When former Ole Miss starting quarterback Shea Patterson announced his transfer to Michigan, the Wolverines figure they now have their starting quarterback for the next two years - and he has a chance to be the most productive quarterback in recent Michigan history.
Patterson started 10 games for the Rebels in his career, three at the end of his freshman year and seven as a sophomore this season before suffering a season-ending knee injury. In those 10 games (only nine of which were full games), Patterson eclipsed the 300-yard mark seven times - an absurd 70% of his starts. The three times he didn't were in his second career start, in Ole Miss' 66-3 loss to Alabama this season, and in the game he didn't finish due to the knee injury.
Michigan, on the other hand, hasn't seen that kind of production from their quarterback in the past 20 years. When we read that Patterson had thrown for over 300 yards in 70% of his starts (and 77% of his full games), we wanted to take a look back at some of the better Michigan QBs over the last 20 years to see how he stacked up. The results will shock and amaze you.
Shea Patterson: 2016-17
Games started at Ole Miss: 10
300+ yards passing games: 7
% games 300+ yards passing: 70%
% complete games 300+ yards passing: 77.77%
Tom Brady: 1998-99
Games started at Michigan: 25
300+ yards passing games: 3
% games 300+ yards passing: 12%
Drew Henson: 2000
Games started at Michigan: 8
300+ yards passing games: 2
% games 300+ yards passing: 25%
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John Navarre: 2000-2003
Games started at Michigan: 42
300+ yards passing games: 4
% games 300+ yards passing: 9.52%
Chad Henne: 2000
Games started at Michigan: 45
300+ yards passing games: 5
% games 300+ yards passing: 11.11%
Denard Robinson: 2010-2012
Games started at Michigan: 34
300+ yards passing games: 3
% games 300+ yards passing: 8.82%
Devin Gardner: 2012-2014
Games started at Michigan: 28
300+ yards passing games: 3
% games 300+ yards passing: 10.71%
Jake Rudock: 2015
Games started at Michigan: 13
300+ yards passing games: 2
% games 300+ yards passing: 15.38%
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Games started at Iowa 2014-15: 24
300+ yards passing games: 2
% games 300+ yards passing: 8.33%
Wilton Speight: 2016-2017
Games started at Michigan: 17
300+ yards passing games: 2
% games 300+ yards passing: 11.76%
Yep, Michigan has 24 games over 300 yards passing in the past 20 seasons, averaging 1.2 games at 300+ per season. Tom Brady only eclipsed the 300-yard mark three times in his 25 career games from 1998-99, a 12 percent clip. Drew Henson, a part-time player during Brady's tenure and full-time starter in 2000, only hit that mark twice in eight career starts. John Navarre then provided stability to the quarterback position at Michigan for several years, yet he only threw for over 300 yards four times in 42 starts (just 9.52% of the time). Even Chad Henne, a four-year starter, only passed for 300 yards 11.11% of the time (five of 45 career starts). Denard Robinson -8.82% in 34 career starts - and Devin Gardner - 10.17% in 28 career starts - didn't fare much better, both recording three 300-yard passing games in their careers.
Under Jim Harbaugh, Michigan has thrown for 300+ yards only 4 times (10.52 percent), two each by Jake Rudock and Wilton Speight (15.38 percent and 11.76 percent respectively). Additionally, Rudock threw for 300+ yards twice in 24 starts (8.33 percent) at Iowa before transferring to Michigan.
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If you're keeping score at home, Patterson already has more 300-yard games (seven) than any other Michigan quarterback since 1998 (five - Henne) and a much higher percentage - 70 percent compared to Henson's 25 percent, Rudock's 15.38 percent, and Brady's 12 percent.
Expect that to change once Patterson takes over under center. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON FACEBOOK WITH A BUCKEYES OR SPARTANS FAN!!
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