Washington 27, Michigan 17

Washington 27, Michigan 17


October 6, 2024
Jack Tuttle (image via Toledo Blade)

I guess it’s Tuttle time. After a couple drives of Alex Orji’s version of the offense doing nothing (0 points), Michigan surprisingly inserted seventh year Utah/Indiana transfer backup Jack Tuttle. The offense immediately got a boost as Washington tried to adjust. Michigan rather quickly put up 17 points across the second and third quarters before doing nothing in the fourth. Tuttle completed 10/18 passes for 98 yards, 1 touchdown, and 1 interception. He also ran 5 times for 14 yards and lost a fumble. Orji completed 3/7 passes for 15 yards and ran 3 times for 11 yards before departing. The offense looked more cohesive and calmer with Tuttle behind center, at least until the end of the game, when Michigan was down a couple scores in hurry-up mode. I would imagine Tuttle’s time on task has not been significant running a two-minute offense since he’s been hurt for the past several months, but the game was out of hand at that point. Michigan was not going to get two scores in the span of a minute or so.

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What does the Michigan offense look like going forward? As much as I like the idea of someone with Tuttle’s experience, acumen, and skills running the offense, I think there’s still a place for Orji. I actually didn’t like that when Michigan benched Orji, they completely removed him from the offense. I would hope that if Tuttle is the starter moving forward, Michigan still finds a way to incorporate Orji. First, that makes teams prepare for different styles of offense. Second, it protects Tuttle in some ways, because Tuttle has been injury-prone throughout his career. Third, the idea of +1 runs is enticing to me if Michigan can figure out a way to run QB powers, QB sweeps, QB isos, etc. Unfortunately, the coaches have been focused on weird option plays without an option. The offense just can’t be based on a running QB who’s actually not that great of a runner and who can only throw to the flat.

Donovan Edwards got unlocked. I thought Donovan Edwards played his best game of the year, especially when Tuttle came in the game. Edwards ended up with 14 carries for 95 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown run. He also had some other decent runs where he was falling forward after contact and powering through defenders. Take away the 39-yarder, and he still ended up with 13 carries for 56 yards, which is a decent day. I think some of this was partly due to Washington just not being super physical, but I’ll give credit where credit is due. He also had 2 catches for 23 yards, which is an aspect of the offense Tuttle opens up. Edwards previously had 7 catches for 23 yards, so he matched his season total in receiving yardage on just 2 catches.

Wink Martindale complaints? I think Michigan fans have been spoiled by the last few seasons, and now they’re in complain-about-everything mode. I think Martindale is a step down from Minter, but there’s also an element here of players not doing their jobs. Jyaire Hill tripped over a receiver’s feet and allowed a touchdown. That’s not on the defensive coordinator. Michigan’s junior All-American cornerback committed a stupid pass interference penalty that lengthened a Washington fourth quarter drive and set up a chip shot field goal to ice the game. In the first quarter, fifth year senior safety Makari Paige let former Michigan receiver Giles Jackson run right past him for a 39-yard catch. Nickel corner Zeke Berry got lost on a wheel route and couldn’t defend a back shoulder throw. I don’t know who’s to blame. Is it the defensive backs themselves? Is it defensive backs coach Lamar Morgan? Is it Martindale? I honestly don’t see that many schematic issues. Guys are in position to make plays, but they’re not making them. The question then, of course, becomes whether the scheme is matching the talents of the players on the field, but if a fifth year senior safety can’t defend a seam route . . . I don’t know what a defensive coordinator is going to do about that. Can Will Johnson not be trusted to play off man coverage?

I suspect wool is not sharpening iron. This is probably a more damning issue in some ways, but we always hear “iron sharpens iron.” Well, I suspect the problem in the defensive backfield is that Michigan does not have good receivers to challenge them in practice. If “best on best” in practice is Peyton O’Leary going against Will Johnson, he’s not getting the same look as he is in games when going against the leading touchdown scorer among Power 4 receivers. Kendrick Bell – a redshirt freshman switching positions from cornerback – does not challenge Jyaire Hill. Michigan’s receivers aren’t good on offense, and in turn, I think it’s having a negative impact on the defense because that’s who they see in practice. If my standard in practice is defending NFL draft-eligible prospects Roman Wilson and Cornelius Johnson, I’m going to be ready to face most receivers the Big Ten has to throw at me. If I’m practicing against O’Leary and Bell and 6’3″, 182 lb. Amorion Walker, it’s just not the same.

The season trajectory is dropping. Before the season, I predicted a 9-3 year with losses to USC, Oregon, and Ohio State. Obviously, Michigan scooted past USC with a win and then lost to Washington, so 9-3 is still a possibility if Oregon and Ohio State are still chalked up as losses. But with looming games against an improved Michigan State, an improved Indiana, etc., there are very few guaranteed victories.

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