ESPN analyst has high praise for former Michigan football quarterback

The Cade McNamara saga of Maize and Blue football was interesting — from taking over for Joe Milton in 2020 and standing out, to assisting the Wolverines to a Big Ten title in 2021, there were plenty of ups and downs for the former Michigan football quarterback.

Can former Michigan football quarterback Cade McNamara elevate the Iowa offense?

After losing the job to JJ McCarthy in 2022, McNamara hit the transfer portal and committed to Iowa. Now, according to an ESPN analyst, McNamara can maximize the potential of the Iowa offense and elevate the Hawkeyes’ on-field results.

As all Maize and Blue fans know, Cade McNamara wasn’t much to look at during his days with Michigan football. He was a good game manager, but that’s about it.

In 2022, just one game into the season, it was clear that five-star QB JJ McCarthy was a much better option for the Wolverines. Some may dislike the outcome of last year’s quarterback battle, but Michigan’s 12-0 regular season and Big Ten title are proof that it was the right call.

Regardless, McNamara chose to stay within the Big Ten after entering the transfer portal and brought former Michigan captain Erick All with him to Iowa. This year, the duo will be looking to meet the Wolverines in the Big Ten title game. This time, unlike when they won it in 2021, McNamara and All will be seeking to help carry the Hawkeyes to their first title since 2004.

McNamara looking to contend for Big Ten title and more

Recently, ESPN analyst Greg McElroy broke down a few of the conference’s top quarterbacks and had a lot to say about former Michigan football quarterback turned Iowa Hawkeye, Cade McNamara.

“This is a bird in the hand type of pick for me,” said McElroy. “Some people don’t necessarily love the upside. I personally love that he’s going to be pushed into an offense that is about ball control, but he has at times put the team on his back but he needs a good solid run game. He needs a good supporting cast.”

Just as we saw during his days in Ann Arbor, McNamara is not a star quarterback — he is a game manager who makes few mistakes. When placed in an offense like Iowa’s, which was abysmal (to say the least) in 2022, the former Wolverine may thrive.

“He’s not going to be a guy that can take over the game,” McElroy continued. “He’s going to be a guy that gets you from point A to point B without any speed bumps along the way. He’s a steady, solid game manager with underrated mobility. And I think in that offense, he can be the, probably, best version of Iowa’s offense, if that’s saying something. He can kind of accelerate that offense in a certain way. So I’m a big believer in Cade McNamara.”

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