Healthy Speight shouldn’t stop Brandon Peters from starting for Michigan
Wilton Speight may return earlier than anticipated, but Harbaugh should stick with the source of Michigan’s recent success: Brandon Peters.
On the outside looking in isn’t what people were expecting in year three of Jim Harbaugh. The Michigan Wolverines are 7-2, with losses to Michigan State and Penn State, and aren’t in the CFP rankings this week. Oh, and they are on their third-string quarterback as the starting quarterback.
The season started with Wilton Speight as the starting quarterback, but a cracked vertebrae put him out for possibly the season. John O’Korn came in and disappointed fans, costing him to lose the job to the redshirt freshman Brandon Peters.
Since coming in as the starting quarterback, Peters has done well with the role. He hasn’t blown the coaches away with monster stats, he is just playing smart football. So far he is 19/28 for 184 yards and two touchdowns. While he isn’t lighting up opposing defenses, he also doesn’t play carelessly.
After the win against Minnesota last week, Harbaugh said this about him:
"He was good. Could’ve hit a couple more. But nothing close to an interception. Nothing close to turning the ball over. Took some shots in the pocket, thought he held onto the ball well. Did the things to keep us from losing the ball game."
And while Harbaugh has been happy with Peters play lately, it doesn’t mean the job is his when Speight returns, and that could possibly happen this season, despite initial estimates that he would be out for the season.
Harbaugh told reporters that Speight had been cleared for some throwing and exercise with the team. And the Michigan coach expressed some hope that Speight would return to the field this season:
"There are more second opinions to be had, but I know Wilton’s excited about [the] most recent (CT Scan). I think some of the doctors are a bit stunned that he’s so far along. He’s healing well. Young guys can do that sometimes. Good blood flow throughout their body. He’s healing fast."
Harbaugh said he will look at the starting competition when Speight returns, but that Peters is the starting quarterback for now.
It needs to stay that way, even if Speight is cleared to play.
The offense has come alive in the past two weeks, scoring 35 points against Rutgers and 33 against Minnesota, the first back to back 30+ point games since the first two weeks of the season.
The offensive line has improved and created rushing lanes — Karan Higdon had 200 rushing yards and Chris Evans had 191 last week — along with giving Peters time to throw the ball. Speight, on the other hand, hasn’t impressed this season, even coming off a good 2016 season. This offense is completely different with Peters under center.
Peters is the quarterback the fans have wanted for years, and taking him out would result in backlash while also putting even more pressure on Speight to perform well. Moreover, in football, you ride with the hot hand at the time and right now that hot hand is Peters.
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And for at least this week, that’s what Harbaugh is doing. Peters is already confirmed as the starting quarterback this weekend against Maryland when the Wolverines take them on at Maryland Stadium at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 11.