The Michigan Quarterback Race
Michigan quarterback
Cade McNamara lead his team to an unbelievable season in 2021. This season was a major turnaround from 2020 when he took over the job. In their 2020 season, the Wolverines only won two games, including one win against Rutgers, where McNamara lead a strong comeback. Still, his strong performance at the end of 2020 did not earn him the sole quarterback job in 2021.
McNamara shared the job with
JJ McCarthy, who came into Ann Arbor as a five-star recruit. He joined the Wolverines and immediately displayed his talent and ability to elevate the offense. In 2021, McCarthy received several snaps at significant moments of big games last season. Michigan’s offensive coordinator,
Josh Gattis, utilized McCarthy’s talent in a variety of ways. Having his talent at quarterback really opened the playbook wide open for Gattis.
It is unclear who is favored to be the starting quarterback in Ann Arbor next season. While many expect the Wolverines to continue utilizing the two-quarterback package, some want to see more of McCarthy. McCarthy and McNamara each present unique advantages and concerns. Ultimately, whoever proves to be the best option for Jim Harbaugh’s offense will earn the starting job in the fall.
Experience
MacNamara’s most valuable contribution to the Wolverines last season was his poise and leadership. He knew how to manage drives and he was a leader on the team. He protected the ball and made responsible decisions. It was not uncommon for him to opt for the safe, five-yard pass over the Hail Mary downfield bomb. This helped him stay on schedule, avoid long-yardage situations, and minimize turnovers.
McCarthy displayed a direct contrast to MacNamara’s mature style of play. McCarthy was a true freshman last season and this was very evident. During Michigan’s game against Michigan State, McCarthy lost multiple fumbles on critical drives. While he did learn from these experiences and show significant improvement, he will need to continue to improve his decision-making and ball handling.
Explosiveness
The argument most often made in favor of McCarthy, is that his explosiveness and playmaking ability elevates the entire offense. McCarthy’s athleticism forces defenses to stay on their feet. His speed and ability to find open receivers is what made him a five-star recruit out of high school.
McCarthy demonstrated his talent at the end of
Michigan’s blowout loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff. He took over for MacNamara when it became clear that Michigan could not mount a comeback. He took advantage of this opportunity, scoring Michigan’s only touchdown of the night on a 35-yard pass to
Andrel Anthony. His performance in this game makes a very good case for him to be the next starting quarterback. As it displays that he offers more physicality and athleticism than McNamara.
Staying Healthy
With McCarthy’s physical play, it may be difficult for him to survive an entire season without injury. He is very lean, at six-foot-three and less than 200 pounds, which makes taking hits even riskier. His playing style and physical build are reminiscent of Dylan McCaffrey, a recent Michigan quarterback.
McCaffrey caused a lot of excitement when he started his career at Michigan. He was fast, athletic, and had a strong arm. Despite his early hype, he ended up being the backup for most of his time as a Wolverine due to consistent injuries. His willingness to sacrifice his body to make a play proved to be more harm than good.
Like McCaffrey, McCarthy is not afraid to take a hit. Avoiding injury needs to remain a priority for him as he aspires to take over the starting quarterback role. Recently, it has been reported that he has an injury to his throwing shoulder causing him to have limited participation in practices. He is expected to be back to full practices by June or July, so it is unlikely that this injury will affect his standing in the quarterback race. Still, this off-season injury should prove to him the importance of staying healthy as he looks to lead the team.
Determining the Next Michigan Quarterback
The Wolverines lost their offensive coordinator Josh Gattis to the Miami Hurricanes earlier this year. Gattis was instrumental in developing a playbook that included both McCarthy and McNamara. Gattis’s replacements, Sherrone Moore and Matt Weiss will have a tough job as they work with Harbaugh to determine the starting quarterback.
McNamara and McCarthy are both great quarterbacks and their differences made them an effective duo last year. However, remaining relevant in the national conversation requires elite quarterback play. The Michigan quarterback race is on. McNamara and McCarthy have the next few months to prove what they can offer to the Michigan offense
