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Michigan football was once again undone by the QB's lax ball security

Posted on by Vanessa
Michigan football was once again undone by the QB's lax ball security

Free Press sports writer Rainer Sabin answers three questions after No. 10 Michigan Football lost 27-17 to Washington on Saturday in Seattle.

Has Michigan's offense found new life with Jack Tuttle?

After replacing starting quarterback Davis Warren with Alex Orji before the fourth game of the season, the Wolverines earned a gutsy victory over USC, narrowly outlasting Minnesota. In both wins, Michigan was on the brink of disaster, showing how little margin for error it had with Orji under center. Although Orji was more risk-averse than Warren, he was also a far less competent passer. Under his command, the offensive became one-dimensional and barely functional at times. Everything completely fell apart on Michigan's first three possessions against Washington. UM moved the ball a total of 47 yards on 16 plays, hitting a punt each time. After Washington took a 14-0 lead on Will Rodgers' 16-yard touchdown pass to Giles Jackson, Michigan found itself in a tough spot. So head coach Sherrone Moore called on Jack Tuttle to replace Orji and rejuvenate the struggling Wolverines.

THE GAME: Michigan's offense finds new life with QB change, collapses late in 27-17 loss at Washington

Tuttle, who was injured in the offseason and was either out or questionable for the first four games, did just that by showing more of a pocket presence than Orji. He kept his eyes downfield, holding defenders just long enough to open up some running lanes. On the first drive, he directed a seven-play, 75-yard march, rushing twice for a total of 14 yards. Immediately after the second of those two runs, Donovan Edwards raced 39 yards to the end zone. It was the first of three straight possessions that produced points. Tuttle had his fingerprints on each and coolly led Michigan down the field. On a third-and-10 play during UM's first drive of the second half, he delivered a 22-yard shot to Amorion Walker that kept UM's momentum going. Six plays later, he bought time by maneuvering outside the pocket before sending an eight-yard pass to tight end Colston Loveland, who was unguarded in the end zone. That way, the Wolverines had a 17-14 lead and their mojo was restored.

But soon after, the momentum faded and Tuttle fell victim to the same problem – lax ball security – that led to Warren losing the job. In the fourth quarter, when the game was 17:17, Washington's Voi Tunuufi stripped him of the ball. The lost fumble set up the go-ahead touchdown for Washington. Then, as Michigan subsequently took possession of the ball, Huskies safety Kamren Fabiculanan jumped in front of Loveland and snatched Tuttle's pass with 3:24 left. Within minutes, Tuttle scored twice on turnovers and his inspired 2024 debut went up in smoke.

Is Donovan Edwards back?

The sudden boost provided by Tuttle overshadowed the unexpected revival of Edwards. The West Bloomfield senior running back repeatedly beat the Huskies to help keep Michigan on top while also posting his best performance since his six-carry, 104-yard, two-touchdown masterpiece against Washington in Michigan's college win. Football playoff championship last January. Before Saturday, Kalel Mullings had outplayed Edwards while running the Wolverines' offense. Mullings accounted for 34.8% of the team's total yardage and helped Michigan to wins over USC and Minnesota.

Mullings' consistent performance contrasted sharply with Edwards' patchy performance, leading some outsiders to question whether he would be better used as a part-time receiver. But en route to rushing for 95 yards on 14 carries, Edwards showed why offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell still had confidence in him as a runner.

Can Michigan get back off the mat?

The Wolverines have been through a lot in the first six weeks of the season. They have experienced several quarterback changes. They were torn down from Texas at home. They put in a lot of effort with two close wins against USC and Minnesota. At various times, they had to advance without some of their top players, including Loveland, star cornerback Will Johnson and outside linebackers Josaiah Stewart and Derrick Moore. But this team has been pretty resilient up to this point. To quote his head coach: He didn't bat an eyelid. That certainly wasn't the case on Saturday. Despite missing Moore and two of his starting offensive players — left tackle Myles Hinton and center Dominick Giudice — they continued to compete. Trailing 14-0, Michigan battled back and pushed past Washington in the third quarter, bringing the Huskies to the brink in a hostile environment.

But after losing the lead and then the game, the Wolverines' strength will now be tested again. The reigning national champions enter draw week with a record of 4-2 and their season is at a crossroads.

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