Could Sherrone Moore take a familiar approach to the quarterback battle?

Chris Breiler | Aug 3, 2024

Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh and co-offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, right, during the 51-7 win against the Colorado State Rams, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Michigan / Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

With fall camp officially underway, everyone is waiting to see who will emerge as Michigan's starting quarterback before the Wolverines kick off the season on Aug. 31 against Fresno State. The top contenders for the starting spot appear to be Jack Tuttle, Davis Warren, and Alex Orji. Although one of the quarterbacks will technically get the start in that Week 1 matchup, it's possible that we could see head coach Sherrone Moore take a familiar approach when it comes to making a final decision on his QB1 in Ann Arbor.

The last quarterback battle at Michigan occurred during the 2022 season between senior Cade McNamara and sophomore JJ McCarthy. McNamara had started all 14 games the previous season, helping lead the Wolverines to a win over Ohio State, a Big Ten Championship, and a spot in the College Football Playoff. Although a resume like that would have been enough to solidify the starting job the following season for most QBs, the reality is that McCarthy was better in nearly every aspect. Instead of making that difficult decision during fall camp, former U-M head coach Jim Harbaugh opted to allow the battle to play out during the first two weeks of the regular season.

Michigan Wolverines quarterbacks J.J. McCarthy (9) and Cade McNamara (12) on the sidelines during action against the Colorado State Rams, Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022 at Michigan Stadium. / Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

McNamara had a decent effort during his Week 1 start against Colorado State (9-of-18 for 136 yards and 1 touchdown), but McCarthy solidified himself as the starter the following week with an electric performance against Hawaii (11-of-12 for 229 yards and 3 touchdowns). McCarthy would go on to start every game for the remainder of his Michigan career, putting together an overall record of 27-1 as a starter, including a 2-0 record over Ohio State, two Big Ten Championships, and Rose Bowl victory over Alabama, and a National Championship victory over Washington.

Needless to say, Harbaugh's approach to the quarterback battle back in 2022 worked out pretty well for the Wolverines.

Michigan quarterback J.J. McCarthy lifts the Rose Bowl trophy to celebrate after the team's defeat of Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif., on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Although the circumstances surrounding the QB battle in 2024 are quite different from 2022, could the approach be the same? Meeting with the media last week, offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell indicated that they want to make a decision as soon as possible, but they're also not going to rush that process.

"What I've learned from all of those is obviously you have a deadline that you have to make a decision. That's the first game, right?" Campbell said. "But you don't want to rush the decision. You got to make sure you prepare those guys.

"And if you make the decision too early, you could put yourself in a situation that halfway through the season, you're trying to fix that thing and go in a different direction. You want to make sure that you take your time, you do a thorough process, evaluate each practice, evaluate each meeting, evaluate how they interact with the players, and then make the best decision for the team."

Michigan quarterbacks Alex Orji and Jack Tuttle / Christopher Breiler

With a matchup against the Texas Longhorns in Ann Arbor looming in Week 2, the Wolverines won't have much time to sort things out if the battle spills into the regular season. It seems highly likely that we'll see a steady dose of both Jack Tuttle and Alex Orji during that Week 1 matchup against Fresno State, and their respective performances could certainly have an impact on who gets the start that following week.

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