The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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60 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW QUARTERBACKS he does not take sacks. If you're averaging one-and-a-half sacks per game, you're playing really, really good football. When you're aver- aging one turnover a game, or fewer, you're playing good football." All coaches put a high priority on not turning the football over, and that's especially so with U-M head coach Jim Harbaugh. Rudock fills the bill there, Fisch reemphasized. "The key is, you have to move the ball and not turn it over," he said. "It's really exciting to be able to bring a guy in that understands that and will take advantage of staying on the field. If the worst thing you do is kick — whether it be an extra point, a field goal, or a punt — you're in great shape." All of that throws an unwavering challenge before junior quarter- back Shane Morris, who came out of spring ball as Michigan's top QB. Morris has a pair of career starts, going 43-of-87 overall for 389 yards, no touchdowns and five interceptions. He vowed to work harder than ever for the job, and Fisch saw some good signs out of him over the course of spring football. "He showed a leadership ability as the spring went on," Fisch noted. "He showed a work ethic that we were unaware of when we first arrived on campus. He was able to become more and more knowledgeable of the offense, which allowed him to play faster and make better decisions. "He became conscious of the football, of not turning it over. All those things we saw. He still has a long way to go, in regard to where we all want him to be and where he wants to be. If you can under- stand the offense, you're going to play faster." Morris is athletic enough to run at times, Fisch noted, and he urged the junior to take advantage of those situations. But the bottom line involves throwing accuracy. "Completing the football is the most important thing," Fisch said. Jim Harbaugh arrived at Michigan to find a quarterback meeting room lacking in depth and on-field experience. He changed that in a hurry, and now it's a dogfight. That alone will make the Wolverines better this fall, ac- cording to former U-M lineman Doug Skene. He insisted the additions of Iowa fifth-year senior transfer Jake Ru- dock, Houston sophomore transfer John O'Korn (redshirt- ing in 2015) and true freshman Zach Gentry figure to hone everyone to a higher sharpness. "Whoever it is that's going to lead this offense and lead this team — and let's face it, that position is the person that is going to lead this team — has to be strong, hard- ened enough to handle all the competitive heat in the room, and certainly all the competitive heat that comes from our opponents," Skene said. "That room in Schembechler Hall, in the course of a month or two, suddenly became the most competitive room in the entire building, as far as who is going to play. I think it has to be that way. I think it's a good thing." Michigan fans grew accustomed to a quarterbacks depth chart that featured no less than Tom Brady battling until his fourth year in the uniform before starting. That hasn't been the case in recent years, but could become so once again. Rudock and Gentry will challenge junior Shane Morris, redshirt freshman Wilton Speight and early enrollee true freshman Alex Malzone for the right to go under center against Utah on Sept. 3. All of them will benefit from hands-on teaching by former NFL quarterbacks coach Jedd Fisch and Harbaugh, who's played a little quarterback himself. "I think it's big," Skene said. "I think it's huge for the kids. They know whatever comes out of Harbaugh's and Fisch's mouths is the gospel, because of their recent experience in playing and coaching at the next level. That's what these guys are dreaming about." Credibility can make all the difference, in the eyes of the U-M alum possessing no fewer than five Big Ten champi- onship rings. " There's an inherent cred- ibility that goes along with Jim Harbaugh, because of what he's done in the last five or six years, at every stop of the way, and the players he's developed at that spot," Skene said. "Certain coaches over the decades have the cache to say whatever they want, and no one's going to question it. "Schembechler was like that. Bill Parcells is like that. Bill Belichick is like that now. You certainly may not like what they're saying. But you have to respect what they say, because they produce successful players. "Whatever these guys are saying, the coach is right. There's not going to be any bad body language out of that quarterback that we may have seen on occasion in the last couple of years." Skene acknowledged that Rudock represents a major wild card in the quarterback additions. A two-year starter at Iowa, he threw only five interceptions last season, and Harbaugh puts a major emphasis on protecting the foot- ball. "I watched clips of him against Ohio State, and one thing that stuck out to me that I really like is how he managed the game," Skene said. "On second- and third-down passing, when the first, second, third progression is not there, the ball gets thrown over the first down marker, and we either punt or live to play the next down. "People are quick to underestimate how important it is that a quarterback be smart enough, and calm and cool enough, to do that. Hey, throw it away. It's okay. It's much better to punt." Harbaugh demonstrated a determination to not punt away experience and greater competition as an option at quarterback in his inaugural season as Michigan's head coach. According to Skene, such an approach gets back to a fundamental football principle. "There are massive question marks, up and down this entire offense," Skene said. "But it's still football, and in the game of college football, if you don't have an effective quarterback, you have no chance of winning. "This is priority No. 1 for Harbaugh. That's why he's brought in all these guys. He's continuing to bring in any quarterback he thinks can help us. The best man is going to play, and so be it." Once there, he'd better play well, the former U-M lineman insisted. "If he isn't getting it done, the next guy is going in," Skene said. "It's simple. You can't have anything but that. You've got to have a leader getting it done at the quarterback spot to have any chance of winning." — John Borton The QB Room Is Now Michigan's Most Competitive month or two, suddenly became the most competitive room in the entire building, as far as who is going to play. I think it has to be that way. I think it's a good thing." Michigan fans grew accustomed to a quarterbacks depth chart that featured no less than Tom Brady battling until his fourth year in the uniform before starting. That hasn't been the case in recent years, but could become " There's an inherent cred- ibility that goes along with Jim Harbaugh, because of what he's done in the last five or six years, at every stop of the way, and the players "I watched clips of him against Ohio State, and one thing that stuck out to me that I really like is how he managed the game," Skene said. "On second- and third-down passing, when the first, second, third progression is not there, the ball gets thrown over the first down marker, and we either punt or live to play the next down. "People are quick to underestimate how important it is that a quarterback be smart enough, and calm and cool enough, to do that. Hey, throw it away. It's okay. It's much better to punt." Harbaugh demonstrated a determination to not punt away experience and greater competition as an option at quarterback in his inaugural season as Michigan's head coach. According to Skene, such an approach gets back to a fundamental football principle. "There are massive question marks, up and down this entire offense," Skene said. "But it's still football, and in the game of college football, if you don't have an effective quarterback, chance of winning. "This is priority No. 1 for Harbaugh. That's why he's brought in all these guys. He's continuing to bring in any quarterback he thinks can help us. The best man is going to play, and so be it." Once there, he'd better play well, the former U-M lineman insisted. 60 ■ THE WOLVERINE 2015 FOOTBALL PREVIEW "If he isn't getting it done, the next guy is going in," Skene said. "It's simple. You can't have anything but that. You've got to have a leader getting it done at the quarterback spot to have any chance of winning." True freshman Alex Malzone was an early enrollee this spring, looking to hit the ground running in learning the quarterback position at U-M. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL