Michigan Football: 5 things we learned in uneasy win over Rutgers

McNamara’s ceiling is just too low

Cade McNamara looked great in the first half, that is until he missed a wide-open touchdown pass near the end of the first half. After he missed that throw, he was off the entire game.

After starting the game completing 7-of-8 passes, McNamara finished just 2-of-8. He threw just 16 times and while he didn’t turn it over and averaged 10.2 yards per attempt, he wasn’t good enough.

On Michigan’s second drive in the second half, he missed two easy first-down completions, one which probably goes for at least 30 yards if completed. Rutgers put the game in his hands in the second half and the Wolverines were lucky not to lose.

His lack of arm strength is apparent and so is the lack of athleticism. McNamara can be accurate and he doesn’t make mistakes, but against Washington and Rutgers, he’s completed 16-of-31 passes for 207 yards and zero touchdowns.

That’s not a fluke and Saturday’s game has me convinced it’s only a matter of time before J.J. McCarthy is starting.

I wrote in my preseason predictions that J.J. McCarthy would start the Northwestern game, following the bye week. The Wolverines have back-to-back road games against Wisconsin and Nebraska.

Getting one win is going to be difficult. Both teams are desperate and are much better than their records indicate. And for my money, the next two weeks will define the season for Cade. Either he finds a way against Wisconsin and Nebraska, or it’s time to go with talent over experience.