Trieu: UM QB commit Brandon Peters off to dazzling start
A national audience on ESPN got to see what Avon (Ind.) High coaches, players and fans have known about quarterback Brandon Peters for a few years now.
Facing Brownsburg and their nationally-ranked junior quarterback Hunter Johnson two weeks back, Peters, a Michigan commit, passed for 340 yards and six touchdowns while completing 19-of-25 attempts. Through five games of his senior season, stat lines such as that are becoming the norm for Peters. He has completed 63 percent of his passes while amassing 1,351 yards and 19 touchdowns to only two interceptions (both in one game).
"He is so much more in command of our offense," Orioles head coach Mark Bless said. "He is handling things well. We run RPO, run-pass option, and it's basically his read on an inside or outside linebacker, and he is handling everything very well with that. He takes care of the ball. He's always been good at taking care of the ball and not being reckless, but he's been excellent with his game management."
With a senior like Peters, who has the physical tools and the head on his shoulders to be entrusted with more responsibility, Bless and his staff gave that challenge to him this offseason.
"It started this winter when he finished basketball season and it gave us time to sit down and help him with the next step as far as progressions, reads and coverages," Bless said. "That's what we were looking to do and he welcomed more responsibility."
Peters' outstanding play has moved him up quickly up the national rankings and established him as one of the nation's top quarterback prospects. That play would warrant schools attempting to flip him away from Michigan, but that has not even been up for consideration, according to Bless.
"He is very firm and fully committed to Michigan," Bless said. "He doesn't reach out to anyone and doesn't field any interest from other schools."
Michigan's current starter, Jake Rudock, is a senior, and while the Wolverines have several younger quarterbacks behind him as options, Peters should have an opportunity, as an early enrollee, to put himself in the race.
Regardless of what happens his first year in Ann Arbor, his success against good competition at Avon this year should be enough to have Wolverine fans excited for what he can be down the line.
"He's a competitor," Bless says. "His personality is pretty reserved, but he's a highly competitive guy. In our big games, he shines and he embraces the competition. I think that's the biggest thing that should be noticed. Come game time, he's always ready."
Visitors for BYU
Michigan will host several prospects this weekend when the Wolverines take on BYU. In-state junior tight ends Bryce Wolma (Saline) and Keegan Cossou (Greenville) will join massive Muskegon sophomore offensive tackle Antwan Reed (6-7, 275 pounds) and Fort Wayne (Ind.) Snider wide receiver Mac Hippenhammer at The Big House.
Sunshine state back offered
Clearwater (Fla.) junior running back Adarius Lemons was offered by Michigan on Tuesday. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Lemons already had offers from Florida, Louisville, West Virginia, the three schools he said were his leaders. North Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana and USF are his other offers.
More information
Allen Trieu began covering the state of Michigan for Scout.com in 2005 and began managing the entire Midwest in 2009. He has been featured on the Big Ten Network on its annual Signing Day Show. His Michigan and Michigan State recruiting columns appear weekly at detroitnews.com.