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Everybody comes back at Homecoming. It’s a time for remembering what was, cherishing old friendships, reminiscing over great teams and stirring championships.

This time around, the past took a back seat to the present and the future. This time around, the old bowed to the new.

A kid quarterback stepped up and struck down Michigan’s offensive malaise. The too-quiet one — redshirt freshman Brandon Peters — delivered an effort that shouted: I’M HERE! I’M READY! LET’S ROLL!

And roll Michigan did. They lanced Rutgers’ Scarlet Knights like a boil, 35-14, just like they’re supposed to do.

Let’s not get too carried away here. This wasn’t Alabama, or Penn State, or even Michigan State. This was Rutgers, which despite a couple of Big Ten wins and some head-turning individual talent, remains the Big Ten team you want to play to get healthy.

They’d heal lepers if they rolled into Piscataway on a long road trip. Only that’s not how it was playing out at Michigan Stadium.

Instead, the locals were experiencing more than a little queasiness. Through 27 minutes, Michigan and Rutgers were deadlocked at 7-7. The Wolverines’ offense sputtered its way to no better than a standoff against a crew that reminds precisely nobody of the ’85 Chicago Bears.

It looked like what the Wolverines experienced far too often over the first seven games of the season — a drive-killing turnover, a backwards play that scarce downfield threats can’t counter.

High spirits turned to angst, and murmurs, and a certain highly agitated disbelief.

Rutgers? Rutgers?

Peters stepped in, and the game changed in an instant. He helped the Wolverines into the end zone twice in the final three minutes of the first half and four times overall. He completed throw after throw, connecting on 10 of his 14 tosses (71.4 percent).

It wasn’t some gaudy passing total that left the crowd of 111,213 buzzing as much as it did seven months earlier after Peters looked like the best of the bunch in Michigan’s spring game. Peters managed 124 yards passing with one touchdown toss, on a day when his backs piled up a healthy 334 yards on the ground.

It was how Peters executed, regardless of numbers or competition. Everyone in the building saw him:

• Go 3 for 3 upon taking the field and lead U-M to a quick TD, demonstrating the touch on passes that caused Jim Harbaugh to label him a “natural” from his early days on campus.

• Feather a 20-yard TD toss to sophomore tailback Chris Evans, Michigan’s first touchdown pass in more than a month.

• Scramble out of trouble and appear certain to simply fire the ball safely out of bounds, only to keep composed and zip one in to a ready receiver.

• Demonstrate the ability to fire the fastball over the middle, balancing off the touch tosses.

In short, Peters helped Michigan do what it hadn’t done since September — pull away from an opponent.

“Every drive he was moving the team, with a touchdown drive on the two-minute drill,” Harbaugh enthused. “A 77-yard drive to start his first series in football. I would think that would be very good for his confidence and build on it. We’ll look to build on that.”

Harbaugh never doubted Peters’ prowess in delivering the football. It was all about a more laid-back, naturally quiet kid learning the huddle presence, command and sheer volume to become the high-decibel, take-charge field general Harbaugh once was, and still demands.

“I’ve definitely gotten a lot better at it,” Peters offered. “It’s something I’ve really focused on. It’s been my weakness ever since I’ve gotten to Michigan.”

The head coach sees some strength growing along the way.

“Probably late in training camp I thought, 'Wow, he’s a lot louder,'” Harbaugh said. “He’s really doing a job. That sounds good … that sounds real. He’s been good.

“We talked last week, him asking me where things were. We’re always looking at it as a process. For a good couple weeks now, we felt that he was ready, and it’s time — like a bird leaving the nest. Kids leaving the house and going off on their own. It’s time.”

Again, this wasn’t Penn State in a whiteout. This wasn’t Michigan State in a washout. But this was a very talented young quarterback taking a step Michigan desperately needed.

Not surprisingly, the next step comes next week, under the lights.

“Right now, I feel really good about the way he played and feel good about him now taking the next step in him being the starting quarterback, getting a great week of now knowing he’s the starting quarterback in practice,” Harbaugh said.

The boss isn’t the only one feeling good, or looking to the future. It’s time … with full focus forward.

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