From QBs to depth chart: Michigan football switching things up as season opener approaches
Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh is switching things up this year.
Coming off a Big Ten championship, Harbaugh is doing things he's never done before. For starters, there’s something that resembles a depth chart, which there hadn’t been at any other point through his first seven years.
The team doesn’t have one on its website, but Harbaugh went on the team’s podcast and spelled out how he views the pecking order entering Saturday’s game against Colorado State.
“Just for our team,” Harbaugh said of why he chose to do so. “We were doing that for our team, so figured we’d do that for everybody. A lot of times when you do it for the team it has a way of getting out there.
“So since it might get out there anyway, figured we might as well release it.”
Then, there’s the handling of the quarterbacks, the main topic of conversation surrounding the program.
On Saturday, the team announced there will be two starters to open the year: Last year’s starting quarterback and recently named captain Cade McNamara would get the nod for Week 1 while the tantalizing five-star sophomore J.J. McCarthy will be tabbed in Week 2.
In his first seven years at Michigan, Harbaugh always named a starter. Even though McCarthy appeared in 11 games last year, McNamara was the unquestioned starter.
“They’re both playing their best football since they’ve been here,” he said Monday. “Cade is arguably one of the most improved players on the team. J.J did not have spring practice but he’s ascended to where he’s at based on his performance.
“There’s no demotion for Cade McNamara… it is a promotion for J.J. based on what he’s been able to do as well.”
The expectation is that both quarterbacks will play in both games — and perhaps every game — until somebody separates themself entirely. Harbaugh called a repeat of last year, when both quarterbacks played in essentially every game, “absolutely” a possibility.
Harbaugh later insisted that the current landscape of college football — namely the transfer portal that gives immediate one-time eligibility and name, image and likeness — played no role in this decision.
“There’s no other intent or motive other than what’s good for our football team,” he said. “I understand it, I understand the landscape. Well here’s the landscape I do understand, if a coach gets up here and gives you the normal cliches then you seem very offended as journalists, but also when a coach or person gives you really well thought, in-depth, honest and tells you the truth of where they stand there’s a tendency to question motive or question intent.
“You’re talking about two gritty competitors… so to answer the question did it factor in that one would transfer or not, no. My thoughts are they are both the kind of guys that don’t flinch, fold or quit at the slightest whiff of adverse circumstances.”
Two deep on the line across the board
Harbaugh spoke highly of the team’s offensive line as well, citing their talented two-deep.
The starters appear to be set: Ryan Hayes, Trevor Keegan, Olusegun Oluwatimi, Zak Zinter and Trente Jones going across the line from left to right. Harbaugh then listed the next six in line as Carson Barnhart, Reece Attebery, Giovanni El-Hadi, Jeff Persi, Greg Crippen and Raheem Anderson.
Zinter was one of four players to speak on Monday and said there shouldn’t be any drop off from last year’s Joe Moore Award-winning group.
“It’s kind of special, we have so much depth in the O-line room,” he said. “We’re going to be the most physical offensive line in the country this year, we’re going to run the ball when we want to run the ball — that’s been our identity that’s not going to change.”
He added that Oluwatimi, a second-team All-American transfer from Virginia recognized as one of the best centers in the country, brings the unit to a new level.
“No disrespect to (Andrew Vastardis), I love him, he’s a great leader but physically Olu is just a step up,” he said. “He’s got all the attributes you want in a center and I’m really excited to play next to him this year.”
Confident in most recent transfer
Listed on the depth chart is the 6-foot-6, 270-pound transfer Eyabi Anoma. The UT-Martin graduate and one time five-star Alabama commit was named to the all-SEC freshman team in 2018.
“He’s been really good, graduate transfer has been practicing with the team for 10 days, 12 days something like that,” Harbaugh said. “He’s been a great teammate, look forward to seeing what he can do this coming season. But hopefully he will be playing right away.”
However he does have a checkered past. Anoma was released from the University of Alabama for undisclosed reasons and never played after transferring to Houston, where he was also dismissed from the program for “violating team rules.”
Harbaugh said the vetting process was straight forward.
“Graduated from Tennessee Martin, a very easy, very easy process when talking to his former teammates who are on our team,” Harbaugh said. “Somebody I recruited right out of high school…always really enjoyed really being around Eyabi, I’m not really aware of the vague off-field issues that you referred to.
“But as it stands now, he’s a college graduate, really vouched for by his teammates and just a great guy to be around…no man knows the future, but I think it looks very good and bright for Eyabi.”
News and notes
Mason Graham, a four-star true freshman from Anaheim, CA. has been listed as the starter at the defensive tackle spot in Michigan’s base package. Kris Jenkins moved from the interior to defensive end, which opened up the spot for him.
“He’s top of the depth chart,” Harbaugh said. “The other player is Rayshaun Benny who is surging like you can’t imagine both in the base and in the sub fronts.
“But Mason from the day he got here has been a very solid player. Saw it in the spring game…he’s played good, he’s earned it and we can count on him for a lot of snaps in the first game.”
Michigan is also replacing a number of key players at all levels of the defense, from Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo to Josh Ross and Daxton Hill. When asked about filling holes particularly in a secondary that is looking to create more turnovers, Harbaugh cited three names.
“RJ Moten, Makari Paige, Rod Moore have all been outstanding," he said. "Depending on the package, dime, base or nickel, those three will be in the game rotating as starters.”
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh gives J.J. McCarthy 'promotion'
