On the season-opener
Really excited about it on a lot of levels. Probably the biggest thing I'm most excited about is this team has been ready to play a game now for about a week. Everything now is focused on the opener, Colorado State. Preparing the game plan for that. Roster-wise, it's been an extremely healthy roster, great camp. So many guys have put themselves in a great position to start the season.
On the quarterback position heading into the opener
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 J.J. 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.
On how he will evaluate the quarterback situation
The way I've been evaluating is them being able to be a passer. By passer, arm talent, who can make all the throws. Both of them to have the arm talent to make all the throws and it comes down to accuracy, timing, decision-making, taking what the defense gives you. as a passer. Cade's a little bit ahead there at this point. The next category is playmaker. A guy that can turn water into wine. Uses athleticism, his speed, arm talent, runner, scrambler, plays smart, makes a play when there's no play to be made. Running ability, moves the chains as a runner, augments the running game. The risk-reward, turn a one-yard loss into a positive play but doesn't make the bad play worse. Avoids the fumbles, the interceptions, the sacks. I have JJ ahead in that category. Then field general, coach on the field. Facilitator to the other playmakers, the offensive line, trust them to hand them the ball every play. Is a ball protector. Fixes the calls, the formation, the protections. Gets the checks right. Leads the unit drive-by-drive and points per possession, really, is what you're looking for. A lot of that—they're both pretty even there in that category. Maybe Cade has the slight advantage there. In totality, it's neck-and-neck as far as what they've done in practice. You need to see it in the game. That's where it really separates. Points per drive is the thing you look the closest at. The situations, redzone efficiency, two-minute efficiency, and third-down efficiency. That really needs, in my opinion, to be played out in the ball games as for who the quarterback that is going to give us the best opportunity by the time we get to that third game, fourth game. Both are considered starters here. That's it. What's the only motive? The only intent? What's best for the 2022 Michigan football team.
On whether McNamara being voted captain complicates matters
No. There's no motive or intent in any way. He's a deserving captain, respected by everybody. So is Mazi Smith, Erick All, Mike Sainristil and Ronnie Bell. Those guys are respected by everybody. I always think the captain vote, the team is saying which guys on this team are going to give it their very all for the team? That's a great honor and also a great responsibility. I remember when I was elected captain. Wow, those guys think that of me? I am not going to disappoint. I am going to give everything I have for the team. When it comes to the depth chart, that's not something that is elected by the players. It's similar to Erick All and Luke Schoonmaker, they're both starting tight ends on our football team. Mike Sainristil, was elected captain and he's a starter along with DJ Turner and Gemon Green at the corner position and the nickel position. Does it complicate things? No.
On any surprises coming out of camp
We'd have to go position-by-position there. The outside backers, Jaylen Harrell, Mike Morris and Taylor Upshaw, those three have had a heck of a camp. There will be a rotation there. Braiden McGregor, TJ Guy, Eyabi Anoma, doing some really good things. Derrick Moore has been fantastic. I know we've talked about Derrick before, when that motor becomes like Chase Winovich and Aidan Hutchinson, and then he learns a counter move or two, I think he's going to be close to unblockable. Soon as that happens, may take some time, he's ready to play and he'll be in there. Interior defensive line, Kris Jenkins, starter. In the base package, Mason Graham will come out camp as a starter. True freshman. Mazi Smith, starter at nose. Cam Goode is someone that is surging. He's backing up Mazi at nose tackle. Kenneth Grant is right there at nose tackle. George Rooks at end, backing up Kris Jenkins, has a tremendous camp. Dom Giudice has done some really good things. We have a true freshman, Charlie Lovell, just 18 about a week ago. His dad played at Michigan, was a kicker here. He's been great as well and he'll be really good in the future. Been really happy with the interior defensive line and the guy I gotta mention is Rayshaun Benny. Rayshaun Benny is surging. Him and Mason Graham are playing the tackle position in base. He's coming on like gangbusters every practice. Gets better and better. I'm really excited about Rayshaun.
On the linebacker position
The inside backer position is really good. Again, it's like saying you have multiple starters where there should just be one starter there because there's going to be a rotation. Kalel Mullings has really surged. Junior Colon, we knew what his talents were as a starter. Mike Barrett, all three will interchange whether it's base, whether it's nickel or whether it's dime. Nikhai Hill-Green, we'll see if he'll—he had a soft tissue thing that he's working through. Whether it's game one that he plays or game two, he's a starter along with Kalel. We'll see who plays there. Jimmy Rolder, Micah Pollard, who moved from outside backer to inside backer, has been a tremendous position move there. Deuce Spurlock, those three young guys are going to play a lot of football as well.
On how comfortable he's with the depth chart and health
Really good. Everything, I feel good that everything is settled and we have a plan moving forward. Take corner for example, DJ Turner, Gemon Green, Mike Sainristil, those are your starting corners. There's two in base but there's three when you go to nickel. Mikey is our starting nickel but they'll interchange in base as well. You've got three starters there. Will Johnson is right there as well coming out of camp. Tremendous, maybe our best freshman that's on the roster. He just looks great at corner. Those four, I consider them all really first-team players. Safety, RJ Moten, Rod Moore and Makari Paige. Those are the starting safeties. We do different packages. There's a base where we only do two safeties. You go to a stronger nickel package and you want a third safety in there, we have that. Makari Paige has had a really good camp coming off a really good spring. He's good and ready to go. Kaden Kolesar is the fourth safety and our number one special teams player. We're in good shape there knowing who is lining up and where they're lining up on defense.
On the young receivers seeing the field
The top five is Roman, Cornelius Johnson, Ronnie Bell, no receiver one, they're all ones along with Andrel Anthony and AJ Henning. Those five will be strong in a rotation as starters. Another guy who has surged is Peyton O'Leary. Peyton O'Leary is backing up Cornelius Johnson right now at the X position. He's had a Cooper Kupp-like training camp, he almost has that nickname around here. So that's been tremendous. Also, Tyler Morris, Darrius Clemons, Amorion Walker and Cristian Dixon are surging at the receiver position. Where we said we had six really good receivers coming into camp, call that 10 now. There's 10 really good receivers and it's a strong group.
