Tom Allen will always recruit the quarterback position. It does not matter the caliber of the players currently in the room - the depth is too important.
So when the Indiana head coach saw one scholarship quarterback transfer out of the program in the spring, a grad transfer depart after fall camp and another scholarship quarterback suffer a season-ending injury in October, it wasn't just a want in the current class. It became a need.
Enter former Rivals150 and four-star prospect Jack Tuttle, who will enroll at IU in January after transferring from Utah.
"That was probably one that wasn't as long term of a recruiting process, but really excited about him and the skill that he brings and the chance to come here and really give us depth in a room that needs it bad," Allen said.
IU was down to one scholarship quarterback - two if you count athlete Reese Taylor, who became the emergency backup - following freshman Michael Penix Jr.'s season-ending ACL injury, putting redshirt sophomore starter Peyton Ramsey in a precarious situation.
Now, assuming no unforeseen setbacks with Penix's rehabilitation or an unexpected Ramsey injury, Indiana will have three healthy quarterbacks by the time fall camp arrives next August.
The addition of Tuttle makes Indiana deeper at quarterback, but it also provides competition. Although Tuttle was evaluated as a pro-style quarterback as a high school prospect, Allen believes he fits the mold of what he wants at the position.
"Here's what I would say, what I've consistently said, is that I want a quarterback that's a passer first and that can beat you with his legs," Allen said. "And I believe from looking and studying what Jack can do, he's a very accurate passer, very good passer in his ability to make all the throws, but he's a guy that can beat you with his legs. And to me, it's escapability, pure and simple."
No one got the chance to see Tuttle's ability to show both attributes at the college, as he did not play a single snap for Utah this fall. He did show both, however, while at San Marcos (Calif.) Mission Hills.
He completed 205-of-295 (69.5 percent) pass attempts for 3,171 yards with 41 touchdowns and just four interceptions, and rushed for 207 yards and a pair of touchdowns as a senior in 2017, helping his school to a 12-1 overall record with its lone loss coming in the San Diego Section Open Division title game. Tuttle's performance earned him San Diego Section Player of the Year honors, first team All-CIF recognition and the Silver Pigskin Award, presented to San Diego County's most outstanding high school football player.
How soon he will be able to showcase his skillset in a live regular season game, though, is still to be determined.
Indiana will appeal for immediate eligibility when Tuttle arrives on campus in January, but the amount of time it takes for that process to be completed varies, according to Allen.
"Basically you just go through it and you assume that you're going to get it, and then you just deal with it when you get the result," Allen said.
In the meantime, IU eagerly awaits his arrival.
"Really excited about the addition of him to our team and what he brings," Allen said. "And competition makes everybody better. Period."
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