Trust Me
Coli Prophet
This Tuttle thing could get real interesting real fast
Well, maybe not REAL fast as there is a bye next Saturday, but a bye week would be a great opportunity to make a switch, if the coaches deem it necessary. As ITF said earlier, if Alex Orji takes a step forward this week and Michigan wins, it is highly unlikely they make a change, but as I mentioned last week, there is a contingent inside Schembechler that wanted to go back to Davis Warren after the USC game because they feared this offense would become too one-dimensional, and that din hasn't quieted much. If Jack Tuttle's arm strength continues to grow and he's a bona fide option leading up to the Illinois contest, Sherrone Moore would have a very interesting decision to make - go with a QB that is 3-0 but limited or switch to Tuttle believing he gives you the best chance for a balanced offense, but risk upsetting the chemistry of the locker room.
I spoke to several people this week about the Tuttle/Orji decision. Two said they should make the switch regardless of the Washington result. Another was in wait-and-see mode. All of them remarked it 100% depended on Tuttle.
Not to get too far ahead of ourselves as there is A LOT of season left, but one of the challenges Michigan will face in the offseason is recruiting a top QB transfer and at least two top-end receiver transfers to Ann Arbor when they have a very mediocre passing product to showcase. Sure, you can sell hope and promise, but agents for transfers - looking ahead to their NFL prospects - want to guarantee production and Michigan, dating back to the Harbaugh era, have nothing to show. One insider noted that Michigan was more active in the transfer portal last year than assumed but "couldn't get those difference-makers interested [in our offensive product]."
The key to landing those high-value targets with or without evidence (but especially without) - top market value NIL deals.
Michigan has been very good about building up the war chest for returning players and getting them to buy in to this 'team-first' attitude, but that attitude isn't always going to win out. The good news is that there are far fewer players that will need significant dollars to return (Rayshaun Benny is one, Zeke Berry, Derrick Moore, and of course there will always be a few surprises), but U-M should have the resources to at least get a bona fide QB.
Whether or not Dave Portnoy actually takes care of the quarterback on his own remains to be seen, but his public airing of such at least called attention to the need. As one source noted, "it sort of embarrassed a few folks inside the athletic department that have been resistant to leveraging the full brand of Michigan" and they're pushing for Warde Manuel to "get out of the way" of what this university is capable of. Not terribly surprising, but some inside the athletic department are proceeding cautiously still as they believe the revenue-sharing that is coming to college athletics is the "great equalizer." One source noting that the sense is revenue sharing will decrease the focus on NIL. Call me skeptical on that unless the Big Ten & SEC form a joint task force to police it themselves and make the rest of college football buy in.
I see Warde is still in the way.
Is Tuttle even healthy enough to play
I don't care how ugly the offense looks if we keep winning games and the run game continues to run for 200+ on the ground I would just ride it out. If Orji really is one of the leaders in the locker room I'm not destroying the team chemistry and bond because of outside chatter.
. Meanwhile ya football team as broke as the M Den 
