August 30th, 2021 at 12:39 PM ^
Article is light on content. Here is the one Harbaugh quote:
“Cade McNamara is our starting quarterback," coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday. "He’s ratcheted it up in a lot of different areas. The biggest one is consistency.”
August 30th, 2021 at 1:39 PM ^
Talent and talented supporting cast are there. Excited to see what he can do. Stay away from the injury bug my dude!
August 30th, 2021 at 2:21 PM ^
Stay away from Wisconsin cheap shots.
August 30th, 2021 at 12:42 PM ^
If the OL can keep him healthy, I think more than a few people around here are going to be very pleasantly surprised.
August 30th, 2021 at 1:04 PM ^
Granted I’m a lay person, but he seemed in command of the offense last year and could make all the throws. I’ll take that
August 30th, 2021 at 2:20 PM ^
He doesn't have any attributes that really wow you, but he does the little things well and he gets the ball out quickly, which is often overlooked by fans, but important. If Shea had picked up that trait, we might remember him a little differently.
August 30th, 2021 at 2:27 PM ^
I take that as Cade McNamara = Tom Brady. Excellent.
August 30th, 2021 at 2:39 PM ^
this situation definitely reminds me of brady vs henson in 1999.
August 30th, 2021 at 6:01 PM ^
I was thinking (hoping) more like Brian Griese in 1997.
August 30th, 2021 at 2:30 PM ^
I realize the sample size we had to evaluate from last year was tiny, but in re-watching his 2020 highlights I was impressed all over again with how quickly Cade made decisions and got the ball out, and that he was accurate in doing so.
IMHO, that's far more important than having the cannon/rocket arm that so many seem obsessed about.
August 30th, 2021 at 2:40 PM ^
ah the demetrius brown vs michael taylor days.
August 30th, 2021 at 1:29 PM ^
Yep. Been waiting for a top tier offensive line for a while now. Maybe this is the year
August 30th, 2021 at 3:40 PM ^
There is a lot to be said about a QB who gets the ball out quickly and accurately for just how good they make an OL look.
August 30th, 2021 at 3:54 PM ^
Much less likely to get sacked—and injured—if you're not standing there holding the ball for four seconds trying to make a decision.
August 30th, 2021 at 3:59 PM ^
You know that way back in 2019, Michigan put four starting offensive linemen in the NFL....and then the fifth (Mayfield) went in 2020, right?
August 30th, 2021 at 1:41 PM ^
I agree with you Don. Young man looked like the first capable and confident QB we have had in a long time. Hoping he stays healthy.
August 30th, 2021 at 9:59 PM ^
There are a lot of Defenses on our schedule that may prove you wrong (specifically talking about the capable and confident part).
August 30th, 2021 at 12:45 PM ^
Physically he is limited but he could have a huge impact by making the right reads and being an accurate passer.
August 30th, 2021 at 12:54 PM ^
I do wonder where the idea he's "physically limited" comes from. Like, he's not built like Milton but everyone said he had a good arm coming into college and his deep throws against Rutgers and Wisconsin looked perfectly accurate and strong. I mean, if the goal is to run him 15 times a game that's not going to work but it didn't really work with Milton either.
August 30th, 2021 at 1:58 PM ^
It’s amazing how sensitive fans can be. He is limited physically; height, overall size, arm strength, quickness, speed ect.
That doesn’t mean it’s doom and gloom as I pointed out in my post. There are things he can do to mitigate that but McNama isn’t your ideal physical specimen for a high level DI qb.
The guy who built this blog agrees with this.
August 30th, 2021 at 2:31 PM ^
I mean, I'm not particularly sensitive as much as pointing out that your claims he was "physically limited" was vague and not backed up by actual reporting. You then list another vague collection of attributes such as "height" and "overall size" (he's 6' 1" and 212 lbs, or the same size as Shea Patterson and 3 inches taller than Denard Robinson). He has good arm strength per his current position coach, and had a 5.01 40-yard dash time in HS (Joe Milton's time in HS was 4.80). He's not a burner but he's also not likely going to be asked to run a bunch of times.
So yes, I will concede that Cade McNamara is not the most elite athlete, but I really don't know what you consider "physically limited" in the context of a QB. I also don't know what is the ideal physical specimen for high-level D1 QB but guys like Zack Wilson, Sam Howell, Dillon Gabriel, and Ian Book are all about Cade's size and were all successful last year without out-of-this-world athleticism.
And while Brian's opinion about players absolutely has value, he has, in fact, been wrong in the past and I think his particular outlook on this season might be colored by not wanting to get too excited.
August 30th, 2021 at 3:35 PM ^
Since you want to compare Cade to Zach Wilson I will agree you don’t know what a high level D1 QB looks like.
August 31st, 2021 at 10:12 AM ^
Cade McNamara is not the most elite athlete
Exactly, that's what limited means, as opposed to unlimited. He has a clear physical ceiling, he's not going to be better than other QBs based on athleticism. Doesn't mean he's a poor athlete or anything, just that he isn't going to blow the roof off anything with his athleticism. Same way that Tom Brady is a limited athlete, he's not Cam Newton, he's not Aaron Rodgers either. Doesn't mean he can't be a great quarterback of course.
August 30th, 2021 at 5:24 PM ^
I admit I have that perception of Cade too but I imagine it's probably all based on the comparison to Joe Milton's rocket arm. Lots of guys' arms will look 'weak' when the other guy has NFL arm strength
August 30th, 2021 at 1:07 PM ^
Are you referring to his height? He's not Denard Robinson, but he's not a plodding statue, either. I doubt the offensive staff is going to rely on him running the ball much, esp. since that just takes carries away from the RBs.
August 30th, 2021 at 2:00 PM ^
McNamara is listed as 6' 1" 212. Drew Brees was listed at 6' 0" 209. People complained about his "physical limitations" all the way to the Super Bowl MVP.
Not saying McNamara is anything like Drew Brees, but every QB doesn't have to be 6-4 to be successful.
August 30th, 2021 at 2:33 PM ^
Also, lots of guys in college are his height and weight. Just last year alone guys like Ian Book, Zack Wilson, Dillon Gabriel, etc. were all very successful in college and are as big or smaller than Cade. Compared to Milton he looks small; compared to a lot of college QBs he looks absolutely normal. Hell, he's 3 inches taller than Denard.
August 30th, 2021 at 2:36 PM ^
People talk about Cade like he's a middling prospect rather than a guy who was a solid 4* with an outstanding offer list.
August 30th, 2021 at 3:23 PM ^
I also don’t understand why I keep reading “he’s limited but he gets the ball out quick”. He hit more deep balls in the Rutgers game than we’ve seen since 2016 Speight so I’m not sure what the issue is here.
August 30th, 2021 at 3:33 PM ^
Yes, this. We don't know how good he'll be, sample is limited, but he wasn't some scrub. He was 260 on the composite and had a legit Bama offer.
August 30th, 2021 at 3:56 PM ^
Right. The kid is possibly the best high school QB in the history of Nevada football. Now I know it's Nevada, not California, but being the best ever from a state is still pretty significant, even if it isn't a football-rich state.
He showed flashes last year, REAL flashes. If as Harbaugh says, he has grown more consistent, he could be quite good. I don't expect us to be having him running a ton of read-options. He's going to throw the ball and hand it off for the most part.
August 30th, 2021 at 4:30 PM ^
I read KingCarr's original post as "physically limited" for an RPO offense that Gattis wants to run. True, he isn't going to scare a lot defenses with his running ability. But I think he will make up for it with above average ability to dissect a defense and an accurate arm. I hope?
August 30th, 2021 at 12:45 PM ^
It seems like the right call. Plus it’s way too early in JJ’s career for the “poor damn McCarthy” tag line to come out.
August 30th, 2021 at 12:47 PM ^
Let's build on this.
August 30th, 2021 at 12:47 PM ^
Not a shocker. Also, Joe Milton was named starter for UT against BGSU, and Dylan McCaffrey is the starter at Northern Colorado. So going to be a banner week for QBs who have worn the Maize and Blue.
August 30th, 2021 at 12:48 PM ^
Christian Turner is also apparently RB1b or RB2 for Wake Forest. Former Michigan players have stood out in camps so far
August 30th, 2021 at 12:53 PM ^
So should we be hoping they all have stellar seasons or not? If they do well, it reconfirms our suspicions that JH has underperformed as a coach. If they do poor, it means our luck is really that bad when it comes to recruiting. Either way kind of blows.
I will be rooting for all of them though.
August 30th, 2021 at 1:03 PM ^
I've rooted against Tennessee for so many years (except when they play Notre Dame) so this will kind of take me out of my comfort zone.
August 30th, 2021 at 1:17 PM ^
I'm unequivocally hoping they all do awesome, but I don't hear about it unless we do awesome
August 30th, 2021 at 2:24 PM ^
Or if they do well it could just simply mean that they benefitted from a change of scenery and have improved. If they weren’t doing well here, it doesn’t mean they can’t go somewhere else and develop and do well. It doesn’t have to be an indictment on the coaching staff when that happens. Plenty of guys benefit from a fresh start
August 30th, 2021 at 1:34 PM ^
Turner started is career by running for a long TD that was called back because he stepped out of bounds against Florida in a Bowl Game.
His time ended when he was having such fumbling issues, he fumbled when his own knee knocked the ball out of his hands during a game, without being tackled.
August 30th, 2021 at 1:43 PM ^
Turner had a ton of talent but just couldn't hold onto the ball or block particularly well; if he can shore those two areas up he absolutely can be an above-average back. I wish him luck.
August 30th, 2021 at 1:30 PM ^
In another ironic twist, Joe will be facing Bowling Green this weekend that is full of coaches who either played or coached at Michigan. Including the head coach Scott Loefller, who is a former Michigan QB.
August 30th, 2021 at 2:35 PM ^
So going to be a banner week for QBs who have worn the Maize and Blue.
Except those named Brandon Peters.
August 30th, 2021 at 2:58 PM ^
also peters for IL
August 30th, 2021 at 12:47 PM ^
and in other news, Joe Milton will start his Heisman run as the Vols starting QB as well.
August 30th, 2021 at 1:54 PM ^
Charbonnet's the Heisman forerunner at the moment, though. I'm now a Bruin; that game against Hawaii changed my life. See you guys.
August 30th, 2021 at 12:49 PM ^
Not going to start a thread for fear of breaking OT rules, but Joe Milton was just named the starter for Tennessee. Figure I will go watch him Thursday, nothing better to do.
Really hope he does well. I pull for all the guys that gave it a go at Michigan and it did not work out for one reason or another.
Well except for Boran. That guy burned all of the bridges.*
*Posted in "There Are" when this popped up there.