Kirk Campbell: Michigan quarterbacks have been ‘outstanding’
Michigan and Kirk Campbell enter the 2024 season looking for a quarterback to take over for J.J. McCarthy — no easy task. As of now, it appears the Wolverines have three challengers for the job, though one is going to have a role in the offense whether he wins the starting quarterback job or not.
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Offensive coordinator Campbell, joining TheWolverine.com Tuesday at a U-M golf outing event to benefit Champions Circle and NIL, wanted to talk about three of his guys in particular.
“Jack Tuttle, Davis Warren, and Alex Orji … they’ve been outstanding,” Campbell said. “So is the rest of the room. They’ve come with the intent to be better every single day, compete to win the starting job. They know there’s only one football come Saturdays, and they’re all up for the challenge.
“I think the development plan is intentional by our point as to how we script practice … making sure that we put them in their best suited talents. Each one of them is going to do something better or different than everybody else. It’s not fair to ask them to do something we might not ask them to do on Saturdays, so when we script practice and the plays that we give them, we make sure their development plan suits what will show up on Saturdays for each specific player.”
They’re not selfish, but selfless, Campbell reiterated. He wants to create a positive environment throughout the whole room and will “never waver from that mindset,” he said, noting he wants guys who can help build the foundation.
Orji is one of them. If he doesn’t win the starting job, Campbell said, the junior will still have a role, and he’ll do his best to fulfill it.
“When you look at an offense, you’ve got to look at your players first and what they do best. Alex is one of the best 11 players on offense,” Campbell said. “Is he going to be the best quarterback? I don’t know. That has yet to be determined.
“But yes, he’s going to have to touch the football. We will have that plan for him to touch the football. He’s explosive. He’s dynamic; he can throw the football. We’ve got to make sure that he has a part of this offense.”
That goes for several on offense, he added. There is plenty of talent but only one ball, and so many who need touches.
“We’re being creative with packages,” Campbell said. “Donovan Edwards, Kalel Mullings, Colston Loveland … there’s Marlin Klein, Semaj Morgan, Tyler Morris. We’ve got so many playmakers on offense. We’ve just got to make sure we utilize them in the right manner. That’s being creative in the packaging and it’s being intentional in fall camp, giving them the opportunity to go do that.”
They’ll all get their opportunities to show what they can do when fall camp starts next week.
