Michigan Football: Predicting Wolverines QB depth chart next fall

What will Michigan football’s quarterback depth chart look like in the fall? We look ahead to the fall and make some predictions. 

There are definitely a few questions facing the Michigan football program as it gets set to close out its spring workouts.

The Wolverines are fresh off a 2-4 season, clearly the worst of the Jim Harbaugh era. They also have basically an entirely new defensive staff, as well as a new defensive coordinator, a co-defensive coordinator and a new co-offensive coordinator.

A lot of those are positives. But that’s still a lot of transition and on the defensive side of the ball, that’s definitely led to the offense probably having the edge a little this spring as those guys know the playbook, while the defensive guys are trying to learn it.

The biggest question facing Michigan football heading into next season isn’t about the defense though. It’s about the quarterback and what that depth chart will look like.

There are three candidates to start next season: Cade McNarama, J.J. McCarthy and Alan Bowman.

McNamara is the so-called incumbent. He started one game last season and led the Wolverines to a come-from-behind win over Rutgers before getting hurt. He’s got more seasoning than McCarthy, the true freshman and he knows the system.

The battle to be Michigan football’s starting quarterback next fall seemed like a two-person race earlier this spring once Joe Milton left via the transfer portal.

However, Alan Bowman transferred to Michigan football from Texas Tech, giving the Wolverines their most experienced overall signal-caller as he was a previous starter for the Red Raiders.

Bowman completed 67 percent of his passes in 19 career games for the Red Raiders, throwing 33 touchdown passes compared to 17 interceptions.

And as long as he can learn the offense quickly, he will be a real threat to be the starter over McNamara or even the backup.

The Wolverines need a quarterback who can get the ball out to their playmakers, which is something Bowman specialized at with Tech.

To be fair, McNamara only got a little more than a half while healthy — he was playing on one arm for most of the Penn State game after his injury.

So he likely would have shown that ability too. McCarthy could also be a contender, although it’s going to take him some time to know the playbook, and starting a true freshman is always risky.

Starter: Cade McNamara

I truly think that McNamara is going to start the first game of the 2021 season. McNamara has been ahead of McCarthy this spring and that’s not a big shock. He’s not going to need to learn the offense and get familiar with teammates.

McNamara is also more talented than people give him credit for and if he can be the steady hand Michigan football didn’t have in 2020, that would be a huge positive.

If McNamara plays well and Michigan football is winning games, then maybe he can keep McCarthy on the bench this first year, but J.J. is the future and there’s a good chance he starts games in 2021.

Backups: Alan Bowman, McCarthy

It seems like the coaches knew they needed a veteran arm on the roster, after all, you don’t want to go into the season with a depth chart that has one combined start.

Bowman was just a three-star quarterback coming out of high school and he did transfer after he likely wasn’t going to be the starter next year for the Red Raiders.

That’s why I don’t see him being the starter for Michigan unless injuries strike. Early in the season, in some situations, Bowman could get the call, but that doesn’t change the fact that sooner or later, McCarthy will be Michigan’s starting QB.