Michigan's quarterback battle rages on when it comes to the 2016 season, but that hasn't stopped John O'Korn from receiving some national attention. Colin Becht of Sports Illustrated weighed in on "11 transfers who could make major impacts in 2016" earlier this week, and O'Korn cracked the list.
Here is what the writer had to say about the former Houston Cougars signal-caller:
Jim Harbaugh's first year at Michigan was a tremendous success with a transfer at quarterback, and he may turn to the same strategy again in 2016. With Iowa transfer Jake Rudock gone, Harbaugh must choose in a battle that looks likely to come down to O'Korn, a former Houston starter who sat out last season after transferring, and Wilton Speight, a junior who appeared in six games and attempted 25 passes last season. So far Harbaugh hasn't dropped any hints of who might be under center when the Wolverines open the season against Hawaii. O'Korn clearly has the edge in experience, as he was the AAC Rookie of the Year in 2013, when he threw for 3,117 yards with 28 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
It has been a long time since O'Korn was in the spotlight at all, as he was supplanted in terms of the starting job at Houston before transferring after the 2014 season. However, the 6-foot-4 quarterback is a much better athlete than his competition in Wilton Speight and, to a lesser extent, Shane Morris, and O'Korn's upside is significantly higher as a result.
Jim Harbaugh is a quarterback guru of the highest order, but with O'Korn, he will have limited time to build the head of his offense, with Speight and Morris both holding experience edges in terms of the Michigan program. There is a real scenario in which John O'Korn doesn't open the 2016 season as the starter at Michigan, but that won't stop the bright lights from shining on the one-time budding star.
