Name: Jayden Denegal
Height: 6’4″
Weight: 238 lbs.
High school: Apple Valley (CA) Apple Valley
Position: Quarterback
Class: Redshirt freshman
Jersey number: #14
Last year: I ranked Denegal #97 and said he would redshirt (LINK). He played in one game.
TTB Rating: 61
Denegal may have been regarded as a better passing quarterback than classmate Alex Orji last season, but it turned out that Michigan didn't really need a passer. They didn't really need Orji as a runner, either. They mostly just needed J.J. McCarthy and a few backups to take garbage time snaps (though Cade McNamara did start one unimpressive game before getting injured). Denegal got into the UConn game to hand off the ball, and that was it.
While McNamara is off to Iowa, McCarthy returns and will be backed up by some combination of Jack Tuttle and/or Davis Warren. Orji has earned some off-season hype because he's 6'3" and 235 lbs., looks really strong, and can run and jump and do fun things to watch. Some people have been clamoring for Orji to get the Dan Villari treatment and come in for some occasional running plays.
No one is clamoring for Denegal at this point. Buzz out of practice has been next to nil, but that's what tends to happen for the quarterback who is roughly fifth on the depth chart. With McCarthy possibly gone in 2024, maybe he will get a chance to vie for the starting job next season, but for now it seems like he will be buried on the depth chart for at least one season. I would expect to see him on the field a little here and there in mop-up duty.
Prediction: Backup quarterback
I think Denegal will get a substantial number of garbage time snaps this year to further his development.* I think you'll see more from Orji as well (in the McCaffrey/Milton/Villari) QB-run package unless Tuttle displaces him.**
ReplyDeleteAgree with this rank though because the #5 QB, even if he might surge up the depth chart in years ahead, just doesn't matter very much in 2023. Anyone can take garbage time snaps. That said, hopefully there are a lot of those garbage time snaps to hand out, if the team is as good as we hope, there should be.
*I think one consequence of the portal era is that it can be tough to hold onto backup players. Veteran transfers (like Tuttle and Bowman) can fill the gap but Michigan would be wise to invest in retaining in-house backups as well. Warren is the guy most relevant now, but Denegal could also be pretty important if Warren moves on for a starting opportunity somewhere else.
Ideally Denegal develops into starter material over time but even if he doesn't - if he can function as a insurance policy with high familiarity with the offensive scheme - if Michigan is able to hold onto him. At least until he graduates. Getting some backup snaps can help with that.
**If Tuttle takes this running QB role on, it'll be a pretty strong sign that Orji is not long for QB at Michigan.
I know some folks are not big Denegal fans and that is fine. I would just emphasize that there is a very real chance that neither McCarthy (NFL) or Warren (transfer) are on the roster next year. Tuttle will be out the door too.
DeleteSo looking at the 2024 QB room in that situation, you've got a 5-star freshman QB and then what? Probably a portal QB who is willing to compete with Davis but like -- you still want a 3rd guy and a 4th guy who can play. Michigan and OSU have each had to start their 3rd QB in the last decade. So who is our emergency QB in this scenario. You've got Denegal, Orji, Bell, a second portal transfer? Things start looking thin fast if some of these guys are as bad as some of you all think.
I'm just saying that 7 or 8 months from now the depth chart could be looking very different and Denegal could be a piece we really want to keep around.
I don't think Tuttle is built to be the running QB. I think that's a feature he possesses: he can run if things break down or if the defense sells out to stop the RB. But if Michigan is putting him in for designed runs...I think he's going to get hurt.
DeleteI hope it's Orji too but Michigan seems to sometimes prefer using the #2 guy this way.
DeleteMcCarthy ran quit a bit in 2021 even though he isn't necessarily as compact or strong as Orji. McCaffrey was a runner but not necessarily physically built for it. Those two have similar size to Tuttle.
I think the main injury concern is keeping the starter healthy. Which is probably more about OL doing it's job in the pocket than designed run plays anyway.
When you think about the most impactful injuries to our QBs during the Harbaugh era they have occurred in the pocket and to guys who lack mobility (Speight, McNamara). Not saying I want 20 carries a game from McCarthy (or even 10) but the injury risk from designed runs is probably overstated as a concern. Especially for a backup.
I think it's a case-by-case basis, and "built for" includes athleticism. John Navarre had a quasi-tight end frame, but he wasn't built for running, because he was slow. Tuttle has 50 career carries for 79 yards, including 10 runs for 8 yards last season.
DeleteMcCaffrey was listed 1 inch taller and about 10 pounds heavier than Tuttle. He had 23 carries for 168 yards at Michigan.
I think some people are taking a couple promising plays from the spring game and thinking Tuttle can bring that element on the regular during the season. In my opinion, that's not going to be a factor in the regular season (bringing him in to run the ball). The designed runs are going to go to Orji. The key passing plays are obviously going to go to McCarthy. If McCarthy goes down, I would not expect it to be Orji starting in McCarthy's place - it would be Tuttle or Warren.
Good spot. Kid isn't good enough to be higher, and probably won't ever be
ReplyDelete