The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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24 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2017 nesota, and proved adept at handing off and watching his running backs disappear downfield. Michigan rushed for 371 yards, junior tailback Karan Higdon go- ing for 200 and sophomore tailback Chris Evans logging 191. That sort of production simplifies the approach, noted Peters, who connected on 8 of 13 passes for 56 yards and a touch- down. "When we have a running game like that, it makes my job a lot easier, for sure," he said. "We didn't even have to throw the ball. We were mak- ing 50-yard-plus runs … "We definitely could have thrown it a little more, but the coaches saw we were making huge holes in the run game, so obviously we didn't need the pass game much that game. Which is fine by me, as long as we get the win." SORTING IT ALL OUT It appeared for a moment like O'Korn might reappear against Min- nesota, when the U-M offensive line allowed a free shot at Peters. The rookie starter got buried and was shaken up, but continued in the game. "On the initial impact, it was just the ground that knocked the wind out of me, plus the 300-plus pounds or whatever he was," Peters said of his attacker. "It just knocked the wind out of me, but I was able to get up." Peters knows continuing in his role, now and in the future, boils down to some basics: "Make plays. Control the offense. No turnovers." The early returns in those areas were good, Harbaugh acknowl- edged. "He could have hit a couple more, but [there was] nothing close to an interception," Harbaugh said. "Noth- ing close to turning the ball over, even though he took some big shots it the pocket. "I thought he held onto the ball well and did the things to keep us from losing the ball game. He did the things to help us win the ball game. I know he can execute all throws, so I feel good going forward." The start and the win also put Michigan into some exclusive com- pany this season, according to the head coach. "He had an excellent week of prac- tice," Harbaugh said of Peters. "He put a real exclamation point on the ball game that he had last week. It was great to see him start and the team to get the win. "That's three quarterbacks on our ball club that have started and won a ball game for us. There's a couple others in the country [to do so] — Maryland's another and Houston — so we're one of three clubs that have done that." Of course, that's not the preferred route. Had Speight not been pret- zelized at Purdue, he'd likely have sailed into November with 20 career starts under his belt, and an ever- increasing rhythm and timing with an extremely young cast of receivers and tight ends. As it is, he's been working fever- ishly to get back, putting all his spare moments into receiving treatment to enhance the healing process. He's also been an encouragement to those who have had to step up in his place, Peters noted. "He's been basically like a coach," Peters said. "He's helped me a lot, keeping me confident, keeping me calm, giving me tips and reminders. He said, 'Go out there and let it rip, man. You can make all the throws. Just go out there and be confident.'" Speight would obviously like to go back out himself, confident and in charge. The door hasn't been closed on that, and if he does step forward, Peters knows the score. "I'm not sure when he's coming back," Peters said. "I expect it to be a good competition. Coach is going to give everyone a chance." COMING FULL CIRCLE? Asked directly the week of the Maryland game about the possibility of a Speight comeback, Harbaugh didn't stiff-arm the question, punt or call a timeout. He dove in, head first. "Yes, there is," Harbaugh said. "I think there's more second opinions to be had, but I know Wilton's really excited about his most recent CAT scan. Not to sound over the top, but I think some of the doctors are a bit stunned that it's so far along and he's healing well. "Young guys can do that some- times [thanks to] good blood flow throughout their body. They're young and they're healthy, and he's healing fast." Redshirt junior Wilton Speight suffered three fractured vertebrae in the Big Ten opener against Purdue Sept. 23, but might be able to return before the end of the season. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL