Jim Harbaugh makes Colin Kaepernick, Alex Smith comparisons with Michigan QB situation

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Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh had to deal with questions around the quarterback situation in Ann Arbor throughout the summer and two games into the 2022 college football season. 

Harbaugh did himself no favors, choosing to give both redshirt junior Cade McNamara and sophomore J.J McCarthy a start in Michigan’s first two games before deciding on the permanent starter moving forward.

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy of the Michigan Wolverines signals the bench in the first half of the game against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Saturday. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

McNamara, the quarterback who led Michigan to the Big Ten title and beat Ohio State for the first time since 2001, was decent in his Week 1 start against Colorado State. He completed nine of 18 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown in a 51-7 win. 

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But it was McCarthy who shined the brightest, receiving the Week 2 start against Hawaii and earning the starting job moving forward with a "near flawless performance."

McCarthy went 11-for-12 passing for 229 yards and three touchdowns in the first half before sitting the rest of the game. 

During his post-game press conference, Harbaugh compared the quarterback battle at Michigan to the one he oversaw in the NFL as head coach of the San Francisco 49ers in 2012. 

In 2012, Colin Kaepernick, left, replaced an injured Alex Smith during San Francisco’s Week 10 game and never looked back, as. Kaepernick would go on to lead the 49ers to a Super Bowl appearance against the Baltimore Ravens (Streeter Lecka/Getty