Michigan Football: 5 Predictions for Wolverines against Rutgers

Milton starts and plays well at QB

Harbaugh said the quarterback competition would be opened up this week between Joe Milton and Cade McNamara who threw a touchdown pass last week against Wisconsin.

There hasn’t been any word on who the starter will be, but at this point, I would bet on Milton. Sometimes, having a seat on the bench can be a good thing and Milton certainly needed time to collect his thoughts.

Yet, there have been some worrisome signs. Milton has thrown multiple interceptions in each of the last two games and his completion percentage has dropped below 60. His decision making has also left a lot to be desired and his second interception last week was thrown right to the Badgers.

Still, he has elite talent and it’s probably worth giving him another chance, especially if he responded well in practice this week to the challenge. With this team, everything should be earned and guys need to compete for their spot every single day in practice.

At some point, that mentality seemed to go by the wayside. So on Saturday, it’s sink or swim for Milton, who should have a short leash at this point. But if the offensive line can establish a ground game and give Milton time in the pocket, he should have a solid day.

The formula should be for Milton to throw the ball 20-30 times and the focus should be back on the ground game. If Joe throws 30-40 times Saturday, that’s not a great sign for the Wolverines.