Michigan Football: Will John O’Korn be an upgrade at quarterback?
John O’Korn will start at quarterback for Michigan football vs Michigan State. But is he better than an injured Wilton Speight?
When Wilton Speight was knocked out of the game against Purdue, it gave some Michigan football fans what they have been clamoring for — a quarterback change.
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When it first happened, no one knew how long Speight would be out. But just a couple of days ago, Michigan football announced that the starting quarterback the past two seasons, would be out indefinitely.
It also means that John O’Korn, who filled in so well against Purdue, will start Saturday night against Michigan State. There are many who think that’s a good thing, but is it?
There is no doubt that in relief duty, O’Korn was solid. He completed 18-of-26 passes for 270 yards, while also tossing one touchdown pass and throwing one interception. But to sum up his play, he was efficient and he was effective. He found a way to move the sticks on third down and got touchdowns in the red zone.
Michigan football was 1-of-10 in the red zone leading up to Purdue, but were 3-of-3 in the game against the Boilermakers. O’Korn also led the Wolverines on scoring drives of 84, 86, 76 and 65 yards, with each scoring drive lasting at least five plays.
However, don’t let the long drives fool you, Michigan still produced explosive plays. Chris Evans ripped off a 49-yard run late, but O’Korn also had four passes that went for 24 yards or more.
O’Korn also adds another element of the Wolverines offense. He can scramble and even though he was sacked a few times, he also ran for 12 yards, picking up a first down. That’s something Speight doesn’t do, at least not very often.
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Yet, before expectations for O’Korn get too high, remember, Michigan State isn’t Purdue. The Spartans (3-1) allow 248 yards per game (3rd in the Big Ten). Purdue gives up 386 yards per game, which puts them 12th. Michigan State also has the second-best pass defense in the Big Ten (153 yards per game).
Michigan State also allows opposing passers to complete just 48 percent of passes, compared to 59 for Purdue, while the Spartans have also surrendered just one touchdown pass. MSU also has two interceptions to its credit.
That’s not to say O’Korn can’t excel, it just won’t be as easy. But while he will face a more difficult defense, O’Korn and Michigan football will have some built-in advantages of their own.
For one, the Wolverines can prepare O’Korn to be the starter. And when Saturday rolls around, he will have gotten two weeks of preparation. Preparing to be the quarterback and getting thrown in midway through the first half are two very different animals.
The bottom line is that O’Korn will never be a superstar. But for Michigan, he doesn’t need to be. The senior simply needs to take care of the ball and get it to his playmakers. Michigan football has plenty of big-play guys, O’Korn just needs to distribute the ball and get out of the way.
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With his experience, O’Korn should excel in this role and he should be fine Saturday night in the Big House. But there’s also a chance, that by the end of the game Saturday, fans might be thinking about how quickly Speight can come back.