Michigan football still trying to figure out QB position behind J.J. McCarthy

Of the handful of spots where Michigan football planned to let the competition carry into the season — offensive line, edge rusher and cornerback among them — only one remains. J.J. McCarthy's understudy.

"The one we're still evaluating is the back up quarterback," Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday. "This week you'll see it will be J.J. and if we go to a backup quarterback it will be Jayden Denegal and Alex Orji. Want to get all those guys looked at in game action, hopefully this next game but if not, it will have to carry into the next one."

Davis Warren relieved McCarthy in Week 1 and went 0-for-1 passing and was dropped once for a loss of 8 yards on the ground. Last week, Indiana transfer Jack Tuttle was was up first to replace McCarthy, but on his first play he kept the read-option for a gain of 15, went out of bounds and was hit late by a UNLV defender.

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He left the game with an injury and did not return, though Harbaugh said "he tells me he's going to be back this week practicing. I think we're going to dodge a bullet there." Still, Harbaugh said he does "not anticipate" seeing Tuttle in the game this week, even if he could go, because of the need to get Denegal and Orji reps.

Warren came in to replace Tuttle and went 0 of 2 passing before Denegal got in the game. When he did, he completed his lone pass to freshman wide receiver Semaj Morgan for a gain of 35, but he shouldn't have had to wait according to Harbaugh.

"We made a mistake, Coach Hart put in Davis Warren ahead of (Jayden) Denegal," Harbaugh said. "We planned it, we practiced it, then we gotta go execute. Two great things — the way Jayden Denegal handled it, I mean his poise, I could see it on TV. ... Then after the game, Mike Hart, he took responsibility.

"Great learning lesson. Coaches, we've got to hold ourselves accountable to the same thing."

Offensive line has 'our five'

U-M's plan heading into Week 1 was to use the "Michigan method" at center and the tackle spots to determine starters. Captains Zak Zinter and Trevor Keegan were locks for their respective spots at guard, but practice was said to have been "too close to call" for the others.

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Karsen Barnhart and Arizona State transfer LaDarius Henderson would battle on the left side, Trente Jones and Stanford transfer Myles Hinton would battle on the right, with fellow Stanford transfer Drake Nugent and Greg Crippen in the middle.

"That first day in camp I told them I don't care who starts, because I love you all the same," offensive coordinator, Sherrone Moore, now in his third season as offensive line coach, said Monday. "We're going to put out the five best guys that are gonna help the University of Michigan football team win.

"That's all it is, it's not an emotional decision, it's based on the film."

In Week 1 Barnhart and Nugent both started and got 58 snaps while Henderson and Crippen came in for nine plays in the fourth quarter. In Week 2, the former out-snapped the latter, 50-11. Hinton also ran with the ones both weeks on the right side, he got 58 and 50 snaps respectively, while Jones, who is used as the sixth man in "heavy" sets, got 25 snaps in Week 1 and 15 in Week 2.

"They get pretty even reps throughout practice," Moore clarified. "There's not a lot of wiggle room off 'oh I got more reps or I didn't. No, you got the exact same amount of reps as he did.' So we got a pretty good count system."

So, does this mean Michigan officially has a starting five?

"Like we always say, the depth chart flows," Moore said. "So I guys don't practice or play well that next week, then that can change. But right now, we have our five."

Young secondary impressing

All over the field, the Wolverines staff likes to work young players into the fold during the non-conference schedule to get game-time reps. It just so happens in the secondary, they didn't have much choice.

Last week, U-M was without both off its starting safeties, Rod Moore and Makari Paige. After missing Week 1, U-M slowly worked star cornerback Will Johnson into the fold for seven reps, while the second cornerback spot was also thin, without the services of Amorion Walker.

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Keshaun Harris started for Johnson, Keon Sabb started for thee second consecutive week for Moore while Quinten Johnson slid in for Paige.

"Keshaun (Harris) and Keon (Sabb) are definitely playing great, so is Quinten ... those three have stepped up in a big way" Harbaugh said. "They're playing right up there with starter level."

Harbaugh praised how the defense was playing both fast and physical yet still didn't allow a single explosive play in the game. He also gave a shoutout to true freshmen Cam Calhoun and Jyaire Hill, but wanted to single out DJ Waller.

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After an up-and-down showing in his collegiate debut, Waller played 15 snaps and came up with three tackles.

"Really good to see him take the coaching he got this past week from coach Clink," Harbaugh said. "It was directed at the tackling. Coach Clink, he's a straight shooter. He doesn't mince words or mix them up, he just told it straight up to DJ and DJ didn't go sulk, he just came back and produced."

Clinkscale was the primary recruiter for Waller, out of Chaney High School in Youngstown, Ohio.

Harbaugh's busy Saturday

Harbaugh ate sandwiches at Sherrone Moore's house during Week 1 of his suspension.

While Harbaugh lauded the lunch spread provided by Moore's wife, U-M's OC outed her on Monday.

"I mean, they were Panera sandwiches," he laughed.

This Saturday, Harbaugh was a bit busier. He started by working the chains in his son's youth football game. Last week, Jack, who is a quarterback, middle linebacker and tight end, played on Friday and the Harbaughs were in charge of Gatorade and snacks.

"Our team needed a win and they played really well," Harbaugh said. "It was neat to see the kids enthusiasm for that and confidence as they left the field. Makes them want to come back, makes them like football, it was cool to be a part of."

As for his own team's game, Harbaugh watched it at home with his daughter Katie, 12, and son Johnny, 6. Prior to the game, he mowed the front lawn. At halftime, he shot down to McDonalds on Washtenaw to pick his kids up a quick snack, before he watched the end of Michigan's 35-7 victory.

Then, he mowed his back lawn.

"Good day," he said. "Productive."

Contact Tony Garcia at apgarcia@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter at @realtonygarcia.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football still trying to figure out QB2 behind J.J. McCarthy