Michigan football finished its seventh practice Friday, a helmets only session, and hasn’t been in pads much, but head coach Jim Harbaugh likes a lot of what he’s seen from his team in the early going.
The quarterback competition, for one, is heating up. Redshirt freshman Cade McNamara is still a step ahead, but true frosh J.J. McCarthy is pushing and getting better every day.
“Of all the years, the quarterback play right at the beginning has been really sharp; really good,” Harbaugh said Friday. “Both Cade and J.J. have really started fast. There’s been no lull coming out of the gates.
“Cade’s ahead and has got so many of those competitive traits and ability to make all the throws, but he also the ability to get the ball in other peoples’ hands, make others better. Probably the number one job as a quarterback when it comes right down to it is to be that point guard.”
He’s on every detail, every face of the position right down to leadership, and he’s not taking a knee or a breath despite being pushed. Texas Tech transfer Alan Bowman is playing ‘really well,’ Harbaugh added, and Dan Villari has had good days.
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McCarthy, though, is the one to watch in terms of pushing McNamara.
“He’s off to a fast start and playing really well and improving, as well,” Harbaugh said. “He’s improving on those abilities of you don’t have to win the whole game yourself every single down … it’s being a guy that can distribute the ball to the many playmakers we have in the backfield and at the wide receiver position.
“He’s taken to that, and his growth has been exponential that way. It’s good. He’s made his most growth having that point guard mentality and getting the ball to the playmakers. We’re not taking any of his creativity away – just refining how he plays the position. He’s not out there in high school where he’s got to carry the whole team … there are other really good players. So that’s where I’ve seen the most growth in him in that over these first seven days.”
Junior Ronnie Bell is leading the receiver group, and he’s been outstanding.
“Ronnie has always been a tremendous competitor. He’s a gamer, because he’s got a way of making contested catches, making plays, getting open,” Harbaugh continued. “His level of attention to detail, how he treats practice, his recovery, his nutrition … how he treats his study of the game. Those are the things that have dramatically improved and have shown up in his play.
“But there’s a real ‘six’ in terms of guys at the receiver position. Cornelius Johnson, Ronnie Bell, Mikey Sainristil, Roman Wilson, A.J. Henning, Daylen Baldwin. They are all playing really well right now. [Freshman] Andrel Anthony continues to make a play in practice. He’s on a streak, like a Lou Gehrig hitting streak. He would do it in spring ball … like wait for it — it’s going to happen. He makes it, a play in practice of the big chunk variety. He continues to be really good, as well.”
Their progress is expected to lead to a much-improved passing game in 2021.
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