4B — November 7, 2016
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SportsMonday

The news only worsened for 

Maryland in the second quarter, 
when Hills went down on the first 
play and did not return. Caleb 
Rowe replaced him under center, 
and whatever momentum the 
Terrapins had disappeared.

Most of the second half was 

merely a formality. The stands 
cleared out, and the clock ran 
quickly. Early in the fourth 
quarter, Rowe moved Maryland 
into Michigan territory with a 
39-yard pass. Moments later, the 
Terrapins managed their only 
points on a 37-yard field goal.

When it went through the 

uprights, 
the 
fans 
remaining 

at 
Michigan 
Stadium 
let 

out a smattering of boos in 
disappointment. 
They, 
like 

Harbaugh and Durkin on Saturday 
and like the two coaches on the 
famed basketball court years ago, 
were unhappy to yield anything.

MICHIGAN
From Page 1B
Speight puts on a show in Wolverines’ rout

Wilton Speight didn’t know 

his coach would casually toss 
his name into Heisman Trophy 
discussion 
Saturday 
night. 

It wasn’t long ago that Jim 
Harbaugh wouldn’t even publicly 
declare Speight the starter.

But after Speight completed 

19 of 24 passes for 362 yards 
and two touchdowns in No. 3 
Michigan’s 59-3 dismantling of 
Maryland, Harbaugh wasn’t shy 
about touting a second player’s 
campaign for college football’s 
highest honor.

“The way he’s been playing 

all season,” Harbaugh said, “it’s 
time to throw his hat into the 
ring.”

Harbaugh went as far as to say 

Speight’s first half — in which he 

racked up 292 of those yards on 
13-of-16 passing — was the best 
half of football he’s ever seen 
from a Michigan quarterback.

Speight 
was, 
indeed, 

exceptional. He made few — 
if any — mistakes, he made a 
handful of spectacular plays, 
and he did so while pushing 
Michigan’s offense to a new level 
of effectiveness.

On the Wolverines’ second 

drive of the game, Speight 
handed off to Jabrill Peppers, 
who ran right, then threw back 
to Speight. Speight waited a 
moment with the ball, and even 
while a Maryland defender 
barreled toward him, he stood 
in and delivered a 40-yard strike 
to fifth-year senior receiver 
Jehu Chesson.

Speight’s presence was one 

of the themes of the game. He 

evaded tacklers, stepping slightly 
inside or outside to keep plays 
alive, and did so without being 
especially fast. With 42 seconds 
left in the half, Speight stepped 
ahead of what looked destined 
to be a sack, then reset and found 
Chesson all alone in the back of 
the end zone.

Michigan’s 
redshirt 

sophomore 
quarterback 
is 

frequently compared to Ben 
Roethlisberger of the NFL’s 
Pittsburgh 
Steelers, 
and 
on 

Saturday, he looked the part.

“I watch a lot of Big Ben film 

and I see how he anticipates 
it, which is to wiggle there, a 
wiggle here, then gets his eyes 
right back to downfield to fire a 
touchdown,” Speight said.

Asked why he was so effective 

at 
eluding 
tackles, 
Speight 

credited his ability to running a 

spread offense in high school. He 
had to scramble, and now, he’s 
seeing the benefits while playing 
in a pro-style offense.

At a self-declared 6-foot-6, 

245 lbs., Speight’s size plays a 
role in his elusiveness, too. (“I 
can’t imagine that’s that easy 
to bring down,” he said.) He 
has demonstrated an ability to 
shake off tacklers, and in some 
sense, he can empathize with 
those who are tasked with 
pressuring him.

But perhaps the most telling 

difference is Speight’s patience. 
Early in the season, he had a 
propensity to force throws when 
under duress. Often, they worked 
out anyway. Lately, though, he 
says he has felt a shift in the feel 
of the game.

“I feel like everything is 

slowing down,” Speight said. “I 

feel like I’m becoming a better 
leader throughout the game in 
the huddle, and stepping into 
situations that I need to and 
letting them ride out when I 
need to.”

That was evident on Saturday. 

Speight reset and refocused 
while under pressure, and rarely 
were any of his throws off target.

But even though he likely 

played the best game of his 
career, Speight wasn’t about to 
proclaim himself a Heisman 
contender like his coach did.

“I don’t want it to take away 

from anything Jabrill’s done,” 
Speight said. “That was a 
cool compliment that he gave 
me, but Jabrill deserves to be 
there in New York. Whatever 
happens with the rest of my 
season, statistics wise, we’ll let 
it ride out.”

MAX BULTMAN

Managing Sports Editor

