Michigan QBs Coach Matt Weiss On Cade McNamara: ‘We’re Thrilled With Him’

Michigan Wolverines football quarterback Cade McNamara struggled in the second half of a 20-13 win over Rutgers, going 1-for-5 passing with only seven yards and missing some open receivers. That’s been the anomaly this year, however — on Wednesday, quarterbacks coach Matt Weiss gave him the seal of approval for a job well done this year.

McNamara is completing 62.3 percent of his passes with 534 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions through four games. Most importantly, he’s undefeated heading into a big road game at Wisconsin.

“I feel great about Cade,” Weiss said. “I think he’s done a good job all year. He’s done the most important things we ask a quarterback to do. We’ve won games — a big part of the reason is because of him. We haven’t turned the ball over; he’s completed passes when we’ve thrown the ball. He’s been very efficient. He’s avoided sacks. All those things he’s done have been very impressive.

“We’re thrilled with where he is. We want to keep getting better, obviously, at everything we’re doing on offense, and as a team it’s a work in progress. We’re just going to keep getting better and keep on going, but we’re really happy with where he’s at and how he’s played.”

To a man, Weiss added, every man on the team would point at himself for the second half offensive failures last week, whether it was a back missing a hole, a receiver dropping the ball or running a poor route or a lineman missing a block.

That didn’t prevent a portion of the fan base from calling for frosh JJ McCarthy, however, when McNamara struggled. Weiss said they were blessed with two great quarterbacks but insisted there was one reason alone why McNamara was his guy.

“Cade is the starter because he’s earned it,” he said. “We’re eally happy with both guys, but the idea that Cade somehow waited his turn and that’s why he’s playing … it’s all about Coach Harbaugh, the team, the team, the team.’ If you met someone at the gas station who had eligibility and could start for us and help us win, the guy would start. That’s why Cade’s the starter.

“He’s made great decisions. I think we’ve pushed the ball downfield pretty well. I think he’s averaging 10 yards an attempt, which is pretty good when you look at the plays individually. We’ve had some big passes where we’ve thrown the ball down the field. I think we’ve done that well.”

McCarthy has played more snaps than any of the nation’s highly recruited quarterbacks in a similar position, he noted, and he’s progressing nicely. He also knows the entire offense and could run it if called upon.

But again, he stressed, McNamara has led the offense efficiently. He’s also done the one thing that will be paramount Saturday on the road — protected the ball. Avoiding turnovers isn’t the only thing they ask, of course, but it’s important.

“It’s a big one,” Weiss said. “It’s really hard to win especially when you get into conference play when the games are going to be more competitive if you turn the ball over. That’s really important. The ball handling in the run game, the pass game avoiding interceptions, especially against the team we’re about to play. They’re a really good defense. We don’t want to give their offense a short field. We want them to go the long hard way. That’s going to be critical in this game.

“But we’re really in the process of looking at every play, every progression. Did you take the right footwork? Just allowing the play to take care of itself in terms of him doing his job, going through his progressions and making good decisions. We look at each play individually in that way … the coaching point isn’t hey, don’t thrown an interception. Certainly, we don’t want to do that. But if he does his job, makes the right reads, it should all take care of itself.”

He’ll get a chance to prove it again as the starter Saturday in Madison, a place Michigan hasn’t won since 2001.

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