QB going forward ...
So having traveled to PSU for whatever you want to call that ... I think the question has to be raised about who should QB going forward. First, I want to add that JOK played up to his abilities vs PSU ... good scrambles, some positive throws and of course we had drops and he still has an issue with not throwing balls away instead of getting sacked ... especially on 1st down. But be that as it may, Michigan is not going to anything other than a normal bowl game and with our next 3 games being Rutgers, Minnesota and Maryland, I think Peters needs to get game experience starting next week. JOK is gone next year and Speight is unavailable, and McCaffrey needs to red-shirt so why not let Peters get some real meaningful action?
Next season will likely have Peters and McCaffrey dueling it out (with perhaps WS) but we should be able to win the next 3 games without sensational QB play anyway. Isn't it time to get Peters some very valuable "real" action as our QB?
Go Blue
October 22nd, 2017 at 2:26 AM ^
JOK was serviceable tonight and actually grew- the rest of the team was much worse- we have bigger problems than QB
October 22nd, 2017 at 3:32 AM ^
Qb is absolutely our biggest problem
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:13 AM ^
It does not matter whether John O’Korn, Brandon Peters, or even Wilton Speight plays as QB. They are ultimately playmakers, who are dependent on the offensive line to protect them with the help of the tight ends and running backs. They are also dependent on the wide receivers to run routes to get open and catch the ball, all of which this year is imperfect. At least we have some experienced running back to share the load rushing.
It makes little sense to me to run a young quarterback into the ground, if not injure him, with the current offensive line. This team, unfortunately, may get worse before it gets better.
So listen to the Eagles:
https://vimeo.com/213004662
“Get Over It”
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:44 AM ^
on the coaching staff putting together a decent game plan.
October 22nd, 2017 at 8:37 AM ^
I thought so before PSU. but okorn looked ok. the coaching is by far the problem. then QB, wr, oline, RB blocking are all bad
October 22nd, 2017 at 9:36 AM ^
I haven't seen a single coach make a play out there. Inexcusable!
October 22nd, 2017 at 9:45 AM ^
I know! Remember when OKorn audibled into I-form play action on 4th and 11?! What a dope!!!
October 22nd, 2017 at 9:47 AM ^
JOK has one speed on his throws and usually doesn't lead the receiver. He also holds onto the ball too long and takes unnecessary sacks.
Since the offensive playbook has already been slimmed down, seems like Peters should be able to handle it
October 22nd, 2017 at 1:25 PM ^
McCray and our safeties r the weak links on defense and the routes the receivers run r pathetic (pep Hamilton bad coaching he needs to go), but this is a growth year, everyone will return next year, defense will be unreal next year and just need growth offensively cuz the skill players r there just young
October 22nd, 2017 at 9:30 AM ^
QB is our most obvious problem, but WR might be worse than QB.
That said, I think we are al presuming something, that Harbaugh doesn't expect Wilton to be the starter next year.
October 22nd, 2017 at 9:31 AM ^
WR is a tire fire- JOK did the rational thing, given bad receiving, and just scrambled for yards. What else could he do?
October 22nd, 2017 at 11:37 AM ^
I've been saying this for weeks. I think it's time for Harbaugh to hire an actual WR coach with a proven track record. The experiment of having a GA coach the position has been an utter failure judging by the product on the field. IMO WR is the biggest issue with the offense. They are just not getting open and when they do it is taking forever. Even a good OL can't sustain blocks forever so it's making our subpar OL look even worse than they are.
October 22nd, 2017 at 1:29 PM ^
Receivers r not bad, dpj, black, Perry, Gentry, mckeon, will be a a load to handle next year, need better coaching, Hamilton is not developing these guys he has to go, black and dpj with the right coaching r future first round picks will their skill set and potential
October 23rd, 2017 at 9:37 AM ^
Wide receivers may be the worst unit on the field!
October 23rd, 2017 at 9:39 AM ^
would be taking a step back. He has had his chance and he's not the guy to lead this team to bigger things. Time for one of the young players to step up next year, if we want the improvement we need.
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:31 AM ^
Agreed. I don't want Peters in there unless he's actually going to be better than O'Korn. And he definitely could be (and probably is) worse at this point. Taking more L's doesn't help the long-term health of the program and it certainly wouldn't help recruiting. O'Korn didn't have a perfect game by any stretch, but he played better and it was clear to see all the limitations around him: a porous right side of the OL, no running game, poor WR play. I'm highly doubtful Peters will be any better in this offense.
October 22nd, 2017 at 8:53 AM ^
John had so many drops, I couldn't believe it. I think the moment was too big for the team, for most of the game it was over their heads. I think John did fine, giving the extraordinary atmosphere and the way the Nitannies were playing. Drops, bad route running, and poorly executed plays contributed more to our loss than poor QB play from JOK.
October 22nd, 2017 at 10:07 AM ^
Serious question: Who is actually happy with their QB play?
I look around college football and there are not many guys playing the position who are delighting their fan bases. I see defenses that are increasingly athletic, aggressive, attacking--all designed to befuddle young QBs who, once they've maybe gotten a handle on how to play the position, graduate or go in the first round of the NFL draft.
McSorley is pretty serviceable somewhat due to his ability to run and largely due to the all-world running back who plays next to him. Ohio State fans wanted to bench Barrett a few weeks ago (and these guys will actually play college ball until they are seniors because the NFL doesn't want running quarterbacks). Nobody else in the big ten is good. Sam Darnold is supposed to be the number one pick--are USC fans happy with him?
This is why people point to the OL as problem number one to be fixed. A run-first, balanced, play-action offense like the one Harbaugh wants to run depends mostly on a consistent, year-over-year, plug-and-play OL that can run the ball and keep the quarterback clean on 7-step drops. This requires good recruiting every year and depth, depth, depth. Not to say we can't have a good QB, but that a good OL makes a good QB a potential champion QB.
October 22nd, 2017 at 2:45 PM ^
I’m disappointed in what the Head coach has done with his resources The college game is out of control with TV revenues, “preferred giving schemes”, ticket prices, athletic departments trying to out do each other with glitz and fireworks. This brings fans to expect more from7 or 8M dollar coaches. If CFB is to be a learning and character building experience for the players as seen in the coach’s and team’s trip to Rome this year then maybe some of the money and flash and dash (including these ridiculous coach’s salaries), be tamed down to character building levels.
October 23rd, 2017 at 9:37 AM ^
not much else he can do. Our defense was atrocious and the biggest reason we lost. But, I have been advocating for the future and would like to see it. We need a big upgrade at QB next year if this team wants to take the next step.
We need either Peters or McCaffery to be the man next year and hopefully take the next step. I would actually pull the RS off of McCaffery and play both him and Peters the rest of the year and get them ready to compete for the starting job next year. Hopefully one of them shows some serious promise these last 5 games and can get the upper hand to being the starter next year. They also have bowl preperations and a bowl game to play to continue to improve, use that time to get them ready.
October 22nd, 2017 at 2:36 AM ^
Win the next 3 games without serviceable qb play? Have u watched us this season we can lose all of our remaining games it’s not impossible. With that said O’Korn should be proud he will b getting a Michigan degree but times up buddy. Peters or Mccaffery better start next week. It’s fucking Rutgers if we can’t win with peters we don’t deserve to win period
October 22nd, 2017 at 2:56 AM ^
First off MSU is hot garbage and they are going to get rolled.
Second Penn state is overrated and they havent seen a D like ours.
Third Just because we currently only have two losses there is no way we could finish with 2-3 losses at the end of the season. Zero chance.
All proclaimed by the masses on MGOBLOG. Where absolutes are usually absolutely wrong.
October 22nd, 2017 at 3:09 AM ^
How in the world is every single paragraph in that post spot on?
October 22nd, 2017 at 2:58 AM ^
Dude what the fuck are you talking about.
If we lose any of the next 3 games, we need a new fucking head coach.
October 22nd, 2017 at 8:22 AM ^
I honestly cannot fathom how there are smart, educated people here saying that Harbaugh's job is (or should be) on the line.
October 22nd, 2017 at 8:38 AM ^
I think your confusion might stem from the assumption that you're dealing with people who are smart and educated.
October 22nd, 2017 at 9:04 AM ^
The vast majority here are. The ones who aren't all leave for Mlive because they don't understand the majority of stuff we are talking about.
October 22nd, 2017 at 9:39 AM ^
this is simply not the case. Mgo on the weekends is officially the new MLive. Weekend M fans that read the prediction at the end of the game preview, have their expectations unmet and therefore feel the need to vent before Monday comes. They get pissed that they have to have a shitty explanation about the game and have to have this convo 6 times throughout the week since they are the "resident M fan" at work/school/whatever.
They were promised playoffs and B10 titles by year 3 and by god they deserve an explanation.
October 22nd, 2017 at 9:04 AM ^
Educated and smart are two different things
October 22nd, 2017 at 9:21 AM ^
Alcohol has an effect also.
October 22nd, 2017 at 9:09 AM ^
after the second play of the game last night. I know last night was one of the worst starts to a game that I have ever seen Michigan come up with in a football game, and it was sickening to me as well, but sometimes I wonder if some of the know it alls on the board have ever played competitive sports past junior high. Maybe just trolls, but would love to play golf against some of these people for money. First 3 putt or double bogey and they would be done.
October 22nd, 2017 at 9:10 AM ^
FIRE HARBAUGH!!!!!
October 22nd, 2017 at 10:30 AM ^
The downvotes distress me as people can't think I'm serious?
October 22nd, 2017 at 12:21 PM ^
2 upvotes for you for the obvious sarcasm.
October 22nd, 2017 at 9:36 AM ^
I’m not at that point yet, but if he gets beat by Rutgers...everything is on the table.
October 23rd, 2017 at 8:04 AM ^
JohnNavarreismyhero is just dumb. Dumb on Scout and just as dumb here.
October 22nd, 2017 at 5:25 AM ^
I agree that Peters needs to get the experience but i don't see Jim sitting O'Korn down.
October 22nd, 2017 at 9:35 AM ^
Another point: what if Peters really is much worse than JOK? What if JH isn't playing him for a good reason?
October 22nd, 2017 at 10:02 AM ^
and if he is he shouldn't start.
But we are effectively down to 2 QBs. If Perters is now the sole backup, he absolutely HAS to get some more game experience under his belt before he has to come in after an Okorn injury or something.
What if Okorn looses his helmet driving down the field late in the game vs Wisconsin?
Peters needs some time.
October 22nd, 2017 at 2:37 AM ^
It’s time to look ahead to next year. Get Peters some snaps. He can make the throws that JOK does.
October 22nd, 2017 at 2:40 AM ^
Maybe JOK starts, we get up 3-4 scores by the third quarter, and then we put Peters in? JOK wasn't Michigan State bad today, if that means anything. I would prefer Peters to start. But I feel like the offense is a systemic issue with poor Oline, WR play and poor coaching (Hamilton, Drevno).
October 22nd, 2017 at 2:44 AM ^
We will not be up 3 scores again this year.
October 22nd, 2017 at 2:48 AM ^
Arent you technically up 3 scores?
Not that we will ever be up 9.
October 22nd, 2017 at 4:12 AM ^
I would say 3 scores is 17 points at a minimum. And I would bet we are up 17 or more at some point in the last 5 games.
October 22nd, 2017 at 8:06 AM ^
Up nine is two scores.
October 22nd, 2017 at 1:38 PM ^
It's the least amount of scores that it would take to tie or overcome 9 points, which is two scores. You're thinking about a possible amount, like 3 FGs.
October 22nd, 2017 at 10:07 AM ^
A lot going into this... Sometimes OKorn misses open players, doesn’t anticipate a WR getting open based on safety location and route being run, sometimes he has DL on him too fast, sometimes the RBs miss blocks... To those that know football it’s not 1 issue , it’s many issues happening too frequently.
October 22nd, 2017 at 12:48 PM ^
O'Korn had some terrible throws yesterday, and he did the thing where he holds the ball too long and eats sacks as a result. All of the offensive units really collapsed, qb included.
October 22nd, 2017 at 2:43 AM ^
I'm so sick of the "we have bigger problems than QB" crowd. Yes, we have lots of problems. But make no mistake, QB is one of them. JOK has no upside this year and he's gone next year. At a minimum, Peters should get meaningful snaps in the next three games to see what he has.
I thought he should have gotten the last drive tonight. Is he so fragile that we would've "broken" him down 42-13 in a whiteout at Penn St? Trust me, if he would break because of a sack or two, we want to know that now. Hell, he might have showed a spark that could carry to the next game.
My two cents: Peters should get at least one drive per half in the next three games.