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Spartans not worried by O'Korn at quarterback for the Wolverines

October 5, 2017
The MSU football team takes the field during the game against Notre Dame on Sept. 23, 2017 at Spartan Stadium. The Spartans fell to the Fighting Irish, 38-18.
The MSU football team takes the field during the game against Notre Dame on Sept. 23, 2017 at Spartan Stadium. The Spartans fell to the Fighting Irish, 38-18. —
Photo by Carly Geraci | The State News

It’s unusual for Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh to discuss injuries.

In fact, Harbaugh was so secretive about his roster last season that he didn’t release a depth chart prior to the Wolverines’ contest against MSU last year. 



But on Monday, during his weekly press conference, Harbaugh announced that starting quarterback Wilton Speight would miss several weeks due to an injury he suffered last Saturday in the Wolverines’ 28-10 win Purdue. 

While the details of the injury haven’t been made public, Harbaugh, an alumni of U-M, said fifth-year senior QB John O’Korn will get the start this weekend as the undefeated No. 7 Wolverines take on MSU Saturday night in Ann Arbor.

“(O’Korn is) a good quarterback,” sophomore linebacker Joe Bachie said. “Coach Harbaugh does a great job with quarterbacks, so we’ll see what happens. I don’t know a ton on him, but our DBs, I’m sure, have watched a ton on him.”

Although the Spartans have little tape on O’Korn, the preparation remains unchanged. 

“It’s the same thing,” senior linebacker Chris Frey said. “I’m not worried about who their quarterback is. I’m worrying about the guys that are going to line up on our side of the ball, the guys on our defense that are going to make plays, the guys on our defense that are going to push their offensive line, guys that are going to make plays on their side of the ball. 

“It’s not about them, it’s about us. If we line up, win our 1-on-1 battles every single play, take one play at a time, we’re going to win this game.”

O’Korn spent two years with Houston before transferring to Michigan after losing his starting spot. With Houston, O’Korn was 349 of 619 for 4,068 yards with 34 touchdowns and 18 interceptions.

In his two years at Michigan, the Florida native has made brief appearances in 11 games, including three this season, and has thrown for 480 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

“We don’t really know much on O’Korn, but we’re going to attack and we’re going to try to get after him just like we would with Wilton Speight out there,” Bachie said. “And defensively, if we control the line of scrimmage and get pressure on the quarterback, that’s going to be a huge key for us.”

After replacing Speight in the first quarter on Saturday, O’Korn completed 18 of 26 passes for 270 yards while throwing a touchdown and an interception.

“I don't know if that changes who they are offensively or what they are going to call. I think they are sort of similar in a lot of ways,” Dantonio said. “But you go back and look at things and try and dissect to see. But I didn't see their offense really change. He has experience. I think he's been in the system long enough that he probably is well versed in everything that they do, and he's operated very successfully.”

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