Given the offensive struggles through three weeks of the season, there were a growing number of fans and media calling for Michigan to make a change at quarterback. Unintentionally, that wish was granted Saturday afternoon.
In the first quarter of UM’s Big Ten opener against Purdue, Wilton Speight was sacked by Markus Bailey for an 11-yard loss on a third-and-five play. Speight left the game and, ultimately, the stadium entirely as he was taken to a local West Lafayette hospital for further evaluation.
At least for the moment, it appears doubtful he’ll return to the game.
Prior to the injury, Speight was 2-4 passing for 10 yards. His replacement, backup John O’Korn, is currently 5-5 for 61 yards. O’Korn has the game’s lone score as well, a 12-yard pass to Zach Gentry early in the second quarter.
Entering the game, Speight had led the Wolverines to just one touchdown on 10 drives into the red zone. That was O’Korn’s first red-zone trip of the season.
Through the first 19 minutes of game time, the two teams have combined for 154 yards of offense. The Boilermakers have been held to just a pair of first downs with 11 minutes left in the second quarter.
UPDATED 5:22 p.m. ET: Of course, almost as soon as I hit publish, the Boilermakers tied the score at seven-all.