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    • Tuttle's performance in relief of Michigan is mixed, but could be enough to earn the starting spot
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    Tuttle's performance in relief of Michigan is mixed, but could be enough to earn the starting spot

    Kathleen William Posted on

    Seattle – Six games, three quarterbacks. This is not how Michigan coach Sherrone Moore could have imagined the first half of the season going, but this is exactly where the Wolverines are now.

    Davis Warren started the first three games of the season and had six turnovers. He was replaced by Alex Orji in the next three games. Orji started Saturday night in the first road game of the season in Washington, Michigan, but was unable to move the offense and had to fend off two passes.

    That's when Jack Tuttle, a seventh-year quarterback who transferred from Indiana before the 2023 season and was finally medically cleared recently, took over. With 9:38 left in the first half and Michigan trailing 14-0, Tuttle was put in charge of the offense.

    He immediately gave Michigan a spark, leading the Wolverines to three consecutive scoring drives and the lead, 17-14, with 8:38 left in the third quarter. But he also had two glaring errors, fourth-quarter turnovers, a fumble and an interception that the Huskies were able to convert into 10 points, leading Washington to a 27-17 victory over the No. 10 Wolverines.

    Michigan has this weekend off before playing at Illinois on Oct. 19 to open the second half of the season. Will Tuttle be the starter?

    “I feel good about the way he played,” Moore said. “I feel good about what he did. So if we had to play tomorrow, I would say Tuttle is the starting quarterback and wants to build things so we can be successful with him and with (running backs) Donovan (Edwards) and Kalel (Mullings) and the rest of our guys . It feels like he gives us a great chance to win and we'll just clean up the turnovers and go from there.

    During his Indiana career (2019–22), Tuttle played in 15 games with five starts and was voted captain. He entered this season as the only Michigan quarterback with starting experience, but a lingering, unspecified injury kept him out of spring practice and limited him to preseason camp. Moore said doctors finally cleared him a week before the Washington game.

    “Last week (before the Minnesota game), it was his first week back that the doctors cleared him,” Moore said. “He had been practicing and doing things, but this week he really came in and felt good. I was confident about getting him back in the game.”

    Tuttle said he knew there was a possibility he could play later in the week.

    “I was still ready,” Tuttle said.

    When Washington was in the middle of its second score of the game, Tuttle got on the stationary bike to warm up. He then warmed up his arm throwing with freshman quarterback Jadyn Davis. When it was clear he was getting the call to go in, Orji hugged Tuttle before making his way to the field.

    “No matter what happens in the quarterback situation, we just want the best for the team and that’s why we all support each other,” Tuttle said. “We just want to win. We simply want the best for the team. This is what will happen outside. No matter what happens, we will stick together. We will continue to fight.”

    Tuttle declined to discuss his injury and the reasons that prevented him from returning soon. He's just happy to be able to play again.

    “It was definitely tough,” Tuttle said. “Really, being able to throw a football again is a blessing from God. No matter whether you win or lose, just always thank Him for being able to throw a football again. It was a tough nine or ten months. It doesn't excuse any gaming. I still have to do it and get better.”

    With the score at 17:17, Michigan got the ball early in the fourth quarter with an interception by linebacker Ernest Hausmann. But on the next drive, Tuttle got sloppy, didn't defend the ball and fumbled while running. That gave Washington the ball at Michigan's 32-yard line and the Huskies scored and took a 24-17 lead. On Michigan's next possession, Tuttle was picked off and the Huskies added a field goal.

    “The first three drives, that’s really us,” Tuttle said of the scoring drives he led. “We narrowly missed a few chances in the second half. Personally, I need to be able to protect the ball better. Can't fiddle around, it doesn't work. That's entirely up to me. I can't put the team and the defense in this situation. And at the end, on the last drive, I can't put the ball in danger. … We’re really a good team. Yes, it's frustrating. I will do everything I can to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.”

    Tuttle was 10 of 18 for 98 yards and a touchdown, an 8-yard pass to tight end Colston Loveland. He was able to use more receivers as Amorion Walker caught a pass for 22 yards and Semaj Morgan also had a pass for 16 yards. Edwards, who rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown, also had two catches for 23 yards.

    “I called his name at the last minute, went out and executed,” Loveland said of Tuttle. “Obviously there is a lot to sort out between all of us, on both sides of the ball. Super proud of what he did. Didn't flinch at all. Whatever happened, it happened. Things just have to get better.”

    Edwards, who scored on a 39-yard run, called the touchdown pass to Loveland a morale boost.

    “He gave us a spark,” Edwards said of Tuttle. “Before he came in, I thought it was great that he told everyone, 'Listen to me, look at me.' Everyone gave him their eyes. He has great leadership qualities and abilities. I’m grateful he got out there and was able to show what he can do.”

    Tuttle is 25 years old and received a medical exemption from the NCAA for a seventh season. Moore said they had to believe someone would be good in their seventh season, but in Tuttle's situation it was just a matter of getting medical clearance.

    Now, with two weeks until the next game, the offense will have time to form around Tuttle.

    “Our job as coaches, whoever is in there, we have to make the most of it,” Moore said. “We have really good players everywhere. We will use their strengths to become better.”

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    Kathleen William
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