Michigan Football: 5 things we learned from Wolverines 2019 season

Quarterback is still an issue

It was clear before the Citrus Bowl, however, that game only reinforced the fact that Shea Patterson is far from an elite quarterback. He was above average at best during his two years as the starter and his 19-7 record reflects that.

People will say it’s a team game and it’s not all about the quarterback and they are correct. But in this day and age, unless you are loaded across the board, which Michigan isn’t, you need an elite QB, or at the very least, a very good one and Patterson is not that.

Like Jim Harbaugh, Patterson never helped engineer a win in a game where a win wasn’t expected. His biggest wins all came at home and the best thing about his resume is the fact that he went 2-0 against Michigan State, as well as 1-1 against Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Penn State.

But until Michigan football is able to upgrade from the likes of Patterson, Jake Rudock and Wilton Speight, nine or 10 wins is the best it will ever get.

Certainly, the quarterback play has been more consistent than it was under Brady Hoke or Rich Rod, but getting over the hump against Ohio State, in bowl games and against the top teams on the schedule, will require it to be much better.

For now, that means the future of the program lies with Dylan McCaffrey, Joe Milton and J.J. McCarthy, a 2021 commit that ranks as the No. 2 QB in his class.

Hopefully, one or maybe two become stars, because otherwise, the losing streak against Ohio State won’t subside.