John O’Korn’s golden opportunity will decide fate of Michigan’s season

With Jim Harbaugh declaring Wilton Speight out multiple weeks due to injury, John O’Korn may be the starting quarterback the rest of the season.

This is a golden opportunity for O’Korn to showcase his skills to Michigan fans, opposing teams, and NFL scouts. The senior quarterback transferred from Houston to Michigan in hopes of being the starter, and while it took an injury for it to occur, the decision may finally reap big rewards. That all depends on how he plays.

Michigan is currently ranked No. 7 in the country, their defense looks to be the most dangerous in college football, one that could win a National Championship. What would make Michigan dangerous all around is having their quarterback play at a high level. A quarterback that doesn’t just manage games, but finishes them.

Any team could use a quarterback that has a killer instinct, who doesn’t let up when there’s a lead, and when behind punches back with force like a great boxer that’s backed into the corner. Can O’Korn be that type of quarterback for Michigan?

O’Korn passed his first test with flying colors, coming from behind on the road against Purdue, defeating both a hostile crowd and a Purdue pass-rush that was fierce. Simply put, he looked like a gamer, a guy who relishes a challenge and doesn’t fold under pressure.

Now it’s another huge test, against Michigan State. Rivalry games can be strange, the unpredictable seems to unfold. It’s a night game at the Big House, the crowd should be electric. This is O’Korn’s big introduction to the Wolverines faithful, as starting quarterback John O’Korn. A big game will pay sizable dividends for the fans trust in him, and also his teammates. O’Korn has already shown fire in his demeanor, and now he can go out on Saturday and channel it to become the undisputed leader of Michigan’s offense on the field, sideline, and in the locker room.

Wilton Speight being out is terrible news, but the loss could have been a much heavier blow if the Wolverines didn’t have a veteran backup that knows Harbaugh’s offense well. Each day in life is unpredictable, the same can be said about each week of football. A difficult schedule is ahead of Michigan, easy games in the Big Ten are hard to come by, and now the fate of Michigan’s season hinges on the production of O’Korn.

Football is a team game, but no position determines wins and losses more than the quarterback. Especially if you have a great quarterback, the whole spectrum changes for a team. Michigan’s defense is great, and if O’Korn can become great, the sky is the limit for this Michigan football team.