Video from today, Jim Hartbaugh explaining Week1/Week 2 QB thing
Jim Harbaugh answers questions about his two starting QBs strategy.
I am trusting he has a good entrance and exit strategy for this move. He's accomplished some great things as a coach. I hope this move works out fantastic, and is added to that list of great accomplishments. I'm still not clear the motivation for it though.
August 29th, 2022 at 10:58 PM ^
That shirt is terrible
August 30th, 2022 at 10:31 AM ^
He just looks old too. Looking a lot like his dad, it shocked me.
August 30th, 2022 at 11:14 AM ^
Is MGoBlog E! News now?
August 29th, 2022 at 11:06 PM ^
Was Mike Hart there? With coach Harbaugh?
August 30th, 2022 at 10:15 AM ^
I am prepared to start hearing about our Hartbaugh offense.
August 30th, 2022 at 9:38 PM ^
Hartbaughfense
August 29th, 2022 at 11:30 PM ^
I'm totally comfortable with Harbaugh and his approach to this. Go Blue!
August 30th, 2022 at 9:14 AM ^
I'm imperfectly comfortable with Harbaugh. And I like his approach to this,
Signed,
Globules
August 29th, 2022 at 11:31 PM ^
Unlike Solomon, I do know what the future holds: another full season of hilariously cringy press conferences.
In all seriousness though, Harbaugh is right. They will need both guys playing at a high level this year to win the big ten. And on some days, they are going to need it without warning after a guy gets dinged up or is having an off day. Keep them both ready and playing at a high level.
August 30th, 2022 at 9:39 AM ^
Solomon did say: "There is nothing new under the sun" and “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (where vanity could mean breathe of vapor).
While he's known to be the wisest man that ever lived, he wasn't exactly optimistic!
Also, this is the wisest cat that ever lived.
August 29th, 2022 at 11:46 PM ^
Who is HarTbaugh?
August 30th, 2022 at 8:02 AM ^
He's the stunt double Coach Harbaugh sends out when he's not sure about the answers...
August 30th, 2022 at 11:42 AM ^
And the double is easily identified by its terrible looking shirt. That one is rough.
August 29th, 2022 at 11:47 PM ^
It's all a ruse, the offense is going to feature both QB's with regularity running a variety of packages, just like last year but with better precision and more options. When he says he thinks they can win with both he literally means by using both.
I'm not sure if I'm joking.
August 30th, 2022 at 10:30 AM ^
Two QBs. Every play.
August 30th, 2022 at 10:42 AM ^
August 30th, 2022 at 1:29 PM ^
I mean we did it last year, and it usually worked (with the exception of the JJ fumble at MSU, although you can't really blame the coaches when Cade was seeking medical attention at the time).
I cringe at statements like "if you have two QBs you have no QBs"*. I get that usually you want one guy to establish chemistry and get into a rhythm. But, it's never really explored why it can't work. Conventional wisdom doesn't apply to all cases. Tim Tebow shared some snaps with Chris Leak. Denard shared snaps with Devin. The latter was situational (Denard had an injury), but the point is it absolutely can work, if the situation is right...i.e., Denard was far too talented, even with an injured arm, to be kept off the field.
Anyway, that saying usually applies to cases where you have two Qbs and neither has done much to establish themselves as the clear #1 option. Here we have a case where we have two QBs who could be the #1 option on the majority of Big Ten teams, but there's only one QB spot on the field. Both are talented enough that if we lost one right now, yeah it would suck a lot and there would be a lot of teeth-gnashing, but we would still have a starter capable of leading us to a championship.
*Reminds me of goalies in the NHL. The Red Wings in 2008 benched Dominik Hasek in favor of Osgood in the middle of the playoffs, and it worked out pretty alright at the time.
August 29th, 2022 at 11:49 PM ^
I think it makes perfect sense. Both QBs are just really good players, leaders, and have worked their butts off and earned the right to start.
I think he is genuinely undecided but possibly leaning to JJ for the upside…but Cade does not deserve to lose the job.
We are sitting on the two best Michigan QBs in the Harbaugh era and they each still have three years of eligibility to get better.
Prepare for the God awful media cut to the QB who is sitting on the bench.
August 30th, 2022 at 9:42 AM ^
The media will pass by hundreds of opportunities to show the QB with helmet on standing next to the coaches. The one time a QB sits down to get some water, the camera will be on him.
August 30th, 2022 at 12:07 AM ^
This story continues to be a big nothing burger. It doesn’t matter who “starts” because they will both play, and likely in every game, just like last year. The only minor difference is that JJ goes in 1st for at least one game.
August 30th, 2022 at 7:39 AM ^
You could be right .But this could be perceived that he has doubt about Cade McNamara.
August 30th, 2022 at 8:01 AM ^
It's fun to call something a "nothing burger." You've inspired me to use the phrase a couple times today.
However, I'm not sure it applies when the MGoBlogosphere, local outlets and the national press have expressed thousands of comments on the subject.
August 30th, 2022 at 11:27 AM ^
I think it actually does apply. They both played last year, and barring some significant injury or significant improvement in the off-season, there was no surprise they are both going to play again this year.
The only difference perhaps is the amount of time JJ could be given this year over last. This is not all that surprising an outcome and is probably the most likely, thus "nothing burger".
You're right, that was fun!
August 30th, 2022 at 12:15 AM ^
He can't come out and say it but this feels like a transfer portal effect to me. Have to keep both guys involved enough all year to minimize the chance of either stepping out.
August 30th, 2022 at 9:33 AM ^
Bingo. When Harbaugh was the Michigan QB he had to "wait his turn". There was no discussion.
Now with the transfer portal you have to manage a player's feelings daily, or he will leave.
To make this work, Harbaugh will really need to play up his NFL connections and assure both QBs that they will get the visibility and publicity to both be high round NFL picks. Nobody will be buried on a depth chart.
And it still might not work. It will be very hard to keep both. Some attractive big-time program is going to be able to offer one of them a full time starter's job.
August 30th, 2022 at 11:41 AM ^
This 2 starters thing has made me take a real look at the possibility of one of them transferring. I assumed, sort of assumed as i didnt take the idea seriously, that Cade will finish out this year as starter, with JJ platooning, and Cade would enter the 2023 draft, and JJ start next year. But what if Cade comes back next year. Where woul JJ transfer to? Lane Kiffen at Ole Miss maybe? Hopefully not to Wisconsin .Imagine that team with a great QB. ? But who knows, maybe platooning could work one more year, right?
August 30th, 2022 at 1:45 AM ^
It feels weird that we have two quarterbacks that are so good that we have this problem.
It's been a tough decade+ before this. I'm loving every minute of it.
August 30th, 2022 at 7:24 AM ^
Do you remember when John O’korn was our best option BY FAR?
August 30th, 2022 at 8:03 AM ^
Too soon.
Seriously - WTF, man???
August 30th, 2022 at 8:32 AM ^
Or what about the 2020 season when Joe Milton was the starter? As much as I hate to be reminded of those awful seasons, it's good to realize things are SOOOOOO much better now. Would we rather have 0 capable starting QB's instead of 2?
August 30th, 2022 at 5:19 AM ^
One potential benefit to this is that the team will have two fully installed and tested offenses designed for both QBs. If that can be done well then why not use both offenses during the rest of the season...that would be hell for other teams to prepare for, and it would keep both QBs fully engaged.
August 30th, 2022 at 5:22 AM ^
Another benefit....the Hawaii game just became a game with a LOT more local and national interests. A lot more people will tune into this and recruits interests will get a boost for a game that otherwise would almost certainly be one to turn off mid-way through the second quarter if not sooner.
Opps..just replied to my own message..haha.
August 30th, 2022 at 6:50 AM ^
Still confused though - both guys will get the start but assuming those games go as planned as we're blowing their doors off midway through the second quarter, aren't they gonna get pulled as the "starter" and have the other guy come in? Or is each guy playing the full game like it's a playoff game and then Davis Warren comes in for the last drive of the 4th?
Is it a distinction with out a difference this year to be the "starter"?
I still can't shake the feeling that since the end of last season the whole program seems to be pulling for JJ to take the job, despite really liking Cade and thinking he's a good and valuable quarterback.
August 30th, 2022 at 7:27 AM ^
I'm assuming each week's starter will go the full first half and then get pulled for the third stringer as opposed to following Cade with JJ or JJ with Cade.
August 30th, 2022 at 8:03 AM ^
I think you'll see Cade play much more than a half against CSU and JJ much more than a half against Hawaii. We saw this last year at the beginning of the season as well - the starters stayed in well after the game was in hand to get more game reps. (Example: vs NIU, Cade had 37 snaps and JJ 23, while four other players combined for 11 snaps at the end.) If the goal is to see what you have in each guy, you have to give them enough time on the field to see a variety of downs and distances and field positions, and that probably takes more than a half. I'm guessing Q4 or last drive of Q3 before the starting QB heads to the bench.
August 30th, 2022 at 1:30 PM ^
I swear I saw a quote from Harbaugh mentioning that both QBs will see time in both games. I'll see if I can dig up that quote and post a link if I can find it..
August 30th, 2022 at 9:50 AM ^
I still can't shake the feeling that since the end of last season the whole program seems to be pulling for JJ to take the job, despite really liking Cade and thinking he's a good and valuable quarterback
They saw what we all saw in the Georgia game. JJ is not ready, but when he is, he is the only QB that can possibly win at that level. Cade does not have the ceiling to do it, he is never going to be a "Trevor Lawrence" or "Joe Burrow" type QB . . . the type of QB that it takes to win a National Championship. JJ does have the ceiling to do it.
So they want to bring JJ along to the point where he is ready, and not lose Cade in the meantime. Fingers crossed.
In the pre-portal era, they could have just done the standard QB roster management that Harbaugh himself went through in the '80s . . . ride the bench and learn for two years, then be the starter for two years.
Those days are gone.
But yes, if they could pick one and only one QB to keep, the program would want to keep JJ and see what they could do with him. Talents like that don't come around often.
August 30th, 2022 at 8:57 AM ^
I’m really starting to wonder, and worry, about the roster. It looks like we have two capable QB’s - Cade and JJ. We have two capable RB’s - Corum and Edwards. I don’t even want to think about the TE’s and WR’s. That’s just offense - and, we haven’t even touched on the OL.
This is so challenging - it makes me want to focus on something simple like NIL. And, the NIL topic is something that really concerns me - especially because of something I heard / read recently.
There was an article where, it appears, a Michigan football player was involved in a local community - and NIL monies played into the story. What happened? This Michigan player appears to have used NIL monies to purchase - and then distribute - a lot of school supplies, which may have even included backpacks - to those who may not have been able to afford them. Didn’t he know he should have gotten a Mercedes AMG G63 instead. The player’s name is - perhaps I shouldn’t reveal this - Blake Corum.
Oh, the humanity…
August 30th, 2022 at 9:08 AM ^
if we've learned anything about JH.... dude says exactly what he means..... its not always easy to follow, being biblical and all, but he doesn't operate with an ulterior motive. its crazy how many people fly off the handle with speculation.... Jim says what he means, means what he says.
August 30th, 2022 at 9:18 AM ^
Booted.. it made me think of Abbott and Costello… “Who’s on Third?”
I think this is definitely being overthought, and overblown - attempts to create controversy where there is little, or none.
My interest is - what will the play calling / selection look like with Cade or JJ? Will one package being more “run”? Will they introduce more RPO? How different will it look with one QB - as compared to the other?
Enquiring minds want to know. But, I guess we’ll have to wait about 12 days to have the first set of answers.
August 30th, 2022 at 9:22 AM ^
I dunno . . . this move has the potential to piss off everybody.
August 30th, 2022 at 9:27 AM ^
If the players are team guys, and alternating them doesn't negatively affect execution of plays and game plan..... it shouldn't. If they're a bunch of head cases more worried about individual stats than they are about winning as a team, or if it negatively affects execution of plays and game plan, it probably will.
we shall see...... its good to have a controversy because either should start, rather than 'oh shit, who's our back up?'
August 30th, 2022 at 1:36 PM ^
Check your BPONE at the door, please.
August 30th, 2022 at 9:34 AM ^
What a weird dude…. That’s all I got
August 30th, 2022 at 9:37 AM ^
Let's be honest, if he was not our head coach we'd have a field day mocking him. He's an odd duck.
August 30th, 2022 at 10:21 AM ^
but he's our weird dude, and we love him......
as long as we're winning, LOL
August 30th, 2022 at 10:50 AM ^
Name another top tier program filled with 4 and 5 star QBs that does silly things like this. All pick a QB and go with it.
If Michigan opened against a top 20 team this coming Saturday who do you think would start? I think the answer is obvious so this “battle” is basically to keep each guy happy to prolong the process of transfer.
August 30th, 2022 at 11:26 AM ^
I can't say for certain these were all 4 or 5 stars, but there have been cases of this working out well. In 2018 all of Bama, Clemson, and Georgia played 2 QBs early on and were ranked 1-3. Penn St. also used 2 QBs (often on the field at the same time) that year.
Florida early in the Tebow era, LSU in 2007 won a national championship with 2 QBs getting significant time.
Maybe not super common, but it can and has worked just fine. Also, these were all before the transfer portal, which, like it or not, is going to force coaches to spread playing time around to keep guys engaged and stop them from transferring.
August 30th, 2022 at 11:10 AM ^
Motivation is pretty obvious. Same as last year. They're both good. Cade might be better again this year and probably is more consistent/safe like last year, but JJ has the chance to be better in the next two years than Cade ever was, so he doesn't want him to transfer. Nice little message to both of them at the end saying neither is the type of guy to bail at the first sign of adversity. Everyone is a flight risk in 2022.
August 30th, 2022 at 11:15 AM ^
One thing about Harbaugh that is often overlooked is his intention and ability to tell the media "look over here". In addition to all the takes about getting them both playing time and hoping to avoid either one transferring (which I agree with) I also think there's more to it.
He feels he has 2 mature guys who have the trust of the team and who can handle the spotlight, so he's also controlling the narrative about the team with this announcement. On a national level the noise isn't about 2 new coordinators or top-end talent lost on defense. The younger/less experienced players needing to step up get to fly under the radar a bit and build confidence during the non-conference schedule without being "the story" in the media, they won't be singled out or have to keep hearing about expectations from outside the program. Just my $.02.