Maize-N-Brew Practice Notes

[umbig11]

I tend to agree with a lot of this. However, I think he is off the mark regarding the QB situation. Speight is the clear leader, but the gap is much closer than people think. Peters has either caught or passed JO’K depending on who you talk to at the moment. Peters is the most talented QB on the roster, but it takes more than talent to lead a team on Saturday’s. A long summer of speculation lies ahead and it will be a very competitive fall camp.

Some players are making the most out of other players absences. The absences vary from injury to not making the trip to Rome. Johnson is a great example while McDoom is in the boot or sitting out. That doesn’t mean he has passed him. Hill and Long are great examples. St. Juste and Washington are playing very well and closing the gap. In addition, Runyan has taken advantage of JBB sitting out a little. Although RT isn’t settled, he has taken that spot for now.

The biggest nugget picked up recently might be Jordan Glasgow. He is backing up Hudson at Viper and Metellus at Safety. The kid should be on scholarship and probably will be with any attrition.

Finally, lots of talk surfacing about grad transfer possibilities now that spring ball is over. OL, DL, and Safety are possibilities to improve on the depth at those positions.

Absolutely agree with the author regarding the Punter. Robbins will likely be a 4 yr starter when he arrives.

http://www.maizenbrew.com/2017/4/30…e-running-backs-wilton-speight-brandon-peters

[umbig11]

I would add that the competition on the two deep is very competitive and unsettled behind WR, RT, NT, DT, WDE, FS, and LB.

[ragingbull]

do they have the frosh safeties only focusing on 1 spot for now?

im sure they envision woods and kelly-powell in specific roles and recruited them accordingly but brown also likes the ability to flip his safeties (help offset motions, etc) and preaches he wants guys learning multiple positions. but its still a hard adjustment for frosh safeties and much easier to first direct focus and reps and nail down 1 spot.
given the depth chart and need for safety help this fall, just curious if theyre both repping rover and free or only 1 spot at this point

[umbig11]

They have played SS and FS all spring. Moving guys around. I think it will be more focused in the fall.

[Thunder]

Based on everything I’ve seen from this spring, I don’t see how Speight could be identified by anyone as the far-and-away leader at the QB position. Peters looks like he’s gaining significant ground.

[umbig11]

It is closer than many think for sure.

[Anonymous]

One thing I do like about Wilton, and in this respect… a lot. Not making excuses. Owning up to his shortcomings, big time, stating the obvious, “I need to pick it up.” That’s what leaders do and the fact he probably will correct a lot of his mistakes as he gets to know the new receiving corps makes me excited for the fall. I figure anything Peters can do to force Speight to pay attention to nothing but keeping a hold on that no. 1 job will benefit them both. I like this qb competition, and I think Harbaugh meant what he said about it being Wilton’s job now, but it won’t be long until Peters time is coming. I don’t think he meant it to mean this year, but hey, it is what is is.

[Lanknows]

I’m skeptical of this. MOST (though not all) reports and Harbaugh’s comments indicate Speight is clearly the leader.

That said I was skeptical that Speight was ascending past O’Korn and that Denard was ascending past Forcier, so I’ve been wrong before.

[umbig11]

No doubt he leads heading to fall camp.

[Thunder]

Harbaugh has no choice. He can say he’s all about competition, but if you question your team leader publicly, you risk undermining him. And the starting QB is a team leader. There’s no point in undermining your starting QB five months before the season begins. Speight is the incumbent, so Harbaugh is going to be supportive of him in front of the microphone.

[Lanknows]

It’s not just under the microphone but nearly every bit of insider info that comes out says Speight is clearly ahead. He’s not just blowing smoke for PR’s sake. Anyway, it’s not like keeping things from the media is going to affect what the players see in practice.

Harbaugh is to competition as Brown is to aggression.

He’s been more than happy to keep the QB status up in the air the last few years. No concerns about undermining the leader in those cases. I think if Peters is legitimately pushing Harbaugh this fall he is going to let everyone know. It’s not going to change just because Speight was the starter last year. That’s entirely un-Harbaugh and it’s exactly what people railed about with Hoke and Rodriguez “entitlement”.

[Thunder]

Harbaugh hasn’t really kept the competition open from week to week. Rudock was the unquestioned starter once the 2015 season began, and Speight was the unquestioned starter once the 2016 season began.

I disagree about the insider info. There is LOTS of chatter from insiders that the QB battle is getting closer and closer.

[Anonymous]

Good news about Johnson; just that he’s getting some touches. Met an ex high school classmate of his at the Gerald R. Ford Airport last summer as I was returning home from my annual winter trek to Mexico. He was actually living in the same town as I do, Muskegon, playing for the local not quite minor league team, the Clippers. The league is made up of the top college players in the state.

After learning I was a Michigan fan, he informed a kid he graduated with was a receiver with the team. He is admittedly a baseball junkie, hoping like everyone else on the team for a minor league contract. So much so he didn’t even talk about the SEC but in his opinion, besides being a very nice young man, Nate was clearly the best football player in that area and he thinks he’ll do good things for the maize and blue. I was not disappointed with his performance in the spring game and actually thought he had a decent handle on the ball. That speaks either to the strength of the dbs or just reinforces what i’ve known about my eyes for a long time. It was nice chatting with the young man and the team(his baseball squad), as a whole plays a pretty good brand of ball. Its actually always nice speaking with someone who is friends with a UM player. Damned if you don’t run into them everywhere and even if hey don’t have a lot of info to offer, always makes you realize just how big Michigan’s footprint is becoming. Love to hear of anyone on the roster from SEC country, no matter the school.

[umbig11]

Very cool!

[Anonymous]

agree, but if there has been any new developments Wilton is aware of them, although I don’t foresee anything going down at this time. I’m in agreement with you. Speight will, more-than-likely lead the team vs. Florida and Harbaugh remembers playing the position at the collegiate level, and whereas Bo didn’t care what position it was, he’d berate any player any time, any where. Harbaubh understands the psyche of the qb so much better, thank goodness. And absolutely love what I’m hearing about Black. He’s way ahead of the curve.

[Anonymous]

Hell got sidetracked. But did want to mention how that bit from Maize and Brew touched off a firestorm over the quarterback position, as you are all aware. I can only say honestly Peters had a decent spring game and gained nothing from the practices in Rome in regard to the qbs. The angle showing the qbs practicing was not positioned well and about all I could discern was O’korn handing the ball off. However, there’s a shit ton of fans who saw what Umbig11 commented on, that being Peters being the most talented qb on the roster, at least until Dyland shows up and given Dylan’s youth, imagine that will remain a constant for awhile. How the hell they all thought Speight starting was basically throwing in the towel for the season in beyond me. I expect him to make strides as I do every player that saw significant pt last season. What is bothersome about him of course is the timing of his injury and the fact he was not at his best when it counted, but damnit I swear I saw him put that ball in Chesson’s hand which would have been a huge conversion for us, only to see an IA defender take it away. Also thought, despite the turnovers vs. OSU, he probably played good enough to win, had we merely been able to (just one damn dedender) get the correct angle on Curtis where OSU would have been in pile of shit and their qb has never scared me when I know he’s throwing but i refuse to go down the path of those who want to blame the officials. We were good enough last season and we will be again. Even those bitching about that won’t take satisfaction until we actually put more pts on the board.

Umbig11, dont think the majority are looking at this with clear eyes, and they clearly think whomever possesses the most talent is the one who should start and damn Harbaugh if he thinks otherwise

[umbig11]

Thanks for the comments. Yeah, just because you are the most talented does not equate to being the leader on Saturday’s. There is far more to it than pure talent.

[umbig11]

What board did they see my comments on? Thanks.

[Author]

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