Jim Harbaugh gets it.
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Under the tutelage of Brady Hoke, the Michigan Wolverines routinely "burned" potential redshirts with little to no justification. That was a cause of vitriol from some diehard fans of the program, but under Harbaugh, that appears to be changing.
Backup quarterback Shane Morris, who is in the midst of his "true" junior season, did not come out with the second-team offense in the final moments against Oregon State, but while some speculated that he had been passed on the depth chart by Wilton Speight, a redshirt possibility was the reason. Nick Baumgardner of MLive.com brings word from Harbaugh directly:
"Shane's the No. 2 quarterback. There was a kneel down situation at the end, and I'm not going to play Shane in that position because he's in his junior year and he's had two years where he's played two years. That's the reason."
Morris, who was beaten out by Jake Rudock in training camp, was seen by some as the next starting quarterback at Michigan, and this leaves the door open for that. While Harbaugh will undoubtedly take a long look at the trio of young quarterbacks (Alex Malzone and Zach Gentry, in addition to Speight) already in the program and incoming freshman Brandon Peters, Morris will have the experience edge and if he doesn't have to play this season, the left-hander will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Assuming Morris will earn a redshirt is quite aggressive at this point, as anything could happen to Rudock ranging from injury to ineffectiveness. Still, this is smart roster use from Harbaugh and that is a breath of fresh air.
