Michigan football: Spring Preview, Part V, quarterbacks
By Joel Greer
(Note: This is the fifth in a series concerning potential starters for this fall’s Michigan football team. Now, we’ll look at the quarterbacks. Here are the links to the previous articles).
Of all the buzzwords tossed around by Jim Harbaugh and his new Michigan football staff, entitlement is not one of them.
Simply put, any of last year’s starters and reserves are not guaranteed a job.
They’ll have to get it the old fashioned way, earn it.
With four quarterbacks vying for the job, the competition will certainly be keen throughout spring practice.
You might expect incumbent Shane Morris to be the front runner since he’s been in the program the longest. But frankly, the former Warren De La Salle southpaw has not exactly lit up the scoreboard. In parts of two seasons, Morris has a passing percentage of .494 with five interceptions and no touchdowns.
Even without Harbaugh’s “clean slate” policy of rigorous competition at every position, Morris wouldn’t be handed the job.
That possibly leaves the battle between redshirt freshman Wilton Speight, early enrollee Alex Malzone and true freshman Zach Gentry.
Speight, who played at Richmond (VA) Collegiate, checks in at 6-6, 235 and has the height and vision to easily make his progressions.
In fact, while Speight was in prep school, he flew across country every month or so to be tutored by quarterback coach Steve Clarkson. “His arm is every bit as strong as [Pittsburgh Steelers Pro-Bowler] Ben Roethlisberger, and I’ve worked with Ben,” Clarkson told rivals.com. “He’s not Cam Newton-strong, but he’s plenty strong.”
Malzone, who threw 38 touchdown passes and led Birmingham Brother Rice to a pair of Division 2 state titles (2012-13), helped make sure his favorite high school receiver, Grant Perry, came along for the ride.
Harbaugh had nothing but praise for Malzone during his signing day press conference. “Everything he does he wins, an excellent thrower of the football. He’s got a real savvy in the pocket. I think his accuracy is outstanding and jumps off—jumps out on tape, the way he’s able to scan the field and go from a receiver to a secondary receiver and move his feet.”
At 6-7, 240, Gentry is your typical pro-style quarterback. He has a strong arm, can make all the throws, and can escape the pocket when necessary. Problem is, he won’t arrive until the summer, so a redshirt season may be in the offing.
Here’s how the 2015 quarterback battle may shape up:
1. Wilton Speight
2. Alex Malzone
3. Shane Morris
4. Zach Gentry (redshirt)