The Wolverine

August 2021

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1396591

Contents of this Issue

Navigation

Page 27 of 75

28 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2021 M ichigan head coach Jim Har- baugh said July 22 at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis that his desire to win a championship at Michigan is higher than ever, noting they're going to beat Ohio State and the rivals or "die trying." This year 's quest starts with the season opener against Western Mich- igan Sept. 4, and redshirt freshman Cade McNamara appears to be the quarterback who will take the first snap. "Cade had a heck of a spring. He emerged from spring ball as the start- ing quarterback," Harbaugh said. "That's how it's listed going into training camp. "He's making the other players better. A quarterback's No. 1 job is to make everyone else around you even better. Cade is doing a fabulous job of that. Also, he's really just taken the leadership reins — so account- able with what he does by leading by example, pulling other guys along." Freshman J.J. McCarthy has those same exact traits, Harbaugh added, and is "really athletic and really good," too, but McNamara remains a step ahead entering his third year. He showed what he could do in a few drives against Wisconsin last year and then at Rutgers, when he led a comeback from 17 down with 267 yards and four scores in two quarters and change in a triple-overtime win. "It just does not look like Cade is going to let that go; at least he's not going to without a huge fight," Har- baugh said. "It's like watching the biblical iron sharpening iron. That's what it looks like to me watching it. "It's really good for J.J., our team and Cade, and I think that's going to continue." — Chris Balas PLAYERS RALLY BEHIND JIM HARBAUGH Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh signed a new contract in the offsea- son, but that didn't stop a few report- ers — from the state of Ohio, of course — from asking him the proverbial "hot seat" questions, bringing up last year's 2-4 record. From the COVID-19 stoppages to no spring ball, he and his staff faced some unique challenges while trying to prepare a young team. Harbaugh's not one for excuses, but he did say he was ready to get back to a "normal" football season. "I hate to compare anything, but I'm definitely less of a 'COVID' coach and more of football coach this year from last year," he said. "Just coach- ing football, being the football coach, coaching the team because that's what I enjoy. "I get to coach every position, be in every meeting … any meeting I want, and contribute. That's what I like do- ing — coaching guys." And the guys like to be coached. Redshirt junior linebacker Josh Ross was fully behind his head coach dur- ing Big Ten Media Days in Indianap- olis July 22, insisting neither he nor his teammates paid any attention to the "outside noise." "We know what's going on inside our building. We know how we've changed," he said. "We know how we've gotten better. We know how we've grown, and everybody is going to see that when the season comes. "This is my fifth year. I've seen so many phases of our team, so many different dynamics, so many differ- ent players and a lot of differences throughout my career. But what I MICHIGAN FOOTBALL Cade McNamara Is The No. 1 Quarterback Heading Into Camp Head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed at Big Ten Media Days in late July that McNamara, the redshirt freshman, goes into training camp as the No. 1 signal-caller. PHOTO COURTESY U-M ATHLETICS

Articles in this issue

Archives of this issue

view archives of The Wolverine - August 2021