The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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34 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2019 2019 SPRING FOOTBALL PREVIEW. QUARTERBACKS BY THE NUMBERS 5 Quarterbacks on the U-M roster — all of the ones on scholarship — were rated by Rivals as four- or five- star recruits. Newcomer Cade McNamara is the only one that was not ranked among the top 200 overall prospects, while Shea Patterson was a five-star listed as the No. 3 recruit in the land re- gardless of position. 9 I n t e r c e p t i o n s w e r e thrown by Michigan in 2018, its second-lowest total since 2006. The Wol- verines tossed only seven in 2016, giving Harbaugh QBs the two lowest totals in those dozen years. 24 Touchdown passes last fall, a huge increase from the nine recorded in 2017 and Michigan's best ef- fort in that category since Chad Henne's final year, 2007 (25). Henne, in 2005, was also the last U-M QB to throw for more than 22 scores in a season. 64.6 Patterson's completion percentage in 2018, which tied Elvis Grbac for the fifth best in Michigan foot- ball history for a season. WHO'S GONE At this point, nobody. All the principals from 2018 will be on hand for spring ball 2019, working under new offensive coordi- nator Josh Gattis and new quarterbacks coach Ben McDaniels. WHO'S BACK SENIOR SHEA PATTERSON Patterson fashioned a very solid year for the Wolverines, completing 210 of 325 throws (64.6 percent) for 2,600 yards with 22 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. His season totals ranked in the program's all-time top 10 for touchdown throws (tied for fifth), completion percentage (tied for fifth), most 200-yard passing games (seven, tied for eighth), total yards gained (2,873; seventh), completions (eighth), pass- ing yards (eighth) and lowest interception percentage (2.15, ninth). His season efficiency rating of 149.85 just missed the top 10 (150.2 is 10th). He also wound up fourth on the team in rushing, with 273 yards and a pair of touchdowns on some well-timed read- option keeps. REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE DYLAN MCCAFFREY McCaffrey took a big step forward in 2018, looking right at home when he stepped in to direct the Michigan offense. He connected on 8 of 15 throws for 126 yards and two touch- downs, while averaging 9.9 yards per carry (99 yards total) and rushing for another score before getting sidelined. He finished with a team-high 167.89 efficiency rating, U-M's best for a quarterback since Devin Gardner in 2010, when he completed 7 of 10 throws for 85 yards with one touchdown for a 174.4 mark. REDSHIRT JUNIOR BRANDON PETERS Peters appeared in only four games for the Wolverines, going 1-of-2 passing with an interception. That proved a big change from the year before, when he started four contests. REDSHIRT FRESHMAN JOE MILTON Milton showed off some big-time arm strength in four brief appearances last season. He completed 3 of 4 throws for 58 yards (long of 43), and rushed seven times for 31 net yards (long of 23) and a score. TOP NEWCOMER FRESHMAN CADE MCNAMARA The 6-1, 206-pound, two-time Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year racked up state-record totals as a prep QB, throwing for 12,084 yards and 146 touchdowns in his career, and looks to fit into Michigan's growing talent pool behind center. "I'm very excited. Shea [Patterson] has one year on the field at Michigan. I'm very happy with what he did last year." — Former U-M All- American Jon Jansen QUOTABLE POSITION BATTLE TO WATCH The easy assumption involves Shea Patterson continuing to lead U-M as a returning starter. But if he gets nicked up at any point or struggles, Dylan McCaffrey showed enough in 2018 that Har- baugh won't hesitate to use him. That's what happened in the 2018 opener at Notre Dame, when Pat- terson went out and Mc- Caffrey stepped up. The third-year Wolverine will keep pushing, while Pat- terson wants to continue looking irreplaceable. BY JOHN BORTON J im Harbaugh stands in the best spot he's been in so far as the head coach at Michigan, when it comes to the man behind center. Senior Shea Patterson returns for a second and final season, while there's no lack of talent behind him. Redshirt sophomore Dylan McCaffrey showed plenty throwing and running before a bro- ken collarbone took him out of action. He will be ready for spring football, and both redshirt junior Brandon Peters and redshirt freshman Joe Milton have seen the field. In short, Harbaugh gets to deploy a seasoned starter with competitive, capable backups. SHEA PATTERSON PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN