Michigan Football: 4 questions to answer about Shea Patterson’s return

Will Harbaugh plays his usual games at quarterback?

One of the first questions that popped into my mind after hearing the news was whether or not Jim Harbaugh would actually name Patterson the starter either before or after spring football?

It’s an interesting question. It’s something Harbaugh has never really done before. Not even Wilton Speight, who started in 2016 and returned was given the title until just before the season opener in 2017.

To me, this feels different. For one, Speight wasn’t nearly as good as Patterson. If that 2016 team had a quarterback of Patterson’s caliber, it would have beaten Ohio State, won the Big Ten Championship and not lost at Iowa. Who knows after that, but Speight is very much to blame for all three losses. In fact, the bad fourth-down spot actually overshadows how big a goat he was in the 2016 loss to Ohio State.

Back to the point. Patterson, after a stellar season, should be treated as the starter, especially if he plays well and Michigan wins the Peach Bowl. I know bowl games don’t matter, but Michigan needs this one.

Losing your last two games three years in a row is not a good thing. An 11th win and a win over a top-10 team also matter, but more than anything, the Peach Bowl is a chance for Patterson to remind everyone why he’s the starting quarterback and should be considered that until he shows otherwise. But will it mean that to Harbaugh? Only time will tell.