Quarterback Jack Tuttle has received a seventh year of eligibility. Tuttle originally signed with Utah before ultimately playing the first five years of his career at Indiana. He then transferred to Michigan in 2023, along with tight end teammate A.J. Barner.
Tuttle began the 2023 season as a third-stringer, but as he learned the playbook, he moved up the depth chart and became the primary backup to starter J.J. McCarthy. Down the stretch Michigan used Alex Orji as a running threat in the College Football Playoff, but Orji did not attempt a pass all season.
Tuttle completed 15/17 passes for 130 yards and 1 touchdown last year. For his college career, he has completed 119/199 passes (59.8%) for 1,031 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. He has also run 54 times for 114 yards.
Injuries have been an issue for Tuttle over his career - thus the granting of a seventh year - and he has only played in 22 games over six seasons. While it might make sense to pencil him in as Michigan's starter in 2024, considering he was the top backup, there are perhaps better physical specimens on the roster. Orji has a stronger arm but much less experience. Jayden Denegal also has much less experience, but at 6'4" and 235 pounds, he also brings a size element that the 6'4", 210 lb. Tuttle doesn't possess.
It's also still possible that Michigan will explore the transfer portal when the portal opens in mid-April.
Depth chart by experience:
- Jack Tuttle (Seventh Year Senior)
- Davis Warren (RS Jr.)
- Jayden Denegal (RS So.)
- Alex Orji (RS So.)
- Jadyn Davis (Fr.)
What do people think of Denegal? I thought he had some accuracy issues in high school but I have liked what I have seen of him. I liked Warren but was disappointed in what I saw last year, and I have to think Orji has accuracy issues. I am least sold on him. I think Tuttle would be serviceable.
ReplyDeleteI think it's too early to say with Denegal. He made a couple nice plays this season, but they were very limited snaps. Davis Warren looked pretty solid in limited snaps back in 2022, and then he looked pretty bad in 2023. So it's tough to say with such a small sample size.
DeleteKirk Campbell says Denegal is the most improved player on the offense, for what it's worth. But he also had a list of things that Denegal needs to improve, which includes his processing and his footwork...and those aren't things I like to hear about a guy who might be starting in the fall. If his feet and his head aren't up to speed right now...I'm not sure they'll get there by September.
To me it's pretty telling that Orji wasn't allowed to attempt a pass in 2023. Technically, I guess the coaching staff called for a pass play and Orji chose not to throw the ball, but even that was kind of a trick play. Even Donovan Edwards is capable of being trusted to throw the ball on a trick play occasionally.
I would be very surprised if Michigan went from not allowing Orji to pass at all to making him the starting quarterback in 2024. For reference's sake, true freshman Denard Robinson attempted 31 passes in 2009 before being given the starter job in 2010.
Agree on Denegal, Thunder. And regarding Orji, that one time they trusted him to pass, he took a sack rather than throwing it away. Very small sample, but telling nonetheless
DeleteI think it does make sense to pencil Tuttle in as a starter. If it goes that way I imagine we'll see Orji's role and workloud explode as a change of pace, playmaker, and perhaps even a short-yardage specialist.
ReplyDeleteWe'll see what happens in the spring and summer. I think Denegal, Davis, and Warren certainly have an opportunity in front of them.
However, Moore maybe even more conservative when it comes to mistake avoidance than Harbaugh. A 7th year vet is typically going to have a huge advantage in that area. Tuttle is 5 years older than Denegal and 6 years older than Davis.
I don't think Michigan is going to win a national championship in 2024 with all the massive losses they've had to the NFL Draft, so I would be fine with Michigan mixing in a heavy dose of Orji with their best passer (Tuttle, Denegal, whoever). If guys are equal, though, you might as well play the younger guy in 2024 because Tuttle isn't going to be around in 2025.
DeleteI think that's part of why Orji could play a lot more. QBs without a viable path to a bigger role tend to look for that elsewhere. But I think the main reason is he already had this job with JJ McCarthy on the team; and Tuttle is no JJ.
DeleteI agree youth is a tie-breaker but Michigan should have a lot to play for in 2024. I don't think anyone else on the roster will be able to match Tuttle's mistake avoidance given the advantage in maturity and experience Tuttle has. I would not be sad to be proven wrong on this though.
I like the nomenclature "7th year senior" for Tuttle. Warren will be a "4th year senior" even though he reclassified and took an extra year in prep school before college.
ReplyDeleteDepth chart by age (on 8/31/24):
Jack Tuttle (25)
Davis Warren (22)
Alex Orji (20)
Jayden Denegal (20)
Jadyn Davis (19)
The competition maybe wide open and not all that exciting from a talent level perspective but having 4 upperclassmen and two guys who are "older than their age" means that the situation might be manageable if the run game and defense remain strong.
It should be the most interesting spring in a long time for Michigan football.
A fortunate turn of events, and one I was hoping for
ReplyDeleteWho knows if the staff can entice a quality QB after spring ball ... the odds aren't in our favor though
Tuttle at least raises our floor, and I can imagine a playoff birth with him in front. Warren wasn't ready for the big stage last year, and I am not sure anything has changed while injured. Denegal/Orji "may" pop, but I put the likelihood lower than landing a quality transfer ...
So I would guess Tuttle gets first snap in spring, and the others battle to take that from him. If one does succeed, we could be looking at a win or two in the playoff
Last time I heard a transfer was here to raise the floor it turned out pretty well.
Deletehttps://twitter.com/PFF_College/status/1747259157324165496