Fifth-year senior quarterback John O’Korn played his best game in a Michigan uniform on Saturday at Purdue, completing 18-of-26 passes for 270 yards and a touchdown.
Unfortunately, the only reason O’Korn was inserted into the game was due to redshirt junior Wilton Speight having to leave with injury.
“You never want to see that,” O’Korn said of Speight’s injury. “But I was ready when my number was called.
“[Redshirt freshman quarterback] Brandon Peters was also one play away the rest of the game. The coaches prepare all of us to play, and it’s a next-play mentality.”
It was obvious that O’Korn was well-prepared, despite this being his first extensive game action of the season.
“I’m comfortable with the whole offense,” he explained. “The coaches have done a great job of keeping me in tune with the game plan every week, and keeping me ready to play. It’s a cliché, but you’re always one play away.”
Despite having always been ready, O’Korn admitted the adrenaline was flowing pretty heavily when he finally got into the game.
“I kind of bit through my tongue a little bit,” he recalled. “I’ve got some canine teeth — even with the mouthpiece, I bit through my tongue. I’ll take a hit if gives us 15 yards and a first down, and helps us move the ball.
“All Coach Harbaugh said to me was, ‘lead the team. Lead the team, and do what you do.’”
Although Harbaugh has been known to work wonders with quarterbacks in the past, O’Korn explained that another coach on the staff also helped him tremendously.
“In camp, I talked about how comfortable I am with the offense, and what Pep Hamilton has done for me — you saw that today. They put me in situations to be successful and lead the team, and we came out of here with a big win.
“It was nice to see something that we stressed so much during the week [red zone] carry into the game. That’s really my only comment on that — we were 3-for-3 in the red zone, and the work we put in all week paid off.”
Though he had hardly played with any of the receivers or tight ends in an actual game setting, O’Korn looked comfortable throwing to all of them.
Sophomore tight end Sean McKeon and redshirt sophomore position-mate Zach Gentry stood out especially, hauling in 82 and 48 yards, respectively.
“We have so much depth at receiver and tight end, and across the board,” O’Korn said. “Wilton would tell you the same thing. We get reps with everybody. Even though he’s been the starter, we’ve gotten reps with all of them.
“Practice helps you build up that comfortability across the board.”
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