Michigan junior quarterback Shane Morris spent all spring and most of fall camp competing to be the starter.
Now, two weeks into the season, it's clear that the competition has concluded. And that has Morris considering his future.
U-M football coach Jim Harbaugh proved as much late in Saturday's 35-7 win over Oregon State, when he sent in third-string quarterback Wilton Speight to take the kneeldowns. After the game, Harbaugh insisted that Morris is still the No. 2 quarterback.
Harbaugh was asked today whether Speight was inserted so that Morris might be able to redshirt this season.
"That's a possibility, that's a consideration," Harbaugh said. "You don't know how it's going to play out; you don't have a crystal ball. We're all seeing this exactly the way it is taking place. We're in control of it. He is the No. 2 quarterback but not the No. 2 guy going in to take two knee-downs at the end of the game. ... Make sense?"
A healthy player has to remain out of game competition for a whole season to gain a redshirt year under NCAA rules. Whether Morris would spend the next two years at Michigan -- where he would be in another competition with transfer John O'Korn, recruit Brandon Peters and others -- or elsewhere is not clear.
As a true freshman in 2013, Morris played against Central Michigan and Michigan State in mop-up duty. (As it turned out, Morris was needed to play in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, too, after Devin Gardner got injured, but that wasn't known when his year of eligibility essentially was wasted during the regular season.)
As a sophomore backup, he relieved Gardner late in games and then started the Minnesota game at the beginning of the Big Ten season, during which he suffered a concussion. Mysteriously, he returned a few weeks later and threw one pass against Michigan State.
Turnovers not a concern: Graduate transfer quarterback Jake Rudock beat out Morris for the job this season, and Harbaugh has shown no indication that anyone is pushing him.
One of the reasons U-M wanted Rudock was because of his lack of turnovers at Iowa, yet Rudock now has committed five in two games with the Wolverines.
Harbaugh dismissed the three interceptions in the opener because of issues with the routes by freshman receiver Grant Perry. And though Rudock's fumble and interception against Oregon State were self-inflicted, Harbaugh is not worried.
"It's a critical part of the game; we're improving on it," Harbaugh said. "I don't think he's lost the tight grip of his mind in any way. He's making good decisions. ... Went thoroughly through what we thought the issue was a week ago, and we're improving on it."
Now, two weeks into the season, it's clear that the competition has concluded. And that has Morris considering his future.
U-M football coach Jim Harbaugh proved as much late in Saturday's 35-7 win over Oregon State, when he sent in third-string quarterback Wilton Speight to take the kneeldowns. After the game, Harbaugh insisted that Morris is still the No. 2 quarterback.
Harbaugh was asked today whether Speight was inserted so that Morris might be able to redshirt this season.
"That's a possibility, that's a consideration," Harbaugh said. "You don't know how it's going to play out; you don't have a crystal ball. We're all seeing this exactly the way it is taking place. We're in control of it. He is the No. 2 quarterback but not the No. 2 guy going in to take two knee-downs at the end of the game. ... Make sense?"
A healthy player has to remain out of game competition for a whole season to gain a redshirt year under NCAA rules. Whether Morris would spend the next two years at Michigan -- where he would be in another competition with transfer John O'Korn, recruit Brandon Peters and others -- or elsewhere is not clear.
As a true freshman in 2013, Morris played against Central Michigan and Michigan State in mop-up duty. (As it turned out, Morris was needed to play in the Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, too, after Devin Gardner got injured, but that wasn't known when his year of eligibility essentially was wasted during the regular season.)
As a sophomore backup, he relieved Gardner late in games and then started the Minnesota game at the beginning of the Big Ten season, during which he suffered a concussion. Mysteriously, he returned a few weeks later and threw one pass against Michigan State.
Turnovers not a concern: Graduate transfer quarterback Jake Rudock beat out Morris for the job this season, and Harbaugh has shown no indication that anyone is pushing him.
One of the reasons U-M wanted Rudock was because of his lack of turnovers at Iowa, yet Rudock now has committed five in two games with the Wolverines.
Harbaugh dismissed the three interceptions in the opener because of issues with the routes by freshman receiver Grant Perry. And though Rudock's fumble and interception against Oregon State were self-inflicted, Harbaugh is not worried.
"It's a critical part of the game; we're improving on it," Harbaugh said. "I don't think he's lost the tight grip of his mind in any way. He's making good decisions. ... Went thoroughly through what we thought the issue was a week ago, and we're improving on it."
but I think we get to 8 wins. I actually think we will do very well next year. Other then LBs, we return virtually everyone and experience does count for a lot in CFB. I actually 2017 will be a year where we will be very young across the board since most starters will really be RS Fr or Soph across almost all positions, especially on defense.
