Shane Morris Leads Michigan's Quarterback Competition, Welcomes More Challengers
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
ANN ARBOR - Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh liked what he saw Saturday from junior quarterback Shane Morris, who led his team to a 7-0 victory in an offensively challenged spring game.
"I thought Shane played well, played with real good courage in the pocket, thought he stood in there and made some good throws," Harbaugh said. "Shane had the one interception, but that was off of a throw that really was on target, should have been caught ... so I was pleased with the way he played. I think he'll come out of this feeling good about the way he played, and it'll build some good confidence."
As the quarterback for the Blue team, Morris completed 11-of-24 attempts for 135 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Freshman Alex Malzone, who led the Maize team, completed 15-of-27 attempts for 95 yards and two interceptions. Malzone was sacked three times, and Morris went down twice.
With months still to go before the season, Harbaugh said the quarterback competition is far from over, but that Morris leads it now.
"If I looked at it overall through spring ball, Shane would be ahead," Harbaugh said. "The competition will rage on, though, starting tomorrow, into April and into May and certainly into June and July and August."
Morris knows he has plenty of challengers for the job, but he believes the lack of any guarantees will make him and everyone else better.
"Competition at any position prevents someone from being lackadaisical, falling behind, and especially at the quarterback position," Morris said. "If you're in a quarterback position and you know there's no one behind you, you're going to get comfortable, you're going to start messing up on things and think it's not a big deal, but with me, I've got guys behind me pushing me.
"We have eight quarterbacks in spring ball right now, and they're all pushing me," Morris continued. "If I mess up one rep, if I open the wrong way on a step, I know I can get passed up."
The competition will only intensify in the fall, with former Iowa starter Jake Rudock joining the fray as a graduate transfer. Four-star recruit Zach Gentry and former Houston starter John O'Korn -- who will not be eligible to play until 2016 -- are also on the way.
If Morris is daunted by the steadily growing number of competitors for the starting job, he will not admit it.
"You can bring in 100 quarterbacks," Morris said. "It's not going to matter to me."
Morris said he has progressed most this offseason in the pocket, making smaller movements, keeping his eyes down the field and not worrying about the rush. Morris has also worked on developing a deeper understanding of the game through extensive film study.
"When I'm watching film I'm not just watching it -- I know what to look for," Morris said. "I'm spending a lot of time in the film room, by myself or with coaches, just studying the game of football, studying the plays, watching a lot of NFL cut-ups. That's really big for me right now, just watching NFL quarterbacks and how they do it. We have a lot of similar plays, so just watching how they read it out and how they do it.
"I watch a lot of Tom Brady, obviously, but a big one for me is Matt Hasselbeck," Morris added. "I watch a lot of him because I didn't really grow up with him playing, but I look back at [it]. A lot of stuff that we do on offense kind of simulates what he did. I like watching him. He's a great quarterback. He throws from all angles, and he's very good."
The main competition for Morris at the moment is Malzone, and the older quarterback had nothing but praise for the freshman.
"I'm really proud of Alex," Morris said. "He's supposed to be in high school right now. He hasn't even gone to prom yet. We always make a joke with him, 'Close the yearbook,' and he always says, 'I haven't got a yearbook yet.' I'm really proud of him and how he's come along. He's done really well this spring for coming in [as an] early enrollee freshman."
For Malzone, the spring game was mostly about experience, Harbaugh noted.
"Anything's good for him," Harbaugh said. "He's so young. He should be in high school right now and he's out there competing, 11-on-11 football in a game environment, situation. That is valuable, valuable type of experience. He did good things -- managed the game, controlled the huddle, made some plays, and some great experience for him.
"Anything he gets right now, and to play in an entire, full spring game, as a true freshman, that's money in the bank," Harbaugh added. "It's a place to go from, to improve from. It's a start for him. I'm pleased with his effort and the way he acquitted himself well."
While Morris might get a nod over Malzone because of the difference in age and experience, some wonder whether he will measure up against Rudock and others.
Nationally, most college football fans would only know Morris because he suffered a controversy-igniting concussion against Minnesota last year. That incident was one of several in a difficult 2014 season that included the resignation of former athletic director Dave Brandon and concluded with the firing of former head coach Brady Hoke.
Needless to say, Morris wants to leave the concussion and its fallout far behind him.
"I just really try to forget about that," Morris said. "It's in the past. It's not really a big part of my life, and I don't want it to be.
"I came here to be a starting quarterback, I came here to be a successful starting quarterback at the University of Michigan," Morris added, "and that's what I plan on doing."
