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Michigan Football: Why John O’Korn Will be the Starting Quarterback

By Chris Peterson

Apr 1, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback John O'Korn (8) drops back to pass during the spring game at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 1, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback John O'Korn (8) drops back to pass during the spring game at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Michigan Football is in need of a new starting quarterback to replace Jake Rudock, and this is why John O’Korn will eventually win the job.

The race to become Michigan football’s starting quarterback in 2016 heated up over the spring and when it was all said and done, Wilton Speight may have gotten the upper hand. However, that doesn’t change the fact that the quarterback with the most upside for next season is John O’Korn.

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O’Korn, who came to Michigan as a transfer from Houston last season, may be the most talented passer currently on the Michigan roster. The redshirt junior is big and athletic and in terms of arm talent, he has everything you could want in a good college quarterback.

Throughout spring practice and even last year while running the scout team, O’Korn has shown glimpses of brilliance. He had a number of eye-popping throws during spring ball and certainly impressed during his two seasons at Houston, especially in 2013, when he was the American Conference Freshman of the Year, after throwing for 3,117 yards and 28 touchdowns.

However, if you want to play quarterback at Michigan, you can’t just make big plays, you need to make the right ones. That’s what Jake Rudock did so successfully last season for the Wolverines. He made big plays certainly, but his best attribute was his ability to take care of the football.

You can’t play quarterback for Jim Harbaugh if you turn it over regularly, yet that was an issue with O’Korn this spring. He would throw a spectacular touchdown pass one play, then a silly interception the next. He has all the tools to succeed and definitely offers more upside than Speight, who seems to be more of a game-manager.

Speight is a capable signal-caller, he was highly-touted coming out of high school and would likely do a fine job as the Wolverines starter. With the defense expected to be stout again and the athletes on offense such as Jake Butt and Jehu Chesson, Speight could excel, but still, he doesn’t possess the big-play ability of O’Korn.

With Harbaugh working his magic on O’Korn, it’s hard to believe he won’t find the consistency he is currently lacking, especially when it comes to taking care of the football. The big plays will come with O’Korn playing quarterback, he and the Wolverines just have to make sure, the bad plays don’t come along with them.

Yet, if O’Korn can do just that, limit his mistakes, there is no doubt that him taking the field as the starting quarterback Sept. 3 against Hawaii is the best thing for the program.

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Speight can be solid, but O’Korn has the talent to be special and if the Wolverines are going to reach the pinnacle of the Big Ten Conference once again, special is what they need.

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