Michigan Football, Team 138, 2017 Season.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Speight has been cleared to practice per reports.

[The Oracle]

Just no contact.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Haven't heard JH's presser yet in full but the Detroit news reported Peters would start. Also Eubanks cleared to practice and Higdon and Isaac are looking positive. Hill still in concussion protocol but word on him is positive. Nothing on Gary mentioned at all suggesting he's fine.

[Detroit Dan]

Thanks for injury reports/expert opinions, Jeff!

[hack]

Peters will start this week, but when asked about Speight playing Harbaugh said it's up to the doctors. Which suggests that if, somehow, Speight is ready for OSU, he'll play. I've got to believe that's true. Harbaugh would love to have back his full playbook. Speight with a run game would clearly be the much better option right now.

[Hannibal]

I'd rather see Peters but, meh anyways.

[hack]

On that particular Saturday, Speight is our best shot at a win. Peters can and should beat him out in the offseason. No need to coddle Peters. He can make so many more throws once he's got the training wheels off, but there's no evidence yet they should be taken off. He can prove that in the offseason.

That said, most likely Speight's not ready.

[Hannibal]

I'm not convinced that Speight is our best shot at a win there. He was horrible before he went out. Eyeball test-wise, their accuracy was about the same this year, but Speight managed the games poorly, whereas Peters has yet to commit a turnover.

[hack]

I'd love to see Speight with Michigan's November running game. I'd hate to see Peters with Michigan's September running game.

I agree that Speight is a bad game manager, but what Peters has done so far is not going to be enough against OSU.

[Rocky Bleier]

I'm not convinced that Speight is our best shot at a win there. He was horrible before he went out. Eyeball test-wise, their accuracy was about the same this year, but Speight managed the games poorly, whereas Peters has yet to commit a turnover.

Speight sucked before the injury, though I can see why he was the starter. Now he has 7 weeks of accumulated rust to shake off. Screw it, same game result either way. Let Peters experience the moment.

[Hannibal]

Speight sucked before the injury, though I can see why he was the starter. Now he has 7 weeks of accumulated rust to shake off. Screw it, same game result either way. Let Peters experience the moment.

Yeah, there's that too. Let Peters take some lumps. It benefitted McSorley and Braxton Miller, to name a couple.

[Detroit Dan]

good point on the accumulated rust

[Jeff Buchanan]

The offense has been altered to accommodate what Peters does and does not do well. I wouldn't say the playbook has been "simplified" or reduced in its complexity - although that may very well be the case. I don't think we can say.

If we've seen trips I can't recall. That's because M is using heavy sets out of a 22 formation with Peters (2 backs and 2 TEs). There's also been a dose of a 6th OL, either Spanellis or Ruiz. Speight had these heavy sets too but less frequently and, IMO, to his disadvantage. At present, with Peters, they are much more prominent, favor power instead of zone running plays and feature one wide going deep.

What's changed is that approach makes the reads easier, makes a throw to a TE or RB much more likely and increases the likelihood of a successful catch. IMO, this change has made the offense much more efficient both in the run and the pass game.

If Speight were to return as the starter, I'd be concerned that a switch back to a style of offense that suits him, particularly at this point in time, would reduce the offensive efficiency M's offense is enjoying.

Stay with Peters and live with your reliable Ford offense and break out the Caddy for the bowl game when there's time to do that finding out then which QB runs that best. It could be Speight or it could be Peters.

[Mackenzie]

IF Peters has a good game at Wisconsin, how can you hold him out of the OSU game. Big IF I know but....

[Hannibal]

These guys have a great discussion about expectations for the Michigan program, and whether we need to ditch with winning "the right way".

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