Harbaugh Expects 'Very Good Competition' From Rudock
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - With spring practices complete, Shane Morris still leads the quarterback competition at Michigan, head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed Thursday on a Big Ten teleconference.
Morris will have another challenger for that job soon, however. Harbaugh said he looks forward to the competition continuing with the addition of graduate transfer Jake Rudock, who started the last two years at Iowa.
"[I] expect [him] to be very good competition," Harbaugh said. "An experienced player who is hungry to compete. I think it'll be good for him. First of all, it's really good for him academically. I think it's very good for him athletically in terms of the opportunity to compete for a role, whether that be a starting role - I know that's where his goals are aligned, and I'm excited to watch it go down."
The coach acknowledged it was important to bring in another quarterback to compete for the job, though he would not assign a level of importance.
"It's good for our program," Harbaugh said. "I don't have a percentage or measure of it, how much."
Harbaugh said he did not personally have contact with the University of Iowa before deciding to sign Rudock, but the University of Michigan did. Harbaugh also said Rudock did not convey to him that he felt he did not have an opportunity to compete to start for Iowa in the upcoming season.
As for what drew Harbaugh to believe Rudock could help Michigan, the coach revealed little.
"Same things that I think all of us saw," Harbaugh said.
Last season, Rudock started 12 games and completed 213 passes for 2,436 yards. He threw 16 touchdowns and five interceptions.
