Michigan football: Jim Harbaugh assesses QB competition Monday after win over CSU

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh knew he had two capable quarterbacks in senior Cade McNamara and sophomore J.J. McCarthy heading into the season. He and his staff decided to take the competition into the season to see how each fared in live game action before deciding how to proceed.

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McCarthy took a step forward in a 51-7 win by going 4-for-4 and running for 50 yards, including a touchdown. Harbaugh wasn’t ready to say he had taken the lead in the competition, however.

“I thought Cade had a really solid game,” Harbaugh said Monday. “I think he walked away mad at him self for missing [senior widest Cornelius Johnson] on the crossing route [in the first quarter] and threw the ball to C.J. a little wide on the opposite boundary [on the first drive]. Other than that, he made some terrific throws … [including] on the two-minute drive.

“That’s just how he is. He’s a perfectionist. I thought it was a really solid game.”

McCarthy will get a chance to start against Hawai’i Saturday night in Ann Arbor. After that, Harbaugh will have a decision to make about game three.

McNamara said after the win over CSU he was under the impression one quarterback would be named the starter after game two. Harbaugh was asked again Monday if he would pick one quarterback heading into Week Three.

“We plowed this ground about as thoroughly as it can possibly be plowed, dating back to the summer … one could start, the other could start, or it could be a combination of both in the games,” the Michigan coach said. “Those are the options. I’m happy that we’ve still got another week to look at it. We said that each would get a start. Make it as fair as it could possibly be.

“I think I said the same thing to you guys. We prefer to have a starting quarterback going into each ball game. I’ve been very transparent with that. And I also said yeah, if things are exactly the same as they were coming out of camp — they were pretty close to dead even — then we were as coaches going to have to find a way to maximize both of their talents for the best use of the team. That remains a very viable option.”

McCarthy will be the guy if he continues to play the way he did Saturday and avoid the mistakes. Two of his best plays were checkdowns after he scanned the field. The Michigan sophomore also adds the running dimension, and even looks a step faster than last year.

“I think he definitely pulls defenders,” Harbaugh acknowledged. “They have to know where he is. Our defensive coaches are the same way. There needs to be a plan when a quarterback can run in the 4.5s. That gets to be faster than linebackers. You’ve got to have a plan to contain that.

“You can definitely see, even if he’s carrying out a fake, somebody’s paying attention.”

They’ll continue to use McNamara as a runner at times, too, when he plays. Harbaugh pointed to a quarterback draw in the Michigan Big Ten title game win over Iowa last year as his proof.

As for McCarthy — he’s not shy to take a hit, or even lay one. Harbaugh hopes to see him get down a bit more in future Michigan games.

“I’d like to see him get down a little more,” Harbaugh said said. “That’s something to keep improving. Once he gets the first down, he’s got to get down.

“But I also understand as a quarterback, you like to get some kind of contact early when you get out there. That’s why I try to simulate hitting them on the pads, the back, the helmet a little bit. Just because it’s always good. You’ve got to get the butterflies out, just blocking someone or getting hit, running. It helps to get the butterflies out …

“But yeah, I’d like to see him get down once he gets the first down.”

Expect both Michigan quarterbacks to play Saturday when the Wolverines take on the Rainbow Warriors at night in Ann Arbor … and probably several more, as well.