If as expected JJ leaves what are the options at QB?
Of all teams Michigan is the best suited to play and win with an inexperienced QB. They did so last year with JJ.
If Orgi is as talented as they say do they roll with him? They only allowed him to throw once in a game, but they did play him in the biggest games. They could construct their offense along the lines of what Bama did with Milroe. With youth at WR and a talented OL and RBs corps this seems like the most plausible option.
Davis Warren is still here. Not sure what happens with him.
Jadyn Davis is a true freshman.I expect him to get snaps.
Michigan raised significant sums for Champions Circle. I suspect that much of that will go to keeping some key pieces like Rod Moore and Trente. That they didn’t go after a center this cycle tells me they are confident in what they have on the roster.
I do expect they will go after CBs and WRs in the portal and maybe a QB if an intriguing one(Milroe?) pops up. I think all of this is coaching invariant. .
January 13th, 2024 at 9:30 PM ^
They may have Orji start with the plan to bring Davis slowly in like JJ in 2021 with packages for him. Orji will be a junior this next year, his potential is off the charts and exciting if he can harness it.
January 13th, 2024 at 9:43 PM ^
Tuttle is seeking a waiver for another year as well.
January 13th, 2024 at 10:28 PM ^
TUTTLE POWER!
The shirts print themselves.
January 14th, 2024 at 5:27 AM ^
Rather call Bowman back.
January 14th, 2024 at 9:14 AM ^
Tuttle should be good at turtling the Harbaugh offense.
January 14th, 2024 at 9:19 AM ^
It shouldn't be too hard for Orji to throw Semaj a quick screen. Or throw Colson a crossing route or Morris a 8 yd comeback near the sidelines to set up a 4 and 1 attempt somewhere near midfield. He only have to throw 20 times a game. Orji could handle that
January 13th, 2024 at 11:44 PM ^
His potential as a runner is off the charts. There is zero — repeat: zero — evidence that he’s a viable passer. If he could throw, they would have let him throw. And he really didn’t see time until after we’d cycled through Tuttle and Warren. He was like 3rd on the chart and a fairly obscure recruit. There’s very little chance he will be QB1. Because of this, there’s a decent chance he could seek a starting gig elsewhere.
January 13th, 2024 at 11:47 PM ^
I mean they did let him throw, in the Rose Bowl of all places!...and he didn't make the mistake of throwing it to a covered receiver. But he also ran out of bounds for a loss instead of just tossing it OOB like a normal QB.
Soooo....
January 14th, 2024 at 10:14 AM ^
That was such an obvious throwaway it kiiiinda made me a bit concerned about his general quarterbacking instincts. That said, if the staff views him as a trustworthy option going into next year then I am not one to question them.
January 14th, 2024 at 12:13 PM ^
You mean like an experienced QB. That's a common mistake for inexperienced guys back there.
January 14th, 2024 at 9:33 AM ^
Freshman Denard was an interception machine (something like 1 out of every 5 and the eye test was just as bad). I wouldn't rule the 2024 Orji out yet.
January 14th, 2024 at 3:54 PM ^
Denard! His very first snap was a fumble which he scooped up and ran into the end zone. Emblematic of all his strengths, weaknesses and utter charm.
January 14th, 2024 at 9:46 AM ^
I have been waiting and waiting for them to announce a position change for Orji. Seems too talented to keep off the field but I don't see the confidence in the throwing... RB would be logical, but of course we had NO reps available there....
January 14th, 2024 at 10:06 AM ^
Maybe outside receiver? 6’3, 230 and about a 4.5 40 speed. Athletic and physical.
January 14th, 2024 at 12:33 PM ^
He'd be nasty in the slot, too. A linebacker ain't covering that.
January 14th, 2024 at 10:14 AM ^
that was the same knock on Vince Young when he was at Texas
January 14th, 2024 at 10:41 AM ^
Didn’t he throw a perfectly thrown ball in the spring game? So it’s not like there is zero evidence that he can throw.
January 14th, 2024 at 12:18 PM ^
I remember most of his throws were incompletions in the spring game.
January 13th, 2024 at 9:30 PM ^
Have a QB competition in camp. Davis Warren or Orji would be my guess
January 13th, 2024 at 9:32 PM ^
I think Denegal would start before Warren, but we'll see. I would be nervous starting anyone of the current options. Even getting a Jake Rudock quality transfer could be huge if only to start the season.
January 13th, 2024 at 9:30 PM ^
Option football is the answer
January 13th, 2024 at 9:34 PM ^
Harbaugh comes back and decides to innovate he’ll go further back in time and run Bo’s Wishbone offense with Orji.
January 13th, 2024 at 9:54 PM ^
Minor technicality but Bo didn’t run the Wishbone.
If I remember correctly it was: two tight ends and a balanced line; Huckleby deep, Davis close, Ricky “the Peach” Leach under center; the ball resting 18 yards in, from this, the western sideline.
That is what Bob Ufer told me on the transistor radio
January 13th, 2024 at 10:04 PM ^
I-formation option offense under Dennis Franklin, Leach, and a little beyond. Occasionally Michigan ran a wishbone formation play. Not that common though.
January 13th, 2024 at 10:11 PM ^
Ohio State will be running the wishbone, with Will Howard in the shotgun at QB, Treveyon Henderson at RB behind him, then left and right bad snap wishbone receivers behind Henderson.
January 13th, 2024 at 10:43 PM ^
Actually Bo did have a wishbone package that he used at least a couple of times one season, not any significant number of snaps though.
January 14th, 2024 at 6:49 AM ^
Correct, in the late 1980's at least, Bo ran the wishbone occasionally, especially near the goal line.
January 14th, 2024 at 2:40 PM ^
Thanks for posting this. This is my one and only Rose Bowl. Leroy "If you need 3 yards, I'll get you 3 yards. If you need 5 yards, I'll get you 3 yards" Hoard was great!
January 14th, 2024 at 8:12 PM ^
In the YouTube video, the weird thing is that Michigan did line up in a wishbone formation. But...they did not actually run that like a true wishbone offense play. Michigan just used it as two of the RBs were lead blockers, and they handed off to Leroy Hoard who followed them into the endzone. In a true wishbone play, the QB is actually making reads and has up to 4 different options. There were no options on that play. Just...two lead blockers and a pre-determined handoff.
January 14th, 2024 at 7:49 AM ^
There was some wishbone in the late 80’s with Michael Taylor and Demetrius Brown. I don’t remember it being pure triple option with the pitch on the perimeter, more as an inside run formation for Bunch and Boles.
January 14th, 2024 at 9:03 AM ^
Yeah, we definitely ran some wishbone. It just wasn’t our base set like it was for Oklahoma.
January 14th, 2024 at 12:21 PM ^
January 14th, 2024 at 12:25 PM ^
The wishbone was all the rage in college football after Oklahoma and Jamelle Holieway - the Wishbone Wizard - won the national title in 1985.
Bo ran some wishbone formations starting in 1986, but most of the time it was just for show.
January 14th, 2024 at 12:42 PM ^
I for one would like to see this Orjibone offense.
January 14th, 2024 at 5:45 AM ^
Fuck yeah! I love me some wishbone football. Let's put that stable of RB's to use.
January 14th, 2024 at 12:17 PM ^
I prefer the Orjicat, but I'll accept whatever gets Orji, Mullings, and Edwards in the backfield at the same time.
January 13th, 2024 at 9:31 PM ^
Orji’s mechanics are awful. Denegal might be the guy until Davis is ready? Unless they go Leake/Tebow with Davis and Orji.
January 14th, 2024 at 12:07 PM ^
That doesn’t say much good about the QB coaching if Orji’s mechanics are still bad after several years in the program. After 3 years with Harbaugh and Campbell, I should be able to have good mechanics
January 13th, 2024 at 9:31 PM ^
Portal QB
January 13th, 2024 at 9:34 PM ^
This.
There is the April window. If UM has a need for QB1, certainly there is at least one quality FBS QB1 who would want to nab it.
EG if we need a new coach… whomever his QB1 is right now might xfer with coach.
January 13th, 2024 at 9:42 PM ^
I do not want to be in the position of bringing in a coach from another school. If we can't have Harbaugh, I want Moore or Minter.
January 13th, 2024 at 10:07 PM ^
Not clear that is true. Any QB Michigan would want in the later window will be the undisputed starter at his current school. It would almost have to be something like grabbing the best D-II QB and seeing if he wants to play at Michigan.
January 13th, 2024 at 11:46 PM ^
If Michigan turns to the portal, most likely the guy they take isn’t currently in there. He will be a starter at a lesser program who wants a shot at the big time. They will have more options than people realize.
January 14th, 2024 at 8:36 AM ^
Rudock had lost the job at iowa and I would take his 2015 season next year. I can't point to any equivalents out there right now, but maybe there is one.
January 14th, 2024 at 12:23 PM ^
Maybe we should look at what Iowa has available at quarterback now
January 13th, 2024 at 10:36 PM ^
They're screwed if they need to bring a QB in from the spring. Transfer guys in the winter often don't get enough reps to fully handle the new offense. Guys in the spring have no hope and often are not good quality anyways (think Peyton Thorne).
I'm of the opinion you just ride with what you got and do your best to develop Orji. Worst case just become qb power running team with a gadget passing game.
January 14th, 2024 at 2:11 PM ^
I think the next QB is on our roster. You don't have to have a QB with 20 starts every year. This isn't the NFL, you are supposed to have new guys every few years.