Perhaps the biggest question surrounding the Michigan Wolverines, as they prepare to take on arch-rival Ohio State this Saturday at home (Noon ET on FOX), is the quarterback position. Who will be under center for head coach Jim Harbaugh?
Lately, it has been redshirt freshman quarterback Brandon Peters, whom fans have been clambering for seemingly since Week 1. Peters has been the guy as of late but after taking a bit hit this past Saturday against Wisconsin, whether he can play or not remains to be seen.
Peters is reportedly in concussion protocol and Harbaugh said they are going to learn more about his current situation as the week progresses.
“He’ll be coming in shortly,” Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday. “He was seen (Sunday) and we’ll see where he’s at today.”
The former Michigan quarterback himself was also asked what fans and outsiders should expect when hearing about players in concussion protocol.
“There’s stages,” he said. “If you want to know exactly what the stages are, as soon as he’s symptom-free, if that happens today, then he has to go to a day where he has exertion, does cardio and then lifting to be able to work up a sweat and exert yourself and then you see if the symptoms are there the next day.
“Once that occurs and come back that next day and there’s no symptoms, then he’d be allowed to practice without contact. That could happen as early as Wednesday, could happen as early as Thursday. Each case is different. Totally go by the doctors, the tests.”
Harbaugh was also asked about redshirt junior quarterback Wilton Speight, who has been sidelined with a neck injury since the September 23 game at Purdue. Speight practiced with the team last week but was not cleared for contact by doctors.
“He’ll be evaluated again by the doctors this week to see if he would be cleared for contact,” Harbaugh said.
The quarterback position has been a real eye sore for the Wolverines this season, but the team has seemed to generate a bit more consistency and success since Peters entered as the go-to quarterback against Rutgers.
Though it remains to be seen whether he or Speight will be available for “The Game” on Saturday, Harbaugh said senior transfer and backup John O’Korn will get the nod if Peters cannot go.
“John has remained diligent every single week to preparation and the game plan, always sitting on a spring ready to play,” Harbaugh said.
