Jim Harbaugh declares open competition for backup quarterback role
Michigan is headed into the season with a clear-cut starter at quarterback and won't have to worry about a competition to figure out that rising junior J.J. McCarthy is the guy for the Wolverines.
There does appear to be a competition for the backup quarterback role, though.
While Davis Warren was the Wolverines' back-up quarterback last year, he will have some competition for the role this season as the Wolverines addressed experience on the depth chart by adding Jack Tuttle via the transfer portal.
Harbaugh feels good about the depth that he is but isn't ready to declare the pecking order two practices into spring.
"Backup quarterback-wise, Davis Warren, Jack Tuttle, Alex Orji—Jayden Denegal is already off to a really hot start in the spring," Harbaugh said. "So is Jack Tuttle. He’s been really good the first two days. All four of those quarterbacks are really engaged and have had really good offseasons with Coach Herb and the staff in the seven weeks—six, seven weeks that they’ve been in the winter cycle. So really good can’t really call it right now after two days of practice who would be the backup quarterback, but feel really good about the quarterback room."
What Harbaugh can declare, however, is that McCarthy is a leader of the team.
A big fan of who McCarthy is as a person and human, he didn't waste an opportunity to gush about his quarterback.
"J.J. McCarthy is the starting quarterback. Tremendous physical ability and athletic ability and in every single way that you would want your quarterback. The rare thing is that he would sacrifice anything for any player on this team. Personally, he’s just so willing to do whatever is best for the team. I would follow him anywhere. Happily. I suggest that all players on our team do the same thing. He’s just really, really good at it. As far as anything you tell him, I mean, any coaching point that you give, he just he absorbs it and will make the correction immediately. It’s tremendous."
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