Jim Harbaugh has earned a reputation as a quarterback whisperer throughout his coaching career, but this year has been one of his toughest tests.
Michigan football has a championship level defense and a strong running game, but the passing attack is among the worst in the Power Five conferences. Some of the blame belongs to the wide receivers and offensive linemen, but the quarterback position has certainly been a weakness.
It’s tough to recover from losing a starting quarterback, but Michigan had plenty of experience behind Wilton Speight. Unfortunately for Harbaugh, backup John O’Korn struggled to take care of the ball, and the Wolverines were forced to put in a redshirt freshman.
Fans were excited when Brandon Peters entered the game, not just because he could be an upgrade this season, but also because he represents a bright future. He has only played meaningful snaps in three games so far, but let’s break down his performance.
There’s one point that can’t be denied since Peters took over the offense: Michigan is scoring much more often.
Brandon Peters hands off to Karan Higdonduring the game against Minnesota. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
It might be a result of weak competition (Peters has faced Rutgers, Minnesota and Maryland), but the Wolverines have faced weak competition all season and struggled to move the ball, so the improvement is encouraging.
In three games with Peters as the primary quarterback, Michigan has eclipsed 30 points each time, averaging 34.3 per game. In the five weeks prior, Michigan failed to score 30 points.
The running game has led the charge, but it’s the same group that didn’t produce much under Speight and O’Korn. Peters deserves at least some credit for the offensive surge.
The one issue I’ve noticed with Peters is a tendency to miss some open targets, which has haunted Michigan all season.
Peters has been on target with a lot of his passes, but there have been times when he simply didn’t put the ball where it needed to be. In his first game, he missed high on a downfield throw to Donovan Peoples-Jones and threw a ball at the feet of a wide open Sean McKeon on fourth down. Peters was on the run, but it’s a throw that could have been made.
Jim Harbaugh talks with QB Brandon Peters during the Rutgers game at Michigan Stadium on Oct. 28,2017. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images)
He got off to a slow start against Maryland, again missing Peoples-Jones with an errant pass thrown too high. Peters also threw behind his receivers a couple of times, though one was caught for a big completion anyway.
When Speight struggled to keep the ball down early in the season, Michigan paid for it with turnovers and defensive touchdowns. Harbaugh is now hoping Peters can learn from his misses and improve.
There have been times when Peters‘ elite ability is obvious. His touchdown pass to Zach Gentry from 33 yards out was thrown perfectly in stride, allowing Gentry to trot into the end zone.
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Peters has all the tools, so he just needs to make the throws.
This is the most important category on Peters‘ report card, and he’s passing with flying colors.
Karan Higdon and Brandon Peters celebrate a touchdown against Minnesota. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
Since Peters took over with seven minutes left in the first half of the Rutgers game, Michigan hasn’t committed a single turnover. Peters has no interceptions, and the running backs have held on to the football.
Through seven and a half games, Michigan was among the worst teams in the country at protecting the football, turning it over 14 times. But after 10 straight quarters without a turnover under Peters, the Wolverines have risen to No. 54 in the nation. That’s a major improvement considering where they were last month.
It’s fair to note the coaching staff has helped Peters avoid mistakes with conservative play calling, but he’s made good decisions when the ball is put in his hands.
Before we dive deep into Peters‘ ability to run the football, we should realize that it’s probably the last thing the coaches want him to do.
Peters is a good height for a quarterback at 6-foot-5, but he’s fairly thin and shouldn’t take more hits than he has to.
Brandon Peters warms up before the game against Minnesota at Michigan Stadium on November 4,2017 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
So far, Peters has been sacked five times, and some of the hits he took from Minnesota were pretty vicious. He’s gotten up every time, though, even though one of the hits clearly left him shaken up.
In terms of running for a gain, Peters has only done so once: a six-yard scamper against Maryland. For the most part, he’s only used his legs to try to extend plays.
The most recent example of Peters‘ mobility came on a second-quarter pass to Karan Higdon at Maryland. Peters escaped pressure, extended the play by rolling out to his right and found Higdon a few yards downfield. Higdon turned the short pass into a 35-yard gain.
Peters has shown an ability to roll out and extend plays several times over the last three weeks. If he can continue to find receivers and make accurate throws on those plays, it adds an element to Michigan’s offense.
Michigan fans are desperate for good quarterback play, and that has led them to overlook some of the mistakes Peters made in his first three games. But that’s not a knock on Peters. He’s a redshirt freshman who’s taking on his first starting job in the middle of Big Ten play. It’s a tough spot and he’s handled it well so far.
This week’s game against Wisconsin will be a true test of where he’s at in his development. The Badgers have the No. 1 total defense in the country, and they’ll absolutely sell out to stop the run and force Peters to beat them.
