Through the first half of the 2024 season, the Michigan Wolverines have tried to put duct tape on a mortal wound.
At first, there was optimism that, all things considered, a team rebuilding from losing a sizable chunk of their championship core to the draft could get by on the merit and production of their physical play in the trenches and above average talent in the backfield and secondary. Not to mention a playmaker regarded as the best tight end in college football. But as much as Michigan can claim to have an elite, borderline 1-of-1 performer at multiple positions, the results on the field are what they are – and they tell you that this team has been rudderless at the most important position: quarterback.
To put it in a different perspective, when you have one of the biggest influencers in the sports media landscape proclaiming that we will drop upwards of $3 million in NIL money each year to get his alma mater better QB play – things probably aren’t going so hot in that department right now.
Only six games into their season, the Wolverines are preparing to rally behind the man who will be their third starter at the position, Jack Tuttle.
Tuttle, who started the year sidelined by an upper-body injury, will succeed Alex Orji (who succeeded Davis Warren) in the role. The redshirt senior has a seemingly straightforward and attainable task in front of him: improve the Michigan passing offense. On that front, the bar couldn’t be much closer to the floor.
At the midway point, Michigan is averaging 115 passing yards per game. To give that some context, the last time Michigan averaged 150 or fewer passing yards for a season, Barack Obama hadn’t been inaugurated yet (2008) and the Wolverines only won 3 games that year, helmed by a tandem of Nick Sheridan and Steven Threet.
Tuttle saw his first action of the year in last week’s road loss to Washington, entering the game in the second quarter after the Orji-led offense punted on their first three possessions and produced less than 50 total yards during that span. What happened next, as Sherrone Moore put it after the game, felt like a spark. The next three drives from the offense produced over 200 total yards on three consecutive scoring drives that gave Michigan a 17-14 lead early in the second half. But the momentum wouldn’t carry, and the Huskies would go on a 13-0 run to end the evening, while Tuttle would suffer an interception and fumble on two of the Wolverines’ last three drives.
Despite the loss, Moore would tell the media that the team (heading into their bye week) would proceed under the idea that Tuttle will get the start when the Wolverines go to Illinois next week.
“He’s given us the best chance,” Moore said of Tuttle’s performance at Washington. “Obviously, we’ve got to clean up the turnover at the end, but he definitely had an exciting start to the game.”
Tuttle finished the day going 10/18 for 98 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, and the fumble. And while that doesn’t sound wildly appetizing, it’s important to acknowledge that he wasn’t cleared to practice until the week prior and probably didn’t expect to enter the Washington game midway through. At this point, Michigan is looking for anyone who can find production with their skill players.
Until then, it’s vital that the Wolverines continue to rise to their own standards in the run game and pass coverage. Per PFF, Michigan’s losses to Texas and Washington were their two worst performances of the season in those departments.
