Fresh off a 7-5 season and hiring Will Healy as their new head coach, the East Tennessee State Buccaneers are the landing spot for a former Iowa Hawkeye and Michigan Wolverine starter with a College Football Playoff start on his resume.
East Tennessee State Lands Former Iowa Hawkeye, Michigan Wolverine QB Cade McNamara Through Transfer Portal
Healy was hired in December, with hopes of continuing an upward trend of East Tennessee State football. After multiple 3-8 campaigns in 2022 and 2023, former head coach Tre Lamb took over and produced a 7-5 season in 2024 before leaving to become the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes head coach.
Enter the 40-year-old Healy, who’s served as a head coach for a combined seven seasons with the Austin Peay Governors and Charlotte 49ers, where he’s amassed a 28-45 record. He spent the 2024 season as the UCF Knights’ assistant head coach and senior offensive analyst.
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Just over a month after taking the Buccaneers head coaching job, he may have found his quarterback for the 2025 season.
After four seasons with the Wolverines and two seasons with the Hawkeyes, quarterback Cade McNamara is headed to Johnson City, Tennessee, to join the East Tennessee State football program for his seventh year of eligibility.
McNamara has seen action in five seasons with Michigan and Iowa, compiling 4,703 passing yards and 31 passing touchdowns with 15 interceptions. He’s also rushed for two touchdowns in his career.
The highlight of McNamara’s career came in his redshirt freshman season with the Wolverines. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights held a 17-0 lead before McNamara was inserted into the game, leading a thrilling 48-42 comeback in triple-overtime. He completed 27 of 36 passes for 260 yards and four touchdowns to go with a rushing score as well.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh named McNamara the starter ahead of the 2021 season, leading the Wolverines to a 12-2 record and a College Football Playoff appearance. In 2022, he was replaced by J.J. McCarthy as the starter after week two.
Following the season, McNamara announced his transfer to Iowa, hoping to bring some offensive firepower to the program. In his fifth game, he suffered a season-ending knee injury, yet announced his intentions of returning for his sixth season in 2024.
This past season, McNamara started eight games for Iowa, leading them to a record of 5-3. A concussion against the Northwestern Wildcats ended his season early once again. He entered the transfer portal after the season, with hopes of the NCAA granting him a seventh year of eligibility.
His final year will be played with the Buccaneers in the Southern Conference — a far cry from the Big Ten defenses McNamara has faced in his career.
The former CFP starter likely didn’t expect to end his career at East Tennessee State, but it should provide a boost to the program, gaining an experienced player at the quarterback position.
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