Options For Jim Harbaugh At Quarterback In 2021

With Joe Milton in the transfer portal, Michigan's quarterback room is quite thin.

Most didn't think Joe Milton would win the starting quarterback job for Michigan in 2021, so him transferring isn't necessarily sending shockwaves through the fanbase. However, with Milton gone, Michigan's QB room is suddenly quite thin. The crop now consists of redshirt sophomore Cade McNamara, redshirt freshman Dan Villari and early-enrolled true freshman JJ McCarthy — that's it. Milton probably was never going to be the guy to take Michigan to championship heights, but it was comforting to have an experienced and talented body in the room. With him gone, Jim Harbaugh's options are thin as well.

The safest play right now is to start McNamara and hope he can play like he did against Rutgers last year. He lit it up against the Scarlet Knights, albeit in a three-overtime win against the worst team in the Big Ten, before struggling the following week against Penn State before he ultimately left the game due to injury.

Even though that option is the safest, it still feels like a dicey approach. The other two options, however, are far riskier. Chris Breiler and myself discuss whether or not Michigan should shop the transfer portal for a veteran quarterback or simply hand the offense over to McCarthy to see what the kid can do.