From the big stages of the Big Ten with Michigan and Iowa, former Hawkeyes quarterback Cade McNamara chose to take his talents elsewhere for his final year of eligibility.
McNamara has had a storied career in college football, starting with a great freshman season at Michigan, but it was all downhill from there. After being discarded by former Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, McNamara went to a rival Big Ten team by joining Kirk Ferentz and Iowa for two seasons. However, it wasn't a storybook ending in Iowa City either, as McNamara dealt with injuries both seasons and unruly fans who rioted for his benching.
So, for his final year of college football eligibility, McNamara is taking his talents to East Tennessee State University.
BREAKING: Iowa transfer QB Cade McNamara has signed with ETSU, @PeteNakos_ reports.https://t.co/0pGJcXrJsH pic.twitter.com/nS8UMrO1Qh
— On3 (@On3sports) January 18, 2025
This may come as a surprise to many as how does a quarterback who played with the bigs in the Big Ten now go to the Southern Conference with ETSU? Well, it is exactly what was mentioned above, McNamara had a very rough college career up to this point.
McNamara had one great season at Michigan, and people ridiculed Harbaugh for benching him for JJ McCarthy, but when McNamara went to Iowa, it all made sense. McNamara just didn't have the high-level playing ability needed to win a National Championship with the Wolverines.
Granted, when it comes to the offense, Iowa has always been the poster child for scoring, but with the right quarterback, it could be run well enough to help our stout defense. McNamara wasn't able to be the game manager the Hawkeyes needed and when it came to his concussion this season, there were a lot fo questions as to whether it was really as bad as Ferentz made it out to be.
All the best to McNamara as he heads South to ETSU for the rest of his college career.