Former Michigan, Iowa QB Cade McNamara signs with ETSU

Former Michigan and Iowa quarterback Cade McNamara signed with East Tennessee State out of the NCAA transfer portal, On3’s Pete Nakos reported.

McNamara began his college career at Michigan. While with the Wolverines, McNamara led the squad to a Big Ten title and College Football Playoff berth as the starter in 2021. He lost the starting job to J.J. McCarthy and transferred after the 2022 season, spending the next two seasons at Iowa.

McNamara’s time at Iowa never quite worked out, largely due to injury. He announced his departure via Instagram back in December.

“My last two years at the University of Iowa have been an incredible journey,” McNamara said. “Through so many ups and downs, I couldn’t be more thankful for the amazing people and experiences I’ve had here. I am deeply grateful for the relationships I’ve built with my teammates, coaches, and newfound friends. I want to specifically thank Coach Ferentz, Coach Lester, and the entire Iowa Football staff for their unwavering support and wisdom. I will truly miss this program and state, and they will always hold a special place in my heart.

“With that being said, I will be entering the transfer portal. I’m looking forward to this offseason, being the healthiest I’ve been in years, and continuing my growth as a player, leader, and person. I am excited to see where God takes my football journey next. Now and forever, Go Hawks!”

In his college career, McNamara has completed 60.9% of his passes for 4703 yards and 31 touchdowns with 15 interceptions. His best season came in 2021 when he led the Wolverines to a Big Ten title. McNamara started 14 games that year, completing 64.2% of his passes for 2576 yards and 15 touchdowns to six interceptions.

In the rest of his college career, McNamara played in 20 games and threw for 2127 yards in those games while completing passes at a 57.8% rate. He has 16 touchdowns and nine interceptions in those games.

As a member of the Class of 2019, McNamara was a four-star recruit out of Reno (Nev.) Damonte Ranch, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 1 overall prospect in the state, the No. 13 quarterback in the class and the No. 277 overall prospect in the class.

To keep up with the latest players on the move, check out On3’s Transfer Portal wire.

The On3 Transfer Portal Instagram account and Twitter account are excellent resources to stay up to date with the latest moves.