Two players will get extended looks at backup QB this weekend
The Michigan Wolverines have an entrenched starter at quarterback in junior J.J. McCarthy, but his immediate backup is still to be determined. Classmate Davis Warren and grad transfer Jack Tuttle got the first cracks at the job, but it is still a very fluid situation heading into Week 3.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh revealed on Monday that sophomore Jayden Denegal was supposed to get the next opportunity after Tuttle against UNLV, but that Warren was mistakingly substitued in after Tuttle suffered an injury.
This week, Michigan expects to give Denegal and sophomore Alex Orji – who has not made an appearance this season – the next opportunity should the first team handle its business.
“The one we’re still evaluating is the backup quarterback and we made a mistake, Coach [Mike Hart] put in Davis Warren ahead of Denegal,” Harbaugh said during his Monday press conference. “This week you’ll see it’ll be J.J. and if we go to a backup quarterback it’ll be Jayden Denegal and Alex Orji. Want to get all those guys looked at in game action. Hopefully this next game. If not, it’ll have to carry into the next one. Two things about that, that situation. We planned it, we practiced it and then we gotta go execute it.
“Two great things is the way Jayden Denegal handled it. His poise in that situation, I could see it on TV. J.J. was talking to him. Right after the game, Mike Hart took responsibility. Great learning lesson. Coaches, we have to hold ourselves accountable to the same thing. We plan, we prepare, we practice and we go execute. Good learning experience for all, stick to the plan. For all of us, that’s a good one. Where it stands right now, still to be determined who that backup quarterback is.”
Michigan’s backup QBs through two weeks
| Player | Stats through two games |
| Davis Warren | 0-for-3, INT |
| Jayden Denegal | 1-for-1, 35 yards |
| Jack Tuttle | 1 rush, 14 yards |
Michigan’s backup quarterback position has emerged as more of a concern than some expected. After scoring a combined 28 points in the fourth quarter of last year’s first two games, the second and third-team offenses have not registered a point in garbage time in wins over East Carolina and UNLV.
Warren was McCarthy’s primary backup last season after Cade McNamara‘s injury, but has not been able to separate from the rest of the group. An interception in the UNLV game may have not helped his cause, either. Despite that, offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Sherrone Moore is not losing sleep over it.
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“No anxiety,” Moore said. “I know our methods of how we handle it will be good. And we’ve got plenty of guys that can definitely help us if something ever happens.”
Tuttle was injured on his first snap of the game on Saturday and expects to practice this week, but Harbaugh doubled down on his intention to play his sophomores against Bowling Green, if the game allows for that.
“[Tuttle] tells me he’s going to be back this week practicing,” Harbaugh said. “I think we’re gonna dodge a bullet there. Probably don’t anticipate him playing, we really need to see Jayden Denegal and Alex Orji in this week. Jack’s acquitted himself well, he practiced well. Had a nice play in the game, it was unfortunate that he got hurt. He’s a tough guy, he’ll be back, but we really need to find out what we have in Jayden and Alex.”
Michigan’s showdown with Bowling Green is set for 7:30 p.m. ET in Ann Arbor on Saturday. The game will be televised via Big Ten Network.
