ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Jim Harbaugh has decided to start Big Ten championship-winning quarterback Cade McNamara when No. 8 Michigan opens its season Saturday at home against Colorado State.
When the Wolverines host Hawaii the following week, Harbaugh has chosen to give J.J. McCarthy his first snap.
Harbaugh said no one can be sure who the team’s starting quarterback will be after the first two games.
“No person knows what the future holds,” he said Monday. “The process will be based on performance.”
McNamara started every game last season as a junior, leading Michigan to a win over rival Ohio State for the first time in a decade and to its first Big Ten title since 2004.
The third-team, All-Big Ten player from Reno, Nevada, completed 64% of his passes for an average of 184 yards passing per game with 15 passing touchdowns, one rushing score and six interceptions. This summer, he was voted in as a team captain.
McCarthy, from La Grange Park, Illinois, played in 11 games last year as a highly touted freshman. He connected on 58% of his 59 passes for a total of 516 yards with five touchdowns and two interceptions. He also had 124 yards rushing and two scores.
KENTUCKY: Running back Chris Rodriguez Jr. will not play in Saturday night’s opener against Miami of Ohio, and Coach Mark Stoops expects multiplegame suspensions for the No. 20 Wildcats’ rushing leader and other players.
Rodriguez pleaded guilty this summer to driving under the influence and other charges following his arrest in May. Neither the senior nor linebacker Jordan Wright was listed on the depth chart released Monday, but Stoops said they were “unavailable” rather than suspended. He did not offer further details during a news conference.
WISCONSIN: Wisconsin’s quarterback depth has taken a hit heading into the 18th-ranked Badgers’ season opener.
Backup quarterback Chase Wolf injured his right leg and is out for an indefinite length of time. That leaves starter Graham Mertz as the only available Wisconsin quarterback who has taken a snap in a college game.
Coach Paul Chryst said the injury happened last week and indicated he doesn’t know how much time Wolf will miss. The Badgers open their season Saturday by hosting Football Championship Subdivision program Illinois State.
KANSAS: Kansas suspended starting wide receiver Trevor Wilson indefinitely and backup Tanaka Scott for the season-opener against Tennessee Tech after the pair were arrested last week near campus.
Wilson was charged with suspicion of aggravated assault and use of a deadly weapon for the incident Thursday, when a Lawrence police spokesperson said a man flashed a gun at another car before driving away from the scene.
Wilson was released from Douglas County Jail on $5,000 bond and is due back in court Tuesday. The same charges against Tanaka were dismissed Friday for lack of probable cause.
ALABAMA: Tight end Cameron Latu’s status is uncertain for the opener against Utah State with an undisclosed injury.
The top-ranked Crimson Tide’s Coach Nick Saban said that Latu was to resume practice Monday.
“I don’t think anybody can make a prediction about that right now,” Saban said. “He’s been on the treadmill and all that stuff last week. He’s never had an issue, never had a problem. So the next thing he does is start dry-land working, doing individual, seeing what he can do in practice. It’s kind of day-to-day with him.”
Latu is a preseason second-team All-Southeastern Conference pick by media covering the league. His eight touchdown catches last season were an Alabama record for a tight end.
He was not among the four tight ends listed on the depth chart released Monday.
NOTRE DAME: Coach Marcus Freeman said offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson was questionable for the fifth-ranked Fighting Irish’s opener against No. 2 Ohio State.
Patterson has been dealing with an injury to his right foot for about two weeks. Freeman said he did expect the fifth-year senior to practice this week.
TEXAS A&M: Haynes King will start for the sixth-ranked Texas A&M Aggies in their opener against Sam Houston State Saturday.
Coach Jimbo Fisher announced King had won the job after vying with Max Johnson and Conner Weigman during camp.
VANDERBILT: Vanderbilt Stadium will be called FirstBank Stadium starting this season under a 10-year naming rights deal announced.
Athletic Director Candice Lee called the deal a historic collaboration. Financial terms were not disclosed by the Southeastern Conference’s only private university.
AUBURN: Center Nick Brahms is calling it quits on his playing career because of lingering knee problems.
Coach Bryan Harsin announced the veteran starter’s decision five days before Auburn’s opener against Mercer. Brahms, a sixth-year senior, started 33 games over the past four seasons.
Brahms missed the Birmingham Bowl after knee surgery.
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