Before Michigan’s national championship game, backup quarterback Jack Tuttle, who had transferred from Indiana before the 2023 season, had filed paperwork with the NCAA hoping to be granted an additional year.
If it didn’t come through, Tuttle said the next step would be to launch his coaching career.
That backup plan is on hold. Tuttle posted on social media Saturday night: “So many memories and great people. The journey continues” followed by a blue heart. Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Kirk Campbell shared Tuttle’s post and added a “Yes sir” and a saluting emoji.
Michigan spokesman Dave Ablauf on Saturday confirmed to The Detroit News that Tuttle, 24, was cleared for the additional year of eligibility and plans to be back for the upcoming season, his seventh.
This is a positive development for Michigan which, will spend the offseason looking for a replacement for J.J. McCarthy, who was 27-1 as a starter the last two season and helped lead Michigan to a national championship last month as a junior. McCarthy declared for the NFL Draft.
Tuttle (6-foot-4, 210 pounds) was 15-of-17 for 130 yards and a touchdown last season at Michigan and ran four times for 35 yards as McCarthy’s primary backup along with Alex Orji.
He began his college career at Utah in 2018 but didn’t play and transferred to Indiana. Voted a captain at IU in 2022, the fifth-year senior played one game before suffering a season-ending injury. Tuttle told The Detroit News this year in Houston before the national title game that he was “in the process” of attempting to secure another season of eligibility.
“Basically, my goal has always been to be a player or coach at the highest level possible and reach a championship in college and a championship in pros,” Tuttle said at the time. “Whatever that means for me, whether I get to play another year here or I get to coach, I’m excited to do it. I’m going to attack whatever I get to do and have opportunity to do.”
During the team media day before the national title game in Houston, Campbell, who was promoted to offensive coordinator under first-year coach Sherrone Moore entering this season, was asked how he had seen the rest of his quarterback room, not including McCarthy, improve in 2023.
“Every single one in that room has taken a step way in the positive direction,” Campbell said. “Jack Tuttle, he’s a veteran guy, came from this spread offense and coming into more of an under-center, play-action, pro-style offense. So just learning a lot there. Alex Orji, his fundamentals, footwork, timing is insane in his development. Jayden Denegal might be the most improved player on the entire roster. Great accuracy, huge future for him. Then you throw in Davis Warren, he went through some injuries this year, but his footwork, cleaning up some of that stuff and he’s playing on time and playing as confident and fast as you can.
“So summarizing that all, it would be the confidence of the group. Understanding pre-snap what we’re going to probably get post-snap and be able to execute once that ball is snapped.”
Freshman Jadyn Davis, a four-star out of Charlotte (N.C.) Providence Day, was with the team during the CFP run as an early enrollee and will go through spring practice.
angelique.chengelis@detroitnews.com
@chengelis
