At the Big Ten Media Day on Friday, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh made some interesting comments in regards to his quarterback situation. When speaking about quarterbacks Shea Patterson and Dylan McCaffrey, Harbaugh indicated that both quarterbacks could see time under center this year. While it seemed as if Patterson was a shoo-in for the position, his history of inconsistent play has left doubts.
Last season at Michigan was certainly Patterson’s best as he went 210 for 325 for 2,600 yards, 22 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also had 76 carries for 273 yards and an additional two touchdowns. Prior to that, at Ole Miss for two seasons, Patterson was a combined 238 for 392 yards for 3,139 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.
He certainly has the goods, and many project he will entice NFL teams to take a shot on him, but Harbaugh seems less certain. It is pretty easy to say that when you have the No. 2 quarterback recruit in McCaffrey. While the Wolverines would probably prefer their senior quarterback to lead them, they have a nice fallback option if Patterson’s play doesn’t match up with the expectations that Michigan has.
Transfers Are Option For Ohio State
While talking about quarterbacks, new Ohio State coach Ryan Day is looking at a couple of transfers as his options for the Buckeyes. While Day emphasizes that no decisions have been made, the assumption is that Justin Fields, who transferred from Georgia, will likely get the nod at quarterback. For Georgia, Fields did not get too much experience. In 2018, he was 27 for 39 for 328 yards and four touchdowns. In that time, he did not have an interception and was sacked four times. He also rushed 42 times for 266 yards and another four touchdowns. Fields was the celebrated transfer after Dwayne Haskins said goodbye and backup Tate Martell transferred.
Still, Day says that it is still a competition between Fields and Gunnar Hoak, a graduate transfer from Kentucky. In his time at Kentucky, Hoak didn’t throw a pass in 2017, and in 2018, he was just 13 for 26 for 167 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception. Obviously, both of these quarterbacks are raw, but the belief is that the much more hyped Fields will be starting under center for the Buckeyes come week one. For a coach trying to make a good impression and compete in the Big Ten, that is probably the right call for Day.
SEC/ACC Predictions Don’t Come As A Shocker
Projections for the SEC have come out, and in one of the most unsurprising results possible, Alabama is expected to win again. Just as unsurprising, the Crimson Tide’s Tua Tagovailoa is expected to lead the way for SEC quarterbacks. Last season, Tagovailoa was 245 for 355 for 3,966 yards, 43 touchdowns, and just six interceptions. He also rushed 57 times for 190 yards and an additional five touchdowns. But the Tide lost big to Clemson in the National Championship game, 44-16. For Alabama, winning the SEC would be great, but their goals go much higher than that.
In the ACC, there is also a consensus as the Clemson Tigers are expected to dominate the conference. In fact, most of the expectations seem to predict another Clemson-Alabama showdown in this upcoming season’s National Championship game.
Like Alabama, expectations are also high for Clemson’s quarterback, Trevor Lawrence. Last season, Lawrence went 259 for 397 for 3,280 yards, 30 touchdowns, and only four interceptions as a true freshman. One thing is for sure, whether you are a Tide fan or a Tigers fan, there is a lot to be excited for.
Kentucky’s Wilson Wants To Honor Lorenzen
Coach Mark Stoops told the media Thursday that quarterback Terry Wilson wants to honor the late Jared Lorenzen by wearing his number (22) for the opening game against Toledo. Lorenzen sadly passed away earlier this month after being admitted into the hospital due to experiencing cardiac and kidney issues. Lorenzen was Kentucky’s all-time leader in passing. In total, from 2000 to 2003, he was 862 for 1,514 with 10,354 yards, 78 touchdowns, and 41 interceptions. He also rushed 279 times for 283 yards and 12 touchdowns in his career. For Wilson, the tribute would be a nice way to pay homage to one of Kentucky’s all-time best. Last season, as a sophomore, Wilson went 180 for 268 for 1,889 yards, 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions for the Wildcats. He also rushed 135 times for 547 yards and four touchdowns. He will look to improve on those numbers this upcoming season.
Former Florida International Player Killed
In sad news, Florida International’s former defensive back, Emmanuel Lubin, died in a car crash. A senior in 2018, Lubin played in all 13 games, amassing 29 tackles. While Lubin was still holding out for opportunities to play football professionally, he was also finishing a degree from the university. As Florida International University mourns, Lubin was recognized as not only a good football player, but a great person and teammate.
