Michigan football has a quarterback problem, and Dave Portnoy is willing to pay big bucks to fix it.
After winning the national championship with JJ McCarthy under center last year, the Wolverines handed the reins to Davis Warren, who threw six interceptions in three games before being benched for backup Alex Orji. Orji was able to total just 32 passing yards on 12 attempts against USC.
And even though UM won that game 27-24, Michigan alum Portnoy has a plan to fix Michigan’s passing game going forward.
“Michigan, I’ll be your quarterback,” he began. The Barstool Pick Em Podcast. ‘… I’ll talk to (head coach) Sherrone (Moore), ‘Who do you want, who’s there, give me a group, I’ll go get them?’
Portnoy then said he would pay “$1 million, $2 million, whatever” in ZERO money before Dan “Big Cat” Katz asked him how much maximum money he would pay.
Michigan alum Dave Portnoy, founder of Barstool Sports, has a plan for his football team
Portnoy explained on the Barstool Pick Em podcast that he would pay up to $3 million in NIL to fund the school’s signing of a new quarterback.
“Three million dollars,” Portnoy shrugged.
The college sports landscape has changed dramatically since players have been able to profit off of their name, image and likeness, and UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka decided to sit out the remainder of the season due to “commitments” he failed to keep.
Sluka’s NIL representative, Marcus Cromartie of Equity Sports, told ESPN that his client was promised at least $100,000 from a UNLV assistant coach before transferring there.
That money was never paid, according to Cromartie, who says the school responded with an offer of $3,000 a month.
Alex Orji (above) has taken over as Michigan’s starter after Davis Warren was benched.
Katz pointed out to Portnoy that $3 million might not be enough for certain players, such as Texas’ Arch Manning’s NIL valuation of $3.1 million according to En3.com.
Portnoy, however, is confident his money could get Michigan a talented quarterback.
“I can get us a quarterback. We don’t have a quarterback. … I’m going to get us a quarterback that’s in the top 10 in the (transfer) portal, which is going to come out every year.”
For now, Orji will look to improve in his second start when Michigan faces Minnesota on Saturday.