Cade or J. J.?
October 3rd, 2021 at 3:35 PM ^
There is zero justification for making a switch at this point. We're undefeated, ranked in the top 10, and haven't turned the ball over at all.
JJ will get some playing time, but this is Cade's year unless he gets hurt.
October 3rd, 2021 at 3:38 PM ^
17/28=60%. 197yds. 2TDs 0 INTs
If there's a QB that can give us that performance every week, there is no fucking way he gets pulled for a younger guy.
I kind of like the way they used JJ tho - a couple drives on 1st and 2nd down at midfield for a QB keep to show the D he'll actually be a threat to run. Could open up some 3rd and short situations and keep the chains moving, taking some pressure off Cade. Distributes out the injury injury risk a bit too.
Cade on 3rd down and in outside the 30s all day tho.
October 3rd, 2021 at 3:44 PM ^
And he did that against an elite defense on the road.
October 3rd, 2021 at 6:54 PM ^
The problem is when we face a really good offense, can Cade keep it up and lead us . We haven’t faced an offense where we have to go tic for tat! Our defense isn’t always going to play great. Time will tell if Cade can do it.
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:14 PM ^
And if they keep giving JJ the go-ahead for deep balls when single man coverage, opposing teams will finally have to keep honest and not stack the box outrageously (see PepCat...)
October 3rd, 2021 at 3:43 PM ^
I'm coming around to JJ. Cade isn't seeing the field all that well, he's protecting the ball but he's also leaving points on the field. He's also been off on quite a few shorter passes lately. Obviously if JJ just doesn't know the offense and is a turnover machine, different story. But JJ can just do so much more.
October 3rd, 2021 at 3:53 PM ^
What fucking team have you been watching?
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:58 PM ^
Excuse me? Would you like to give me a coherent argument and have a conversation like an adult instead of just running your mouth?
Last I checked, nobody was talking about Cade for Heisman.
October 3rd, 2021 at 5:21 PM ^
Yep here is a coherent argument.
Sometimes I like the sound the keys make as I type nonsense too.
October 3rd, 2021 at 3:48 PM ^
“Is he fuckin crazy?!?”
-Pvt. Hudson (Aliens)
October 3rd, 2021 at 3:56 PM ^
Game over, man. Game over.
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:36 PM ^
"One express elevator to hell...going down!"
October 3rd, 2021 at 3:53 PM ^
Michigan is 5-0 and people are still speculating about wanting to switch QBs?
I don't get it... you want to win by more points? What's the reason to switch? Michigan is on a roll and JJ is actually getting some good reps in non garbage time for situational play calls.
That's a nice way to bring the kid along, without exposing him to too much unnecessary pressure.
I'd have been fine to pull Cade versus Rutgers as something seemed to be off. I think the staff will pull Cade if they are behind in a game and Cade isn't throwing the ball well and if the running game isn't working.
I agree with others though - why would you disrupt the chemistry of an unbeaten team and introduce a QB controversy when there isn't one?
October 3rd, 2021 at 3:53 PM ^
...and don't forget to start Drew Henson as a freshman, because he's better than that scrub senior QB who's only going to be a 6th round NFL draft pick.
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:31 PM ^
Henson was a freshman in 1998. Brady was a senior in 1999. The "QB Controversy" primarily happened in Henson's sophomore year.
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:58 PM ^
Brady was the better QB then. You will not convince me that Lloyd did not make some promise to the Hensons when he recruited Henson.
October 3rd, 2021 at 5:06 PM ^
Boy, you got him good!
October 3rd, 2021 at 5:36 PM ^
Everyone is missing the point. For all the fanfare of a Drew Henson (JJ) we are 5 games into a potential Griese (1997) season. All the JJ for starter guys would be lying if they say they would not of benched Griese game 6 if that talent was on the bench. Careful what you ask for I dont want to rock this boat unless it rocks itself. Thank god our coaches are level headed. Oh and JJ is fantastic so yeah he will be great.
October 3rd, 2021 at 5:45 PM ^
Right. Cade McNamara = Tom Brady.
October 3rd, 2021 at 5:51 PM ^
I don't think he was saying that at all. More like, sometimes you roll with the guy who appears to be less talented. More to being a qb than how good you look throwing or running. Seems like JJ is on the right track, his time will come. But his tine is not now.
October 3rd, 2021 at 6:05 PM ^
Sometimes it is the right decision. Sometimes it isn’t. Do you think Kirby Smart wishes now he would’ve played Justin Fields over Jake Fromm?
October 3rd, 2021 at 6:54 PM ^
If this blog was around in 1998, there would have been plenty of people wanting Brady to be benched early in the year.
October 3rd, 2021 at 6:08 PM ^
And the next step is Steinbrenner (O$U) to bribe Henson to move on to the Yankees because, you know, Henson can play baseball.
October 3rd, 2021 at 3:54 PM ^
Michigan is definitely heading into a conundrum. Cade is good, and seems like a quality human being and I hope he succeeds, but JJ is more talented and won't be content to sit another year behind Cade. So while I don't think this is a question for now, Cade is clearly doing what needs to be done, it will be a question for next year. Ultimately it's a good problem to have.
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:01 PM ^
Another Oracle has spoken. J.J. transfers next year if he's not the starter game one. As a true sophomore. Behind a fourth year, 4 star two year starter who threw for state record 12000 yards and 120+ tds in high school.
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:12 PM ^
Well put -- it's a conundrum for NEXT YEAR.
FFS, Cade is 5-0 and just beat a team with a solid defense on the road. He played well doing so. Replacing him is not a consideration in the slightest.
Should JJ play? Sure, and moreso as he gets more comfortable in the offense. But that doesn't mean you sit your QB that is kicking ass for the team.
Cumong man.
October 3rd, 2021 at 3:55 PM ^
LOTS of people are enamored with the couple of great throws that JJ has made but that has been it. Other than the flashy, long throws (which were fantastic) he's thrown a lot of fastballs with no touch and cost the team 2 time outs vs Wisconsin because he couldn't get the team lined up correctly & lost track of the play clock.
JJ has a chance to be great but this year it's Cade's decision making & command of the offense that will take Michigan the furthest
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:22 PM ^
Yeah, I feel like a lot of stock is being placed on two bombs to Baldwin against backups. McCarthy has all the potential in the world but true freshmen QBs tend to stink and unless you have to it's best for everyone if they aren't pressed into service.
October 3rd, 2021 at 5:09 PM ^
I'm not in start JJ camp at all but to be fair I think some of the calls are coming from the fact that he does give the offense a potential added dimension with his better wheels. But at this time I don't think better wheels and a stronger arm are more valuable than more experience and a steadier presence at QB with Cade who hasn't committed a turnover yet.
October 3rd, 2021 at 6:06 PM ^
Agree with this take. This probably wouldn’t even be a debate if Cade would keep it on the read option once maybe twice a game. This is my only real knock on Cade. Second half Rutgers and Wisconsin dared him to keep it and he wouldn’t.
October 3rd, 2021 at 7:00 PM ^
My question is whether or not Cade is even allowed to keep it. We've had Gattis for a couple of years now & no starter keeps the ball on the RPOs but Shea kept it in Miss & Milton keeps it in Tenn so maybe Gattis is instructing the starter to not keep it so they don't get hurt. I don't know if that is the case or not but if so it negates JJ's wheels if he's the starter but instructed to never keep it
October 3rd, 2021 at 7:52 PM ^
I honestly don't think he is either. I mean no offense to Cade but it is in fact slow as evidenced by the one scramble yesterday, but there were still a couple of times if it was a real read he would have been able to still pick up 8-10 yards even with his speed and get down. The 3rd and 1 being the perfect example. I mean at the end of the day as discussed by Brian and Seth it makes no tactical sense to run a read that is never going to be made and leave unblocked defenders. So whether it's Cade or JJ in the game it is really simple, scrap it entirely unless it is play they are actually allowed to make the read. Or Cade can't make the read. Doesn't matter, either scenero the logical conclusion is don't do it when Cade is in. I would point out that JJ did in fact keep one of them as well.
October 3rd, 2021 at 9:50 PM ^
Whether he is forbidden to keep (why did they call the stupid QB keep that got him blown up against Rutgers?) or whether he sucks at the read, TAKE IT OUT, coaches!!
Fooling no one and leading unblocked defenders RIGHT TO THE HOLE is idiotic.
(For the record, I think he is forbidden to keep due to coach's fear of him being injured, and I think coach outsmarted himself calling a QB keep against Rutgers.....)
October 3rd, 2021 at 3:57 PM ^
Younger Michigan fans probably can’t understand why Tom Brady didn’t play all the time here, and was effectively a platoon QB for many games, rotating out when a highly touted 5 star QB rotated in.
If you are one of those clamoring for JJ, know you are someone that would also have put Tom Brady on the bench.
Congratulations.
October 3rd, 2021 at 5:15 PM ^
If Tom had played the entire MSU game in EL instead of Henson in the first half, we would have won
October 3rd, 2021 at 5:50 PM ^
The problem wasn't the first half but the third quarter. Henson got the nod for the second half, mostly because of one deep ball he threw that went for a TD. He then played poorly in the third quarter and we fell behind big, before Brady nearly led us back.
The platoon made some sense at the start of the season but that was week 6. It was clear by that point that this was Brady's team. They waited until we lost two straight to pull the plug.
October 3rd, 2021 at 3:58 PM ^
If you would like to contribute your thoughts to a non-existent debate about the quarterback, here is the address to write to:
October 3rd, 2021 at 3:58 PM ^
You have to be fucking kidding me.
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:02 PM ^
I like where we are. Get JJ a few plays here and there--esp when the game is well in hand--just to give him some game experience and readiness in case Cade gets injured. But Cade is the man in 2021. Next offseason, open competition and may the best man win.
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:05 PM ^
Cade has done nothing to lose the starting job
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:23 PM ^
Neither did Jalen Hurts. Neither did Alex Smith.
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:14 PM ^
I definitely think Cade is the guy with JJ still being used as more of running threat changup in certain situations. Only thing is I hope the coaches please take the reads, if they are even reads, that Cade never keeps on out of the playbook , leaving guys unblocked for no reason is burning downs when Cade is QB. Save that for when JJ is in the game in a situation you know you want to run the ball. So third down short yardage could continue to be a spot to get JJ some reps. Could also create a big play down the line if teams think that is all he is going to do when in and you PA off it.
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:14 PM ^
Boring…
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:19 PM ^
If it ain’t broke..break it! Wait…..
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:20 PM ^
McCarthy has shown a lot of ability running the ball but I'm not remotely sold that he's got the nuances of the passing game down and he still seems somewhat erratic. I think McNamara keeps the job and they sprinkle in McCarthy in pieces to keep the defense honest, but I'm also getting a distinctive Brady-and-Henson vibe where the fans want the replace the guy who's clearly the best option right now just because the guy behind him has higher upside. McCarthy as a sophomore absolutely should compete for the starting spot but unless McNamara gets hurt there's no reason to make the move.
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:22 PM ^
You’ve watched McNamara go up and down the last two games and your knock on McCarthy is that he’s erratic?
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:22 PM ^
They're both impressive for different reasons. That's a great thing for Michigan. The impression I got reading between the lines of QB coach-speak yesterday was that JJ will benefit from this season of steady development.
He'll be a world-beater at some point.
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:31 PM ^
You need new friends..
October 3rd, 2021 at 4:32 PM ^
This is actually a debate to some people? A quarterback who has played about 99% of the season to the quarterback who has played 1%?