v. MSU. But I suspect the focus will be on O'Korn during the bye week - that's good for him but doesn't assure the start v. MSU.

The big question is which QB is going to get the most reps for practice week? I don't think we are going to know unless a trusted observer who might be watching practice offers an insider's view ..... and if he does, he won't be an insider for long. We won't hear anything during the week and might not know publicly who is starting until game day.