{"id":65899,"date":"2022-09-04T17:39:57","date_gmt":"2022-09-04T17:39:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/michigans-qb-race-takes-a-sharp-turn-toward-electric-jj-mccarthy\/"},"modified":"2022-09-04T17:39:57","modified_gmt":"2022-09-04T17:39:57","slug":"michigans-qb-race-takes-a-sharp-turn-toward-electric-jj-mccarthy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/michigans-qb-race-takes-a-sharp-turn-toward-electric-jj-mccarthy\/","title":{"rendered":"Michigan’s QB race takes a sharp turn toward ‘electric’ JJ McCarthy"},"content":{"rendered":"
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. \u2014 Michigan’s season opener was supposed to be the Cade McNamara show, the incumbent’s opportunity to impress Jim Harbaugh and staff in their two-week open tryout for the starting quarterback job.<\/p>\n

And while McNamara showed up for work, throwing for 136 yards and a touchdown, it was JJ McCarthy who impressed more in his limited time on the field during the Wolverines’ 51-7 rout of Colorado State.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was electric when he got in, no question about that,\u201d head coach Jim Harbaugh said. \u201cI thought that he also went through his reads very well. It was great to see him super calm, cool, collected.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harbaugh uttered the phrase \u201celectric\u201d twice during his 14-minute postgame news conference to describe McCarthy, who completed all four of his passes for 30 yards and rushed three times for 50 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s slowing down (for him),\u201d Harbaugh said. \u201cReally good players have the ability to do that. They’re feeding off adrenaline there, but the game slows down around him.\u201d<\/p>\n

McNamara helped score Michigan a touchdown himself, completing a 61-yard pass to Roman Wilson on the second drive of the game, but missed on throws early, from a few drops and a tripping receiver inside the red zone. The Wolverines finished the first half just 2 for 4 in turning red-zone trips into touchdowns, leaving points on the board.<\/p>\n

More:<\/b> Cade McNamara caught off guard by ‘unusual’ Michigan QB plan<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a few drops,\u201d Harbaugh said, defending McNamara’s 9-for-18 day. \u201cYou can never go off any one criteria. I think we can all agree, the way we’re doing this \u2014 we’ve got a lot more information after two weeks than we would have had two weeks ago.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, McNamara appeared bothered by the way Michigan’s quarterback competition was playing out in public, telling reporters after the game that he was caught off guard by the idea of \u200b\u200balternating starts. McCarthy will start next Saturday’s game against Hawaii (8 pm, BTN), and have an opportunity to win the starting job in Week 3.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was pretty unusual; it was kind of a thing that I wasn’t expecting by the end of the camp,\u201d McNamara said. \u201cI thought I had my best camp. I thought I put myself in a good position. And that was a decision that coach went with.\u201d<\/p>\n

Harbaugh has said he will judge both quarterbacks by their ability to move Michigan’s offense and score points, complete an assortment of throws and display on-field leadership. While McNamara was able to check several of those boxes on Saturday, McCarthy’s play-making ability in the limited snaps he had on the field has folks clamoring for more.<\/p>\n

Michigan’s coach raved about McCarthy’s improved patience, willing to check down a pass if necessary and read the opposing defense. His touchdown run, Harbaugh says, was a designed quarterback read-option, and McCarthy executed it perfectly, running into the end zone nearly untouched.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don’t think anyone laid a hand on him,\u201d Harbaugh said. He’s got that electric type of ability when he’s running with the football. I thought he acquitted himself really well.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for McNamara, he’ll likely get more playing time next week against Hawaii \u2014 Harbaugh has said he hopes to use both in games like last year. But the pathway appears cleared for McCarthy, the former five-star recruit who sat the bench during Michigan’s 12-win season and Big Ten championship last year.<\/p>\n