On this week’s In the Trenches podcast, former Michigan QB Jack Tuttle outlined his decision to retire and transition to coaching. He plans to use his experience to help the team in a different capacity:
Jack Tuttle had a college experience that few can relate to. Starting his career at Utah before transferring to Indiana and then Michigan, “Uncle Jack” turned into a college football journeyman before retiring midway through the 2024 season due to various injuries.
Now, we are hearing his story.
This week’s “In the Trenches” podcast featured an interview with Tuttle, who is now an assistant wide receivers coach for the Michigan Wolverines . Tuttle explained why he decided to retire.
“It was a tough decision — it was a tough year for me after the whole incident with the elbow and all of the other stuff. But it ultimately came down to — I thought my arm could get there and it just didn’t,” Tuttle said. “At the end, it’s hard. It’s hard to think about that every day, because man, I really wish it didn’t happen. I wish my arm — you can’t think like that. It happened, and the other injuries I had — talked to several doctors, and it was just kinda like the icing on the cake. They’re like, ‘Man, you gotta slow down and take it easy. You’ve broken your sternum, you’ve broken your collarbone. You’ve had surgeries on your shoulder, elbow.’ Head stuff was a major concern. It was tough.”
There are several avenues former players can take after their playing careers, with coaching being one of them. Tuttle was asked what led him to coaching, and he admitted he’s always had a goal to be a coach someday. Jansen asked if he had any ideas on plays to run or how to form an offense, and Tuttle joked, “Being in college for 50 years really got some ideas brewing for me. Creating plays is like creating art.”
While it’s fun to joke about Tuttle’s longevity playing college football, that experience will serve him in this new role. For players on the team, having someone they can go to and ask for advice and guidance it could be instrumental.
Tuttle is a bit older, so the transition from teammate to coach hasn’t been as tough for him. He talked about his “Uncle Jack” nickname and that while he played with the guys last year, many of them have always seen him as more of an experienced mentor.
While he’d like to end up as a head coach one day, Tuttle is focusing on where he’s at right now. He’s already been working with the receivers, going over fundamentals, looking at the tape and drawing from his experience as a quarterback. Tuttle also hopes to talk with the wide receivers about how quarterbacks see coverages and the ways that knowledge can help the receivers play faster.
Tuttle also hasn’t ruled out making a move to coaching a defensive position or working more with the offensive line. “Whatever Michigan needs me to do, I would do,” Tuttle said.