ANN ARBOR — There was no quarterback controversy this summer, even as two quarterbacks separated themselves from the pack. It became a bit more heated in the fall, however, with both Cade McNamara and J.J. McCarthy playing very well.
Redshirt freshman McNamara emerged from spring ball a step ahead of the competition. Every time McCarthy closed the gap, McNamara did something to pull away again. As such, he earned the starting job for the opener with Western Michigan, head coach Jim Harbaugh announced Monday.
“Cade McNamara is our starting quarterback,” Harbaugh said, detailing the reasons why. “Constant improvement. He’s ratcheted up really in a lot of different areas, the biggest one consistency; consistency of doing his job, also call it a talent of really making everybody else around you better. Maybe that is the most important job as a quarterback.
“He’s really locked in; really knows his assignments. Great work ethic, and just the unselfishness is probably the biggest thing that sticks out about his leadership. The desire to get the ball to the playmakers and make people around him better, including the offensive line.”
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He wouldn’t disclose the offensive line starters or if McCarthy would get his shot to play in the opener.
“All options will be open about playing JJ or anybody else on our roster,” he said. “[The line] looks good. We’re not going to announce what it is. We still feel like we’re five, six, seven, eight really good players considered starters at this time.”
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Earlier in camp, Harbaugh said left tackle Ryan Hayes, right guard Zak Zinter and right tackle Andrew Stueber had essentially clinched starting positions. If healthy, they’re expected to start. Most believe redshirt freshman Trevor Keegan will get the nod at left guard — he’ll be available to the media Tuesday night, so that might be a clue — while sixth-year senior Andrew Vastardis will probably start at center.
McNamara called the group “solid,” but there’s still a lot to prove. The quarterback, too, has to prove himself as a starter. He showed great promise last year, especially in throwing for 260 yards and adding four scores in three quarters in a comeback win at Rutgers, but this is his first year as the leader heading into the season.
Harbaugh believes McNamara — and his team — are ready.
“Those are things earned,” Harbaugh said of the starting QB spot. “Anybody on the team could tell you we all saw that the same. He’s earned that.
“…We’ve been through a very good winter cycle, been through a really good spring practice, summer cycle of training. We’ve been through fall camp, and the one thing that’s been consistent is the energy of our team, the enthusiasm of the club, and I think that’s been generated by both the coaches and the players.”
They’ll get the first shot to prove the fruits of their labor Saturday against Western Michigan.
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