Michigan Football: Was Cade McNamara the right call at quarterback?

Jim Harbaugh has named Cade McNamara as Michigan football’s starting quarterback. Was it the right call? 

Michigan football is hitting the field on Saturday for the first time this season and according to Jim Harbaugh, Cade McNamara will be the starting quarterback when it does.

In his weekly press conference on Monday, Harbaugh told the media that McNamara would start against Western Michigan which has been widely expected.

Really since the spring, McNamara has separated himself from the other quarterbacks: J.J. McCarthy and Dan Villari. Alan Bowman was added to the mix this fall but he’s probably third or fourth on the depth chart.

"“Cade McNamara is our starting quarterback,” Harbaugh said. “Constant improvement. He’s ratcheted up really in a lot of different areas, the biggest one consistency; consistency of doing his job, also call it a talent of really making everybody else around you better. Maybe that is the most important job as a quarterback.”"

It was the expected outcome and really, the only other guy in contention was five-star freshman J.J. McCarthy, who has played well at times this fall. Harbaugh addressed him too, sort of.

"“All options will be open about playing JJ or anybody else on our roster,” Harbaugh said. “[The line] looks good. We’re not going to announce what it is. We still feel like we’re five, six, seven, eight really good players considered starters at this time.”"

Harbaugh wouldn’t commit to McCarthy playing in the game Saturday and he shouldn’t. McNamara deserves the chance to start and as Harbaugh said, he has earned it.

He also wouldn’t name the offensive line and that could be due to injuries. It’s expected to be: Ryan Hayes, Trevor Keegan, Andrew Vastardis, Zak Zinter, and Andrew Stueber.

Back to quarterback, was it the right call?

McNamara was the only choice for Michigan

McCarthy should get his chances this year. He’s the future and he needs reps. But McNamara gives the team the best chance to win now and that’s the most important thing.

If the Wolverines can’t put together a successful season, the 2022 recruiting class could fall apart and Jim Harbaugh could possibly get let go.

That’s not something any Michigan football fan should want. So hopefully, McNamara, a former four-star quarterback, can deliver. McCarthy’s time will come, but for now, it’s Cade’s.