2024 Spring Football Preview: Quarterback

Tag: Jadyn Davis


1Mar 2024
Blog, homepage no comments

2024 Spring Football Preview: Quarterback

Jack Tuttle

2023 Starter: J.J. McCarthy
Loss: McCarthy
Returning players: Jack Tuttle (7th), Davis Warren (RS Jr.), Jayden Denegal (RS So.), Alex Orji (RS So.)
Newcomer: Jadyn Davis (Fr.)
Projected starter: Tuttle

There are a lot of unknowns going into the 2024 season, but first among all of them is the quarterback position. Michigan got a great performance from McCarthy in 2023, who goes down in history as the program’s best college quarterback ever after going 27-1 as a starter and winning a national championship.

But as of right now, Michigan is heading into the season with its cloudiest quarterback situation since perhaps 2009, when freshman Tate Forcier beat out freshman Denard Robinson and 2008 part-time starter Nick Sheridan. Michigan has significantly more experience on its side at the position in 2024, considering Tuttle is a 7th year senior and there are no freshmen – sorry, Jadyn Davis – who truly seem to be in the mix to start.

The first guy to get reps should be Tuttle, who has been named a starter before – albeit at Indiana – and ascended to #2 on the depth chart in 2023, during his first year in Ann Arbor. He completed 15/17 passes for 130 yards and 1 touchdown, a whopping 88.7% completion percentage. And the #1 most impressive thing about him in the spring of 2023 was his willingness and ability to run. He’s a former top-100 recruit, even if he was coming out of high school back when Barack Obama was president (don’t look that up).

The sexy pick is 6’3″, 235 lb. Alex Orji, who was brought in as a quasi single-wing quarterback last year but who didn’t attempt a pass. He’s capable of throwing lasers, which can be seen on his high school film and from last year’s spring game, but it’s noteworthy that the coaching staff didn’t trust him to throw last year. To go from attempting zero passes to becoming a starter would be . . . well . . . the first time since 2009 that Michigan would entrust a quarterback to start who hadn’t attempted a single pass during the previous season.

Offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell says Jayden Denegal (4/5, 50 yards, 1 TD) is the most improved offensive player, but he was a guy who was very raw coming into the program in 2022. Walk-on Davis Warren has looked good at times, but he had a rough go in limited time last season (0/5, 1 INT). Meanwhile, freshman Jadyn Davis is an early enrollee who has a winning pedigree, but his limited size (6’0″, 202), lack of an amazing arm, and lack of difference-making athleticism make him more of a threat to start down the road when experience and knowledge of the offense put him a notch above the field. To play as a freshman, you typically need some athletic trait that sets you apart – size, speed, arm strength – and that’s not Davis’s game.

14Jan 2024
Blog, homepage no comments

What should Michigan do at QB in 2024?

Alex Orji (image via WFAA)

It was a very understandable move, but Michigan suffered a big blow on Sunday when incumbent starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy announced he would be entering the 2024 NFL Draft. McCarthy is a two-year starter who went 27-1 in that role and won a national championship. According to draft projections I’ve seen, he’s considered to be a potential 1st round pick and is thought to be anywhere from the #3 to the #6 quarterback in the class. He could come back in 2024 and potentially be the #1 quarterback on the board for the 2025 draft, but it looks like that won’t happen.

So where should Michigan turn for a quarterback in 2024?

JADYN DAVIS (6’0″, 202 lb. freshman)
2023 season stats (high school): 204/288, 3370 yards, 43 touchdowns, 9 interceptions
The argument: Davis, from Charlotte (NC) Providence Day, is a 4-star recruit, the #7 quarterback, and #93 overall in the class of 2024. Michigan recruited Davis hard and put most of their eggs in his basket during the cycle, so the coaching staff really likes him. While he’s ranked anywhere from #61 to #116 overall by three of the four main recruiting sites, the fourth – On3 – has him all the way down at #218. One thing that really helps true freshman quarterbacks be successful is some kind of physical advantage – speed, size, and/or a cannon for an arm – but Davis has none of the above. He’s more of a game manager in the mold of Cade McNamara, and while McNamara did eventually captain his team to a very successful season, it wasn’t until his third year on campus.

Hit the jump for more.

read more
20Nov 2023
Blog, homepage no comments

Visitors: Michigan vs. Ohio State

Burley (ID) Burley WR Gatlin Bair may head to Ann Arbor for the OSU game

2024 PROSPECTS

Gatlin Bair – WR – Burley (ID) Burley: Bair is a 6’2″, 195-pounder who is committed to Boise State, who just fired head coach Andy Avalos. Bair is headed on a two-year Mormon mission after high school, so he will basically end up being a 2026 prospect. Bair is also considering Michigan and Oregon, along with BSU. He’s a 4-star, the #10 WR, and #40 overall. This visit is a possibility, but not set in stone at this point.

Zaquan Patterson – S – Hollywood (FL) Chaminade-Madonna: Patterson is a 6’0″, 185 lb. prospect who is committed to Miami. He’s a teammate of 2025 Michigan commit Chris Ewald. Patterson is a 4-star, the #5 safety, and #70 overall.

2024 COMMITS

QB Jadyn Davis
RB Micah Ka’apana
RB Jordan Marshall
WR Channing Goodwin
WR I’Marion Stewart
TE Hogan Hansen
TE Brady Prieskorn
OL Blake Frazier
OL Jake Guarnera
OL Luke Hamilton
OL Ben Roebuck
OL Andrew Sprague
DE Ted Hammond
DT Owen Wafle
LB Jeremiah Beasley
LB Mason Curtis
LB Zach Ludwig
LB Cole Sullivan
CB Jeremiah Lowe

Hit the jump for more.

read more
4Nov 2023
Blog, homepage no comments

Visitors: Michigan vs. Purdue

Charlotte (NC) Providence Day QB Jadyn Davis

2024

Jadyn Davis – QB – Charlotte (NC) Providence Day: Davis is committed to Michigan (LINK).

Jo’Ziah Edmond – CB – Nappanee (IN) Northwood: Edmond is committed to Michigan.

Channing Goodwin – WR – Charlotte (NC) Providence Day: Goodwin is committed to Michigan (LINK).

Hit the jump for more.

read more
5Sep 2023
Blog, homepage no comments

Recruit Tracker: 2024 QB Jadyn Davis

Jadyn Davis

September 8, 2023: Davis completed 11/13 passes for 200 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 49-7 win over Concord (NC) Cabarrus. Providence Day is 4-0.
Season totals: 70/93 passing for 1,213 yards and 14 touchdowns, plus 1 rushing touchdown

September 1, 2023: Davis completed 19/26 passes for 264 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 42-7 win over Charlotte (NC) Catholic. Providence Day is 3-0.
Season totals: 59/80 passing for 1,013 yards and 11 touchdowns. He also has 1 rushing touchdown.

August 25, 2023: Davis completed 16/19 passes for 250 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 47-7 win over Asheville (NC) Asheville. He also ran 1 time for 8 yards and 1 touchdown. Providence Day is 2-0.
Season totals: 40/54 passing, 749 yards, 8 touchdowns, plus 1 carry for 8 yards and 1 touchdown.

August 19, 2023: Davis completed 24/35 passes for 499 yards and 5 touchdowns in a 42-35 win over Rock Hill (SC) Northwestern. Providence Day is 1-0.