Michigan Football: One QB scenario not talked about enough
The Michigan football quarterback situation is very interesting and here’s one thing that many haven’t considered.
I know, I know. I said I wasn’t going to discuss the Cade McNamara vs. J.J. McCarthy quarterback competition anymore in my last article regarding that, but every week, Harbaugh provides more insight into the competition, and with it, comes new realizations.
Just yesterday, Harbaugh had his first fall camp press conference and he made some more comments about the QB competition and whether he would name a starter right now. He obviously said no, but he also said something that raised my eyebrows.
Harbaugh said there’s a possibility that the QB battle isn’t decided by the Colorado State game, but is instead decided at some point during the season.
Harbaugh is leaning into the possibility that Michigan’s QB competition won’t be settled by the opener. “It’s possible there’s a starter by the first game. It’s possible it plays into the season.”
— Austin Meek (@byAustinMeek) August 17, 2022
A QB battle looming into the season isn’t really something people might’ve thought would potentially happen, as it was assumed that a clear #1 option would rise up and start by Week 1.
If the Michigan football QB battle goes on into the regular season, that brings with it a lot more questions, and not necessarily any answers right away.
What would the QB battle look like if it went into the regular season?
Right now, Jim Harbaugh said he is giving Cade and JJ an equal amount of reps, as he said they are split “right down the middle” but what does that mean for actual live-game action?
If no clear #1 option is decided before the Colorado State game, does that mean both JJ and Cade will split equal reps against the Rams?
Which begs another question: what would that look like? Would the QBs alternate series and see who does better? Would each QB just take one half and see what they can do?
How would the offense function with two different styles of QBs alternating snaps? Would the offensive scheme have to change depending on who gets snaps?
Lastly, at what point or week would the starting QB be declared? There has to be a cutoff point right? I don’t know if the two QBs could battle it out the entire season, especially against Michigan’s tougher opponents.
All of these questions need to be answered, as the potential for the battle to play out into the regular season was not really something discussed as a huge possibility.
I guess anything is possible with Harbaugh, but knowing him, he loves to name his starting QBs before the start of Week 1. So, to me, this means that JJ has really come along and is really pushing Cade for the job.
It would be really unusual for Michigan football to have a QB battle go into the regular season, as I don’t recall the last time that’s happened under Harbaugh. He’s always named a starter prior to the Week 1 game.
Yes, there have been some intense competitions through spring and fall practices in the past; but again, the starter has always been named before the Week 1 game, so this situation would be a first IF a starter isn’t named before Week 1. (Harbaugh didn’t name a starter in 2015).
This entire article is a moot point if a starter is named before the Week 1 game against the Rams, but it’s still an interesting topic to cover, and not one I would’ve thought could be possible.
I don’t know about you, but to me, this is starting to sound like the Drew Henson-Tom Brady QB debacle 2.0. We’ll see what ultimately happens.
Final game-by-game predictions for 2022. dark. Next
Michigan football fans, what do you think Michigan should do about this QB battle? What should they do if there still isn’t a clear starter by Week 1? Sound off in the comments below!