Michigan football brought in another veteran quarterback from the transfer portal Monday in Jake Garcia. He joins Fresno State transfer Mikey Keene as the only upperclassmen in the Wolverines’ quarterback room.
The middle of June is a peculiar time to add a quarterback from the portal, as week one is quickly approaching (August 30). What will Garcia bring to the offense?
Transfer quarterback Jake Garcia likely a depth piece for Michigan
Michigan is school No. 5 for Garcia, as he spent his first two seasons at Miami (FL) (2021-22) before transferring to Missouri (2023) and East Carolina (2024). Garcia saw the most playing time last year with East Carolina, but he failed to impress. In six starts, Garcia threw for eight touchdowns and 12 interceptions with a completion percentage of 60.2.
The Wolverines had been looking for a quarterback to be a potential bridge player for freshman phenom Bryce Underwood. Although he seems to be ready, Underwood could need some time to adjust to the next level. Keene battled injuries in spring ball, so if he isn’t healthy by week one, Garcia will at least be No. 2 on the depth chart.
The addition of Garcia could also be seen as a bad sign for sophomore QB Jadyn Davis. The No. 8 quarterback from the class of 2024 has yet to throw a pass in a game, and the chances of him doing so this season dropped significantly with the arrival of another veteran.
In a perfect world for Michigan, Underwood is ready to take over in week one, and neither Keene, Garcia or Davis will see the field very much. After all, Underwood has the potential to be a generational player, and Wolverines fans would like to see it sooner rather than later.
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