CFB: Breaking Down the Michigan Quarterback Battle

This narrative has been hammered home more than almost any in college football: Jim Harbaugh and his struggles with quarterbacks. It’s more or less the same heading into 2021. The 2020 season was a total mess at the position: Joe Milton lighting it up week one against Minnesota, then struggling to keep control of the position as the weeks went on, giving way to sophomore Cade McNamara. 

Fast forward to the offseason: Milton hits the transfer portal (reportedly to Tennessee, but Milton says he hasn’t made a final decision yet), and McNamara is charging forward in the Wolverines quarterback battle. How is that battle shaping up as the offseason goes on? Let’s take a look.

Cade McNamara (Junior, 6-1’ 205lbs)

The former four-star prospect in Michigan’s 2019 class and the No. 1 recruit in Nevada (a two-time Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year), McNamara is widely viewed as the frontrunner in this battle. He didn’t play at all in 2019, and played in a limited relief role in 2020, completing 43/71 passes for 425 yards, five touchdowns, and zero interceptions. He showed out in Michigan’s Spring Game, leading the Blue Team to a 22-10 win and winning Spring Game MVP. 

JJ McCarthy (Freshman, 6-3’ 195lbs)

McCarthy is the prized recruit of Michigan’s 2020 recruiting class. A five-star recruit out of La Grange Park, Illinois, McCarthy spent his senior season at IMG Academy in Florida, where he led IMG to an undefeated record and a No. 1 ranking in MaxPreps final 2020 High School Football Rankings. McCarthy is listed as the No. 2 pro-style quarterback but has good athleticism moving around in the pocket and throwing on the run when the play breaks down. He’s the highest-rated QB to sign with Michigan in the Harbaugh era.

Alan Bowman (Junior, 6-3’ 215lbs)

Bowman transfers in from Texas Tech after an up-and-down 2020 season in Lubbock, tossing ten touchdowns and seven interceptions over 1,602 passing yards in eight starts. The former Red Raider spent three seasons in Lubbock, throwing for 33 touchdowns in his career while completing 67 percent of his passes. Injuries and consistency were always a struggle with Bowman, and he hopes to find a fresh start in Ann Arbor with two Wolverine quarterbacks transferring out after the 2020 season. Bowman won’t arrive on campus until after spring practice, putting the former three-star recruit a little behind in the battle for the starting role. 

In conclusion...

So who will start? It’s still too early to tell, but it seems like McNamara is the clear favorite so far. There’s no reason to put all the pressure on McCarthy as a true freshman, even if Harbaugh and co. views him as the future of the program.

Senior OL Ryan Hayes met with the media in early April and gave his thoughts on the quarterback situation (via SI):

"The quarterbacks have been great.  Cade's been playing really well, Dan's (Villari) been playing really well, and to see JJ come in - he's made some good throws.  He's definitely learning the offense still, but he's definitely done some things where it's like, "oh wow, yea this kid's going to be good one day."  All of the quarterbacks have been doing great, but Cade's been leading them for sure."

Writer

-By: TJ Mathewson