Michigan’s starting QB job still open for the taking
Jim Harbaugh confirmed that Wilton Speight is “in a good spot” to be Michigan’s quarterback again.
The coach, however, also reiterated that the fourthyear junior remains in a three-way tie with redshirt freshman Brandon Peters and fifth-year senior John O’Korn to be the Wolverines’ starter entering Monday’s first practice.
“You want to see what’s transpired over the summer and see who has gotten better,” Harbaugh said at Big Ten Football Media Days Tuesday of the impending quarterback battle, adding that it will “probably take about anywhere from eight to 15 practices to figure that out.”
Speight started 12 of 13 games last season for the Wolverines after beating out O’Korn in preseason camp. The 6-foot-6, 243-pound Speight completed 61.6 percent of his passes (204 for 331), throwing for 2,538 yards with 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Under Speight’s direction, Michigan won its first nine games last season, but the Wolverines lost three of their final four — a point that Harbaugh was reminded of in two questions just minutes apart.
“Lost three out of the last four games. OK, good,” Harbaugh said. “Maybe that will motivate us to put more into it — coach better, play better, train harder. Put more of our heart into each and every one of those ball games.”
Harbaugh said the quarterback competition “was a dead heat” early in the spring until Peters “really shot up.” He added that O’Korn really played consistently good, and Wilton really had some impressive moments as well.”
“The biggest thing I want to see out of the quarterback is who can consistently move the team — get first downs, put points on the board eventually,” Harbaugh said.
Illinois won’t tolerate sexual or domestic abuse
Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman says there are plans to bar athletes with a history of sexual or domestic abuse from participating in sports.
The proposed plan could go into effect for the coming academic year and would make Illinois the second Big Ten school, after Indiana, to raise the offfield standards for athletes in the last four months.
Whitman told the Chicago Tribune that while the school had few reservations about going forward with the new policy, officials wanted a review or appeals process in place for unique cases.
Big Ten cracks down on animated coaches
Watch your step, Harbaugh. The rest of you Big Ten coaches, too. Conference officials are tired of coaches who treat the sideline like a stage and rage like Hamlet over calls they don’t like — and they’re prepared, finally, to do something about it.
Of the several rules changes in store for the 2017 season, stricter enforcement of the coach’s box may have the greatest impact of all. Violators are subject to a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.
Bulldogs open camp early
Mississippi State opened camp Tuesday with several days left in July, which is much earlier than in previous years. One major reason for the early start is a new NCAA rule limiting teams to just one contact practice per day.