The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
8 — Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Speight’s task has not been a 

simple one. His first meaningful 
passes as a college quarterback 
were game-deciding ones. Morris, 
the man many assumed to be 
Michigan’s backup quarterback, 
remained 
on 

the 
sideline 

after Rudock’s 
injury, 
his 

redshirt 
preserved 
according 
to 

plan.

Even 

Harbaugh, 
known 
as 

“Captain 
Comeback” 
during 
his 
NFL 

playing career, was not sure 
Monday if he had ever been put 
in the situation of leading his 
team to victory after he came 
off the bench. After a moment 
of consideration, the former 
quarterback acknowledged that 
he had experienced success in 
the department.

“Well … I’ve had some good 

ones, 
I 
guess,” 
Harbaugh 

deadpanned.

After Speight came through 

with his own comeback, his 
teammates 
showed 
their 

appreciation. They appeared to 
be personally proud of Speight. 
Some of them affectionately call 
him “Wilt the Stilt” as a play on 

his first name.

Fifth-

year 
senior 

Desmond 
Morgan sought 
out Speight for 
a 
postgame 

hug. 
Morris 

lauded Speight 
on Twitter. At 
the end of their 
joint postgame 

press conference Saturday night, 
redshirt freshman safety Jabrill 
Peppers smiled and yelled, “Wilt 
the Stilt, baby!” toward Speight. 
Redshirt junior wide receiver 
Jehu Chesson, the recipient of 
the game-winning pass, made it 
a point to commend Speight for 
his efforts Monday.

The 
recognition 
was 
his 

reward 
for 
commanding 

Michigan’s huddle, one filled 
with older players, with poise.

“He’s 
respected,” 
said 

redshirt 
junior 
offensive 

lineman 
Erik 
Magnuson. 

“We don’t have any doubts on 
our backup players, backup 
quarterbacks. So when he came 
in there, it wasn’t like, ‘Oh no, 
we’ve got to step our game up 
because we’ve got Wilton in.’ It 
was just like, ‘Let’s get going. 
Let’s do what we’ve got to do.’ ”

The 
possibility 
remains 

that Speight could get another 
chance 
Saturday 
against 

Rutgers. Rudock’s status is still 
in doubt. Harbaugh said the plan 
was to see how much Rudock 
could participate in practice 
Monday, but the starter would be 
determined by who would give 
the team the best chance to win. 
If Rudock is healthy, that will 
likely be him.

But at the very least, Speight 

will always have Saturday night, 
when he came off the bench as 
an unknown to deliver his team 
a trophy. He is an afterthought 
no more.

SPEIGHT
From Page 7

“We don’t have 
any doubts on 

our backup 

players.”

