Cade McNamara's college football journey will continue somewhere besides Iowa City. The two-year Iowa football quarterback announced Wednesday he's entering the transfer portal as a grad transfer.
McNamara took to Instagram with an emotional post about his time with the Hawkeyes.
“My last two years at the University of Iowa have been an incredible journey. Through so many ups and downs, I couldn’t be more thankful for the amazing people and experiences I’ve had here. I am deeply grateful for the relationships I’ve built with my teammates, coaches, and newfound friends.
“I want to specifically thank Coach Ferentz, Coach Lester, and the entire Iowa Football staff for their unwavering support and wisdom. I will truly miss this program and state, and they will always hold a special place in my heart.
“With that being said, I will be entering the transfer portal. I’m looking forward to this offseason, being the healthiest I’ve been in years, and continuing my growth as a player, leader, and person. I am excited to see where God takes my football journey next.
“Now and forever, Go Hawks!”
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It has been quite the eventful college football career for Cade McNamara. He was a four-star prospect coming out of high school after setting Nevada records and winning Gatorade Player of the Year twice. After initially committing to Notre Dame, he wound up at Michigan in 2019 and ultimately earned the starting job in 2021.
However, McNamara got benched in the College Football Playoff Semifinal that year, with J.J. McCarthy taking over in an ugly loss to Georgia. While McNamara started the first game of the following season, McCarthy quickly took over the job. McNamara then suffered a season-ending knee injury and entered the transfer portal after the season, choosing to play for Iowa.
McNamara then suffered another season-ending injury in his first season at Iowa. The quarterback returned to the fold for this season and went 5-3 in eight games, throwing for 1,017 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions. He was seemingly benched for poor play, though it later came out he was dealing with an injury and didn't play again the rest of the season due to a concussion.
Cade McNamara will now look to finish his star-crossed college football career elsewhere.