Can anything be done about McNamara's low delivery?
This pin-balling on the helmets is killing at least one drive per game and incredibly dangerous to have these balls dangling 20-ft up in the air waiting to be plucked. Is this something he can adjust quickly (obviously they're working on it) without losing touch and accuracy? I would doubt it. Seems like I remember, despite being around 6'6", that John Navarre had a low-release problem, though his would get batted down rather than hit helmets. I can't remember ever watching a QB have this problem so consistently, with balls coming out this low. Of course, some of it is the crossing routes and short dump-offs that constitute much of the offense. Even some of his recent completions, especially near the goal line, are thread through the eye of the needle. That one at Penn State nearly took the umpire's head off. Can't afford unforced errors like this next week.
November 21st, 2021 at 8:58 AM ^
10 and 1. Happy Thanksgiving to all.
November 21st, 2021 at 11:19 AM ^
10 and 1*
Fixed it for you
November 21st, 2021 at 9:00 AM ^
Cade's release point will not, cannot and should not be changed by next Saturday. He needs to move in the pocket to open up the passing lane he is choosing-designed roll-outs should be employed more often. Targeting those open receivers farther downfield would be a wonderful solution though.
McCarthy was 5-5 yesterday. The Lamborghini is idling in the driveway...it's an even trade for the wonderfully reliable Accord. Saturday's game is not for the faint of heart-certainly not from the Michigan perspective. The coaching staff is going to have to bring their A+ selves to this game-and it may include a decision such as this.
November 21st, 2021 at 9:19 AM ^
By all means, bench the guy that got you to 10-1 without errors for the freshman thats played spot duty and committed egregious errors in his only attempt at driving the train in a tight, big game.
JJ is not getting the start in this game. And I don't think he'll see the field in gut-check situations, either. This is a question for next season - can we just enjoy what we have right now?
November 21st, 2021 at 9:31 AM ^
I look to see JJ early and I’m sure OSU expects it as well. How often after that depends on what he does. OSU will expect him to run and I actually expect the opposite. Or maybe OSU does as well. I don’t think JJ comes in late if the games somehow close. We’ll throw every gimmick we have in the bag and OSU will have practiced to defend every possible scenario.
November 21st, 2021 at 9:57 AM ^
But, when we're up 4 scores, please feel free to put him in.
November 21st, 2021 at 10:07 AM ^
username checks out
November 21st, 2021 at 9:14 AM ^
Harbaugh sat him for a few plays and coached him for a moment after the second one happened. Did it happen again after that? I honestly can't remember for sure, but I don't think it did.
Harbaugh clearly noticed the problem and did something about it right away. If it didn't happen again after the fact, then what is there to complain about when the staff immediately jumped in to do what they could do about it?
November 21st, 2021 at 9:20 AM ^
Go with all the 5’10” OL that we keep in the back. That should throw OSU off.
November 21st, 2021 at 9:21 AM ^
May I suggest...
November 21st, 2021 at 11:39 AM ^
I actually had those, and worked out in them. They may have had something to do with turning me into a 6'4" white guy with a 36-inch vertical jump.
Now that I'm 45 years old, if I play 36 holes of golf in one day, those same calves are toast the next morning. Correlation?
Cade will be fine.
November 21st, 2021 at 9:23 AM ^
I haven’t seen any medical commercials for low release syndrome, so I have no idea what to do.
November 21st, 2021 at 9:38 AM ^
Call your doctor.
November 21st, 2021 at 9:27 AM ^
He tends to drop his arm slot. My son played college baseball and had the same issue at times, causing issues with being able to pound the strike zone. With my son it was actually an elbow issue that lead to TJ surgery. Maybe McNamara has some sort of tendinitis or he just actually has piss poor mechanics at times. Either way, every OSU lineman who doesn’t get home is gonna have their arms up every pass play, so it needs fixed ASAP.
November 21st, 2021 at 9:37 AM ^
Play JJ.
November 21st, 2021 at 11:40 AM ^
Could you please leave?
November 21st, 2021 at 9:43 AM ^
Yes, we can play JJ more...
Also, he's accurate beyond 10 yards.
November 21st, 2021 at 9:48 AM ^
Lol cades down field shots are usually accurate. He doesn’t turn the ball over. JJ has produced more turnovers in like what 1/5 of the snaps?
November 21st, 2021 at 9:48 AM ^
OP: Pick any of these to describe your post.
Maybe put it here next time: https://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/maryland-snowflakes-offense-3
November 21st, 2021 at 9:49 AM ^
We’ll get right on that!
Of course we all would prefer that never happens. But I would also disagree with it being a drive killer every time it does. They have completed the next pass several times after it happened. Agree I hate to see the ball up for grabs. But IIWII at this point.
(Waiting for JJs mom (aka Oracle) to weigh in on how much better his release point is and that’s reason #3,476 why JJ should have been starting all along!)
November 21st, 2021 at 9:59 AM ^
The TV booth said that Cade was side-arming on his throwing angle and that Harbaugh was pointing that out to him on the sideline after the one particular drive that failed. Cade's mechanics were a little better after that. Cade still need a lot more work this week.
November 21st, 2021 at 10:01 AM ^
put ski wax on our helmets
most impact angles will result in only a slight ricochet
November 21st, 2021 at 10:10 AM ^
As a long snapper who got tired of kicks hitting him in the ass, I'm sure his lineman might have a thing or two to say to him before they get CTE
November 21st, 2021 at 10:10 AM ^
Right before he plays the biggest game of his life, you want him to change the pass delivery that helped him win in grade school, middle school, high school, and now college?
Yes, the college kids are bigger, but, he keeps winning. Do not change anything, at least not now.
November 21st, 2021 at 10:48 AM ^
So true. Lol
November 21st, 2021 at 10:13 AM ^
Cade has delivered us a 10-1 season to this point. Nothing against JJ, but MSU showed us he is not ready and is not he best option at QB at this time. His time will come.
Still not happy with Cade and 10-1? Think back to last year and the terrible season we had. Cade reserves better than the JJ nonsense heading into the game.
November 21st, 2021 at 10:15 AM ^
Google proper throwing motion of a football and fed ex to the Athletic Department C/o Jim Harbaugh.
November 21st, 2021 at 10:17 AM ^
Shorter linemen
November 21st, 2021 at 10:21 AM ^
I believe before the season started there was chatter going on about Cade having passes getting batted at the line of scrimmage. Don’t expect it to get fixed this season. He needs to fix that issue if he wants to play in NFL.
Pivoting for a moment. Cade’s ability to do pre-snap reads is awesome. It gives the offense the benefit of more time to read the defense, check in to better plays and allows Cade to manipulate the DBs with his eyes. It makes the offense capable of exploiting any team. The offense has struggled in the past because the QBs primary reading process was post snap putting a lot of pressure on the offensive line and play call to beat the defense.
November 21st, 2021 at 10:24 AM ^
Yeah I can’t believe coaches haven’t worked with him on this. You can bet OSU will be focused on that.
Too bad McCarthy still makes too many mistakes. His athleticism and the zip on his passing are fantastic.
November 21st, 2021 at 10:24 AM ^
Yeah I can’t believe coaches haven’t worked with him on this. You can bet OSU will be focused on that.
Too bad McCarthy still makes too many mistakes. His athleticism and the zip on his passing are fantastic.
November 21st, 2021 at 10:27 AM ^
Practice a new delivery technique
November 21st, 2021 at 10:28 AM ^
Navarre seemed to be able to 1. Stare down a receiver 2. Throw a flat low bullet 3. Throw the ball so high in the air it was like a punt.
Cade Just has to stop throwing throwing ball into helmets, it's infuriating.
November 21st, 2021 at 10:38 AM ^
Cade is trying to time passing lanes with his receivers routes and open lanes in the blocking scheme. Not an easy task.
November 21st, 2021 at 10:55 AM ^
For Michigan to win next week, basically the handful of balls OSU will tip (or will bounce off Michigan players' helmets) all need to harmlessly fall to the ground or get miraculously caught by a Michigan player.
November 21st, 2021 at 11:02 AM ^
Cade’s problem is that he is not perfect like all the other team’s qbs…. Oh, he might also hold the ball too long sometimes.
November 21st, 2021 at 11:28 AM ^
Cade is 10-1 I feel like if it's not broke don't fix it eh?
YTD Stats: 170/265 for 2,142 yards at a 64.2 CMP%. Oh and 14 TDs and 2 INTs with a 148.0 rating.
Only 6 sacks for the "he holds on to the ball to long" crew.
If JJ started this season Michigan would not be 10-1.
November 21st, 2021 at 12:14 PM ^
No. Nothing can be done. He's 6-1, which is a little short for a QB. He's reasonably mobile and changes his arm angle and does a decent job looking for throwing lanes. The issue I see is that he doesn't have good velocity when he's in that search mode. When he finds that opening or anticipates that opening, the ball isn't getting there fast enough.
He's a decent quarterback and gives Michigan a chance to win this game. On the other side, I've long been one to make fun of Ohio State's notorious lack of quarterback production in the NFL. I don't think Fields will succeed in Chicago. However... I am convinced C.J. Stroud is a future NFL star. Combined with a set of NFL-caliber receivers who are now fully in-tune, I don't see how any college secondary can stop them.
November 21st, 2021 at 12:44 PM ^
Yes.
He could release it higher.
November 21st, 2021 at 12:46 PM ^
Cade's job is to make the tiny shift in the pocket necessary to get a throwing lane. He's also sometimes pretty tentative with his throws; you don't see him step into a throw, drop the non-throwing shoulder and fire over the top very often, if at all.
He won't change all of that in one week, but he could get better at using an actual throwing lane in a couple days of practice.
November 21st, 2021 at 3:49 PM ^
Have the O line play kneeling down
November 21st, 2021 at 3:52 PM ^
I really like Cade and he has done a great job this year, 10-1 is far more than most expected. That said, he has still left a lot of yards out there with so many throws at receiver's feet, checking down with no pressure several times a game and playing wack a mole a couple times a game.