Update on Michigan quarterbacks: Cade McNamara at the 'top of the depth chart,' J.J. McCarthy on a pitch count

Michigan Wolverines football redshirt sophomore Cade McNamara and sophomore J.J. McCarthy are battling for the team’s starting quarterback duties this offseason, but it’s been a complicated competition.

McCarthy, threw for 516 yards and five touchdowns as a freshman, is dealing with a shoulder injury from last season and is limited in practice. They’re “working the plan,” head coach Jim Harbaugh has said without going into much details, while co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss laid out some of what McCarthy has been able to do in spring ball so far. He’s going through drills and throwing, but he’s on a pitch count.

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“J.J. is doing great,” Weiss said. “He’s rehabbing; he’s doing what he’s supposed to do. I think discretion is the better part of valor, in this case. We’re being very cautious, which is a smart thing to do to make sure that a small problem doesn’t become a big problem. We do everything we can and give him every single resource to get him back to 100 percent for next season. 

“He’s out there every day, dressed. He’s in team drills, full team drills at times. He’s practicing, just limiting how much he throws.”

There’s no timetable on McCarthy’s return, but Weiss said the Michigan staff will take him back as soon as they can get him, of course.

“That’s the goal — to have J.J. back, 100 percent, as soon as we can get him back,” Weiss explained. “Whenever that is. If it’s fall camp, that’d be great. If it’s the end of the spring, that’d be even better.”

While many believe McCarthy will wind up passing McNamara, the incumbent has improved this offseason himself and is planning on hanging onto the job. Due in part to McCarthy’s injury and the fact that McNamara has been the starter for 15 games dating back to 2020, it’s currently his job to lose.

“I leave the depth charts up to Coach Harbaugh, but obviously, we’ve had a number of guys have a strong spring,” Weiss explained. “Obviously, J.J. isn’t doing much. Cade is at the top of the depth chart. I think we all know that. And then Alan Bowman and [redshirt freshman walk-on] Davis Warren have done well. Even the young guys — [freshmen early enrollees] Alex [Orji] and Jayden [Denegal]— have done really well, and we have a group of walk-ons who would play if they were at other places.”

Michigan QB Cade McNamara Has Had Big Offseason

McNamara spent spring break working with renowned quarterback trainer Jordan Palmer in California, just one way he’s gotten better this offseason. When asked about the growth he’s seen from McNamara, Weiss made sure to point out that McNamara is starting from a high point, with the signal-caller having thrown for 2,576 yards and 15 touchdowns while leading Michigan to the Big Ten title last season.

“Everything that he’s done, he can do a little bit better,” Weiss said. “And I think he would tell you the same thing. The future is bright for Cade.

“He’s so impressive in terms of his preparation and how he carries himself and what he puts into every practice and every game. He prepares at an elite level, and he takes that to every aspect of what he does, whether that’s footwork or nutrition. He’s an impressive guy.”

And he does a couple things at an ‘elite’ level, Weiss added, one of them being his ability to read coverages and blitzes. Against the blitz last season, he averaged 10.5 yards per attempt, compared to 6.6 yards per pass when the defense didn’t bring an extra rusher.

“He’s at a point now where he’s a draft-able quarterback, and I think he’s coming back hoping to improve that and raise his stock even higher and get even better,” Weiss said. “We’re thrilled with how he’s developed, and really want to continue to see him make those strides. He’s done a great job.

“His ability to move and make plays improved a ton last year. He’s always [been] very intelligent, and his ability to read coverage was always good. But I’d say his reaction to blitz, knowing where to go when he’s hot, reading defenses is really at an elite level for a college quarterback. That’s an area where he was always good, but now he’s really elite.”