Underdogs Michigan, Auburn play coy with injured QBs entering rivalry games

Gus Malzahn and Jim Harbaugh aren't sharing information on who will start

Who will start at quarterback for Michigan against Ohio State? Who will start at quarterback for Auburn in the Iron Bowl? Does it matter in either situation?

If there's any coaching advantage that can be gained by Gus Malzahn or Jim Harbaugh, both underdogs going into a huge rivalry Saturday across the country, then they are going to try and gain it through keeping the status of their starting quarterback under wraps as long as possible.

For Jim Harbaugh, that included trotting Wilton Speight out to warm up before starting John O'Korn against Indiana in Ann Arbor last week. Michigan's official report is that Speight's status is "day-to-day" with a shoulder issue, but the Detroit Free Press reported a much more serious injury (broken collarbone) that makes his appearance seem unlikely.

But to hear Harbaugh tell it, Ohio State should be getting ready to see Speight on the field on Saturday in Columbus.

"He's been better every day," Harbaugh told reporters, via MLive.com. "That's from my eye. He's gotten better every day. Now, again, to clarify: I'm not a doctor. I don't have a medical degree. I never took medical classes.

"But, to my eye, he's looked better."

On Tuesday after practice, wide receiver Amara Darboh said both Speight and O'Korn have been getting starter's reps.

"We're getting reps from both guys," Darboh said, via 247Sports. "Making sure we're on key, making sure the timing's right and everything. I think both guys agree very poised and both guys are great competitors. I think regardless of who it is, I think they're going to give it their all on Saturday."

At Auburn, the quarterback situation has been much more fluid through the season. Running back Kerryon Johnson and quarterback John Franklin III have been a frequent contributor to the offense as a dual-threat weapons, at times out of necessity. Malzahn is "hopeful" that starting quarterback Sean White will be healthy enough to play in the Iron Bowl, but if not the Tigers may turn to Jeremy Johnson for the second straight week.

"It's really about [White] being healthy enough to run the offense and really protect himself. It's really as simple as that," Malzahn said this week.

Auburn has one plan if White can play and another if he can't. Either way, it's going to be a tough task to pile up yards on Alabama like the Tigers did against Alabama A&M.