One thing I’ve learned about elite athletes in more than 20 years as a sportswriter: They don’t like mind games. Thanks for being the adult, Cade, because your coach clearly isn’t willing to take on that role. When he said “I’m honored my teammates recognized me,” do you think he was implying the absence of his coach failing to recognize him? To make his point, McNamara didn’t even need an obtuse biblical reference that his brother had to text to an analyst during live television to clarify - one which still doesn’t make much sense. I don’t know what awaits McNamara after football, but he knows how to deliver a subtle message with power. Carlos Monarrez, Detroit Free Press: Let’s applaud Michigan football QB Cade McNamara for speaking up about his disappointment McNamara’s emergence and Michigan’s surprising run to the College Football Playoff in 2021 complicated the narrative in a good way, and McCarthy’s shoulder injury added another layer of complexity. It clears that worry and indecisiveness going into it and just builds more confidence.”Īll along, signs pointed to 2022 as the year when McCarthy would be ready to take the reins. “Now it’s just having that reassurance that I’m going to be (starting). “Right when I stepped in the door here, I was always preparing to be the guy - snap one, game one, whatever it was,” McCarthy said this week. From the time he committed in May of his sophomore season, McCarthy’s arrival seemed like a matter of when, not if. Setting aside the particulars, it’s no surprise to see McCarthy staking his claim as Michigan’s abiding answer at quarterback. Even now, there’s no guarantee that McCarthy will remain Michigan’s starting quarterback beyond this week. 2 quarterback, overcome a painful injury and navigate a high-stakes competition with an incumbent starter. To reach this point, McCarthy had to spend a year as Michigan’s No. Maybe this moment seemed inevitable when McCarthy signed with the Wolverines, but his ascent has been anything but a formality. (Note that I’d much prefer The Game going back to being a regular mega-showdown than the one-sided 2004-19 era.) Austin Meek, The Athletic: J.J. Whereas I assumed the Buckeyes would go right back to dominating Michigan and the rest of the East, I’d now be surprised if the Wolverines aren’t still in contention heading into Columbus. McCarthy will be anointed QB1 following his Hawaii audition this week and give Michigan’s offense an added dimension.Ĭombine that with Ohio State looking a tad more vulnerable than expected against Notre Dame. Yes, it was only Colorado State, but the Wolverines clearly still have a bunch of dudes on defense, from established veterans like Mike Morris, Mazi Smith and Junior Colson to lesser-known defensive end Braiden McGregor and gifted freshman defensive lineman Derrick Moore. Stewart Mandel, The Athletic: Mandel’s Mailbag: Which teams get an about-face from me? Will Dabo learn and start Cade Klubnik?Ī team I underestimated: Michigan. Is it soul-crushing and demeaning and further evidence that college football treats young men like disposable chunks of meat? Oh please, drop the pearls, cupcake. Apparently, Harbaugh is the first coach in the modern era to ask two good quarterbacks to compete in the preseason. I’d venture to guess those same people (not all, just 99.4%) scream for McCarthy every time McNamara throws a 6-yard checkdown. Some people shriek it’s unfair McNamara isn’t the automatic starter, again forgetting college football isn’t equipped to be fair. McCarthy is the five-star kid who can throw the ball 85 yards off his back foot and outrun a locomotive. In a shrewd attempt to keep people interested, Jim Harbaugh is using the games to audition his quarterbacks, while he tries to decide who he’ll entrust with 48 handoffs per game.Ĭade McNamara helped the Wolverines win the Big Ten title with guts and guile and a steadfast refusal to make dumb mistakes. How his eye for talent shaped Jim Harbaugh’s 8th Michigan team Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News: Wojo’s Pigskin Picks: Let the QBs compete and the big boys feast!Īt least one person is trying to enliven the contests.
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