The Michigan Wolverines should pick one QB and stick with him

The Michigan Wolverines open their season tonight at home, hosting Middle Tennessee State. Yes, it’s essentially an exhibition game for the Wolverines, but I will say I thought the same thing back when Appalachian State rolled into Ann Arbor ‘that’ time!

The Michigan Wolverines, unlike ‘that time’ against App State should handle Middle Tennessee State with ease tonight. Jim Harbaugh recently mentioned he’d like to use both of his quarterbacks in every game this year. You know the old adage ‘if you have two quarterbacks you have none.’

I don’t quite understand the logic of playing two quarterbacks at all. The best programs in the country don’t rotate quarterbacks. They pick the best player available and roll with them regardless of which class they are. As much as I’m excited to see Dylan McCaffery operate Michigan’s offense, Shea Patterson, today is the best option on the roster.

Just after Jim announced that to the press, Patterson responded saying, “I’d like to have the ball in his hands every play, but that’s up to Jim Harbaugh, not me.” I don’t quite understand rotating QB’s, and this will be McCaffery’s team for two seasons after this year is completed. Unless Michigan feels there is a chance he may become disgruntled and ask for a transfer, play Patterson unless an injury happens to occur. Why would you run the risk of being out of sync on offense rotating quarterbacks?

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Jim Harbaugh has turned the keys to the offense over to newly appointed offensive coordinator Josh Gattis. This will be Gattis’ first time as a play-caller. He was a member of Nick Saban’s coaching staff last season holding the title, co-offensive coordinator but didn’t call the plays. It will be a bit of a learning curve for the young OC, but what a perfect opportunity to get into the flow of things against a team like Middle Tennessee State. No disrespect, but this isn’t Ohio State, Notre Dame, or Michigan State.

I, like a lot of people, wonder how Harbaugh will react when the going gets tough. Will the highly animated, at times impatient, head coach regain control of the offense late in the fourth quarter of a close game or let his young OC try and get the job done?

Similar to Michigan State, Michigan is implementing a new offense tonight. They are getting away from Jim Harbaugh’s power run, which seen the fullback get far too many carries regularly and running a much more modern fast-paced spread style offense. It’s a new offense, one that Patterson is very familiar with from his time at Ole Miss. The spread offense will have plenty of QB option runs mixed in with short routes getting the ball into the playmakers’ hands.

The Wolverines have plenty of dynamic playmakers on the outside that Shea Patterson needs to get the ball too and let them go to work. Wide receiver’s Donovan Peoples-Jones along with Tarik Black, Nico Collins, and Ronnie Bell are all poised to have tremendous seasons’ in this new offense.

A hole that will need to be filled immediately is in the backfield. If the Michigan Wolverines have an issue, it could be in the run game. Maybe not so much talent-wise but they are inexperienced. Chris Evans was expected to be the workhorse but has been suspended from the team indefinitely due to academic issues. The Wolverines will start the former walk-on senior Tru Wilson who compiled a mere 62 carries last season. He averaged just shy of 6-yards per carry which is incredible but don’t expect that as a feature back.

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The Michigan Wolverines enter the season opener ranked as the 7th best team in the nation according to the AP polls. They should have no issue maintaining that ranking after tonight. Let’s watch and hope the new offense looks better than their rival Michigan State’s new offense did last night.

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