The transfer portal taketh from Iowa football this week, but tonight it also giveth -- in a big, big way:
New beginning #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/qrK2PJY4NX
— Cade McNamara (@Cademac_12) December 2, 2022
BOOM!
That is Cade McNamara, formerly of the reigning Big Ten champion Michigan Wolverines, announcing that he's transferring to Iowa. (The transfer portal doesn't technically open until Monday, but McNamara is a graduate transfer and, really, it doesn't matter. What matters is that he's going to be a Hawkeye.) And that decision is a big deal -- and the first big win that the Iowa program has had in the transfer portal in quite some time.
McNamara was Michigan's starting quarterback last year and helped direct them to an 11-1 regular season, a Big Ten Championship (which included an absolute decimation of Iowa in the Big Ten Championship Game, as we painfully recall), and a spot in the College Football Playoff. He posted very solid numbers last season: 210/327 (64%), 2576 yards, 15 TD, 6 INT, and a 141.87 QB rating. Still, he found himself in a heated battle for the QB1 job entering the season with sophomore sensation J.J. McCarthy. McCarthy ultimately won that duel and led Michigan to a 12-0 regular season and a return trip to the Big Ten Championship Game. McNamara played in three games, going 14/25 (56%) for 180 yards, 1 TD, and 1 INT.
One caveat to this move: McNamara's season ended due to knee injury and he had surgery to repair that knee and fix an issue that had been bothering him since the 2021 season.
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That could limit McNamara's involvement in spring practice, which would not be ideal as he tries to get up to speed with a new offense and new coaches and develop chemistry with a new set of teammates. But it certainly shouldn't be a dealbreaker on a move like this and hopefully he'll make a speedy recovery and be able to participate in practice sooner rather than later. McNamara also has two years of eligibility remaining, should he choose to use them, so this may be more than just a one-year rental for the Iowa program.
McNamara's decision could be the first of several dominoes to fall in what could be an eventful offseason for Iowa, especially on the offensive side of the ball. Incumbent starting quarterback Spencer Petras does still have one year of eligibility remaining -- but this move certainly suggests that Petras' Iowa career will be done after this season. It seems unlikely that McNamara would agree to come to Iowa if he thought Petras was staying for another year. McNamara's addition could have an impact on Iowa's recruiting -- as well as their activity in the transfer portal. Perhaps his presence can sway a few players to consider coming to Iowa -- or convince a few current recruits/players to stay in Iowa City.
Of course, the addition of a quality quarterback like McNamara doesn't fix all of Iowa's offensive woes by itself. Iowa's offensive rot involves far more than just the personnel running the plays -- it's rooted in the coaching staff and the plays they call and the schemes they design. Is McNamara's arrival part of further, bigger, systemic changes for the Iowa offense? We'll have to wait and see on that front, but for now we can just be happy that there's good reason to be excited about the future of the QB position at Iowa.
Welcome to Iowa, Cade.
