Report: Michigan QB Cade McNamara Transferring to Iowa
Former Michigan Wolverines quarterback Cade McNamara is transferring to Iowa, with a formal announcement expected soon, per ESPN's Pete Thamel.
McNamara entered the transfer portal on Monday as a graduate transfer.
McNamara was a 4-star prospect in the 2019 class and ranked 268th nationally, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He originally committed to Notre Dame before flipping to Michigan.
The Nevada native didn't play at all in 2019, sitting behind starter Shea Patterson. However, he appeared in four games during the 2020 campaign, replacing Joe Milton III before being named Michigan's starter for the 2021 season.
In 14 games in 2021, McNamara completed 64.2 percent of his passes for 2,576 yards and 15 touchdowns against six interceptions. He also rushed for 37 yards and one score. The Wolverines went on to win the Big Ten and earn a berth in the College Football Playoff.
McNamara lost his starting job in 2022 following a quarterback battle with J.J. McCarthy.
McNamara started the first game of the season against Colorado State, completing 9-of-18 passes for 136 yards and one touchdown. McCarthy started the second game against Hawai'i, completing 11-of-12 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns to win the starting job.
The 22-year-old appeared in the win against Hawai'i and the following week's win over UConn, but he suffered a knee injury in that game and underwent surgery before being ruled out for the season.
McNamara can play at Iowa for two seasons. He redshirted as a freshman, and the NCAA gave any athlete from the 2020-21 campaign an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on the season.
Iowa finished the 2022 regular season with a 7-5 record, sitting third in the Big Ten West behind Purdue and Illinois. The Hawkeyes currently have Spencer Petras, Joey Labas and Carson May as the quarterbacks on their roster.
