Florida, Michigan won't reveal starting QBs as McElwain-Harbaugh verbal battle continues
Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh and Florida’s Jim McElwain continue to exchange verbal jabs through the media ahead of Saturday’s game between the Wolverines and Gators.
Harbaugh is extremely protective of everything involving his program, so much so that he hasn’t even released an updated 2017 roster for the Wolverines just days before the season begins. McElwain has certainly noticed.
“We haven’t gone into Michigan true prep at all,” the Gators coach said last week. “When you guys get their roster, let me know. Maybe I can figure out who we’re playing.”
Harbaugh tweeted that Aug. 30 would be the day Michigan’s updated roster is revealed to the world. These guys definitely won’t be on it:
Just got the UM-Florida notes. Here's a roster!!!!!! Lol lol pic.twitter.com/PFjVLvyJLX
— angelique (@chengelis) August 28, 2017
While Florida has long had a 2017 roster available on its website (Michigan’s roster hasn’t been updated since Aug. 2016), McElwain has been coy about who will start at quarterback. The Gators brought in Notre Dame transfer Malik Zaire to compete with senior Luke Del Rio and redshirt freshman Feleipe Franks. McElwain had no update to the quarterback question on Monday and doesn’t plan to show his hand.
McElwain insisted last week he wasn’t playing “mind games” or being deceptive with Michigan when it comes to his quarterback. He said all three continued to compete, though Monday he did say he “has a plan” before taking another shot at Harbaugh.
Mac dodges more QB questions: "We have a plan. The opponent has nothing to do with it." #Gators
— Nick de la Torre (@NickdelaTorreGC) August 28, 2017
Mac on Harbaugh: "He obviously felt he needed to do some things to be relevant and that's his choice. I probably wouldn't have done it."
— Nick de la Torre (@NickdelaTorreGC) August 28, 2017
Back in Ann Arbor, Harbaugh — who wore cleats to his press conference for some reason — said he does know who will lead the offense Saturday in Arlington, but he won’t make it public.
Florida hasn’t revealed its quarterback, so why would Harbaugh?
Harbaugh:" Have not heard who Florida has announced as starting qb. would love that information. We are not announcing our starting qb"
— angelique (@chengelis) August 28, 2017
Junior Wilton Speight was the starter for Michigan last year, but Harbaugh declared the position open to competition at Big Ten Media Days with fifth-year senior John O’Korn also in the mix.
Only five more days until game day…
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Sam Cooper is a writer for the Yahoo Sports blogs. Have a tip? Email him or follow him on Twitter!
