With a flick of the wrist from 70 yards, Joe Milton hits receivers perfectly in stride.
His fastball has more velocity and a higher spin rate than that of Gerrit Cole. It is threatening to the limbs of his intended receivers, so he must let up from short range. He is a big, strong and physical runner.
He has a wonderful smile, which not only lights up the offensive meeting room, but defensive coordinator Don Brown’s office every time he walks in to pick his brain.
Milton is not just a quarterback, but Cam Newton 2.0.
None other than Urban Meyer said as much on FOX. It’s probably the only thing Michigan fans, and some of the media, were quick to agree on from their nemesis.
So, then, here comes Michigan’s first national title since 1997, and first Big Ten championship since 2004. Oh, and a Super Bowl appearance for the NFL franchise lucky enough to ultimately secure Milton’s skills...
I wish Milton well. Such sarcasm is meant to point out the ridiculousness of the heightened pressure being put on this young man.
It’s like Joe Milton is great-or-bust for Michigan football. It is hardly that simple.
Albeit perhaps unintentionally, but in reality, Milton is being set up as a scapegoat if the 2020 season doesn’t go well for Michigan -- and it’s not fair to him.
He has been put in this spot because of Jim Harbaugh’s puzzling five-year struggle to develop a QB. Highly-touted recruits Brandon Peters and Dylan McCaffrey left before they received genuine opportunity. Transfer John O’Korn badly regressed, and Shea Patterson, who followed, frustratingly plateaued.
Milton, entering his third year at Michigan, had been a bit of an afterthought. It’d been, “Don’t forget about Joe Milton. He has a cannon for an arm...”
Now he’s Cam Newton?
Milton will be thrown into a difficult situation immediately. Minnesota won 11 games last season. Wisconsin is the other crossover game, and Ohio State and Penn State loom. All are returning starting QBs, although Wisconsin’s Jack Coan is out indefinitely with a foot injury.
Michigan has a good roster, but this is not particularly a year the Wolverines are loaded after 10 players were selected in the NFL Draft.
Also, if Milton is really that good, why didn’t he see the field sooner? You know, like how Clemson’s Dabo Swinney wasn’t hesitant to replace Kelly Bryant with Trevor Lawrence, and how Alabama’s Nick Saban had no problem replacing Jalen Hurts with Tua Tagovailoa.
High expectations and Michigan QB's haven’t always blended well. Denard Robinson and Devin Gardner took way more blame than they deserved when the program’s issues were much deeper at the time.
Hopefully Milton will be given more of a fair shake.