We are just 17 days away from the Michigan Wolverines returning to the Big House on April 20 for the annual spring game. This year’s edition of the event brings with it plenty of intrigue, as the football program is now entering a new era of leadership. Head coach Sherrone Moore has been busy working to build his staff and fill key positions, while also trying to make sure he can keep what’s left of his roster intact. So far, he’s done both incredibly well.
Even with the loss of Jim Harbaugh, most of the defensive staff, and 18 veteran guys to the NFL Draft, the expectation in Ann Arbor remains extremely high. Given those lofty expectations, Michigan fans will be paying close attention to several key position battles throughout spring and into fall camp.
Here are the three groups you need to keep your eye on when Michigan takes the field on April 20:
The Quarterbacks
This is by far the biggest question mark for Michigan heading into the 2024 season. Replacing a quarterback like JJ McCarthy is nearly impossible, and most of the guys who are currently next in line have very little experience at the collegiate level.
Seventh year graduate student Jack Tuttle is the most experienced option of the group, appearing in 21 games with five starts throughout his collegiate career. Tuttle completed 104-of-182 attempts for 901 yards and five touchdowns, earned four varsity letters, and became a team captain during his time at Indiana. He then transferred to Michigan for the 2023 season, where he appeared in six games at the QB position, and completed 15-of-17 attempts for 130 yards and one touchdown. With that being said, Tuttle has been limited this spring while dealing with an injury, and it doesn’t sound like he’ll be available during the spring game.
Alex Orji and Jayden Denegal (both juniors) are the other two quarterbacks who have a legitimate shot at earning the QB1 spot this fall, but they’ll have a lot to prove during the spring and into the fall. Combined, Orji and Denegal have just six passing attempts throughout their colligate careers so far. Even with the limited experience, it feels like Orji has a slight edge at this point, given the fact that he appeared in six games at quarterback during the 2023 season – though he didn’t attempt a single pass. Instead, Orji served as somewhat of a wrecking ball behind center, rushing for 86 yards and one touchdown on 15 attempts.
The other two options feel more like a longshot for the QB1 spot in 2024, albeit for different reasons. Senior Davis Warren has appeared in eight games during his first three years at Michigan, but he’s just 5-of-14 for 89 yards and one interception in those reps. Jaydn Davis, on the other hand, is entering his freshman season and, although he’s extremely talented, it seems unlikely that he’d get the nod over the other more experienced options at this point. In fact, Michigan hasn’t started a true freshman at the quarterback position since Chad Henne back in 2004.
The Offensive Line
Michigan has had no shortage of success in producing top talent on the offensive line over the last several years, but sustaining that success will certainly be a challenge in 2024. The Wolverines have lost every starter from the offensive line last season, including center Drake Nugent, Guards Zak Zinter and Trevor Keegan, and tackles Ladarius Henderson, Karsen Barnhart, and Trente Jones.
While it seems like a daunting task to replace so much talent up front, there’s plenty of confidence that Michigan will be solid on the offensive line once again in 2024. Given all we’ve heard this spring from the coaching staff and players, here’s how I anticipate the starting offensive line to look this fall:
- LT: Myles Hinton – Fifth Year
- G: Josh Priebe – Graduate Student
- C: Greg Crippen – Senior
- G: Giovanni El-Hadi – Senior
- RT: Andrew Gentry/Jeffrey Persi – Junior/Graduate Student
The Secondary
This is another group that is definitely worth keeping your eye on throughout the spring, particularly with the injury to veteran safety Rod Moore. While guys like Will Johnson and Makari Paige are known commodities, the Wolverines have several vacancies that will need to be filled.
Two names that have been mentioned repeatedly throughout the spring are DJ Waller Jr. and Jyaire Hill. The pair of sophomore safeties are reportedly rising up the depth chart and positioning themselves as potential starters in the secondary this fall. Michigan also has a handful of veteran safeties with Zeke Berry, Ja’Den McBurrows, and Quinten Johnson – all who figure to play a significant role in the secondary this fall.
