Michigan will start youngster Cade McNamara as a quarterback for Saturday’s season opener against Western Michigan, coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday.
Harbaugh labeled McNamara as the Wolverines starter before the preseason camp opened, and the junior has only strengthened his position over the past month. McNamara appeared in four games last season and started one, going 425 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions.
First year JJ McCarthy, Texas Tech transfer Alan Bowman and second year Dan Villari had been competing with McNamara during camp.
“Constant improvement, he’s really done it in a lot of different areas,” Harbaugh said. “The most important thing is the perseverance to do their job. They also call it talent to make everyone around you really better.”
The 6-foot, 212-pound McNamara, a native of Reno, Nevada, did not play in 2019. Joe Milton III, who was named Tennessee’s starting quarterback on Monday, began the 2020 season in Michigan.
Harbaugh also said Monday that Michigan is “99% vaccinated” against COVID-19 entering the season.