ORLANDO, FL — The month between games and the 15 extra practices that a bowl game provides are the perfect opportunity for a team to develop the future of its program, while still focusing on the task at hand.
While U-M's goal is to beat Alabama in the Citrus Bowl to kick off the New Year, there's other goals in mind for a guy like redshirt freshman quarterback Joe Milton.
"Most definitely," he said Monday, when asked if his goal is to be the starting quarterback next season. "Everybody's goal is to be the starter, but my goal is just to keep working and getting better."
With senior signal-caller Shea Patterson graduating, it seems as if the competition will be primarily between Milton and redshirt sophomore Dylan McCaffrey for the starting job in 2020. That competition, Milton told reporters in Orlando, has already begun.
"In the beginning of the bowl practice, [the coaches] said it doesn’t start in the spring," Milton said. "It starts now. At the end of the day, it’s been started for me. So, just keep working.
"It's been going great, man. We're all getting better, and that's the goal, to get all of us better at the same time."
Milton has been working in preparation for the opportunity ever since he stepped foot on campus.
"It’s not just because he’s [Patterson] leaving," Milton said. "Ever since he stepped on campus, we’ve all just been working. Now that I know that he’s leaving, it’s all work still."
Milton has gotten some limited playing time in his first two years, usually when U-M is in a lopsided game, one way or the other. He played in four games during his redshirt year, and saw snaps this year against Middle Tennessee State, Wisconsin, Rutgers and Notre Dame. He threw for his first touchdown and ran for his first score in mop-up duty against Rutgers. For the most part, he's had to remain patient, playing behind Patterson (and McCaffrey, when healthy) both seasons.
"It’s a very difficult challenge," Milton said. "Just watching others play, that’s not what I’m used to. At the end of the day, you gotta what you gotta do. I learned a lot from Shea, and I’m still learning from him. I just take his game and my game and put it together."
He's dealt with the challenge of waiting patiently for his moments, leaning on his faith.
"God," Milton said of how he's staying the course. "I haven’t looked nowhere else. I’ve always been myself, remained humble and just true to God."
Many quarterbacks around college football have utilized the transfer portal if they don't become the starter at their school. This includes three of the four quarterbacks in this year's College Football Playoff. However, that's not a path that Milton has considered.
Milton was asked Monday morning if he ever considered leaving U-M. He shot that notion down quickly.
"Nope," Milton said. "Go Blue, man. Nothing has been in my mind to go somewhere else. Just being patient and humble. It's going to come one day."
It's well documented that Milton has a huge arm. He's said on record before that he can throw a ball 85 yards. Learning how to throw a softer, more catchable ball has been something that he's worked to improve on this season.
"I’d say touch," Milton said, after being asked what part of his game has improved the most. "Not throwing the ball too hard at people. Just basically put it over top, so people can go get it, instead of just throwing it while people are like running full speed."
He's developing his game on the practice field. Off the field, he's making sure he's ready to be the leader the Wolverines need, when he does get the chance to be the man behind center. He has the mindset of taking the necessary steps to be ready when called on.
"I’ve been taking that step [into a leadership role] since my freshman year," Milton said. "I’ve just been watching others, and trying to develop what they’re doing. I took a lot of leadership classes this summer and last semester. Just basically trying to find out what bad leaders do, so I don’t have to adjust to that, and basically just try to improve on things that I need to work on as a leader.
"When I was younger, I never was outspoken. When I want to say something, I never spoke. Now that I’m who I am now, taking those leadership classes and being the role that I’m in now, I speak when I want to speak. And, I speak when it’s the right time to speak.
"Sometimes, at practice, when guys are running their mouth or doing this or that, their head is down, I say just to keep their head up, saying ‘Do your thing. Don’t worry about nothing. When coaches say something, it’s not bad. It’s not to you. They’re trying to help you.’ I just tell my teammates, ‘Come on, man. You’re good. Don’t worry about it. Keep doing you.’"
He's shown his positive outlook and mindset, regardless of how much run he's getting on the field, and would continue to do so, whether or not he is U-M's starter next year.
"At the end of the day, I’m going to keep working if I’m the starter, if I’m not the starter," Milton said. "So, at the end of the day, if I find out I’m not, it is what it is. I’m gonna keep working."
In addition to everything he's done to prepare for his shot at U-M as a quarterback and a leader, his very decision to come to U-M out of high school was even based, in part, on his future in football, beyond his time in the Maize and Blue.
"The snow," Milton responded, after being asked what drove him to U-M. "I want to get used to it now, instead of going to the NFL and having to wait and have to adjust then. I’d rather get used to it now, than later."
The old adage of, "Stay ready so you don't have to get ready," is one that Milton seems to live by.
Notes
• Milton is back home in Florida this week for the Citrus Bowl. He said he has about 40 family members that will attend the game.
"It feels great [to be back]," Milton said. "The weather, the humidity, things like that. It just feels great, man."
• U-M spent time at an amusement park this morning with underprivileged kids. Being a local kid, that was especially a great experience for Milton.
"An event like this, it does a lot for me," he said. "It helps me give back to the people that are in need, or people that want to be around people like us. I’m from around this area, so knowing some of the kids that are here, it’s very exciting for me."
---
• Talk about this article inside The Fort
• Watch our videos and subscribe to our YouTube channel
• Listen and subscribe to our podcast on iTunes
• Learn more about our print and digital publication, The Wolverine
• Sign up for our newsletter, The Wolverine Now
• Follow us on Twitter: @TheWolverineMag, @Balas_Wolverine, @EJHolland_TW, @AustinFox42, @JB_ Wolverine, Clayton Sayfie and @DrewCHallett
• Like us on Facebook
