All eyes will be on Jack Tuttle this week when the 10th ranked Indiana Hoosiers kickoff against the 18th ranked Wisconsin Badgers at Camp Randall Stadium.
And, while Tuttle may feel some nerves in his first college start, the former Mission Hills High School standout will be just fine, according to his former high school coach Chris Hauser.
Hauser spoke with TheHoosier.com Monday and said he was watching Indiana play Maryland when he saw then-starting quarterback Michael Penix go down with a torn ACL and Tuttle enter the game.
“I was watching the game when it happened, and saw Michael go down and my initial thought was “aw shucks.” You guys have had some good quarterbacks in Peyton Ramsey and Penix and the quarterback play at Indiana has been pretty solid the last few years. In my opinion, it won’t drop off. In Jack, you have a kid who is so hungry to be out there and so ready. He has been learning the past couple of years and he will show all kinds of grit,” Hauser told TheHoosier.com.
Hauser would know.
After all, he watched Tuttle put on a show every week. The former Elite 11 high school quarterback was highly recruited coming out of Mission Hills High School, where he was the 4th best pro-style quarterback in the country by Rivals. During his senior year of high school, Tuttle ripped off a 12-1 record while throwing for 3,171 yards, 41 touchdowns and four interceptions on 205-of-295 passing.
Hauser said he sees a lot of Joe Montana in his former signal caller, as in Montana having to come in off the bench at Notre Dame.
“It’s a big stage, but it is football. Jack is down to Earth and so genuine, and he cares so much about everyone else. There were times where I had to say to him it is okay be good and recognize that and that you made yourself who you are. He seemed to deflect the praise. I think he has matured and is three years removed from high school, he’s wiser and gets it. There's a lot of really good quarterbacks out there and I firmly believe he is giving his best audition all the time, that’s how he is wired,” Hauser said.
With the keys to the offense, the 6-foot-4-inch sophomore, who transferred from Utah, will have weapons at wide receiver in Ty Fryfogle and Whop Philyor, as well as Tim Baldwin Jr., Stevie Scott, David Ellis and Sampson James in the rushing attack. As a Hoosier, Tuttle is 11-of-16 for 65 yards and has 20 yards on the ground.
