Wilton Speight Is Solid in First Michigan Start

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

foxsports

Wilton Speight earned the starting quarterback job for the Michigan football team and Saturday against Hawaii, he acquitted himself well.

When you are making the first start of your college career, you probably don’t want your first pass to end up as an interception. Yet, that’s exactly what happened to Michigan football‘s Wilton Speight Saturday against Hawaii.

But, when Jim Harbaugh believes in you, special things seem to happen. And even after the pick, the head coach’s confidence never wavered.

And in the end, he shouldn’t have, the Wolverines won the game 63-3.

“(After the interception) I was kind of rolling running to our sideline anyways and my momentum kind of carried me right into coach,” Speight said following the game. “And he just grabbed me and hugged me, and was kind of laughing. And was like “Don’t worry about this drive, don’t even sweat about that. And I was able to do that.”

“I knew he was going to be cool about it, but he was just really happy, and a big smile on his face, which gave me more confidence.”

Of course, the Michigan defense got the ball right back to Speight. And he showed why the head coach has faith in him, turning things around and tossing two first-quarter touchdowns.

Speight finished the game completing 10-of-13 for 135 yards. He had just the one interception and the Wolverines won the game going away. He also looked like he has grown a lot since last season or even last spring.

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All in all, you’d have to call Speight’s debut a success. He responded to adversity and showed the ability to get the ball to the likes of Jake Butt, Jehu Chesson and Amara Darboh.

Harbaugh said after the game that the competition at quarterback was close, but Speight, just gave him more reasons to believe he had won the job.

After the way he handled his first start against Hawaii, Harbaugh now has reason to believe Speight can keep it.