Jim Harbaugh updates status of Michigan backup quarterback battle

JJ McCarthy is the Michigan quarterback, there’s no question about that, but who’s the backup? Jim Harbaugh doesn’t quite have that answer yet.

Jayden Denegal and Davis Warren combined for 1-of-4 passing for 35 yards in very limited action. Senegal had the lone completion.

Going into Week 5, at 4-0, Harbaugh provided the latest update about the backup quarterback situation.

“It’s still real close,” Harbaugh said. “Now we haven’t been able to make a definitive (decision), you know, and it’ll be pretty much week-to-week because they’re so close still.”

This season features the only pass thrown by Denegal.

As a member of the Class of 2022, Denegal was a three-star recruit out of Apple Valley (Calif.) High, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 33 overall prospect in the state, the No. 27 quarterback in the class and the No. 494 overall prospect in the class.

As for Warren, he had limited action in 2022 as well, going 5-of-9 passing for 89 yards.

As a member of the Class of 2020, Warren was not ranked, according to the On3 Industry Ranking. He played his high school football in Los Angeles (Calif.) Loyola.

The quarterback room, and backup battle for that matter, could feature Jack Tuttle, a former Indiana starter, and Alex Orji.

Tuttle was on the injury report ahead of the Bowling Green game. But with his experience, he’d be a logical backup to McCarthy.

He finished his four years at Indiana 104-182 passing (57.1%) for 901 yards, five touchdowns and six interceptions.

Other than the Michigan backup job, Harbaugh also answered how he could help McCarthy cut down on his early season interceptions.

“But law of averages are going to catch up to you at some point. And you do what you can to keep those balls in the air,” Harbaugh said, pantomiming juggling. “They want to come down. Where were we, where were we just at? We were comparing touchdowns to incompletions ratio, we weren’t talking touchdowns to interceptions because there hadn’t been any. I mean that, there’s no way that’s gonna continue. It’s not going to happen that way.”

Now, McCarthy has 930 yards, eight touchdowns, three interceptions and a 79.8% completion percentage. The turnovers occurred against Bowling Green but he played clean against Rutgers.