Previously: Podcast 14.0A, 14.0B, 14.0C. The Story. 

QUARTERBACK: PARTY LIKE IT'S 1999

GRADE: 4.5

Back at the tail end of the last century, Michigan had a quarterback controversy. There was a cerebral guy who didn't blow anyone away physically; there was a dual-threat guy who had all the potential in the world but was a bit younger and less proven. Tom Brady and Drew Henson split snaps for the bulk of the 1999 season as message boards rabbled about who should have the crown. A decision was only made late in the year; by the time Brady was entrusted with leading a stirring comeback against #6 Penn State in Happy Valley everyone knew who the man was, man.

Twenty-three years later we've got a remake in the works, except this time Michigan's coming off a championship. Cade McNamara led Michigan to a win over Ohio State and a Big Ten title and pretty much the entire fanbase wants to put him on the bench in favor of JJ McCarthy. "What have you done for me lately" doesn't quite cover it.

But… I mean… you know. It's not crazy. It's sufficiently sane that Harbaugh announced a slightly insane thing: McNamara will start the opener; McCarthy will start against Hawaii, and then they'll make a decision.

BRADY ANALOGUE

cade: remember this? everyone: no [Bryan Fuller]

Analogue, people. Please vacate Ann Arbor Torch & Pitchfork. Our cerebral game manager type without the electric athleticism is CADE MCNAMARA, you know, the starting quarterback for the Big Ten champion Michigan Wolverines. Everyone wants to pitch him overboard, naturally. And, I mean… ok, yeah. Pro Football Focus listed him 29th in their college-only QB projections, third in the league behind CJ Stroud and Aidan O'Connell. That's okay! It's definitely okay.