JJ's quarterback rating now exceeds any starter in the country
First, I am just pointing out a statistical fact, so don't bother trying to cancel the messenger.
With another very consistent throwing game by JJ (hit on 66% of attempts), his QBR is now 91.9
Yes, he did not get the 20 snaps that would qualify him for ESPN's QB ranking board, but if you look at the current leaders .... JJ has a better QBR than the nation's top rated passer OSU Freshman CJ Stroud (91.7) who is head and shoulders above any other passer at the moment.
Course, JJ also averages 5.5 yards per carry versus Stroud's pedestrian 0.2 yards per rush.
National Leader Board in QBR:
October 24th, 2021 at 12:26 PM ^
I'm certainly a fan of JJ McCarthy, but talk about a small sample set.
October 24th, 2021 at 1:33 PM ^
So you think he's worse than his numbers imply? Isn't letting him play more the only way to find out?
October 24th, 2021 at 3:14 PM ^
Yes, but finding out is a much lower priority than winning games.
You may find out after Macnamara loses a game or is on pace to lose one. Until then, you will have to accept not finding out.
But this is a good thing, because you are guaranteed to not find out that he isn’t as good as the numbers.
October 24th, 2021 at 3:41 PM ^
I think what he’s saying is we shouldn’t talk about JJ’s qb rating when he plays a handful of snaps a game. Not really fair to the QBs he’s “in front” of who have played full games.
kind of like bowling twice, getting two strikes and then declaring a perfect game
I think JJ should play more. The running game seems much easier when a team has to respect him pulling it. Zone read is more effective when it’s an actual read.
Should find out plenty this week. MSU is gonna take away the run and see if Cade can beat them. He responded at Wisconsin we’ll see at MSU.
October 24th, 2021 at 3:59 PM ^
It’s absolutely no given the MSU completely takes the run away. We need to hit a few open plays to receivers, but this is not Wisconsin’s run d, might not even be as good as Nebraskas
October 24th, 2021 at 4:20 PM ^
In other news, I had a par on the first hole when golfing this weekend and now I’m a scratch golfer.
October 24th, 2021 at 6:06 PM ^
I was on my way to breaking 60 until trouble on the 18th when my ball . . .
hit the rotating windmill blade and rolled back. It was my worst round of min-golf ever.
October 24th, 2021 at 8:10 PM ^
So they started you off on the back nine?
October 24th, 2021 at 12:28 PM ^
What I'm personally hoping for is to let it ride with Cade the rest of the year, make a run at a big ten title and then have Gattis get hired away by Penn State or literally anyone else. Either get a Moorhead or young up and comer or just give the reigns to Weiss as OC next year and then hopefully JJ continues on this trajectory. Any qb change before 2022 involves Cade either getting hurt or actually making a mistake in a game. Til then, you can't take the steady hand off the field.
October 24th, 2021 at 12:41 PM ^
What qualifies as a mistake? He has more interceptions than TDs in his last 2 games, has a been inconsistent (being kind) on balls over 20 yards, and has negative rushing yards. He's 90th in passing yards and 110th in TDs. Hard to do worse than that.
October 24th, 2021 at 1:11 PM ^
What qualifies as a mistake?
Losing games.
October 24th, 2021 at 2:07 PM ^
I am by no means a Cafe super fan but QB play can get much much worse. This program has had worse quarterbacking for a number of years.
October 24th, 2021 at 3:39 PM ^
Wow, cherry pick much?
Turnovers are mistakes - big ones. Cade has ONE. All year. That's remarkably mistake-free.
His TD:Interception is 5:1 this year.
He didn't throw a TD last two games - fair critique. Of course, they scored 32 and 33 points in those games, so it's not like they couldn't score.
Valid criticisms: Too risk-averse. Not enough deep completions/TD passes. Doesn't run.
Ridiculous: "more interceptions than TDs in his last 2 games".
October 24th, 2021 at 6:06 PM ^
If you don’t see how it could possibly get any worse, you watch a shockingly small amount of college football. Turn on 95% of the other games on any given Saturday and you will see how it could get worse.
October 24th, 2021 at 12:41 PM ^
I personally LOVE the idea of Matt Weiss as OC. Then bring in a high octane QB/WR coach.
October 24th, 2021 at 1:05 PM ^
I would love Weiss as OC and Bellamy to WR.
October 24th, 2021 at 1:12 PM ^
Donte Williams to Safties.
October 24th, 2021 at 3:27 PM ^
I would love to see this too along with Bellamy coaching our WRs
October 24th, 2021 at 6:57 PM ^
Sounds great. Domani Jackson would come to Michigan then. But why would Willliams leave the West Coast for a reduced role and probably less pay?
But yeah, I'd take it in a second!
October 24th, 2021 at 1:32 PM ^
Sounds interesting.
Then give Click all the DBs (if he wants it), and move Coach Oz onto the field, coaching EDGE.
Brings a smile on a rainy, grey Sunday. :-)
October 24th, 2021 at 3:14 PM ^
What is the fascination with Osborne? In Moore’s career at Michigan, edges have never really been the problem, it was the interior of the line. This year should give us more confidence in Moore not less. Also, what are Osborne’s credentials that make him such a great coach? Isn’t his experience that of a grad assistant and then a coach at the FCS level? Hardly seems like some obvious improvement.
October 24th, 2021 at 3:32 PM ^
Are you talking about Sherrone Moore?
Did you mean Shaun Nua?
October 24th, 2021 at 3:59 PM ^
I did. But point still stands. What exactly has Oz done? Even after losing Hutchinson last year, edge was A strength of last years defense. The interior of the line had issues, but edge was hardly the tire fire that most of the rest of the defense was.
October 24th, 2021 at 6:52 PM ^
Shaun Nua is mainly responsible for interior defensive line.
October 24th, 2021 at 8:26 PM ^
Who was responsible for the 2020 edges? Your boy Oz wasn’t here in 2020. You make an awful lot of an article from spring practice when you conclude that Nua focuses on the interior of the line.
October 26th, 2021 at 11:06 PM ^
Ok, if he isn't responsible for how the interior D Line is playing, who is? I mean, make sense at least.
October 24th, 2021 at 10:01 PM ^
HIGH OCTANE BABY YEAH RAWWWRR
October 24th, 2021 at 2:35 PM ^
I really don't get the Gattis hate.
We're 7-0, with the majority of our wins being dominant.
We smashed Wisconsin, probably THE best run defense in the B1G. We've passed when necessary--no, not the best passing game, but it's not like Cade's throwing pick 6s left and right.
Yes, we've had a bad half against Rutgers--no excuse for that. The Nebraska game I'm a bit more forgiving of, simply because I believe the Huskers are better than their record implies.
If you don't like Gattis, blame Harbaugh. Gattis is running the system that Harbaugh wants.
October 24th, 2021 at 4:07 PM ^
My problem with Gattis is that he isn’t a good fit for the offense that Harbaugh wants to run. I struggle to believe that it was Gattis’s idea to run the offense we are in fact running. Gattis might be a great fit elsewhere, as long as Harbaugh is the head coach, he isn’t a great fit here, Granted that is on Harbaugh for hiring him, but I don’t think Harbaugh is going after this year unless things go very south very quickly. I do think Gattis going is a real possibility. I think next years team would be more successful with an OC better suited to run the offense Harbaugh wants. With JJ, Corum, likely a good offensive line and receivers tgat are a year older, there is an opportunity for a very good offense next year. I question whether Gattis can deliver.
October 24th, 2021 at 4:03 PM ^
Cade makes plenty of mistakes every game. He just doesn't make the mistakes that caused us turnovers.
Yesterday he hit Johnson on the sideline for a 3rd down conversion. Nice throw, but if he saw the field better he had Sarinstil open for a probable TD. That's a mistake.
October 24th, 2021 at 12:29 PM ^
Not trying to cancel the messenger but this means nothing unless JJ was getting starter level snaps. I think JJ is good but there's a very slim chance that he's anywhere near CJ Stroud if he were the starter.
October 24th, 2021 at 12:34 PM ^
We will have to disagree there. Yes, it is true that JJ does not line up behind the Ohio State offensive line and does not pass to 3 future NFL receivers, but I think he has the tools to out play CJ. Most notably, JJ will force the defense to not only stop the best running back duo in college, but will need to account for the 11th man as a viable home-run threat as a runner.
October 24th, 2021 at 12:43 PM ^
So…your original post was not to just state a fact.
Why do people tippy toe around their intentions? You want JJ to start, this this justification and rationalizing Bali it that he’s be just as good as Stroud if he were starting.
Stroud has years in that system and the most talented WR Corp in college. JJ has the tools to be very good, but he alphas shown that he relies more on his athleticism than his ability to read a defense, right now.
Rigjt now. I am quite sure that the coaches will start JJ once he learns to make his reads quicker, and make them correctly. He threw two pretty passes and one bad one that sailed over the WR on the screen yesterday.
He has thrown some great balls to Daylen. We all see the talent, but it would be great if people looked at the more subtle tasks of being QB that he is behind Cade on?
October 24th, 2021 at 4:00 PM ^
The “poorly thrown ball” over Sainristil was Sainristil’s fault. He slowed down in his route, perhaps anticipating Cade’s ball would not carry, then wildly tried to recover. If he continued to run thru his route it may have been perfectly placed — hard to tell from the tape.
This seems to be an ongoing Sainristil issue, perhaps because of the two quarterbacks’ respective arm strength differential and Sainristil’s expectations.
October 24th, 2021 at 1:18 PM ^
I believe Coach Harbaugh and his staff have handled the QB playing time very well this year. That being said, your point/OP has its place. The hilarity here is that the criticisms you are receiving are based upon opinions that are much worse than yours. Such silliness all the way around.
The coaches have JJ set up very well to step in and take over.
October 24th, 2021 at 2:27 PM ^
I think the Northwestern game was the perfect time to let JJ have a few drives all to himself. If he makes mistakes so be it, but he'd be better for it. I just think Coach Harbaugh doesn't want to upset the Cade wagon; unfortunately, this is at the detriment of JJ improving THIS YEAR.
October 24th, 2021 at 12:41 PM ^
The real news here is that Cade ranks 35th. 6th in the B1G. Make of that what you will.
October 24th, 2021 at 12:55 PM ^
That is not bad actually with a sound running game and a good defense.
October 24th, 2021 at 2:04 PM ^
Sure,...and it is in line for a "not bad" 8 - 4 record. Just think some Michigan fans are hoping for a little more.
October 24th, 2021 at 2:15 PM ^
So you are predicting 8-4 unless JJ starts?
October 24th, 2021 at 3:01 PM ^
If Cade plays like he has the last two games....
.....As Jr summarized above "more interceptions than TDs in his last 2 games, has a been inconsistent (being kind) on balls over 20 yards, and has negative rushing yards--- 90th in passing yards and 110th in TDs).....
Yes, it is hard to see us finishing without at least two losses. Course, JJ is here to save the show so I am definitely predicting a much better performance. Why would I have spent the last month writing JJ vs. CJ: The Three Year War ....if I thought JJ would not be stepping in to right the ship.
October 24th, 2021 at 4:16 PM ^
Two losses is different than 8-4.
If you watched the Penn State bs Illinois game, it is not clear that we need a great qb (or even a good one) to beat Penn State. Cade is certainly good enough to beat Maryland and Indiana. That puts us at 10-2.
October 24th, 2021 at 1:06 PM ^
I make of it that QBR isn't very good and shouldn't be used to name starters.
Aidan O'Connell is ranked third. He has 7 TD passes and 8 INT. He has negative 83 rushing yards with 1 TD.
https://purduesports.com/sports/football/roster/aidan-o-connell/10914
There is no way I would want that guy (or any guy who turned the ball over like that, unless he generated a ton of TDs) as the QB of U of M, just because he has a top 3 QBR.
October 24th, 2021 at 3:04 PM ^
You could say this now, but OSU had no idea about Stroud either before he started this season, so no one has any idea if there is a slim or very good chance if JJ were to get "starter level snaps".
October 24th, 2021 at 5:27 PM ^
Their star WR - Olave - recently said that one of the reasons he came back was because of what he saw - and the coaches - in practice last year with Stroud. He just wasn't going to get meaningful snaps with Fields there. I don't think your assumption of "OSU had no idea about Stroud" is true. The kid throws a beautiful ball with accuracy and that just doesn't happen overnight.
October 24th, 2021 at 12:29 PM ^
Based on attitudes on this board.. Michigan will likely need to accept a loss before folks go all in on JJ, but ....in either case...I still expect we will see the first game in the JJ vs. CJ Three Year War.
October 24th, 2021 at 12:34 PM ^
Three year war? Doesn’t appear that CJ would be playing two more seasons at OSU.
October 24th, 2021 at 12:37 PM ^
After two losses to JJ, CJ has too much ego not to come back to try and save his reputation. I can tell you have not pre-ordered JJ versus CJ: The Three Year War on Amazon.
October 24th, 2021 at 1:15 PM ^
Why wouldn't JJ just "be the hero" and take the job after Cade gets two scores down?
October 24th, 2021 at 5:12 PM ^
I don't think general consensus is that Cade must lose a game before it's plausible that JJ can become the starter. More likely, I think most posters are comfortable with the notion that the coaches have a good handle on the quarterback situation and they trust the staff's judgement on who gives the team the best chance to win sixty minutes of football. And the results pretty much validate that line of thinking - the team is undefeated and the quarterback play, while unspectacular, is moving the chains and limiting turnovers remarkably well.
Listen, I am excited for JJ too, and I do think at some point he is going to overtake the starting job. I'm also willing to concede to the idea that the coaches who are working with and developing these guys everyday have a firm grasp on which quarterback gives them the best chance to win a football game, taking in totality all the variables that the quarterback is responsible for during the game.
Right now, that quarterback is Cade. We can all see JJ is progressing, and I'd imagine the coaches can see that too. When he progresses enough to change the equation, then I would imagine we will see JJ get the starts.
JJ's QBR in a limited amount of game snaps is not enough data to demonstrate that he is ready to orchestrate the offense for all four quarters. His time is coming, and perhaps very soon. Right now, the coaches feel that Cade is the best guy they have that can do that, so that's the guy they are going to go with. I think most fans/posters trust the coaches assessment there, and they haven't really given people any reason assume otherwise.