Can The Transfer Portal Help Michigan football at Quarterback?
Michigan's Spring Game is this upcoming weekend and plenty of eyes are going to be on the quarterback position and the battle amongst Alex Orji, Jayden Denegal, Jack Tuttle, Jadyn Davis, and Davis Warren. There has already been some limited views as to the abilities of Jadyn Davis, and, not surprisingly, Alex Orji's teammates have said great things about his arm and athleticism.
However, there have also been serious questions about whether any of the current Michigan football quarterbacks have the total package needed to lead this team through one of the toughest regular-season schedules in recent memory. With the spring transfer portal opening on April 16th, several prominent voices covering the team believe that Michigan football will have to heavily explore that portal to find the right fit at one of the most important positions on the field. Unfortunately, there are also doubts as to just how robust the portal may be for those seeking a signal-caller, meaning that even if there is a significant portal need for the Wolverines, the player they need simply won't be there.
So what does this mean for Wolverine fans tuning in to the Spring Game this weekend? It certainly puts the play of Orji and his position-mates under a much bigger microscope (if that is possible) given that Michigan football will have an extremely difficult time finding a portal QB savior.
Although it is important to remember that there is still plenty of time before the first game, it will be hard for fans to ignore or downplay the situation if Michigan's quarterbacks struggle. It also increases the focus on the offensive line and running game, given that if Michigan is unable to throw the football they will have to lean even more heavily on Donovan Edwards and Kelel Mullings to control the clock and keep the offense on the field. It also will put a great deal of pressure on wide receivers like Semaj Morgan to run crisp routes and get open if accurate passes are at a premium during the regular season.
feed
It is certainly concerning that there is so much noise about the transfer portal this late in the spring, especially with respect to as important a position as quarterback. Michigan fans have been in something of a similar position before with Cade McNamara, who faced his share of doubts before assuming the full-time starting role in 2021, and we all remember how that worked out. The point being that the Wolverines have worked through issues at the quarterback spot before, mostly by pounding the football and playing excellent defense, something the 2024 version of the team looks to do well given all they have returning in those phases of the game.