Michigan football needs starting QB to be elite in one area

Michigan football might have lost its head coach, its starting quarterback, and most of the starting offense, along with essential players on defense.

But despite all of that, Michigan football still has four players projected to go in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. They have an elite defensive line — maybe the best in all of college football.

Donovan Edwards is going to be the full-time starter for the first time. The offensive line should also be salty, even after losing all five starters. The biggest question is quarterback.

What Michigan football needs most from its quarterbacks

There are depth concerns on offense and defense, sure. But those are minor problems compared to what the quarterback position could become.

However, with an elite defensive line, what I expect to be one of the best offensive lines in the Big Ten, and an elite running game with Alex Orji, Edwards, and Kalel Mullings, there are enough pieces to win another Big Ten title — even make the 12-team playoff.

The schedule is brutal. But this defense is good enough to win games, as long as the Michigan football quarterbacks are elite in one area of the game: protecting the ball.

That’s one trait that J.J. McCarthy and Cade McNamara shared. In each of the past three seasons, Michigan football has averaged one turnover or less per game. In 2021, it was 1.0 turnovers per game under McNamara. Under J.J. McCarthy it dropped to 0.7 and 0.5 turnovers per game in 2022 and 2023.

McCarthy is the more talented player. But McNamara was great at taking care of the football and as long as Alex Orji, or whoever starts, can do that, Michigan football will win games — a lot of them.

If the offense can score 20 points per game (not a very high bar) this defense will carry the Wolverines to victories and if the quarterbacks can continue to be elite in ball security, the Wolverines will win 9-10 games easily.

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