{mosimage} Who will run Rich Rod's spread if not Pryor?

With Terrelle Pryor bumping up his Michigan visit to Jan. 18th, it appears as if Rich Rodriguez is going all out to land the QB many feel will be the perfect fit for his spread-option offense.

But what if Pryor doesn't come? What if he heads to Columbus, or Oregon, or maybe even Penn State?

Well folks, that's when things would get really interesting.

Ryan Mallett was basically jettisoned from the program (mostly due to his own choice, however) and now UM is thin at QB. They only have two guys (David Cone and Steven Threet) on scholarship.

If Pryor doesn't come, Rodriguez will have to decide whether he wants to stick with his running offense at the expense of wins or to tweak it for Steven Threet or maybe David Cone.

Threet is a 4-star QB from the class of 2007 who went to Georgia Tech from Adrian, MI only to become homesick and transfer to UM. Threet is a decent athlete who can run a little bit when needed but is mostly a pocket passer at 6-foot-6. He has a quick release and some potential but to go from playing in a weak division in Michigan high school football to taking a year off to the Big Ten is going to be rough.

Rodriguez's other options would be to recruit a running QB or to move someone over on the current roster to play QB as a runner.

He has been talking with Alabama commit Star Jackson, who played in the U.S. Army game and would be a good fit, but most kids don't like to be the second choice of anyone so Jackson probably wouldn't want to come to UM at the last second. Jackson's QB coach Major Applewhite left for Texas to be the RB coach but it still probably won't be enough.

Then there's the option of moving someone. Running back Carlos Brown played QB some in high school and has a ton of speed, plus UM has had him practice at QB in the past for some designed plays. In that scenario, Rodriguez might opt to rotate Threet and Brown in at QB depending on the situation with Threet getting the majority of the snaps.

Other lesser prospects are also a possibility, but as it stands right now, UM fans had better hope Pryor is blown away by his visit because the Wolverines have put a ton of eggs in the Pryor basket and the alternatives don't look all that enticing, mainly because Rodriguez desperately wants a running QB and Threet won't fit the bill.

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Joemama said:

	Nick- How much does the "Basketball" card have to play in this? I know Pryor has talked to Coach Tressel and Coach Matta and they seem fine with Pryor being a two sport player,
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January 19, 2008
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itoffishul77 said:

	in his last interview pryor said basketball doesnt matter all that much at all on the radio, which is different from what we all heard in the beginning
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January 19, 2008
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Coach Tressell said:

	I was wondering this too, their a lot of QB's out their who can run are athletic enough to run the spread offense why throw all your eggs into 1 basket
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January 27, 2008
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itoffishul77 said:

	rich rod is after bj daniels a 4-star but he is worried about TP albeit interested. justin feagin as well a faster guy daniels is more of a thrower. feagin will hopefully come anyway but it's close. i wonder how all this will shake down since pryor announces on the 6th
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January 27, 2008
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duda said:

	if u dont go to michigan i am going to be so mad u willgoto the national championship if u play for um ps:i love u love ilove u
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February 18, 2008 | url
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duda said:

	i meaan it
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February 18, 2008 | url
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Willie f babi said:

	T.p micigan is the place for u ,U wiill evolve that program ,u along side muggifie and shaw will be amzeing,u have a cuz there and a talented greg mathews,Real talk osu gon get skined in game 2 vs usc and micgan can instantly evolve from zero to hero ,so cum on bi become a wolverine and go to the big house.lol
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February 19, 2008 | url
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