Jim Harbaugh names McNamara starting QB Week 1, McCarthy Week 2

This is one interesting way to go about continuing a quarterback competition.

Michigan Football head coach Jim Harbaugh has announced that Cade McNamara will start Michigan’s season opener against Colorado State, and J.J. McCarthy will start the second game against Hawaii.

Harbaugh’s statement

“We have made a decision.

Both quarterbacks have played great - done everything they could have and, in every way, to win the starting job. Coming out of camp, I just feel like we have two quarterbacks, Cade McNamara and JJ. McCarthy, that we feel very confident that we can win a championship with either of those two behind center.

It’s a great thing for our team but there’s only one ball and only one quarterback can be out there at a time. So we’re not ready to say who that starting quarterback is, but the decision that we have made is Cade McNamara will start the opener against Colorado State and J.J. McCarthy will start the second ball game against Hawaii, and then after week two we will make a decision going into week three on the starter and backup.”

Harbaugh has recently mentioned how McNamara and McCarthy both continue to elevate their game. The two have been pushing each other. Receiver/Nickelback Mike Sainristil told the media on Thursday the competition is still neck and neck.

Harbaugh’s approach gives Michigan more time to decide on a solidified starter, gives the team more film to evaluate before making a decision. McNamara, a team captain this season, has 15 starts in his career, 14 of which came last season, a year in which the Wolverines won the Big Ten Championship and made the College Football Playoff. McCarthy, who received playing time last season as a true freshman and impressed teammates in his own right, will be making the first start of his career against Hawaii.

The competition has proven to be legitimate and not of the coach speak variety. This marks the first time Jim Harbaugh has gone with this approach, one that he’s happy with and surely won’t apologize for.