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The former Wolverine asks a fair question after the loss to Washington

The former Wolverine asks a fair question after the loss to Washington

For the sixth week in a row, Michigan's passing attack looked very disappointing… and this time it cost the Wolverines a loss. Michigan entered Saturday's game against Washington with one of the worst passing attacks in the country, ranking 129th nationally and averaging just 115.4 yards per game through the air. The Wolverines failed to match their season average on Saturday night, finishing the evening with just 113 yards through the air against the Husky defense. While it was an improvement over the previous two weeks, the lack of a pass threat definitely played a role in Michigan suffering its second loss of the season.

Michigan football

Oct. 5, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Jack Tuttle (13) attempts a pass against the Washington Huskies in the third quarter at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images / Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

After another slow start with junior QB Alex Orji, head coach Sherrone Moore switched to senior QB Jack Tuttle in the second quarter. The move definitely gave the Wolverines a much-needed boost on offense, and it looked like Tuttle could actually be the answer at QB for Michigan. But after three consecutive drives that resulted in 17 points, Michigan's offense stalled again. Worse, Tuttle was responsible for two costly turnovers in the second half that led to 10 points for the Huskies.

After the game, former Michigan defensive lineman Khaleke Hudson asked a question Michigan fans have been asking for weeks: Where is the big threat?

While we've seen plenty of cross routes, quick outs and bubble screens, we haven't seen this Michigan offense complete a deep ball in six weeks. The longest completion for the Wolverines on Saturday night was a connection from Tuttle to WR Amorion Walker for 22 yards. Furthermore, the Wolverines didn't even try to test the Washington secondary depth. The lack of a vertical passing threat has largely contributed to Michigan's offense becoming one-dimensional, something offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell acknowledged is unsustainable for an entire season.

After the game, Moore seemed to indicate that Tuttle would remain the starting quarterback going forward. With Michigan entering the break week at 4-2 on the season, I would say developing the passing attack needs to be a top priority over the next two weeks.

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