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Michigan's QB Race Still Wide Open - August 13th, 2008

By Jordan Walters
WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Sports Betting at WagerWeb Online Sportsbook

Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez is becoming the Jon Gruden of the NCAA, in that he considers the more quarterbacks he has to work with, the better.

Rich-Rod says the Wolverines’ QB race is still wide open, although it’s generally considered a two-man battle between redshirt freshman Steven Threet, a transfer from Georgia Tech, and redshirt sophomore Nick Sheridan, a former walk-on who was awarded a scholarship last week.

There’s also freshman Justin Feagin, who is considered behind while he recovers from a shoulder injury and has “ a long way to go mentally more than anything else,' according to the coach.

"My preference would be having three I could win with," Rodriguez said. "If I was a coach and I just had one quarterback I felt I could win with, I'd be really nervous."

Apparently Rich-Rod doesn’t want to stop at three. There are reports he could use running back Carlos Brown at times behind center. Brown wouldn’t touch that question … sort of.

"I'm a running back, so that's all I'll say," Brown said. "I was a quarterback in high school. I don't do it a lot. I just flash back there and feel comfortable when I'm back there."

Still, Threet is considered the frontrunner to open under center against Utah. He ran a version of the spread in high school in Adrian, Mich., and has the strongest arm of all the competitors.

“That (being the starting quarterback) is definitely what I’m working for,” said Threet, who has yet to throw a college pass. “That is what my goal is.”

Rodriguez said he has to continually remind himself that the quarterbacks are essentially rookies when it comes to handling the spread.

 

"I'm confident we're getting closer," Rodriguez said. "They're getting better. Those guys are pretty sharp mentally."

He reiterated that he has no problem playing multiple quarterbacks in a game.

"I hope it's a situation where we have confidence in both of them, and whoever is starting against Utah that we wouldn't hesitate to put the other guy in at times," Rodriguez said.

A situational scrimmage Friday and a more wide-open scrimmage Saturday should help clarify who is likely to start the Aug. 30 opener.

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