Sherrone Moore explains what he's looking for in next Michigan football QB

INDIANAPOLIS — The absolute biggest question facing Michigan football this offseason is who will be the starting quarterback. Though the new EA Sports College Football 25 video game and most pundits have pencilled in Alex Orji’s name, the competition has yet to truly begin, and there are multiple contenders waiting in the wings.

Beyond Orji, Jack Tuttle was injured this spring, Davis Warren had a strong showing in the April spring game, while junior Jayden Denegal and freshman Jadyn Davis will also have their say when fall camp begins next week.

But what will be the determining factor for new head coach Sherrone Moore when it comes to choosing a quarterback? Is it the player with the highest ceiling? The one with the biggest ‘wow’ factor? Or will it be something else entirely?

WolverinesWire asked Moore at Big Ten media days what he’ll be looking for and ball security is the top item, while being able to also move the offense down the field.

“I think the No. 1 thing is who’s going to take care of the football, who’s going to be the guy that take care of the football,” Moore said. “Our defense is going to provide them a bunch of different looks. They are going to have Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant running at them and Josaiah Stewart and Jaishawn Barham and Will off the edge, and Makari and all these guys and different looks.

“So who’s gonna take care of the football? Who’s gonna make a play? And then next thing who’s going to really lean on the team win and team-first mentality? For us, we’ll get a good feel as we go through training camp. Don’t know what the day is and when it will be, but you guys will know as soon as we do. Maybe!”

Given his absence in spring and the fact that he hasn’t been a hot name, don’t sleep on Jack Tuttle to end up winning the job.

Though he doesn’t get a ton of accolades from his time at Utah, Indiana, or in Ann Arbor, Tuttle was originally a four-star recruit, rated by 247Sports as the No. 110 player in the country. According to the 247Sports Composite, he was as a consensus four-star at No. 167 overall in the 2018 class. He may have been behind players like Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, and J.T. Daniels, but he was ahead of Joe Milton, Cam Rising, Devin Leary, and even Michael Penix Jr.

Moore says that Tuttle has a lot working for him and given the players who he was behind — the No. 9 and 10 NFL draft picks in 2024 — it stands to reason why he hasn’t seen the field with regularity at his last two stops.

“Yeah, he’s been great, man,” Moore said. “He’s been accurate. He’s been throwing hard, throwing physical, fast and it looks good.

“Jack’s had the unfortunate favor to be behind Michael Penix Jr. and J.J. McCarthy. So he’s excited, to say the least. So watch him compete. We’re ready. Ready to see what happens.”

Either way, Michigan football will have a big decision to make and one it shouldn’t take lightly. Tuttle would be the safe option, but we’ve seen the Wolverines go that route with Cade McNamara in 2021, and they still won the Big Ten and beat Ohio State. They also did so in 2016 with former three-star Wilton Speight and were a questionable spot away from meeting those same goals. But we’ve also seen what an enigmatic talent can do with J.J. McCarthy at the helm. Perhaps Orji is a Jalen Milroe clone, and he will get a chance to prove his mettle in fall camp.