Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Jim Harbaugh waltzed into Ann Arbor promising bold changes for a once mighty football program. With summer practices under two months away, the time has arrived for Harbaugh to announce once and for all if coveted quarterback recruit Zach Gentry will compete for the starting job or be redshirted. For the long-term success of the program, redshirting Gentry would be a mistake for Michigan football.
The first major bold change to occur at Michigan under the new Harbaugh regime was flipping the highly regarded quarterback prospect from Texas to the Wolverines back in January.
Gentry has all the skills and attributes to become dynamic quarterback for the Wolverines as his college career progress. A product of Eldorado High School in Albuquerque, N.M., gentry is one of the most sought-after prospects in the history of the state. He was ranked 105th among class of 2015 prospects and fourth among pro style quarterbacks in the country.
Gentry has all the physical tools needed to emerge as the quarterback of the future to build Michigan back into a national power in a short period of time. At 6-foot-7 and 230 pounds, he is an imposing specimen armed with uncanny arm strength. He tossed for 3600 yards and 26 touchdown passes throughout his high school career — so clearly his physical attributes have already translated into past success as a passer.
Without even having started one game as a college quarterback, Gentry is already considered a candidate for the NFL Draft a few years down the line.
At the present moment, junior Shane Morris is considered the favorite to be appointed the starter under center for the season opener. Other quarterbacks with an outside chance of being named the starting quarterback include sophomore Wilton Speight and freshman Alex Malzone. Gentry will still be given a chance to compete for the starting spot as Harbaugh has indicated his commitment to an open competition.
Currently, there is a solid chance that Gentry may be redshirted for his freshman season. Though that may seem the likely option for him at this point, such a decision is not in the best interest of the program long-term.
Since Harbaugh entered Michigan, he has promised a bold new direction for the football program — and remaining committed to giving his most cherished recruit playing time throughout the season is one of the ways he can live up to his promises.
Though it is a smarter idea to remain committed to Morris as the starting quarterback, Michigan should nonetheless be prepared to give Gentry a shot as the backup to Morris. The only way for Gentry to gain the experience he will need whenever he is prepared to take the reins as the Michigan starter.
He could very likely end up becoming the starting quarterback by the end of the season, so giving him considerable reps during practice would only benefit him going forward. It would also be wise for Harbaugh and the rest of the coaching staff to strongly consider giving Gentry playing the time, especially if Morris struggles and at the end of blowout games.
Michigan has a very special quarterback in Zach Gentry – one with the potential to return Michigan to Big 10 glory.
Dan is a Big 10 Football Beat Writer for RantSports. You can follow him on Twitter @danescalona77.
