Michigan Football: Sherrone Moore talks Jack Tuttle, quarterback battle

As the Wolverines prepare for fall camp, Alex Orji is the presumed favorite to win U-M's starting quarterback job, but head coach Sherrone Moore didn't rule out Jack Tuttle at Big Ten Media Days...

Apr 1, 2023; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Jack Tuttle (13) passes during the Spring Game at Michigan Stadium. / Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

When J.J. McCarthy declared for the 2024 NFL Draft, a starting quarterback competition ignited at Michigan. It's been the centerpiece discussion surrounding the reigning national champions ever since.

As the offseason went on, redshirt sophomore Alex Orji emerged as the presumptive favorite to win the job. This was the result of multiple factors including Orji's own unique skillset, graduate senior Jack Tuttle missing spring practice due to an injury, and Orji earning one of the starting spots in Michigan's spring game, among others.

While redshirt junior Davis Warren started opposite Orji in the spring game, the player with the most game experience in the Wolverines' QB room is Tuttle, who made five career starts at Indiana and has appeared in 21 games total in his collegiate career. At Big Ten Media Days last week, U-M head coach Sherrone Moore was complimentary of Tuttle when discussing the quarterback battle.

"Yeah, he’s been great, man," Moore said. "He’s been accurate. He’s been throwing hard, throwing physical, fast and it looks good."

Jan 8, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Jack Tuttle (13) against the Washington Huskies during the 2024 College Football Playoff national championship game at NRG Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

While Tuttle hasn't established himself as a starting quarterback in his previous six years of college football, Moore noted the graduate senior played behind two guys selected in the Top 10 of this past year's draft.

"Jack’s had the unfortunate favor to be behind Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy," Moore said. "So he’s excited to say the least. So watch him compete. We’re ready. Ready to see what happens."

Replacing McCarthy is a tall task for Michigan. While the Wolverines' starter had modest totals in terms of passing yards (2,991) and touchdowns (22) in the modern era of college football last season, McCarthy's accuracy (72.3 completion percentage), mobility and intangibles — in addition to his natural talent, work ethic and leadership skills — made him a perfect fit for Michigan.

"The ability to be so cerebral in the most pressure moments," Moore said, when asked which of McCarthy's skills he'd pick for Michigan's next starter. "He was just calm. He was vintage, he was himself, but he was always ready to attack, and you can always count on him. When the big plays were there and you needed somebody to make a big play, he’d make it or he’d let whoever was supposed to make it make it and wouldn’t go out of the way to do something crazy. So I think he grew into that and excited to watch our quarterbacks do the same."

What was the secret to McCarthy's poise in the big moments?

"I don’t think there’s a secret, I think it’s the work," Moore said. "I think it’s the work that we have to do throughout training camp to find that."

Jan 6, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) and quarterback Jack Tuttle (13) looks to pass the ball during a practice session before the College Football Playoff national championship game against the Washington Huskies at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports / Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

As things stand heading into fall camp, Orji remains the presumed favorite to start, while Tuttle and Warren are seen as the challengers, with a gap between them and redshirt sophomore Jayden Denegal and true freshman Jadyn Davis. Moore gave no indication of when a decision would be made on Michigan's starting quarterback.

"The ideal timeline is when we feel like the guy that's going to help us win," the head coach said. "There's not really a date, there's not really a time. We'll have a good feel as a staff. We've got really good coaches... Kirk Campbell is a phenomenal coach. He's going to do an outstanding job with our offense. So I know he's going to make a great decision, and we'll be there to make it together.

"All of those guys have all the attributes you need to be a successful starting quarterback at the University of Michigan and a lot of other universities. We're super blessed to have all of those guys. Everybody has their own traits and their own things that make them a little different, but I think the No. 1 thing we're looking for out of any guy that is our starting quarterback is, one, that they're a playmaker. That they can make plays, that they'll make the right decision, that they'll take care of the football, and that they want to win. And they'll do anything for the team to win. So really we're going to look for those attributes and go from there."

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