Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is open to the possibility of playing both Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy well into the 2022 season if the heated quarterback battle cannot be solved by Week 1 against Colorado State. McNamara, a senior, and McCarthy, a sophomore, have been competing hard this offseason to be QB1 after sharing snaps last season.
“This is a very good unique situation. We have two quarterbacks that are playing at a high starter level and we’re gonna keep competing and it’s possible there’s a starter by the first game, and then possible that it plays into the season.” Harbaugh said Wednesday, per MLive.com. “Then we pick the one that’s gonna help the team win, who’s gonna be the best person to play quarterback to win the game.”
McNamara took the lion’s share of snaps in his first full season as a starter in 2021, completing 64.2% of his 327 passes for 2,576 yards and 15 touchdowns while leading the Wolverines to the College Football Playoff. Michigan, meanwhile, posted one of the 20 most efficient yards-per-play offenses in the nation.
On the other hand, McCarthy played numerous snaps as a change-of-pace backup, showing off a dynamic arm and impressive rushing ability. McCarthy played well in relief of McNamara in the CFP semifinal loss to Georgia, throwing for 131 yards, rushing for 24 and scoring the lone Wolverines touchdown of the game.
McCarthy was a five-star recruit and the No. 5 quarterback in the 2021 recruiting class. He has been considered the quarterback of the future in Ann Arbor for years. McNamara, however, hit all the right notes on the way to a Big Ten championship and upset victory over rival Ohio State. Adding to the layers of the offseason battle was McCarthy’s shoulder injury, which severely limited him during the spring.
Here are key takeaways from Michigan’s quarterback competition as it stretches towards the season opener on Sept. 3.
Passing game must improve
McNamara was asked to manage games during the Wolverines’ run to the playoff, but the job won’t be quite as simple in 2022. Leading rusher Hassan Haskins is off to the NFL, and the defense lost three superstars in Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo and Daxton Hill.
There’s no reason to believe the defense and running game will fall off a cliff, but the passing game needs to be more productive for Michigan to be a top-10 team. McNamara threw for fewer than 200 yards in 10…
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