The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1527978
22 THE WOLVERINE ❱ NOVEMBER 2024 BY JOHN BORTON T hey say the third time's the charm, and for a few fleeting moments against Washing- ton, it felt that way. Seventh-year grad student quarterback Jack Tuttle came off the bench, led Michi- gan's first back-to-back-to-back scoring drives all season, and wiped out a 14-0 Washington lead in Seattle by putting the Wolverines ahead, 17-14. That's where the movie script ended, and reality began. Tuttle turned the foot- ball over twice down the stretch, Michi- gan's defense couldn't hold off the Hus- kies, and the newly minted Big Ten squad took down the Wolverines, 27-17. For Tuttle, the heady sensation of meaning- ful time following a lengthy rehabilitation felt good, but losing never does. "I think the first three drives are re- ally who we are," Tuttle said afterward. "That's us. I think in the back half we just missed some opportunities. Me person- ally, I've got to be better at protecting the ball. Can't fumble — can't do that. That's completely on me. I can't put the team, the defense, in that situation. And then the end, the last drive, I can't put the ball in danger, obviously, right? That's it." That was it for this game, but there seems to be no "that's it" for Michigan at quarterback in 2024. Senior Davis Warren started the first three games of the season, before 6 interceptions in that trio of con- tests sent him to the sidelines. Junior Alex Orji took over at the start of the Big Ten season and led the Wolverines past USC in a home thriller, 27-24. But too few passing yards and too many dry spells — like the 14-0 deficit at Washington, featuring 47 yards in the opening three U-M drives — sacked Orji. On came Tuttle, and a surge of hope — for a while. Yet the surge proved enough to leave head coach Sherrone Moore sound- ing like Michigan might feature its third starting quarterback in 2024, following the bye week. "I thought he came out and gave us a spark early, obviously," Moore said. "Three straight drives, we had a touch- down, a field goal, and a touchdown. I think the players fed off that. He practiced well all week. He got back healthy, which was good for us. We'll see, but it was posi- tive. I think he gave us a spark. We'll see if he'll be the starter. It looks like he's given us the best chance. Obviously, we've got to clean up the turnover at the end, but he definitely had an exciting start to the game." Michigan (4-2 overall, 2-1 Big Ten) cer- tainly needs a spark in the back half of the season. The Wolverines feature dicey road trips to resurgent Illinois and Indiana, with a daunting excursion into Columbus to conclude the regular season. They've got a grudge match against Michigan State at home, followed by arguably the best of the newcomers in Oregon at home. It's absolutely the time for the Wolver- ines to improve upon their scoring average of 23.5 points per game, along with a host of other offensive numbers lingering to- ward the bottom of NCAA stats. Just one year ago, Michigan averaged 35.9 point per game in reeling off a historic 15-0 record and winning the national championship. Of course, it then saw a personnel stampede out the door. The departed included head coach Jim Harbaugh and nearly half his staff, along with superstar quarterback J.J. McCarthy and game- breaking running back Blake Corum. No TRIPLE PLAY Jack Tuttle Becomes Michigan's Third Major-Minutes QB When Tuttle came off the bench versus Washington, he led U-M's first back-to-back- to-back scoring drives all season, wiping out a 14-0 lead in Seattle by making it 17-14. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL