Ranking The Top 5 Michigan QBs From The Jim Harbaugh Era

Some Michigan QBs were really good under Jim Harbaugh while others had their struggles. Here are the five that stood out.

Trent Knoop | Jul 8, 2024

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh talks to quarterback J.J. McCarthy before the start of the Rose Bowl vs. Alabama in Pasadena, California, on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Jim Harbaugh coached a successful tenure with Michigan from 2015-2023 before heading back to the NFL. While Harbaugh is now with the Los Angeles Chargers, Wolverine fans will always remember what Harbaugh did for Michigan and what he did to bring the Wolverines back to a perennial power.

Harbaugh came to Michigan as a quarterback whisperer with what he did with Andrew Luck at Stanford and Alex Smith/Colin Kaepernick with the 49ers. While not all of the QBs were great at Michigan under Harbaugh, there were a few that were really good. Here are the five best QBs under Harbaugh during his time in Ann Arbor.

1. J.J. McCarthy (2021-2023)

Nov 25, 2023; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback J.J. McCarthy (9) throws during the second half of the NCAA football game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Stadium. Ohio State lost 30-24. / Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA

Career stats: 482-713 (67.6%) 6,226 yards, 49 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions; 161 carries for 632 yards and 10 touchdowns

There are no quarterbacks that were better than J.J. McCarthy under Jim Harbaugh -- or maybe ever in Michigan history. McCarthy was 27-1 as the starting quarterback at Michigan and he helped lead the Wolverines to three-straight wins against Ohio State and to Big Ten Championships. McCarthy's final act as the starting QB was to win a national championship for Michigan.

McCarthy didn't put up gaudy stats as a Wolverine, but he was efficient and did more than what was asked of him as a team leader, a signal-caller, and for the community.

2. Shea Patterson (2018-2019)

Oct 26, 2019; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Shea Patterson (2) passes in the first half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports / Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Career stats: 424-706 (60.1%) 5,661 yards, 45 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions; 163 carries for 323 yards and seven touchdowns.

There was some scrutiny during Shea Patterson's time at Michigan. He came to the Wolverines after spending two years with Ole Miss as the nation's top quarterback out of high school. Patterson put up solid stats in Ann Arbor and went 19-8 as a starter, but he struggled to beat both Ohio State and win in the postseason.

Patterson helped the Michigan offense become pass-relevant with his arm and was mobile to make plays, and if he were able to help the Wolverines beat Ohio State some people would look differently at his tenure in Ann Arbor.

3. Cade McNamara (2021-2022)

Sep 11, 2021; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Cade McNamara (12) rolls out to pass in the first half against the Washington Huskies at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports / Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Career stats: 267-423 (63.1%) 3,181 yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions

We know how some people view Cade McNamara and his time at Michigan. People look at him as a game-manager and people think of McNamara as losing his job to J.J. McCarthy and leaving for Iowa.

But the fact of the matter is Cade McNamara was the starting quarterback for Michigan in 2021. A season in which the Wolverines beat Ohio State for the first time since 2011. He helped lead the Wolverines to their first College Football Playoff.

There wasn't much flashy about McNamara, but he did his job and got Michigan out of the dungeon it was in.

4. Jake Rudock (2015)

Nov 28, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Jake Rudock (15) drops back to pass during the game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports / Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Career stats: 249-389 (64%) 3,017 yards, 20 touchdowns, and nine interceptions

One of the first things Jim Harbaugh did when he got to Michigan in 2015 was to bring in Iowa quarterback Jake Rudock. Rudock got off to a shaky first half of the year with the Wolverines. But he finished the final five games as strong as anyone in the country throwing for more than 250 yards in every game.

Most fans wanted to see Rudock play one more season with Harbaugh in Ann Arbor after his strong finish. But unfortunately, Rudock's college days were behind him.

5. Wilton Speight (2015-2017)

Sep 2, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Michigan Wolverines quarterback Wilton Speight (3) throws in the pocket against the Florida Gators at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports / Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Career stats: 257-437 (58.8%) 3,192 yards, 22 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions

Nobody knew who Jim Harbaugh was going to start in 2016 after Jake Rudock. Turned out to be a very tall Wilton Speight. His first pass against Hawaii resulted in an interception but he bounced back and led Michigan to a 9-0 start but dropped games against Iowa, Ohio State, and Florida State to end the year.

Speight was injury-plagued the following year before transferring to UCLA.

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